Washington House passes public breastfeeding bill

March 4, 11:43 AMWashington Law ExaminerMichael Reitz

Previous Next

1 comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Washington Law Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

The House unanimously passed HB 1596, which makes public breastfeeding a civil right. The sponsor, Rep. Tami Green (D-Lakewood), says infants should get the best food possible, and women should feel comfortable feeding their baby wherever needed.

I asked whether the bill is really necessary here, and we had a good mix of comments. It is not against the law to breastfeed in public. In fact, Washington is one of 25 states that expressly says that breastfeeding is not considered indecent exposure under state law. And Washington is one of 21 states that facilitates breastfeeding in the workplace. 

The bill elevates breastfeeding to the status of a civil right, protected by our state's anti-discrimination law. Any woman who is "discriminated" against would be entitled to pursue a civil action to prevent future violations and recover damages. If the bill becomes law, the Washington Human Rights Commission predicts it will handle about five complaints of nursing-rights violations a year.

Should public feeding should be given the same protection as one's race, creed, sex, or origin?  Will the bill eliminate the social disapproval that mothers experience?

I don't know. But the bill is now headed to the Senate.