COLUMBUS, Ohio — A new bill, House Bill 34, has been introduced in the Ohio House of Representatives by Republican lawmakers Roy Klopfenstein of the 82nd District and Angela King of the 84th District, aiming to allow breastfeeding mothers to be excused from jury duty.
The proposed legislation seeks to modify the current rules and requirements for Ohio residents summoned for jury duty. Under the bill, a signed affidavit provided to the judge, stating that a prospective juror is a breastfeeding mother, would be considered satisfactory documentation to support the juror’s request to be excused due to undue or extreme physical or financial hardship.
House Bill 34 is currently under review by the House Civil Justice Committee. If passed, the legislation would offer support to breastfeeding mothers and acknowledge the challenges they face in balancing their personal lives and civic responsibilities.