What are the laws in your state re: NIP?

[Hamm Bugga]

As of January 1, 1998, California state law mandates that women be permitted to nurse their children in public.

In the City of Santa Cruz: Duration- Mission/Goals
The Santa Cruz County Breastfeeding Coalition recognizes that breastfeeding is the norm and as such, is committed to optimizing the health of mothers and babies by encouraging breastfeeding friendly attitudes, policies, and images in the community, as well as promoting breastfeeding education and supportive practices among women and their families, health professionals and the community.

Examples Of Activities


Promote breastfeeding-friendly policies and practices in Santa Cruz county, including those promoted by mother friendly and baby friendly initiatives.


Conduct outreach and education to health care professionals, schools, businesses and the community.


Promote positive media coverage of breastfeeding issues and events.


Advocate for and facilitate ongoing support for Latina mothers and families to increase breastfeeding rates and duration among the population.


Support and participate in community events that promote breastfeeding and breastfeeding awareness.


Facilitate resource sharing and collaboration among agencies and programs that provide health-related services to women and their families.


Conduct data collection and evaluation to identify local trends in breastfeeding rates and related issues.


Conduct grant writing and other fundraising activities to provide financial support for Coalition activities.

[keggers]

I live in NS Canada and inmy province, we are allowed to nurse anywhere.  i cant find a link tho. nak

[Eleni]

I live in ontario, hell if you can go topless im sure its legal to NIP

I dont know the laws specifically tho

[MamaDawn]

RI

Rhode Island
 R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-13.2-1 (2003) calls for employers to provide a safe private place for an employee to breastfeed her child and express breast milk. (HB 5507/SB 151)

R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-72-1 (2001) requires the Department of Health to prepare a consumer mercury alert notice. The notice shall explain the danger of eating mercury-contaminated fish to women who are pregnant or breastfeeding their children. (HB 6112)

R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-45-1 (1998) excludes mothers engaged in breastfeeding from disorderly conduct laws. (HB 8103, SB 2319)
 
They just recently added that first one.

[my3luvs]

I'm in CA, I'm pretty sure it's legal.

[Saree]

It is protected in AUstralia under anti discrimination legislation.

Your Right to Breastfeed
It is reassuring to know that breastfeeding mothers in all parts of Australia can have recourse to anti-discrimination legislation. This legislation creates rights and provides a mechanism for redress where people feel their rights have been breached. In Queensland, Tasmania and the Northern Territory the legislation specifically mentions breastfeeding. This year, attempts to introduce a similar amendment into Victorian law once again raised the question of a mother's right to breastfeed in public. Publicity surrounding this Bill ignored the fact that the law in Victoria already prohibits discrimination on the grounds of parenthood. In 1985 The Victorian Equal Opportunity Board found that a woman who was refused service in a hotel dining room after she began breastfeeding her child was discriminated against on the ground of parenthood, because of her status as a nursing mother. The Australian Capital Territory prohibits discrimination against a person on the basis of their status as a parent. In Western Australia discrimination on the grounds of a person's family responsibilities is not allowed. Following the Victorian decision, breastfeeding could be seen as an aspect of being a parent or having family responsibilities. Other State laws and Commonwealth law prohibit discrimination on the grounds of sex. It may be that a complaint of sex discrimination could be substantiated under these laws if services were not provided to a woman who was breastfeeding in public.

[angela1044]

I'm not sure of the laws in Ontario for bf but it's legal to go topless here thanks to a woman years ago who decided that it should be allowed.  Sadly, there are people who do this.  Of course, it's like the fat guy who wears a speedo; it's the woman who really shouldn't expose themselves. 

[LuvJAH]

I've never checked into that.

[MamaX]

50 State Summary of Breastfeeding Laws
Updated May 2005
 More than half of the states (37) have enacted legislation related to breastfeeding.

Thirty states allow mothers to breastfeed in any public or private location (California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Texas, Vermont and Virginia).
Fifteen states exempt breastfeeding from public indecency laws (Alaska, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin).
Ten states have laws related to breastfeeding in the workplace (California, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington).
Eight states exempt breastfeeding mothers from jury duty (California, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma Oregon and Virginia).
Four states have implemented or encouraged the development of a breastfeeding awareness education campaign (California, Illinois, Missouri, and Vermont).
Several states have unique laws related to breastfeeding. For instance,

California and Texas have laws related to the procurement, processing, distribution or use of human milk.
Louisiana prohibits any child care facility from discriminating against breastfed babies.
Maine requires courts, when awarding parental rights and responsibilities with respect to a child, to consider whether the child is under age one, and being breastfed.
Maryland exempts from the sales and use tax the sale of tangible personal property that is manufactured for the purpose of initiating, supporting or sustaining breastfeeding.
Rhode Island requires the Department of Health to prepare a consumer mercury alert notice, explaining the danger of eating mercury-contaminated fish to women who are pregnant or breastfeeding their children.

[JenniferH]

RI

Rhode Island
 R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-13.2-1 (2003) calls for employers to provide a safe private place for an employee to breastfeed her child and express breast milk. (HB 5507/SB 151)

R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-72-1 (2001) requires the Department of Health to prepare a consumer mercury alert notice. The notice shall explain the danger of eating mercury-contaminated fish to women who are pregnant or breastfeeding their children. (HB 6112)

R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-45-1 (1998) excludes mothers engaged in breastfeeding from disorderly conduct laws. (HB 8103, SB 2319)
 
They just recently added that first one.

CA also requires employers to allow pumping breaks (time has to be made up or breaks taken without pay, but they have to be allowed when the employee needs them and can't force employee to wait several hours) and to provide a suitable place to pump that is NOT a bathroom.  That law was in effect in 2003 or 2004.

[Karrio]

I'd like to move this to the Advocacy forum, is that oK?

[KarMel]

It is hard to find anything about Mississippi's.

[Xamilla the Siperhero]

CA also requires employers to allow pumping breaks (time has to be made up or breaks taken without pay, but they have to be allowed when the employee needs them and can't force employee to wait several hours) and to provide a suitable place to pump that is NOT a bathroom. That law was in effect in 2003 or 2004.

It actually doesn't require them to provide a place, only to make every effort to do so.  If there is no possible non-bathroom space, they're not required to make one just for pumping. 

[O'pumpkin, my pumpkin]

The right to breastfeed in public or anywhere is protected in Nova Scotia. I'm not sure of the exact details but I kinda think it's part of the charter of human rights. I'll have to check on that.