Public Breastfeeding Laws by State

by FamilyEducation Staff

Click on your state to read the full statute, and read more about the issue of public breastfeeding here.

Select Your State --------------- Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennesse Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

Alabama: "A mother may breastfeed her child in any location, public or private, where the mother is otherwise authorized to be present."

Alaska: "A municipality may not enact an ordinance that prohibits or restricts a woman breast-feeding a child in a public or private location where the woman and child are otherwise authorized to be. In a municipal ordinance, "lewd conduct," "lewd touching," "immoral conduct," "indecent conduct," and similar terms do not include the act of a woman breast-feeding a child in a public or private location where the woman and child are otherwise authorized to be."

Arizona: "A mother is entitled to breast-feed in any area of a public place or a place of public accommodation where the mother is otherwise lawfully present."

Arkansas: "A woman may breastfeed a child in a public place or any place where other individuals are present."

California: "Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a mother may breastfeed her child in any location, public or private, except the private home or residence of another, where the mother and the child are otherwise authorized to be present."

Colorado (.pdf): "A mother may breastfeed in any place she has a right to be."

Connecticut: "No person may restrict or limit the right of a mother to breast-feed her child."

Delaware: "Notwithstanding any provisions of law to the contrary, a mother shall be entitled to breast-feed her child in any location of a place of public accommodation wherein the mother is otherwise permitted."

Florida: "A mother may breastfeed her baby in any location, public or private, where the mother is otherwise authorized to be, irrespective of whether the nipple of the mother's breast is uncovered during or incidental to the breastfeeding."

Georgia: "The breast-feeding of a baby is an important and basic act of nurture which should be encouraged in the interests of maternal and child health. A mother may breast-feed her baby in any location where the mother and baby are otherwise authorized to be."