BREAKING NEWS: Ohio General Assembly Passes Bill to Exempt Nursing Moms from Jury Duty

COLUMBUS—Earlier today, the Ohio Senate passed CCV-backed House Bill 34 (HB34) with a unanimous vote. Sponsored by Representatives Roy Klopfenstein (R-Haviland) and Angie King (R-Celina), HB34 would exempt nursing mothers from jury duty responsibilities.

Because the Ohio House of Representatives unanimously passed HB34 last June, the bill now heads to Governor DeWine for his approval.

The following statement is from Center for Christian Virtue Legislative Liaison Nilani Jawahar:

"While jury duty is an important public service to the community, Ohio law recognizes certain legitimate exemptions such as for those who are grieving the death of a family member and for those without childcare. 

"Jury duty can be a time-consuming engagement and juror contact is often limited. For a breastfeeding mother, any interruption to her schedule can pose a challenge to the health and development of her child. HB34 would protect every nursing mother from being forced to prioritize service to the public over service to her family, a demand no judge should have the right to do.

"Thank you to House Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill), Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima), Rep. Roy Klopfenstein, and Rep. Angie King for their leadership on this crucial bill. We urge Governor DeWine to protect nursing mothers and babies by signing HB34 into law as soon as possible."

To become law, a bill must go through both Chambers of the Ohio Statehouse to be sent to the governor for his approval. Governor DeWine now has 10 days to either veto the bill, sign it into law, or let it become law without his signature.

For more information, contact CCV at 513-733-5775 or contact@ccv.org. For media inquiries, email media@ccv.org.

As Ohio’s largest Christian public policy organization, Center for Christian Virtue seeks the good of our neighbors by advocating for public policy that reflects the truth of the Gospel.

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