I found this info out from an IBCLC that I know and wanted to pass it on here to spread the word and raise awareness.
Dear Dr. Spencer:
I greatly appreciate the support of the PA Breastfeeding Coalition for the pending legislation to protect and promote breastfeeding. Unfortunately, Senate Bill 951 was not voted on at Tuesday’s Senate Judiciary Committee. Senator Jane Earll motioned that the bill be tabled for further study. She stated that she has not had any women complain to her about not being able to breastfeed and that the bill seems to be a solution in search of a problem. She also stated that it was a political statement that was not appropriate for the Senate to make.
I was disappointed by this maneuver and feel it underlines the need to educate Pennsylvanians about the importance of supporting and encouraging mothers who often face many obstacles to breastfeeding. It also reminds us that in a culture where formula feeding is the norm, efforts to increase the percentage of mothers exclusively breastfeeding must be made with sensitivity toward mothers who have not breastfed.
It is my hope that you will reach out to your membership and attempt to collect stories of mothers who have faced obstacles to nursing their infants in public and hostility to continuing to nurse and express milk after returning to work. The best way to confront this challenge may be to educate the General Assembly about why they should actively support breastfeeding mothers and to present them with real life scenarios that illustrate the need to protect women’s rights to breastfeed in public and upon resuming work outside of the home.
Thank you for all your efforts to promote breastfeeding.
Senator Constance Williams
700 S. Henderson Road
Suite 100A
King of Prussia, PA 19406
610-992-9790
Room 352, Main Capitol
P.O. Box 203017
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3017
717-787-5544
chwilliams@pasenate.com
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
This bill is in the judiciary committee. If you are represented by
Majority
Greenleaf, Stewart, Chair
Lemmond , Charles, Vice Chair
Earll, Jane M.
Gordner, John
Orie, Jane
Piccola, Jeffrey
Rafferty, Jr., John
White, Mary Jo
Minority
Costa , Jay, Minority Chair
Boscola, Lisa
O'Pake, Michael
Stack, Michael
Stout, J. Barry
Contact your senator today and urge him or her to support SB 951. If your job prevents this, get your family, friends etc to call. It only takes a minute. You can also fax a letter to them. I will do a letter from the coalition. Now is our chance to make a diffference! Please forward this to anyone you can think of.
Jeanne
(Get contact info at
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/...enators_sc.cfm
SB 951 Breastfeeding in Public
Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee 10-26-05
Clarifying a woman’s right to breastfeed in public or private places. This legislation protects a woman’s right to breastfeed her child in any public or private place where she is authorized to be. It also prohibits local governments from prohibiting breastfeeding in public by local ordinance and clarifies that the act of breastfeeding cannot be considered an obscene act. Breastfeeding provides the best source of infant nutrition and has health benefits for babies and mothers. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants be breastfed exclusively for 6 months but continuing for at least the first year of a child’s life. Research shows long-term health benefits for both breastfed children and their mothers.
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI...B0951P1275.HTM
Dear Dr. Spencer:
I greatly appreciate the support of the PA Breastfeeding Coalition for the pending legislation to protect and promote breastfeeding. Unfortunately, Senate Bill 951 was not voted on at Tuesday’s Senate Judiciary Committee. Senator Jane Earll motioned that the bill be tabled for further study. She stated that she has not had any women complain to her about not being able to breastfeed and that the bill seems to be a solution in search of a problem. She also stated that it was a political statement that was not appropriate for the Senate to make.
I was disappointed by this maneuver and feel it underlines the need to educate Pennsylvanians about the importance of supporting and encouraging mothers who often face many obstacles to breastfeeding. It also reminds us that in a culture where formula feeding is the norm, efforts to increase the percentage of mothers exclusively breastfeeding must be made with sensitivity toward mothers who have not breastfed.
It is my hope that you will reach out to your membership and attempt to collect stories of mothers who have faced obstacles to nursing their infants in public and hostility to continuing to nurse and express milk after returning to work. The best way to confront this challenge may be to educate the General Assembly about why they should actively support breastfeeding mothers and to present them with real life scenarios that illustrate the need to protect women’s rights to breastfeed in public and upon resuming work outside of the home.
Thank you for all your efforts to promote breastfeeding.
Senator Constance Williams
700 S. Henderson Road
Suite 100A
King of Prussia, PA 19406
610-992-9790
Room 352, Main Capitol
P.O. Box 203017
Harrisburg, PA 17120-3017
717-787-5544
chwilliams@pasenate.com
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
This bill is in the judiciary committee. If you are represented by
Majority
Greenleaf, Stewart, Chair
Lemmond , Charles, Vice Chair
Earll, Jane M.
Gordner, John
Orie, Jane
Piccola, Jeffrey
Rafferty, Jr., John
White, Mary Jo
Minority
Costa , Jay, Minority Chair
Boscola, Lisa
O'Pake, Michael
Stack, Michael
Stout, J. Barry
Contact your senator today and urge him or her to support SB 951. If your job prevents this, get your family, friends etc to call. It only takes a minute. You can also fax a letter to them. I will do a letter from the coalition. Now is our chance to make a diffference! Please forward this to anyone you can think of.
Jeanne
(Get contact info at
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/...enators_sc.cfm
SB 951 Breastfeeding in Public
Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee 10-26-05
Clarifying a woman’s right to breastfeed in public or private places. This legislation protects a woman’s right to breastfeed her child in any public or private place where she is authorized to be. It also prohibits local governments from prohibiting breastfeeding in public by local ordinance and clarifies that the act of breastfeeding cannot be considered an obscene act. Breastfeeding provides the best source of infant nutrition and has health benefits for babies and mothers. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants be breastfed exclusively for 6 months but continuing for at least the first year of a child’s life. Research shows long-term health benefits for both breastfed children and their mothers.
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI...B0951P1275.HTM
