Update on the breastfeeding bill

Thanks to Alyse for letting me post this! This is her update on the hearing on the breastfeeding bill. I think she did awsome!

I was one of six women who testified in favor of the bill. Terri Poitra was the lady who submitted the original bill and had been asked to stop nursing at the casino restaurant. She also spoke about the pumping conditions she had to deal with at her workplace.See here: http://www.bismarcktribune.com/articles/2009/01/05/news/topnews/173393.txt

Dr. Joan Connell, a Bismarck pediatrician, spoke about the benefits of breastfeeding for mothers and babies.
Karen Ehrens is a local dietitian, she shared how breastfeeding rates are lower in North Dakota than national averages and hoped that the law would encourage more mothers to breastfeed.I can’t recall Kim’s testimony—I was just a little nervous.
Pat Sauer is a retired LLL leader that I have met in the last few months who has been a wonderful encouragement and blessing. She was worried by and testified of her concerns about the “discreet and modest” language.

A gentleman whose name I can’t recall, but who has several children and 9 grandchildren and supported the bill

I spoke last. My testimony is here: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?created&&suggest&note_id=57341829215 (in my last post) Each member of the committee received a copy of my written testimony.I was really nervous when Pat went up, but once it was my turn, it was all right. I really relaxed once I got past my introduction and first paragraph. I didn’t read straight from my testimony and left out the benefits part since that was pretty well covered.

I stated that the only state that has any modesty language is Missouri, which qualifies their law with the phrase “with as much discretion as possible.”

Representative Kari Conrad asked if the wording like Missouri’s would be acceptable. I said, “This wording does not require a mother to be modest, but gives her the benefit of the doubt, as babies are squirmy and do not still once they reach about six months. But breastfeeding moms are not trying to show everything off; we are trying to take care of our babies as best as we can.”

Representative Richard Holman asked if removing the “discreet and modest” would satisfy me. I had skipped the part of my testimony where I shared about Jessica Swimeley. I went back to that and shared how Jessica’s family was not really benefitted by the Texas law because there was no enforcement provision. I got really inspired here, and said, “You work hard passing these laws, and you do not want waste your time passing laws that are ineffective. And the enforcement provision is what gives this law teeth. The first version changes the ND Century Code, adding breastfeeding under the category of sex and protecting mothers and babies from discrimination. Also, the part protecting pumping mothers was removed, and is necessary, as evidenced by Terri’s testimony.”

I gave them Jody McLaughlin’s written testimony but did not get to read it.

Terri did not realize that the bill had been amended until I testified. After I sat down, she stood and asked to speak even though her testimony had been given. She stated that she had put together the wording of the original bill and her intention was to protect mothers, not have the bill twisted.

She talk about how her little baby is curious and a people-watcher, and it is difficult to constantly be ‘modest’. She said that breasts are for nourishing our children, not selling swimsuits.After the hearing, Karen, Pat, Terri and I talked in the hall. Karen said she had no idea how committee would go.

What we need to do now is to contact the committee members asking them to recommend the first version of SB#2344 be passed. Ask everyone you know to contact them. They will be discussing this bill and deciding what to do later this week. We need one member who will make a motion to have the first version presented to the House. This committee is who decides. If they do support the first version, then the bill will have to pass the House Committee (probably Human Services) as amended, then pass the House, then go back to Senate, then a conference committee assigned, then pass a House Committee, pass the whole House, and back to the Senate. It will be a very long road. And we need to work together.

Here is the link for the Human Services committee, part way down the page.http://www.legis.nd.gov/assembly/61-2009/house/standing-comm

Please email and call each member and tell them you support the first version of SB#2344 and ask them to recommend that the House pass the first version.

If it passes the House, we will need to contact the senators asking them to pass the first version. Only the Senate Human Services committee saw the first version, as far as I know.

Testifiers:
Senator Richard Marcellais
Terri Poitra, a working, breastfeeding mother
Dr. Joan Connell
Karen Ehrens, dietician
Kim Hinnenkamp
A gentleman whose name I can’t recall, but who has several children and 9 grandchildren and supported the bill
Pat Sauer, a retired LLL leader
Alyse Erbele, a stay-at-home, breastfeeding mother