An effort to protect breastfeeding mothers is being revived at the Capitol.
Proposed legislation would protect the rights of a mother to breastfeed her child in public. State Senator Fred Risser (D-Madison) says there's no law against it right now, but some mothers still face problems because there are also no laws in place that clearly protect them. Risser says he's heard from many mothers that have been harassed for breastfeeding their child in a public place.
The legislation does allow for civil penalties if a breastfeeding mother is harassed, although Risser says it's only a minor part of the bill. He says the goal is not to collect penalties, but to make women feel more at ease.
The bill passed in the Senate during the last legislative session, but failed to get a vote in the Assembly. Risser expects the measure to face little opposition this time around and to pass quickly.
The bill is scheduled for a hearing at the Capitol on Monday.