SENATE RESOLUTION No. 167

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

218th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED NOVEMBER 18, 2019

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  M. TERESA RUIZ

District 29 (Essex)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Urges certain airline companies to change policies to allow passengers to carry breast pumps and breast milk onto aircraft without counting against carry-on limits.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

 


A Senate Resolution urging certain airline companies to change policies to allow passengers to carry breast pumps and breast milk onto aircraft without counting the items against carry-on limits.

 

Whereas, More than 80 percent of mothers breastfeed their infants during the first six months of the child’s life; and

Whereas, No matter the circumstances or location, breastfeeding mothers need to express milk every few hours in order to keep up their milk supply and to prevent infection known as mastitis; and

Whereas, On October 5, 2018, the President of the United States signed into law a five-year reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration, which included language that requires airports to provide lactation rooms that are accessible to the public; and

Whereas, In spite of this federal law and laws in all 50 states that specifically allow breastfeeding in any public or private location, breastfeeding mothers have continued to face barriers, even harassment, when breastfeeding or attempting to breastfeed in public places; and

Whereas, The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) permits breast pumps and breast milk for infants or toddlers in reasonable quantities to pass through the security checkpoint in airports; and

Whereas, TSA also permits ice packs, freezer packs, frozen gel packs, and other accessories required to cool breast milk to pass through the security checkpoint in airports; and

Whereas, In spite of these TSA policies, some airlines still prevent passengers from carrying quantities of breast milk that are acceptable to TSA onto aircraft or prevent breastfeeding mothers from carrying breast pumps onto aircraft by counting breast pumps against the airline’s carry-on limits; and

Whereas, These airline policies create barriers for parents to feed infants and toddlers while traveling and create health risks for breastfeeding mothers who are prevented from expressing milk for extended periods of time while traveling; and

Whereas, Due to these airlines policies, passengers have been forced to dump large quantities of breast milk before boarding aircraft and leave behind breast pumps or other carry-on items in order to comply with the airline’s carry-on limits; now, therefore,

 

     Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    This House urges certain airline companies to change policies to allow passengers to carry breast pumps and breast milk onto aircraft without counting the items against carry-on limits.

 

     2.    Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to the Chief Executive Officer of Star Alliance; the Chief Executive Officer of OneWorld; the Chairperson of SkyTeam; the Chairperson of the National Air Transportation Association; the Chair of the Regional Airline Association; and the Chair of the International Air Transport Association.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This resolution urges certain airline companies to change policies to allow passengers to carry breast pumps and breast milk onto aircraft without counting against carry-on limits. More than 80 percent of mothers breastfeed their infants during the first six months of the child’s life.  Breastfeeding mothers need to express their milk every few hours in order to keep up their milk supply and in order to prevent infection known as mastitis.

     The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) permits breast pumps and breast milk for infants or toddlers in reasonable quantities to pass through the security checkpoint in airports.  In spite of these TSA policies, some airlines still prevent passengers from carrying TSA acceptable quantities of breast milk onto aircraft or prevent breastfeeding mothers from carrying breast pumps onto aircraft by counting breast pumps against the airline’s carry-on limits.  These airline policies create barriers for parents to feed infants and toddlers while traveling and create health risks for breastfeeding mothers who are prevented from expressing milk for extended periods of time while traveling.