Good News from Washington State

[mamajake]

I hesitate to post this, given the worries about the Wisconsin bill and the serious trouble with the North Dakota bill, but good news from Washington state today.

House Bill 1596 which would amend the Washington state civil rights law to protect breastfeeding in public accommodations (making public breastfeeding a civil right with the same enforcement mechanism as other civil rights) has passed out of committee and been sent to the state house floor.

See http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/bil...Bills/1596.pdf for the precise text of the bill.

If you live in Washington state, please contact your house representative to voice your support for HB 1596.

[Chandar]

WOO-HOO!!!!

:::::::::: ::::::

Go Washington! Set the precedent for te rest of us.

Chandra

[mamajake]

And can I add one more way cool thing about the Washington state legislature? Every pending bill has an individual RSS feed so you can keep track of pending legislation by subscribing to the feed: the breastfeeding bill is at http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summ...1596&year=2009 . If I could keep track of what was happening with every pending bill via feed, I would be a much happier woman.

Just sayin'

[MamaChicken]

Bump...

[lacysmommy]

Thanks! I just called my representatives today to ask for their support. One of my reps is supportive of the bill, but I don't know about the other since I had to leave a message (duh, it's noon and they're at lunch!).

[mamajake]

Now THIS is how ya do it!

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summ...96&year=2009#0

"Mar 3 Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.
Third reading, passed; yeas, 93; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 4."

[lacysmommy]

So does that mean it is law in Washington State now? I'm not really sure how that works

[mamajake]

Originally Posted by lacysmommy

So does that mean it is law in Washington State now? I'm not really sure how that works

This was a state House bill. The same language now needs to pass through the state Senate. I will post a link when I find the state Senate bill (or someone else can ).

[Meredith&Alexander]

Hey, every good bill that passes is a good thing, and sets a good example for other states to follow. Way to go, Washington State!

[angelpie545]

I'm *so* hoping this passes. Currently the only law regarding breastfeeding in this state says only that it is not indecent exposure. Washington is pretty liberal so I don't expect to see too much opposition but you never know.

[MamaChicken]

Originally Posted by mamajake

This was a state House bill. The same language now needs to pass through the state Senate. I will post a link when I find the state Senate bill (or someone else can ).

It passed unanimously in the senate!::

Now I believe it heads to the govenor, It is highly unlikely that she will veto it.

[proudmomof4]

Well, what can I say - in 5 years of U. S. residency I have never quite gotten the hang of how you "handle legal stuff over there" but - hey: