Jury Duty Exemption for Breastfeeding Act of 2026

Summary

Allows people who are breastfeeding and who are summoned for federal or D.C. jury service to be excused if they request it. The change amends federal jury law and the D.C. jury statute so a court (or a clerk under court-supervised jury selection plans) may excuse a breastfeeding juror upon that person's request; it does not provide funding or create penalties.

• Allows individuals who are breastfeeding to be excused from federal and D.C. jury service if they request it.
• Adds a new excusal provision to the federal jury statute and a corresponding exclusion in the D.C. jury code.
• Courts or clerks (under court-supervised plans) may grant the excusal; the provision is request-based, not automatic.
• Does not create funding, require documentation, or change state jury laws.
• Implementation is administrative and handled by courts and jury clerks within existing procedures.
• May modestly reduce the number of available jurors who are currently breastfeeding, while removing a barrier for nursing parents called for service.
• Does not expand other caregiver or medical exemptions beyond breastfeeding.
• No penalties or enforcement mechanisms are introduced by this change.