I would certainly never discourage anyone from breastfeeding in public 
regardless of the legal status.  I breastfed in public for 8.5 years in a 
state with no law at all and frankly never thought twice about it nor was I 
ever bothered by anyone.  But it is important that people know what the law 
is in case they are harassed.

Mary, I don't know whether citing the law benefited anyone in Texas at 
either Applebees or the Museum.  I did work very closely with the Ronald 
McDonald House moms and citing the law made no difference whatsoever to RMH 
administration.  In that case, the Texas Attorney General explicitly refused 
to intervene, RMH Houston refused to change its policy (the moms never used 
the facility again and made alternate arrangements when they needed to 
return to Houston for further treatment), and RMC Charities (the national 
organization) refused to require RMH Houston to obey Texas law.  One of the 
RMH moms not only cited the law to management after the first incident but 
pulled a copy of it up on her laptop.  RMH Houston administration only 
agreed to a meeting with the moms after an influx of e-mail in support of 
the moms crashed their server.  The meeting, however, did not result in RMH 
obeying Texas public breastfeeding law or changing its policy concerning 
breastfeeding in common space.

I don't want to start a debate about this but I did feel the need to add 
what I know about the RMH situation.

Jake Marcus, J.D.

> Date:    Sat, 15 Mar 2008 21:32:57 -0700
> From:    Mary Herrington <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Texas law on breastfeeding in public?
>
> just got caught up on emails.  sure the wording of the Texas statute 
> leaves out any "teeth" but that doesn't mean it isn't effective.  Yes, 
> private property laws make the matter muddled.   In recent cases, 
> Applebees, HoustonMuseum Natural Science, Ronald McD house, citing the 
> Statute made a great difference and along with letters/outcry from bf 
> advocates business owners often offer apologies if a mom was "harrassed" 
> by an employee.
>
>  At work, I routinely educate new moms that there is a law in place 
> stating they have a right to breastfeed in public anywhere they are 
> otherwise legally allowed to be.  It's about empowering/encouraging moms 
> to breastfeed anywhere baby needs to eat.
>
>  For me, I bf anywhere I want In Texas, ain't been arrested yet!
>
>  I would LOVE to have the name/address of the church in Conroe.  Perhaps 
> the Houston Area LC Professional org(HALCEA) could write them a friendly 
> letter.
>
>  Mary H
>

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