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H.J.R. 4

             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.




Legislative Review Note
    as of 12-13-11 9:37 AM


Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel


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