Illinois bill to allow mothers paid breaks to breastfeed passes House
Employers have been required to provide time to nursing mothers to breastfeed, but without pay.
The , sponsored by Illinois Senator Laura Fine (D-Glenview), were first read in Illinois' General Assembly on January 22nd.
The Nursing Mothers in the Workplace Act would be changed to require employers to provide 30 minutes of paid breaks to mothers who need to breastfeed or pump.
'When you're a new mom and you're tired, you're emotional and you're getting back to work, for me we did not have that break to take care of my child,' Fine said.
These required breaks would not cut into any other required breaks.
Fine explained she wants to look out for succeeding generations by implementing these new requirements.
'We want to make [it] easier and smoother for future generations,' said Fine. 'Women causes are front and center cause we're saying that this is what impacted us, how can we improve it for future generations.'
Senator Doris Turner (D-Springfield) stands with Fine on these issues and has sponsored a of her own to introduce a plan to cover hypoallergenic formula under Medicaid if it has been prescribed by a physician.
'You can imagine the strain that would put on your budget,' Turner said. 'We are ensuring that families get a fair chance at a healthy life regardless of their income.'
The bill passed the House with an 82-27 vote. The proposal has already passed in the Senate with a 50-3 vote in favor of the change.
The bill will now head to Governor JB Pritzker's desk to be signed into law.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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