Breastfeeding and Mississippi Law

Miss. Code Ann. § 13-5-23 (2006) provides that breastfeeding mothers may be excused from serving as jurors. (SB 2419)

Miss. Code Ann. § 17-25-7/9 (2006) prohibits any ordinance restricting a woman’s right to breastfeed and provides that a mother may breastfeed her child in any location she is otherwise authorized to be. (SB 2419)

Miss. Code Ann. § 43-20-31 (2006) requires licensed child care facilities to provide breastfeeding mothers with a sanitary place that is not a toilet stall to breastfeed their children or express milk, to provide a refrigerator to store expressed milk, to train staff in the safe and proper storage and handling of human milk, and to display breastfeeding promotion information to the clients of the facility.

Miss. Code Ann. Ch. 1 § 71-1-55 (2006) prohibits against discrimination towards breastfeeding mothers who use lawful break time to express milk.

Miss. Code Ann. § 97-29-31 (2013) and § 97-35-7et seq. (2010) specifies that a woman breastfeeding may not be considered an act of indecent exposure, disorderly conduct, or disturbance of the public space.

Senate Bill 2070  (2016) is a legislative acknowledgement of the numerous benefits to breastfeeding and a call to employers and birthing facilities to implement practices that are conducive to breastfeeding.

There is a new House Bill that has all the provisions of Senate Bill 2070, plus more.  It is House Bill 1167.

Here are the provisions listed:

1. Requires all hospitals with birthing facilities to have a written infant feeding policy that supports breastfeeding which all relevant staff must be sufficiently trained in.
2. Requires maternal health care facilities to display a “Breastfeeding in Mississippi: Guidelines” sign publicly on their premises.
3. Requires employers to provide break time and a private space to pump.
4. Provides fine ($25-250) if a mother’s right to breastfeed is violated and it extends this to the existing daycare laws if they are not enforced.

PLEASE call/write to the committee members if you can.  They especially need to hear from medical professionals about why this is so important.  Please let others know!  If you work for a state agency, remember not to contact your legislator while you are at work, but please let your legislator know to support breastfeeding legislation when you are able.

Here is a list of the Mississippi Public Health Committee Members and their contact information as of December 2021.