GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1995

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 821

Short Title:  Encourage Breast Feeding.	(Public)

─────────────────────────────────────── 
Sponsors: Representatives Alexander; Earle, Easterling, and McAllister.

─────────────────────────────────────── 
Referred to:  Welfare Reform and Human Resources.

─────────────────────────────────────── 

April 11, 1995

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO INCLUDE ENCOURAGEMENT OF BREAST FEEDING IN SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE STATE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH PROGRAM.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  G.S. 130A-124(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	The Department shall establish and administer a maternal and child health program for the delivery of preventive, diagnostic, therapeutic and habilitative health services to women of childbearing years, children and other persons who require these services.  The program may include, but shall not be limited to, providing professional education and consultation, community coordination and direct care and counseling, and activities and services that encourage breast feeding."
Sec. 2. G.S. 130A-125(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	The Department shall establish and administer a Newborn Screening Program. The program shall include, but shall not be limited to:
(1)	Development and distribution of educational materials regarding the availability and benefits of newborn screening.
(2)	Provision of laboratory testing.
(3)	Development of follow-up protocols to assure early treatment for identified children, and the provision of genetic counseling and support services for the families of identified children.
(4)	Provision of necessary dietary treatment products or medications for identified children as medically indicated and when not otherwise available.
(5)	Development and distribution of educational materials regarding the health benefits relating to breast-feeding newborn children."
Sec. 3. (a) The Division of Maternal and Child Health of the Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources shall develop a demonstration project pertaining to the health benefits of breast-feeding newborn children.  The project shall be conducted to determine the benefits of, potential barriers to, and potential costs of implementing worksite breast-feeding support policies for public-sector employees in the State.  In developing the project, the Division shall develop written policies supporting breast-feeding practices for the workplace which address the following:
(1)	Work schedule flexibility, including scheduling of breaks and work patterns to allow time for milk expression;
(2)	Provision of accessible locations that permit privacy and allow access to a nearby clean, safe water source and sink for washing hands and breast-pumping equipment; and
(3)	Access to hygienic storage of breast milk.
The Division shall provide copies of draft policies to local health departments for review and comment and shall require of local health department employees written assessments of the benefits of, potential barriers to, and costs of implementing  local breast-feeding demonstration projects.  The Division shall select at least one local health department as a pilot for the demonstration project, which pilot shall be implemented beginning October 1, 1995.
(b) The Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources shall report to the General Assembly and the Governor the results of the pilot demonstration project and recommendations pertaining to implementation of the project statewide.  The report shall be provided not later than May 1, 1996, and shall include:
(1)	A description of the policies adopted and the pilot project implementation status;
(2)	The extent to which breast feeding is utilized by public sector employees in the pilot project;
(3)	Costs and benefits associated with the pilot project and with implementing the pilot project statewide.
Sec. 3. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources the sum of ($) for the 1995-96 fiscal year and the sum of ($) for the 1996-97 fiscal year to implement this act.
Sec. 4. This act becomes effective July 1, 1995.