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Raphael Goetter, "the breastfeeding Lady 1" November 3, 2007
via Flikr, Creative Commons Attribution
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Thanks to contact
from breastfeeding supporters, both HB 741 and HB
1706 have been approved by the Business & Industry Committee in the
Texas House of Representatives! The next step is to have the Calendars
Committee add it to the House's voting calendar. If
the bills are passed by the entire House of Representatives, they move
on to a vote within the Senate.
In order for the bills to have adequate time to move through the entire legislative process, we must ask the Calendars Committee to schedule
the bills to be heard on the House floor by all representatives as soon as possible.
Below you
will find contact information, guidelines for letter-writing, and
sample letters. If you have time to make phone calls, that will have a
greater impact. Just use the guidelines below, and if you'd like,
tailor a letter to serve as your script.
Please contact your own district representative (asking for support of the bills & that (s)he ask the Calendars Committee to set the bills for a date on the House floor as soon as possible) as well as the Calendars Committee members.
You can find the committee members' names, districts, emails and phone numbers under the "Calendars Committee" tab. If you have time to write to individual members and can be specific about districts when writing your own rep. or one in your region, that would be ideal.
However, if you need to get this done quickly, you can copy & paste this list:
, eddie.lucio_iii@house.state.tx.us, roberto.alonzo@house.state.tx.us, carol.alvarado@house.state.tx.us, dan.branch@house.state.tx.us, angie.button@house.state.tx.us, byron.cook@house.state.tx.us, myra.crownover@house.state.tx.us, sarah.davis@house.state.tx.us, craig.eiland@house.state.tx.us, john.frullo@house.state.tx.us, charlie.geren@house.state.tx.us, helen.giddings@house.state.tx.us, John.Kuempel@house.state.tx.us, Doug.Miller@house.state.tx.us, USBFLeg@gmail.com
This
list includes an address for one of our advocates who will track what
districts letters are being sent from (based on your address) so that we
can be certain that committee members, and later all House members, are
hearing from their own constituents. This will be vital, as
legislators focus on their own constituents almost exclusively. Your
information will not be shared. If you do not wish to send your email
to our representative, however, simply delete the last address, USBFLeg@gmail.com, from the list.
Guidelines:
Sample letters are below. Personalize one as much as you can.
Begin by introducing yourself as a constituent,
and keep it short (two paragraphs).
Ask the Calendars Committee to set HB 741 and HB 1706 for a date on the House floor ASAP.
Say exactly why you support the bills.
Ask for a written response on the
Representative's position on the bill. That way a staffer has to do
some research and the member has to sign a letter with a position on it.
Make certain that letters are not
antagonistic or accusatory. Try
to email weekly.
Please include with your signature:
- Name
- Physical Address
- Zip Code
- Phone Number(s)
If you are writing on behalf of a group, such
as Texas local breastfeeding coalitions, Texas IBCLC clubs, Texas
chapter of AAP, Texas Baby Friendly folks, Texas Mother Friendly folks,
parenting groups, etc. please consider the following:
Letters should begin with an introduction of your group. They should
talk about health benefits of BF, how you support BF in your community,
and HB 1706 and HB 741. Letters from a mom should be personalized from
the mom's point of view, but these letters should be personalized from
the organization's view. These letters can be more lengthy than the 2
paragraph max for letters from individuals (but still somewhat brief).
Please make clear that you represent constituents outside of just your zip code, if that is the case. Please give an idea of how many people are in your group, and/or how many people your group serves.
Example #1
Hello Rep. NAME,
I hope this
email finds you well. As a resident of (DISTRICT #, REGION, OR TEXAS),
I’m
writing to ask for your support of House Bill 1706 authored by Rep.
Farrar, and House Bill 741, authored by Rep. Walle and
coauthored by Rep. Hernandez Luna. I hope that you will work to set these bills for a
date on the House floor at the earliest opportunity. Currently Texas
law states "A mother is entitled to
breast-feed her baby in any location in which the mother is authorized
to be." However, this merely asserts her right. It does not protect her
right, as there is currently no enforcement provision. Mothers are
frequently discriminated against for feeding their children while they
are out supporting the economy by shopping for their families and eating
in restaurants. Fear of this discrimination prevents many mothers from
choosing optimal nutrition for their babies as recommended by the
American Academy of Pediatrics, the World Health Organization, and
others. HB 1706 will not only serve mothers and babies, it will inform
businesses of the law and allow them to avoid the negative media
attention that sometimes follows an incident where an ill-informed
employee humiliates a mother who is trying only to feed her child.
House Bill 741 will extend worksite pumping protections
to salaried public employees. Currently, employees like teachers
are often forced to choose between providing breastmilk for their babies
or keeping their jobs. HB 741 will give these working mothers the same
protection that is already afforded to hourly workers under federal
law: reasonable accommodations for pumping milk for babies up to a year
old. As a
breastfeeding mom and an advocate for mothers and children, I
urge you to support this legislation by putting these bills before the
House as soon as possible. I would love the opportunity to
meet with you to discuss this public health issue, and I would be
grateful for a written response letting me know your position on these
bills. Thank you for your
time.
Sincerely,
NAME
PHYSICAL ADDRESS
ZIP CODE
PHONE NUMBER
Example #2
Hello, Rep. NAME,
I hope this
email finds you well. I am a mother who resides in the
State of Texas OR BE SPECIFIC ABOUT DISTRICT/REGION IF IT IS THIS
LEGISLATOR'S and I am writing to ask for your support for House Bill
1706 and House Bill 741 by putting these bills on the House floor as
soon as possible. Texas law already
recognizes breastfeeding as the best method of infant nutrition and
states that a mother may breastfeed her baby in any location in which
the
mother is authorized to be; however she is not truly protected because
there is no enforcement of that law, and is thus at risk of being
harassed and ceasing to breastfeed as a result. And while hourly public
employees have reasonable accommodations to express breastmilk at work,
currently salaried public employees are exempt.
Breastmilk
is the ideal food for newborns and infants. It gives
infants all the nutrients they need for healthy development. It is safe
and contains antibodies that help protect infants from common childhood
illnesses - such as diarrhea and pneumonia, the two primary causes of
child mortality worldwide. Breastmilk is readily available and
affordable, which helps to ensure that infants get adequate sustenance
(World Health Organization, 2012). As a breastfeeding mom and advocate
for mothers and children, I urge
you to support this legislation to better protect a woman’s right to
breastfeed. I would very much appreciate a written response explaining
your position on both of these bills. And I would welcome the chance to
meet with you to further
discuss the importance of community support and breastfeeding!
Thank you for your time and support,
NAME
PHYSICAL ADDRESS
ZIP CODE
PHONE NUMBER
Example #3
Dear Representative NAME,
I'm a new
mother in CITY/DISTRICT/REGION, TX, and I breastfeed my baby. I am
writing to ask you to set HB 1706 and HB 741 for a date on the House
floor at the first opportunity. I would appreciate a written response
with your position in these bills. Currently,
state law asserts that I have the right to nurse my baby anywhere that I
am authorized to be... but that hasn't stopped people from asking me to
move to a private area when I breastfeed my SON/DAUGHTER, or telling me
that I
need to cover up with a blanket (even though I take care not to expose
myself). Other Texas women have been harassed even more harshly than I,
have been humiliated publicly, and have been banished from public
places, all for giving their babies the very best food available:
breastmilk. This has caused many of my friends to avoid nursing in
public at all costs, which incidentally has a side effect of depriving
local businesses of potential customers. HB 1706 will amend our
existing law to
create a private right of action as a recourse for mothers who are
discriminated against or harassed for nursing in any public place where
they are already allowed to be.
HB 741 will extend work site accommodations to salaried public employees which are already afforded hourly employees.
Breastfeeding rates of initiation are around 75-80%, however, as women
return to work and are unsupported in their efforts to express
breastmilk for their babies, breastfeeding rates drop dramatically.
This is a public health issue. Increased breastfeeding rates will save
lives and a lot of money. Please support these bills, and support
Texas mothers and babies.
Thank you,
NAME and son/daughter NAME (NUMBER OF months)
PHYSICAL ADDRESS
ZIP CODE
PHONE NUMBER
Example #4
Dear Rep. NAME,
I am a
constituent of your district NUMBER and breastfed/am
breastfeeding my child(ren). I’m writing to ask your support for House
Bill 1706, authored by Rep. Farrar, and for HB 741, authored by Rep. Walle and coauthored by Rep. Hernandez Luna. HB 741 will support
mothers who return to work in their efforts to continue to provide
breastmilk for their babies by providing reasonable accommodations to
salaried public employees that are already afforded hourly employees.
Texas law already
recognizes breastfeeding as the best method of infant nutrition, and a
mother may breastfeed her baby in any location in which the
mother is authorized to be. However she is not truly protected because
there is no enforcement of that law, which HB 1706 would provide.
Frequently there are stories in the media of mothers being confronted
for breastfeeding in public, which is very telling of the fact that
without an enforcement provision, people who do not agree with Texas law
treat following it as optional.
Mothers like me are frequently discriminated against for feeding
their children in public. This happens at malls, restaurants, and parks
across the state. [OPTIONAL: INSERT YOUR BRIEF NIP INCIDENT HERE] The fear of
being belittled by another person can be enough motivation for some moms
not to breastfeed, despite recommendations from some of the biggest
health organizations in the world including the AAP and WHO. The
benefits of breastfeeding are well known, but a nervous new mom may
choose not to breastfeed to avoid potential public ridicule. HB 1706
will not only serve mothers and babies, it will ensure that businesses
and their employees are up to date on what the law protects. As a
breastfeeding mom and advocate for mothers and children, I urge you to
support this legislation as we strive to truly protect a woman’s right
to breastfeed.
Please set these bills for a date on the House floor at the earliest
opportunity. I would very much appreciate a written response regarding
your position on these bills.
Respectfully,
NAME
PHYSICAL ADDRESS
ZIP CODE
PHONE NUMBER
Example #5
PHYSICAL ADDRESS
ZIP CODE
PHONE NUMBER
(JUST CHOOSE A FEW OF THE FOLLOWING LINKS TO SHARE)
Dallas Morning News (need subscription; this is google doc just for legislators):
http://tinyurl.com/hb1706-741DallasMorningNews
KUT News:
http://tinyurl.com/hb1706-741KUTNews
Cafe Mom/The Stir:
http://tinyurl.com/hb1706cafemom
Dallas Observer:
http://tinyurl.com/hb1706dallasobserver
Spring News/Spring Observer:
http://tinyurl.com/hb1706springobserver
Houston Press:
http://tinyurl.com/hb1706houstonpress
Keep Austin Nursing in Public:
http://tinyurl.com/hb1706-741KANIPB-I
New York Daily News (quotes Rep. Farrar):
http://tinyurl.com/hb1706RNYDailyNews
CBS DFW:
http://tinyurl.com/hb1706RCBSDFW
posted to Facebook but not as a timeline photo:
https://www.facebook.com/CBSDFW
KDFW Fox 4 interview w/ Jennifer Jurek Land:
http://tinyurl.com/hb1706RFoxDFW
and their Facebook post:
http://tinyurl.com/hb1706RFoxDFWfb
Mail Online (we're told this is a tabloid, & it is inaccurate on several things):
http://tinyurl.com/hb1706RMailOnline
KPRC Houston Channel 2 interview w/ Michelle Hickman:
http://tinyurl.com/hb1706RKPRC
and their Facebook post:
http://tinyurl.com/hb1706RKPRCfb
ABC13 in Houston's interview w/ Michelle Hickman & Brittany Warfield:
http://tinyurl.com/hb1706RABC13
and the 6pm coverage:
http://tinyurl.com/hb1706RABC136pm
and their Facebook post on it:
http://tinyurl.com/hb1706RABC13fb
KEYETV in Austin's Facebook Post linked to Riddle's post:
http://tinyurl.com/hb1706RKEYETVfb
The Texas Tribune:
http://tinyurl.com/hb1706RTexasTribune
Progressive Parenting:
http://tinyurl.com/hb1706RProgressiveParenting
AmyWest.co:
http://tinyurl.com/hb1706RAmyWest-co
Unlatched:
http://tinyurl.com/hb1706RUnlatched
