Not all breast-feeding mothers exempt from crime

Senate conferees agreed to House amendments on HB2346, HD2, SD2 that would exempt breast-feeding mothers who recklessly introduce a controlled substance to their infants from criminal charges. The bill expands the crime of endangering the welfare of a minor to include situations in which an adult causes or permits a minor to inject, ingest, or inhale certain controlled substances that were not prescribed for the minor by a physician.

Rep. Tommy Waters said all breast-feeding mothers should not be excluded from the law because a mother who intentionally gives her child breast milk contaminated with a controlled substance should be charged with a crime.

Senators Chun Oakland and Brian Taniguchi voted yes and Senator Fred Hemmings voted no.