H.J.R. 4 Enrolled

1

JOINT RESOLUTION ON BREASTFEEDING
2 2012 GENERAL SESSION
3 STATE OF UTAH
4 Chief Sponsor: Jennifer M. Seelig
5 Senate Sponsor: Stephen H. Urquhart
6
7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This joint resolution of the Legislature encourages employers to make accommodations
10 to meet the breastfeeding needs of their employees.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This resolution:
13 . encourages employers to recognize the benefits of breastfeeding and to provide
14 unpaid break time and appropriate space for employees who need to breastfeed or
15 express their milk for their infant children.
16 Special Clauses:
17 None
18
19 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
20 WHEREAS, 54% of women with infants and toddlers are in the workforce;
21 WHEREAS, this is a rapidly growing segment of today's Utah labor force;
22 WHEREAS, statistical surveys of families show that more than 50% of mothers with
23 children less than one year of age are in the labor force;
24 WHEREAS, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding
25 exclusively for the first six months of an infant's life, then continuing with other forms of
26 nutrition for at least the first twelve months of an infant's life;
27 WHEREAS, the American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends breastfeeding for
28 as long after the first twelve months of life as is mutually desired, and that arrangements be
29 made to allow a mother's expressing of milk if the mother and child must separate;

30 WHEREAS, the American Academy of Pediatrics has continuously endorsed
31 breastfeeding as the optimal form of nutrition for infants and as a foundation for good feeding
32 practices;
33 WHEREAS, extensive research indicates that there are diverse and compelling
34 advantages to breastfeeding for infants, mothers, families, and society;
35 WHEREAS, research studies show that children who are not breastfed have higher rates
36 of mortality, meningitis, some types of cancers, asthma and other respiratory illnesses, bacterial
37 and viral infections, diarrheal diseases, ear infections, allergies, and obesity; and
38 WHEREAS, accommodations should be made by employers for women in the labor
39 force who have children of breastfeeding age:
40 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah
41 encourages employers to recognize the benefits of breastfeeding and to provide unpaid break
42 time and appropriate space for employees who need to breastfeed or express their milk for their
43 infant children.
44 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Utah
45 Women's Business Association, the Utah Medical Association Alliance, the Utah Bar
46 Association, the Better Business Bureau, the Small Business Administration, the Utah
47 Department of Health, the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development, and to each of
48 Utah's Chambers of Commerce.