00                            SENATE BILL NO. 58                                                                          
01 "An Act relating to excusing breast-feeding women from jury service; amending Rule                                      
02 15(l), 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(l)(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 is                                  
13            shown that his or her health, the health or proper care of his or her family, a                              
14            physical or mental disability, or other conditions exist which would cause a                                 

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