A bill to protect breastfeeding mothers from being harassed has passed the state Senate. The legislation would protect the rights of a mother to breastfeed her child in public or private. State Senator Fred Risser of 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. There was no debate on the bill, which passed the Senate on voice vote and now heads to the Assembly. Governor Jim Doyle says he'll sign the bill if it passes both chambers.