BILL REQ. #:  S-4101.1 

READ FIRST TIME 01/31/14.   

     AN ACT Relating to creating the breastfeeding-friendly Washington designation; and adding a new section to chapter 70.54 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 70.54 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The department of health shall create the breastfeeding-friendly Washington designation, a voluntary program to recognize hospitals that effectively support and encourage breastfeeding.
     (2) Beginning July 1, 2014, a hospital may use the breastfeeding-friendly Washington designation provided in subsection (3) of this section on promotional materials if the hospital achieves criteria defined by the department of health based on the following ten steps:
     (a) Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff;
     (b) Train all health care staff in skills necessary to implement this policy;
     (c) Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding;
     (d) Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within one hour of birth;
     (e) Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation, even if they are separated from their infants;
     (f) Encourage breast milk over alternatives, but may provide guidance on formula supplementation or bottle feeding, if preferred by the mother or medically indicated;
     (g) Practice rooming in by allowing mothers and infants to remain together twenty-four hours a day;
     (h) Encourage breastfeeding on demand;
     (i) Give no pacifiers or artificial nipples to breastfeeding infants; or
     (j) Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or clinic.
     (3)(a) A hospital seeking to use the breastfeeding-friendly Washington designation must submit its breastfeeding policy and supporting documentation with its application to the department of health for approval. The department shall review and approve those policies and supporting documents that meet the requirements of this section and issue a designation based on the number of steps met by the hospital.
     (b) The department shall issue two types of breastfeeding-friendly Washington designations based on the number of steps met by a hospital: (i) A designation recognizing a hospital that meets the criteria for five steps or more; and (ii) a designation recognizing a hospital that meets all the criteria for all ten steps.
     (4) The department of health must submit a report to the legislature by December 31, 2016, on the levels of achievement by and locations of participating hospitals and with recommendations to improve or expand the program.
     (5) For the purposes of this section, "hospital" means the maternity or newborn service of a facility licensed under chapter 70.41 RCW and includes "birthing center" or "childbirth center" as defined in RCW 18.46.010.