Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, speaking to the House Health Committee on Jan. 28, 2026, at the Alabama State House in Montgomery, Alabama. The committee unanimously approved Givan's bill requiring employers to make accommodations for breastfeeding mothers. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)
An Alabama House committee approved a bill that would require companies that have more than 50 employers to give breastfeeding mothers time and space to breastfeed.
HB 290, sponsored by Rep. Juandalynn Givan, D-Birmingham, is slightly different from federal law. The federal law considers a bathroom to be a “reasonable” location, but Givan’s bill specifies the location to be a room other than a bathroom.
“Some women feel that it’s unsanitary to have to do that, so there should be a smaller closet or some type of reasonable accommodation,” Givan said.
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The House Health Committee approved three amendments to the bill, all brought by Rep. Paul Lee, R-Dothan, who chairs the committee. The first increased the size of the company that is required to give accommodations to 50 employees. Previously, there was no distinction.
“The thought is an office with three to five employees, certainly they’re going to let them do it, but not to necessarily spend a ton of money to build an extra room or whatever the case is,” Lee said.
The second added that the accommodations can only be given up to one year after the child is born. The federal law allows accommodations up to two years after the child is born, Givan said.
The third required that the location the employer provides to be “reasonably accessible” to the work area.
All three amendments passed unanimously.
“We pass bills every day that are already bills that are enacted into Congress, but we can also make modifications for the purpose that would best fit our state,” Givan said.
The bill now moves to the House of Representatives.
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Author: Anna Barrett