Arkansas Breastfeeding Legislation Sponsored
March 11, 2007 by Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor
Filed under activism, law
The Arkansas Breastfeeding Coalition’s draft breastfeeding legislation found a sponsor! Representative Pam Adcock introduced House Bill 2411. Originally the bill would have provided broad protection for a woman to breastfeed in any public or other place, but the House amended the bill so it would merely exempt breastfeeding from the Arkansas indecent exposure law. The amended bill reads:
A woman is not in violation of [the indecent exposure law] for breastfeeding a child in a public place or any place where other individuals are present.
The Morning News reports that the bill has broad support from both liberal and conservative groups in Arkansas. The bill is scheduled to be heard before the House Public Health, Labor and Welfare Committee on Tuesday, March 13, 2007 at 10 a.m.
This is great news. I don’t breastfeed in public…just go to the car and block the windows…but I wonder if they’ll bring out a law that compels employers to allow lactating women to pump milk?
That’s my trouble now.