I was watching the state legislature this year to see what would be done about property taxes, illegal immigration and same-sex marriage, so I confess that I missed this new state law. But, since there is no penalty for not complying, it isn't exactly a real law:
New moms returning to work may find it easier to keep breast-feeding after July 1, when a new state law takes effect.
The law requires employers to provide a private place for women who are breast-feeding to pump milk and have a cold place to store it.
lIndiana's aw provides no punishment for employers that don't comply, but breast-feeding advocates say it's still a good deal for women and businesses, too.
It translates into better health for the infant and mother and savings for companies because of lower employee turnover and absenteeism, advocates say.
OK, let's concede that: 1) It's a good idea for to women breast-feed their babies for a year but, 2) many stop at three months when they return to work and, 3) it would be nice for companies to be aware of these facts and sensitive to the needs of their working mothers. But that doesn't mean we need a state law, especially a "let's make a pointless gesture" one.
The law isn't therapy. Its purpose is not to make us feel good about ourselves or remind us to be better people. The law exists to draw a hard, bright line between what we are permitted to do and what we are not permitted to do, penalizing us for crossing that line, so that we may know how to deal with each other in the ordinary conduct of our lives. Anybody who voted for this law should be voted out on principle.
