BILL REQ. #:  S-1629.4 

READ FIRST TIME 02/22/07.   

     AN ACT Relating to encouraging employers to be infant-friendly; amending RCW 43.70.640; adding a new section to chapter 43.70 RCW; and making an appropriation.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 43.70.640 and 2001 c 88 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) An employer, if requested by an employee, is encouraged but not required, to become infant-friendly.
     (2) An employer may use the designation "infant-friendly" on its promotional materials and otherwise, if the employer has an approved workplace breastfeeding policy addressing at least the following:
     (a) Flexible work scheduling, including scheduling breaks and permitting work patterns that provide time for expression of breast milk;
     (b) A convenient, sanitary, safe, and private location, other than a restroom, allowing privacy for breastfeeding or expressing breast milk;
     (c) A convenient clean and safe water source with facilities for washing hands and rinsing breast-pumping equipment located in the private location specified in (b) of this subsection; and
     (d) A convenient hygienic refrigerator in the workplace for the mother's breast milk.
     (((2))) (3) Employers seeking approval of a workplace breastfeeding policy must submit the policy to the department of health. The department of health shall review and approve those policies that meet the requirements of this section. The department may directly develop and implement the criteria for "infant-friendly" employers, or contract with a vendor for this purpose.
     (((3))) (4) If available, an employer shall include in its personnel policy a section on its infant-friendly policy and whether it has been approved by the department. If the employer does have a workplace infant-friendly policy of its own or one that is department-approved, that information must be given to its employees upon their request. If an employer does not have an infant-friendly policy in place, that information must be disclosed to the requesting employee.
     (5) For the purposes of this section, "employer" includes those employers defined in RCW 49.12.005 and also includes the state, state institutions, state agencies, political subdivisions of the state, and municipal corporations or quasi-municipal corporations.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 43.70 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) The department will convene a stakeholder group of appropriate representatives to develop standard model infant-friendly policies that may be adjusted to accommodate individual businesses.
     (2) The department shall disseminate information on how to obtain the sample infant-friendly policies and obtain an infant-friendly designation to employers through existing mailings going to employers from other state agencies.
     (3) Within existing resources serving expectant and new mothers, the department must provide the sample infant-friendly policies to doctors, licensed midwives, lactation consultants, and hospitals for distribution to expectant and new mothers to help them talk with their employers and facilitate a successful return to work.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   The sum of fifty-five thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 2009, from the general fund to the department of health for the purposes of this act.