Wendy Funk asked which (U.S.) states have laws to protect breastfeeding in
public.  Wisconsin has a new law, signed on March 22, 1996, and while it
does not go anywhere near as far as laws in states such as Florida and New
York, it is at least a first step.  I submitted the following press release
to 3 local newspapers, and none have run it so far.  (Sigh.  I am afraid
the silence about the law, in Madison, at least, has been deafening. Our
WIC people, I understand, as government employees, aren't allowed to
comment publicly.)
But I had several mothers from my LLL group there, holding their twin
babies, and we took a couple of nice photos.  The governor was quite taken
with the children and read aloud my pro-breastfeeding buttons (purchased
from "For Zealots Only").  I received one of the pens used to sign the law,
and two little breastfed sisters got the 2 others.

Press release, written by Linda Lee:

"Breastfeeding is for many women a natural part of motherhood.  Until
recently, however, nursing mothers often had to nourish their children
behind closed doors, because their right to breastfeed their children in
public was not protected by law.  That situation changed on Friday. March
22, 1996 with the passage of AB 154.

Sponsored by State Representative Jeanette Bell, AB 154 takes effect
immediately and protects a mother's right to breastfeed her child in
public.  Current law prohibits lewd behavior or sexual gratification in
public places.  The new law specifically excludes breastfeeding from
classification as one of those acts.

Breastfeeding advocates and health professionals throughout Wisconsin
applaud the passage of this bill.  By amending current law, legislators
have created public policy that supports healthy behavior choices as well
as infant health.  By removing the legal barriers to breastfeeding in
public, legislators encourage state of Wisconsin residents to view
breastfeeding as a natural part of nurturing a child and not something to
be hidden from public view.  This seemingly small step has the potential to
improve support for breastfeeding in communities across Wisconsin."

Anne Altshuler, RN, MS, IBCLC and LLL Leader in Madison, WI