Mo. senator seeks to protect breast-feeding moms

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- A bill introduced in the Missouri Senate would explicitly give women the right to breast-feed in public.

State law requires that women breast-feed in public "with as much discretion as possible." The proposed bill would remove that phrase from the law. It emphasizes that breast-feeding is not sexual conduct or indecent exposure.

The bill is sponsored by Sen. Rob Schaaf of St. Joseph, Mo., who said some women have been harassed while trying to breast-feed.

The bill also exempts nursing mothers from jury duty.

The Springfield News-Leader reported the bill has bipartisan support in committee.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 43.1 percent of Missouri mothers breast-feed at six months, compared with the national average of 47.2 percent.

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Information from: Springfield News-Leader, http://www.news-leader.com