Doylestown protects breast-feeding under bias law

The Doylestown Borough Council passed a measure Monday that protects women's right to breast-feed in public.

Under the amendment to the borough's antidiscrimination law, women can file a complaint when they are asked to leave a shop or restaurant or to use a restroom to breast-feed.

Doylestown is the second municipality in the state with such a law, borough officials said. Philadelphia was the first. Pennsylvania has a Freedom to Breastfeed Act, but there's no remedy, "nothing to protect a woman's civil rights," Councilwoman Marlene Pray said before the 6-3 vote. "This will make sure a woman couldn't be cited for indecent exposure." The law does not provide a penalty for an offense.

Councilwoman Joan Doyle opposed the amendment, calling it "toothless" and "redundant." She said her constituents were "uncomfortable" with the measure. - Bill Reed