*UPDATED* NEED LACTIVISTS: Better the BF laws for children of ALL ages!

[J2]

Several state laws/rights for BF state that the law/right is for "infants" or "infants 12mos and younger" or "baby". What can we do to get the laws/rights changed to include ALL children, like toddlers that are still nursing, as they should be!

(I'm haven't looked at all the state laws yet, but I will later and post a list.)

[J2]

I have composed a list. State in capital letters are the ones that could use some adjustment to the words and language used in the legislation. It makes it seem as though nursing your baby/infant in public is protected from indecent exposure laws and harrassment, but nursing a toddler/child is not. Some even specify an age of 12mos or younger.

If your state is not in capital letters, your state rocks! But if your state is, what can we do about it? 14 states need the legislation to be worded differently to include children that are not infants. 11 states still need NIP protection legislation.

Who is up to the challenge? Claim your state? Team up! Anyone done this before and know how to go about doing it. Definitely need to stand up if your state has absolutely no BFing legislation or no NIP legislation.

*AS STATED ON THE LLL WEBSITE, HERE IS THE LIST*

Alabama – child
Alaska – child
Arizona – doesn’t specify
ARKANSAS – NO BF LEGISLATION
California – child
Colorado – doesn’t specify
Connecticut – child
DELAWARE – BABY
FLORIDA – BABY
GEORGIA – BABY
HAWAII – NO BF LEGISLATION regarding nip (only nursing/pumping at work)
IDAHO - NO BF LEGISLATION regarding nip
ILLINOIS - BABY
Indiana – child
Iowa – child
Kansas – child
Kentucky – child
LOUISIANA – BABY
MAINE- BABY
Maryland – child
MASSACHUSETTS – NO BF LEGISLATION
MICHIGAN – BABY
Minnesota – child
MISSISSIPPI – NO BF LEGISLATION
Missouri – child
Montana – child
NEBRASKA – NO BF LEGISLATION regarding nip
Nevada – child
New Hampshire – child
NEW JERSEY – BABY
New Mexico – child
NEW YORK – BABY
North Carolina – doesn’t specify
NORTH DAKOTA – NO BF LEGISLATION
OHIO – BABY
OKLAHOMA – BABY
Oregon – child
PENNSYLVANIA – NO BF LEGISLATION
South Carolina – child
SOUTH DAKOTA – BABY
TENNESSEE – CHILD WHO IS 12mos OR YOUNGER
TEXAS – BABY
Utah – does not specify
Virginia – child
Vermont – child
Washington – does not specify
WASHINGTON D.C. – NO BF LEGISLATION (except for on federal property, in which it states child)
WEST VIRGINIA – NO BF LEGISLATION
Wisconsin – child
WYOMING – NO BF LEGISLATION regarding nip

[~*SugarMama*~]

Never done this before but I am willing to lend support to anyone willing to team up to take on MI.

[rozzie'sma]

Your wrong about Mississippi we have BF legislation and it is GOOD. It was signed april 3, 2006 and states
"A mother may breastfeed her child in any location, public or private, where the mother is otherwise authorized to be, without respect to wether the mother's breast or any part of it is covered during or incidental to breastfeeding. Breastfeeding mothers of children 12 months or younger may be excused from jury duty. Breastfeeding mothers may not be discriminated against at their place of work or by childcare providers and facilities." Senate Bill 2419

I know a lady who helped to get it passed. Go Linda!

[J2]

That's great! I just got my info frmo the LLL website - they must not have updated it for Mississippi yet.

[MarineWife]

Are you sure about HI? I just moved from living there for 3 years and everyone and everything I ever came across seemed to be very accomodating to NIP. I had always heard that HI was one of the best states in the union as far as NIP was concerned. Maybe they don't have a law protecting cuz no one has ever made a stink about it.

[ColoradoMama]

Well, currently I live in Colorado where we have great bfing legislation (helped pass by Mary Ann Kerwin herself - she rocks) - BUT - I am from Arkansas and am moving back to Arkansas in a few months. I would love to help get legislation passed there. Where do we start?

[J2]

I am not sure where to start. I have never done this sort of thing before. I supposed a starting place would be to get a group of people together for it and then research how to do it. Probably best if it is people near the state's capital - but I'm not sure if that matters or not.

[laurdsed]

Actually, Wisconsin should be in capital letters b/c our bfing legislation sucks! We only have the "not considered lewd behavior" law. :

Here's a link to a post that I started for WI lactivitsts. I very dedicated to getting better legislation for our state.

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=525939

Laurel

[muppet729]

You didn't have Illinois in your list. We just got new legislation in 2004 (I think) and it says: (among other things)
************

Section 10. Breastfeeding Location. A mother may breastfeed her baby in any location, public or private, where the mother is otherwise authorized to be, irrespective of whether the nipple of the mother's breast is uncovered during or incidental to the breastfeeding; however, a mother considering whether to breastfeed her baby in a place of worship shall comport her behavior with the norms appropriatein that place of worship.
*******

That being said, most of the language is "baby" or "infant child" although when it talks about jury duty it just says "child". Something tells me that people weren't paying attention to this particular wording when they wrote it but as the mama of a nursing toddler, I can see why it would be important.

[J2]

Sprry! Didn't mean to skip Illinois! I'll add it right now!

[Pynki]

While Iowa TECHNICALLY has a great law on the books, it's not always followed, even by the judges.

I was called to jury duty with ds3 when he was about 3 months old. I was called back every 6 months and my deferment was denied even though I sent my request in with the info. that I was breastfeeding him still. My request was denied. I was going to have to go in to get a deferment if there was a case. Thankfully there wasn't, but my deferment for jury duty was denied by a FEMALE judge, when I had the law on my side. If I was a less educated woman in Iowa in regard to breastfeeding laws I can see that turning out dodgey at best, and heartbreaking at worst.

[homemademomma]

what?!? i live in fl and had no idea the law specified baby. i nip'd my kid until he was well over 2.

[Sustainer]

Thanks for starting this thread! It is very important that NIP laws not place age restrictions on nurslings.

As long as people are trying to get the wording of their NIP laws changed, another thing to look for is something that has been mentioned a couple of times, which is that it shouldn't matter how much of the breast/nipple is visible during or incidental to the breastfeeding session. If your state's law doesn't contain similar wording, this is something you should try to get changed too! I'm pretty sure there's still at least one state with a law on the books that says that breastfeeding is allowed as long as it is done "modestly"!!! I don't have a list of which states have acceptable and adequate wording and which states have inadequate or unacceptable wording in this regard.

[muppet729]

Originally Posted by Sustainer

Thanks for starting this thread! It is very important that NIP laws not place age restrictions on nurslings.

As long as people are trying to get the wording of their NIP laws changed, another thing to look for is something that has been mentioned a couple of times, which is that it shouldn't matter how much of the breast/nipple is visible during or incidental to the breastfeeding session. If your state's law doesn't contain similar wording, this is something you should try to get changed too! I'm pretty sure there's still at least one state with a law on the books that says that breastfeeding is allowed as long as it is done "modestly"!!! I don't have a list of which states have acceptable and adequate wording and which states have inadequate or unacceptable wording in this regard.

I think that Illinois' law is pretty good on wording that says it doesn't matter how much the woman is showing...