TRENTON – Governor Phil Murphy on April 22nd, continued to build on his Administration’s commitment to supporting the health and well-being of mothers and babies by signing S2236/A1992, which enables new mothers who are nursing to receive an exemption from jury duty. Under the bill, an individual may request to be excused from jury service if the prospective juror is a mother of a child one year of age or younger and is nursing or expressing milk for the child, and the request will be granted by the court.

“Balancing the demands of motherhood and civic duty can be challenging, especially for new mothers,” said Governor Murphy. “This bill ensures that our jury system remains fair for all while being compassionate and responsive to the needs of new mothers.”

“By exempting nursing mothers from jury duty, this bill acknowledges the unique personal health and caregiving challenges that new mothers face during the critical first few weeks and months after delivering a baby,” said First Lady Tammy Murphy. “This bill aligns with the many initiatives Nurture NJ has been involved in to create a more equitable and compassionate environment for all mothers in New Jersey. I am grateful to Phil and the entire Legislature for the unanimous passage of this bill, recognizing that the health and well-being of mothers and babies are fundamental to the future of our state.”

Governor Murphy has now signed 72 bills into law concerning maternal and infant health, which is the main focus of First Lady Tammy Murphy’s Nurture NJ initiative – a statewide effort dedicated to reducing maternal mortality and advancing equitable care among women and children of all races and ethnicities. In January 2021, the First Lady unveiled the Nurture NJ Maternal and Infant Health Strategic Plan – a strategic framework to make New Jersey the safest, most equitable state in the nation to deliver and raise a baby.

Since its launch in 2019, Nurture NJ has driven substantial progress in maternal and infant health. Over the past seven years, the initiative has started or completed over half of the Nurture NJ Strategic Plan recommendations; established the Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Authority, tasked with overseeing the New Jersey Maternal and Infant Health Innovation Center based in Trenton; and launched Family Connects NJ, the most robust-in-the-nation universal nurse home visitation program, to ensure that every new parent is visited by a nurse in their home for free within two weeks after bringing home a new baby. Through these bold initiatives and innovative policies, New Jersey has emerged as a national model in addressing the nation’s maternal and infant health crisis.

The prime sponsors of the bill, which unanimously passed both chambers, are Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz and Assemblywoman Shanique Speight. Other primary sponsors include Senator Brian Stack, Assemblyman Reginald Atkins, and Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson.

“Nursing a child in the first year of their life can be hugely demanding, especially as mothers find time to pump or breastfeed on schedule or cue. There has to be flexibility during this period for moms to feed their baby or build their milk supply,” said Senate Majority Leader Ruiz. “Allowing for this exemption will ease the burden on a nursing mother.”

“Breastfeeding offers numerous health benefits to newborns,” said Senator Stack. “This legislation will make the wellbeing of our mothers and their children a priority over a jury duty requirement they can fulfill at a more suitable time.”

“We have a moral obligation to support new moms, and that includes helping women who choose to feed their babies by nursing or pumping, both of which offer lifelong benefits to the child,” said Assemblywoman Speight. “By exempting nursing and pumping mothers from jury duty for the first year of a child’s life, we are working to ease one of the challenges faced by many women as they adjust to motherhood.”

“Civic engagement should never come at the expense of a mother’s health or her ability to feed her child,” said Assemblyman Atkins. “This law brings much needed compassion and common sense to our jury selection process.”

“Too many nursing mothers have faced an impossible choice to serve their community through jury duty, or meet the basic needs of their child,” said Assemblywoman Reynolds-Jackson. “With this law, we are recognizing that civic duty and motherhood shouldn’t be in conflict.”

This bill will take effect immediately.