Alabama Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Protect Nursing Mothers from Jury Duty

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – What started as a Facebook post quickly turned into a movement, and now it’s making its way through the state legislature. The push to change Alabama state law to protect nursing mothers from jury duty is gaining momentum. This change comes after a viral incident last month where a nursing mom from Morris was threatened with involvement from the Department of Human Resources (DHR) after she brought her baby to the Jefferson County Courthouse.

Kandace Brown, the mother at the center of the viral incident, is now at the forefront of the push for change. Her frustrating experience has inspired her to take action. “We’ll do whatever we can to protect these moms,” Brown said, determined to make sure no other nursing mother has to go through what she did.

The story gained attention when Kandace Brown was forced to bring her three-month-old baby, Parker, to jury duty. Brown, who is exclusively breastfeeding her baby, had no other choice but to bring her child with her since the baby couldn’t eat without her. Despite explaining her situation for hours to judges and court clerks, she was told she could not be excused from jury duty.

Brown was publicly shamed in front of 300 people when a judge told her on the microphone that mothers with children at the courthouse needed to make arrangements for their children to be picked up. The judge also threatened that DHR could become involved in the situation. This made Brown feel humiliated and guilty for simply trying to take care of her baby.

Her story quickly gained attention online, sparking public outcry. In response to this incident, just four days later, the Alabama Supreme Court issued an administrative order that excused nursing mothers of infants from jury duty. While the move was seen as a step in the right direction, many believe that this issue should be written into law to ensure permanent protection for nursing moms.

“I think it’s important that this bill becomes a law because an administrative order can be changed just as easily as a stroke of a pen,” said Senator April Weaver, who is now sponsoring the bill. Senator Weaver introduced Senate Bill 76, which is intended to protect nursing mothers from being forced to attend jury duty. The bill is being referred to as “Parker’s Law” in honor of Kandace Brown’s baby, Parker, who inspired the movement.

In addition to Senator Weaver’s efforts in the Senate, Representative Susan Dubose is working on moving the bill through the House with House Bill 209. “Nursing mothers have to deal with so many stresses in their daily lives, and wondering whether or not they’ll have to go to jury duty is certainly not another stress they should have to carry,” said Sen. Weaver. She believes this bill will provide much-needed relief for nursing mothers.

For Kandace Brown, this is just the beginning. She is fully committed to seeing the bill become law and is ready to continue her fight. “I’m on board,” Brown said. “Whatever they want to do, I’m there.” Brown has already agreed to travel to Montgomery next month to support the bill and share her story in person, should lawmakers request her presence.

As this important piece of legislation moves through the legislative session, supporters are hoping that nursing mothers will have the legal protection they need, not just through an order that can be changed but through a permanent law. For now, the public will continue to follow the progress of Senate Bill 76 and House Bill 209, keeping a close eye on the efforts to make sure this change becomes law.

The bills are still working their way through the legislative process, and both Senate and House lawmakers are optimistic about the potential for this change. In the meantime, public support for the cause continues to grow, as more people rally behind Kandace Brown’s efforts to make life a little easier for nursing mothers in Alabama.

As the legislative session continues, we’ll keep you updated on the latest developments and whether Parker’s Law will be passed to protect nursing mothers from jury duty for good.

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