President Donald Trump signed the Fairness for Breastfeeding Mothers Act on Friday, a bipartisan piece of legislation introduced by Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., which requires designated breastfeeding rooms in federal buildings.
The law requires federal buildings that are open to the public and contain a public restroom provide a lactation room, other than a bathroom, that is hygienic and is available for use by federal employees or members of the public who are breastfeeding, Daines said.
The lactation room must be shielded from view, be free from intrusion, and contain a chair, a working surface, and (if the building is supplied with electricity) an electrical outlet, he said in a news release.
“This is great news for nursing moms all over Montana and our country,” Daines said. “It’s long overdue that Montana moms have access to a private, clean, and safe place to nurse their newborn babies.”
He thanked the president for signing the bill into law.
Daines reintroduced the Fairness for Breastfeeding Mothers Act on Feb. 14. In October, he included a provision in the FAA Reauthorization Bill that requires “Mother’s Rooms” for nursing mothers in large and medium commercial airports.