00                            SENATE BILL NO. 220                                                                         
01 "An Act relating to excusing breast-feeding women from jury service; amending Rule                                      
02 15(k), Alaska Rules of Administration; and providing for an effective date."                                            
03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
04    * Section 1. AS 09.20.030 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:                                           
05            (c)  A woman may claim exemption and may be excused from service as a                                        
06       juror if the woman is breast-feeding a child who is less than three years of age.                                 
07    * Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to                          
08 read:                                                                                                                   
09            DIRECT COURT RULE AMENDMENT. Rule 15(k)(2), Alaska Rules of                                                  
10       Administration, is amended to read:                                                                               
11                 (2)  Excused -                                                                                          
12                           (i)  a person may be excused from service as a juror if it                                
13                 is shown that his or her health, the health or proper care of his or her                                
14                 family, a physical or mental disability, or other conditions exist which                                

01                 would cause a hardship to the individual. Unless the court specifically                                 
02                 authorizes a permanent excusal, all excusals from jury service under                                
03                 this subparagraph shall be for the current jury year only. However, a                               
04                 person who has appeared for jury duty may be excused for two years                                      
05                 from further jury duty in a jury selection area as defined in paragraph                                 
06                 (b) with a population over 50,000.                                                                      
07                           (ii)  a woman who is breast-feeding a child may claim                                     
08                 exemption and may be excused from service as a juror as provided                                    
09                 by law.                                                                                             
10    * Sec. 3. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).