Public Hearing Scheduled for Oregon Bill That Supports Working Mothers

In the new year breastfeeding legislation has been proposed or passed in several states including Arkansas, Indiana, New York, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Oregon joins that list with the introduction of House Bill 2372. The Oregon legislation would require employers with 25 or more employees to provide unpaid breaks and a private location for nursing mothers to express milk. The Reluctant Lactivist, an Oregon nursing mother named Chris, notes that if the bill is enacted it would affect 10% of businesses employing 70% of Oregon workers.

A public hearing on the measure is tentatively scheduled for February 7th, 2007 before the House Human Services and Women’s Wellness Committee. It’s vital that working and pumping mothers in Oregon appear to testify about their experiences pumping at work. Testimony describing both good and bad experiences and the value of supporting breastfeeding mothers will help counter any resistance from the business community. The Committee needs to hear that breastfed babies get sick less often and less severely and that businesses who support breastfeeding mothers will benefit from reduced absenteeism from working mothers caring for sick children.

If you want to testify, contact Chris through the link to the Reluctant Lactivist blog above. Even if you cannot testify, you can support the legislation by sending an email using this form.