SB16: Bill Text

LRB-0154/1

GMM:jld:jf

2009 - 2010 LEGISLATURE

2009 Senate BILL 16

January 26, 2009 - Introduced by Senators Risser, Erpenbach, Wirch, Darling, Schultz, Cowles, Sullivan and Lehman, cosponsored by Representatives Pasch, Parisi, Sinicki, Benedict, Black, Pope-Roberts, Roys, Pocan, Hilgenberg, Berceau, Mason, Molepske, Vruwink, Cullen, Hintz, Townsend, Toles and Ballweg. Referred to Committee on Public Health, Senior Issues, Long-Term Care, and Job Creation.

SB16,1,3 An Act to create 253.16 of the statutes; relating to: permitting a mother to breast-feed in any public or private location where she is otherwise authorized to be.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, there are various prohibitions against lewd behavior or sexual gratification in public. Those prohibitions, however, do not apply to a mother's breast-feeding of her child. This bill permits a mother to breast-feed her child in any public or private location where she is otherwise authorized to be and prohibits any person from interfering with the right of a mother to breast-feed her child as provided in the bill. Because no penalty is expressed in the bill for interfering with that right, a person who interferes with that right is subject to a forfeiture not to exceed $200 under the general penalty provision under current law.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB16, s. 1 Section 1. 253.16 of the statutes is created to read:

SB16,2,2 253.16 Right to breast-feed. A mother may breast-feed her child in any public or private location where the mother is otherwise authorized to be. No person may interfere with the right of a mother to breast-feed her child as provided in this section.

SB16, s. 2 Section 2. Initial applicability.

SB16,2,5 (1) Right to breast-feed. This act first applies to acts occurring on the effective date of this subsection.

SB16,2,6 (End)