What's happening
The bill amends the definition of "pregnancy-related condition" in New York law to explicitly include lactation.
Why it matters
Explicitly including lactation as a pregnancy-related condition. clarifies that protections for pregnant workers in New York will also apply to those who are breastfeeding or expressing milk, closing a possible loophole in workplace rights.
Expanding the definition strengthens legal grounds. for employees to request reasonable accommodations related to lactation, such as private spaces and flexible break times, making it harder for employers to deny these adjustments.
This change aligns state law with broader anti-discrimination efforts. and may reduce ambiguity in enforcement, supporting both public health (by encouraging breastfeeding) and workplace gender equity.
Treating lactation as a temporary disability for employment purposes. ensures that workers facing pregnancy-related conditions, including lactation, have access to workplace protections and benefits similar to those available for other temporary disabilities.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Include Lactation in Pregnancy Protections
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Signed chap.271
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–0
- 3rd reading cal.246
- Substituted for S4211
- Referred to investigations and government operations
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.32
- Rules report cal.32
- Reported
Show 3 earlier actions
- Reported referred to rules
- Reported referred to codes
- Referred to governmental operations
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Include Lactation in Pregnancy Protections
Senate Floor Calendar · Sponsor Luis R. Sepúlveda
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5975
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 22, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. REYES -- read once and referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to amending the definition of pregnancy-related condition
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 21-f of section 292 of the executive law, as added by chapter 369 of the laws of 2015, is amended to read as follows:
21-f. The term "pregnancy-related condition" means a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth that inhibits the exercise of a normal bodily function or is demonstrable by medically accepted clinical or laboratory diagnostic techniques, including but not limited to lactation; provided, however, that in all provisions of this article dealing with employment, the term shall be limited to conditions which, upon the provision of reasonable accommodations, do not prevent the complainant from performing in a reasonable manner the activities involved in the job or occupation sought or held; and provided further, however, that pregnancy-related conditions shall be treated as temporary disabilities for the purposes of this article.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10164-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.