Gov. DeSantis signs legislation excusing new mothers from jury duty

New mothers in Florida will no longer have to choose between taking care of their infants and performing their civic duty as jurists.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation (HB 461) excusing women from jury service if they’ve given birth within six months and request an exemption.

The new law is effective July 1.

It received broad support during the past Legislative Session, when lawmakers in both chambers voted unanimously to send it to the Governor’s desk.

Windermere Republican Rep. Carolina Amesty called it an important change representative of the priority Florida puts on supporting families.

“Strong and healthy families should be at the heart of our state’s policymaking,” she said during the measure’s second committee stop in January. “In the Sunshine State, we’re committed to helping women bond with their babies during these invaluable early moments.”

Amesty told Florida Politics on Friday, shortly after DeSantis quietly signed the bill, that she is grateful he supported the measure.

“This pro-family legislation ensures new mothers can focus on the crucial bonding and recovery time postpartum,” she said. “In Florida, we put families first.”

Vero Beach Republican Sen. Erin Grall carried an identical Senate version of the legislation, which lawmakers approved in February.

A Senate staff analysis of the legislation found that the bill may financially benefit businesses employing mothers of newborns and the mothers themselves “to the extent that such women use the bill’s excusal … to attend a job instead of jury service.”

Staff noted the change may minimally increase costs to impanel jurors due to the additional summons for jury service a county would need to send out.

Florida law already allows excusals, upon request, for expectant mothers and parents who are not employed full-time and have custody of children under 6.

Jefferson County Clerk Jason Welty and Morgan Parish of the Florida Clerks and Comptrollers Association were among supporters of the bill, which comes at a time of increasing juridical accommodations for new mothers. In March 2023, the Legislature unanimously approved a measure requiring many courthouses across Florida to provide free, clean and private lactation rooms.