A new California bill would make sure women have a dedicated space -- not just a bathroom -- for expressing breast milk during work.
SB 937 would require employers to have a lactation room for mothers to express milk. Access to a sink and refrigerator would also need to be close to their workspace.
Moreover, according to the legislation, new construction -- specifically on projects costing more than $500,000 with at least 15,000 square feet of employee workspace -- would require lactation space.
State law already requires employers to give women time to express milk, but bathrooms aren't the best place to do so.
"It can be hard to, you know, settle down and get into the zone to express breast milk in some place like a high-traffic bathroom," California WIC Association media and policy coordinator Sarah Diaz said. "There's cleanliness issues and privacy issues."
The legislation is scheduled to be heard in a state Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday afternoon.