Government Issues » Legislation
Breastfeeding Law Has Teeth
July 1, 2008 by Heidi Green | No questions or commentsYou hear about state laws supporting breastfeeding in the workplace. At least twenty states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico all have them. But did you ever wonder what happens when an employer violates such a law? Until now, ... (read more)
Feeling a bit shy? Follow Julie’s advice.
June 16, 2008 by Mary Jessica Hammes | 1 question or commentJulie was sitting in the parking lot of a store in Atlanta, just finishing up breastfeeding her then-3-month-old son, when she saw the security guard walking toward her. He told her that it’d be best if she “didn’t do that right ... (read more)
Michigan “Boosts” Child Safety Requirements
June 11, 2008 by Pauline Lupercio | 1 question or commentMaybe it’s because my child is so young that I failed to pick up on the new Michigan law that will require children between the ages of four and eight and less than 4 feet nine inches tall to use an approved ... (read more)
What’s a Working Mom to do? Visit this Website!
June 1, 2008 by Mary Jessica Hammes | No questions or commentsWhen my son was 7 weeks old, I went back to work full-time. To say the least, it was jarring. I felt like I had just gotten to the good parts of having a baby. After weeks of very dark times, I was still ... (read more)
Indiana Law Requires Worksite Breastfeeding Support
May 29, 2008 by Amy Spangler | No questions or commentsAn Indiana law, scheduled to take effect July 1, 2008, will require employers to "make reasonable efforts to provide accommodations for women to collect and store breastmilk during the workday". This includes providing a private space, "other than ... (read more)
Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act Gets Congressional Hearing
May 28, 2008 by Amy Spangler | No questions or commentsOn Wednesday, May 21, the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing on HR 536—Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act. This hearing is an important first step toward passage of a ... (read more)
Get Health Policy Facts Fast with New Website
May 26, 2008 by Mary Jessica Hammes | 1 question or commentDid you know that 83 percent of children under 6 use screen media any given day, and that 75 percent of that number watch television? How about this one: did you know that 34 percent of TV food advertising aimed at children and ... (read more)
HP2020: For the Health of It!
April 22, 2008 by Amy Spangler | No questions or commentsHealthcare spending in the United States reached $2.3 trillion in 2007 and is projected to reach $4.2 trillion by 2016. In an effort to stem rising healthcare costs, every ten years the United States Department of Health ... (read more)
Rise to the Occasion, and Get Congress’ Attention!
April 18, 2008 by Pauline Lupercio | 2 questions or commentsWhen I see a forward in my email inbox, I usually just delete it without bothering to take a look. And if it is from a repeat offender, then it’s a guaranteed garbage bin item even before it was sent!... (read more)
Formula Standards Overturned
March 17, 2008 by Heidi Green | No questions or commentsIt is with a sad heart that I update this earlier story about the United Kingdom’s Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) new set of standards. You may recall that, with these standards, the FSA aims to “mak[e] sure the nutritional ... (read more)
What Do You Think?: FMLA Changes Proposed
March 4, 2008 by Heidi Green | 2 questions or commentsIt’s not exactly light reading, but you may want to look over the U.S. Department of Labor’s recent 477-page proposal of changes to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The period during which public comments will be accepted ends April 11th. So ... (read more)
Oh, to Live in Oregon
February 11, 2008 by Pauline Lupercio | 2 questions or commentsNot only is Oregon listed among the five states with the highest breastfeeding rates by the Centers for Disease Control, but the city of Portland has also ... (read more)



















