(a) Subject to the requirements of this section, a jury judge or, if a county's jury plan allows, its jury commissioner may disqualify, excuse, or exempt an individual who is summoned for jury service or reschedule jury service. (b) An individual may be disqualified only on the basis of information provided on a juror questionnaire or during an interview or other competent evidence. (c) (1) To be excused, an individual shall show, on a juror questionnaire, during an interview, or by other competent evidence, that: (i) Extreme inconvenience, public necessity, or undue hardship requires excusal; (ii) The individual is a breast-feeding mother; or (iii) The individual has legal custody of and is personally responsible for a child under the age of 3 years requiring continuous care by the individual during normal court hours. (2) A jury judge or jury commissioner may, but is not required to, excuse an individual under paragraph (1)(ii) or (iii) of this subsection. (3) An individual may be excused: (i) Only for the period that the jury judge or jury commissioner considers necessary; and (ii) Not more than twice unless the jury judge finds that the individual has shown an extraordinary circumstance that requires an additional excuse. (4) When the period set under this subsection expires, a jury commissioner again shall summon the individual for jury service. (d) (1) On or before December 31, 2025, and each December 31 thereafter, the Maryland Judiciary shall collect and, in accordance with § 2-1257 of the State Government Article, report to the General Assembly the following information for the preceding calendar year: (i) The number of individuals requesting to be excused for jury duty under subsection (c)(1) of this section; and (ii) The number of individuals granted or denied an excusal under subsection (c)(1) of this section. (2) The information reported under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be disaggregated by: (i) Jurisdiction; (ii) The type of excusal requested under subsection (c)(1) of this section; and (iii) Whether the excusal request was granted or denied.
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