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California Legislature Passes Bill by Assemblywoman Rubio Requiring Lactation Accommodations for Students in Higher Education Institutions
SACRAMENTO, CA – The California Legislature passed Assembly Bill 2785 by Assemblywoman Blanca E. Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) that would require public community colleges and universities to provide lactation accommodation rooms on campus for breastfeeding students.
"All parents deserve to nurse or pump milk for their children without jeopardizing their access to education," said Amber Piatt, with The Women's Foundation of California. “We believe guaranteeing adequate lactation space is a fundamental part of achieving gender, racial, and economic justice throughout California.”
“We want to provide every opportunity for student-parents and single mothers to stay in school,” said Assemblywoman Rubio. “This bill would make it easier for lactating students to breastfeed their infant child or express breast milk while on university and college campuses. It would allow students to feel secure and academically thrive by not allowing any penalties for missed class time.”
A growing number of higher education institutions are providing lactation spaces for their student body. However, the lack of system-wide policies regarding lactation accommodations for students allows inadequate or unsanitary lactation accommodations to persist, which is a serious health and gender inequity issue.
The bill now heads to the Governor’s desk.
Assemblywoman Rubio represents the 48th Assembly District, which is comprised of the cities of Azusa, Baldwin Park, Bradbury, City of Industry, Covina, Duarte, El Monte, Glendora, Irwindale, Monrovia, West Covina, and the San Gabriel Valley unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County, including Bassett, Charter Oak, Citrus, East Arcadia, Ramona, Valinda and West La Puente.
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Website of Assemblymember Blanca E. Rubio: www.asm.ca.gov/Rubio