Bill authorizes breast-feeding in public

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Mothers would be allowed to breast-feed their children anywhere in public under a bill approved Thursday in the House of Representatives.<br/><br/>The House voted 96-2 in favor of

Thursday, May 13th 2004, 5:01 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Mothers would be allowed to breast-feed their children anywhere in public under a bill approved Thursday in the House of Representatives.

The House voted 96-2 in favor of House Bill 2102, which states that mothers who breast-feed in public are specifically exempt from any violation of public indecency laws.

"It basically says that a mother may breast-feed her child anywhere in public that the mother is otherwise allowed to be," said House author Rep. John Carey, D-Durant.

The bill, which now heads to the Senate for consideration, also exempts breast-feeding mothers from jury duty.

Rep. Carolyn Coleman, who voted against the bill, questioned why a provision was removed that would require mothers to breast-feed in a "modest and discreet" fashion.

"Can a mother not go into a restroom or a car?" said Coleman, R-Moore.

Crystal Stearns, a lactation consultant at Mercy Memorial Health Center in Ardmore, said she lobbied to remove the "modest and discreet" language because it could leave the law open to interpretation by a police officer, prosecutor or a judge.

"It makes it sound like there is something vulgar or nasty about breast-feeding, which is a very normal body process to nurture a baby," Stearns said. "That's what breasts are there for, to make milk and feed their baby."

Stearns also said it was inappropriate to force a mother to breast-feed their child in a bathroom.

"Would you eat your lunch or dinner in the bathroom?" Stearns said. "If you wouldn't eat your meal in a bathroom, why would a newborn baby have to be forced to do that?"