Breastfeeding in public places; mother's right. (HB1499)

Introduced By

Del. Dave Albo (R-Springfield) with support from 36 copatrons, whose average partisan position is:

Those copatrons are Del. Kathy Byron (R-Lynchburg), Del. Betsy Carr (D-Richmond), Del. Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights), Del. James Edmunds (R-South Boston), Del. Eileen Filler-Corn (D-Fairfax Station), Del. Buddy Fowler (R-Ashland), Del. Mike Futrell (D-Woodbridge), Del. Tag Greason (R-Potomac Falls), Del. Gordon Helsel (R-Poquoson), Del. Patrick Hope (D-Arlington), Del. Tim Hugo (R-Centreville), Del. Riley Ingram (R-Hopewell), Del. Chris Jones (R-Suffolk), Del. Steve Landes (R-Weyers Cave), Del. Jay Leftwich (R-Chesapeake), Del. Jim LeMunyon (R-Oak Hill), Del. Manoli Loupassi (R-Richmond), Del. Danny Marshall (R-Danville), Del. Jimmie Massie (R-Richmond), Del. Delores McQuinn (D-Richmond), Del. Rick Morris (R-Carrollton), Del. John O'Bannon (R-Richmond), Del. Ken Plum (D-Reston), Del. Brenda Pogge (R-Williamsburg), Del. Charles Poindexter (R-Glade Hill), Del. Sam Rasoul (D-Roanoke), Del. Roxann Robinson (R-Chesterfield), Del. Nick Rush (R-Christiansburg), Del. Tom Rust (R-Herndon), Del. Roslyn Tyler (D-Jarratt), Del. Ron Villanueva (R-Virginia Beach), Del. Michael Webert (R-Marshall), Del. Tommy Wright (R-Victoria), Del. Joseph Yost (R-Blacksburg), Sen. Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond), Sen. Todd E. Pillion (R-Abingdon)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Right to breast-feed in public places. Provides that a mother may breast-feed in any place where the mother is lawfully present. Current law allows breast-feeding on any property owned, leased, or controlled by the Commonwealth. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Passed

History

DateAction
01/05/2015Committee
01/05/2015Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/14/15 15101318D
01/05/2015Referred to Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions
01/20/2015Assigned HWI sub: Subcommittee #2
01/29/2015Subcommittee recommends reporting (8-Y 0-N)
02/03/2015Reported from Health, Welfare and Institutions (22-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/04/2015Read first time
02/05/2015Read second time and engrossed
02/06/2015Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (99-Y 0-N)
02/06/2015VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (99-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/09/2015Constitutional reading dispensed
02/09/2015Referred to Committee on Education and Health
02/12/2015Rereferred from Education and Health (14-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/12/2015Rereferred to Courts of Justice
02/16/2015Reported from Courts of Justice (13-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/17/2015Constitutional reading dispensed (38-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/18/2015Read third time
02/18/2015Passed Senate (38-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/23/2015Enrolled
02/23/2015Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1499ER)
02/23/2015Signed by Speaker
02/24/2015Signed by President
02/25/2015G Governor's Action Deadline Midnight, Monday, March 30, 2015
02/25/2015Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on 2/25/15
02/25/2015G Governor's Action Deadline Midnight, Sunday, March 29, 2015
03/10/2015G Approved by Governor-Chapter 45 (effective 7/1/15)
03/10/2015G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0045)

Comments

Waldo J., tracking this bill in Photosynthesis, notes:

A good and necessary bill.

Maura K writes:

I had no idea this was not current law. It should be. 100% support.

sarah franco torres writes:

I support this bill i have nursed all 4 if my children from the time i was 18 when I was pregnant with my first I knew it was what I wanted. I am not ashamed. If i have to cover up its like agreeing its shameful to nurse and it is not! Our society over sexualize breasts and media has perverted the minds of most of society into thinking it ok to see victoria secret models and commercials walk around in bikinis in the summer for women even go to nudity beaches but not to nurse??!! Other women are even shaming each other for nursing in public. I firmly believe its ever childs right to have the best chance and be nursed no matter where they are please pass this bill!

Cecelia Fenwick writes:

Breastfeeding is not about women's rights. It is about every baby's birth right to be fed their mother's own milk the way it was intended.

Liz Brooks JD IBCLC writes:

I am thrilled with this legislative development! Well done Virginia.

I hope that at the Committee hearings, amendments will be considred to give a breasetfeeding mother *enforcement* rights under any law protecting the right to breastfeed in public. To learn more, see: http://breastfeedinglaw.com/articles/lactation-and-the-law/