H. B. 3101


(By Delegates Brown, Hrutkay, Hatfield,
Guthrie and Spencer)

[Introduced February 16, 2007; referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary.]
A BILL to amend and reenact §52-1-11 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to providing an exemption from jury service for breast-feeding mothers.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §52-1-11 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 1. PETIT JURIES.
§52-1-11. Excuses from jury service.
(a) The court, upon request of a prospective juror or on its own initiative, shall determine on the basis of information provided on the juror qualification form or interview with the prospective juror or other competent evidence whether the prospective juror should be excused from jury service. The clerk shall enter this determination in the space provided on the juror qualification form.
(b) A person who is not disqualified for jury service under section eight of this article may be excused from jury service by the court upon a showing of undue hardship, extreme inconvenience, or public necessity, or upon a showing that the potential juror is a breast-feeding mother who presents a medical attestation to such fact, for a period the court deems necessary, at the conclusion of which the person shall reappear for jury service in accordance with the court's direction.


NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide an exemption from jury service for breast-feeding mothers.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.