A Current Summary of Breastfeeding Legislation in the U.S.

SUMMARY OF ENACTED BREASTFEEDING LEGISLATION

MINNESOTA

Minnesota has two breastfeeding laws. One protects the right of a mother to breastfeeding in public. This bill is very strong, and clarifies that women have a right to breastfeed any place they have a right to be with their children, even if there is some exposure of the breast. The most impressive bill, however, is the second, which requires employers to accommodate breastfeeding mothers when they return to work

Minn. Stat. § 145.894, 2002
1990 Minn. ALS 568; 1990 Minn. Chapter Law 568;1990 Minn. S.F. No. 2621;

The commissioner of health shall:

(a) Develop a comprehensive state plan for the delivery of nutritional supplements to pregnant and lactating women, infants, and children; ...

(c) Develop and implement a public education program promoting the provisions of sections 145.891 to 145.897, and provide for the delivery of individual and family nutrition education and counseling at project sites. The education program must include information about breastfeeding.

Minn. Stat. § 181.939
1998 Minn. ALS 369; 1998 Minn. Chapter Law 369; 1997 Minn. S.F. No. 2751

181.939 Nursing Mother
An employer must provide reasonable unpaid break time each day to an employee who needs to express breast milk for her infant child. The break time must, if possible, run concurrently with any break time already provided to the employee. An employer is not required to provide break time under this section if to do so would unduly disrupt the operations of the employer.
The employer must make reasonable efforts to provide a room or other location, in close proximity to the work area, other than a toilet stall, where the employee can express her milk in privacy. The employer would be held harmless if reasonable effort has been made.

Minn. Stat. § 617.23

Indecent Exposure; Penalties
(d) It is not a violation of the indecent exposure statute for a woman to breast feed.

Minn. Stat. § 145.905
1998 Minn. ALS 407; 1998 Minn. Chapter Law 407; 1997 Minn. S.F. No. 3346

145.905 Location for Breast-Feeding
A mother may breast?feed in any location, public or private, where the mother and child are otherwise authorized to be, irrespective of whether the nipple of the mother's breast is uncovered during or incidental to the breast-feeding.

2002 Minn. Laws. Ch. 269

Requests that the Minn. Supreme Court Jury Reform taskforce look at the issue of nursing mothers and jury duty. Note that a draft of the Taskforce December 2001 report recommended that judges take into account the needs of nursing. Proposed legislation to excuse nursing nursing mothers has not been put into law.

Minn. Stat. § 145.894
1990 Minn. ALS 568; 1990 Minn. Chapter Law 568;1990 Minn. S.F. No. 2621;

The commissioner of health shall:

(a) Develop a comprehensive state plan for the delivery of nutritional supplements to pregnant and lactating women, infants, and children; ...

Last updated Saturday, July 29, 2006 2:25 AM by sjs.

Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:33:17 UTC 2007.