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SALT LAKE CITY — Nursing mothers could be exempt from jury service under a bill that has advanced to the Utah House of Representatives.
Late Wednesday afternoon, the House Judiciary Committee gave a favorable recommendation to HB154.
The bill's sponsor, Rep. Mike McKell, R-Spanish Fork, said he introduced the legislation after a constituent wrote him a letter explaining that a judge would not excuse her from the jury pool after she explained she was breastfeeding her child. She spent most of a day in court during the selection process but was not selected for the jury.
"I know it’s a strange bill, but I think it fixes a problem I didn’t even know existed," McKell said.
Lacy Keller Smith, a mother and postpartum doula, a support person for new parents and babies, urged the committee's support of the bill.
"This bill is really, really good for moms and really good for babies," she said.
— Marjorie Cortez
