Lawmakers debate change to make Senate less "hostile" to moms
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The Minnesota Senate will vote on Wednesday on a proposal to let legislators bring their children into the chamber during floor sessions.
Why it matters: Long days and late-night votes present logistical challenges for the growing cohort of lawmakers who balance parenting with policymaking.
- The schedule can be especially tough for new moms who serve in St. Paul.
State of play: Young children have become a more common sight in the House, which changed its rules to allow family on the floor over a decade ago.
- The Senate — which doesn't even allow members to have drinks beyond water on the floor — has stricter rules.
What they're saying: "At its best, the Senate is a hostile working environment for mothers," GOP Sen. Julia Coleman told the Senate Rules Committee last week. "At its worst, it is intentionally designed to keep people like us out."
Case in point: Coleman said she had to leave her then-3-year-old alone outside the chamber to vote during a childcare "hiccup."
- Being unable to bring young children to the floor during those situations prevents lawmakers from fully participating in the debate, she noted.
Zoom in: Coleman and DFL Sen. Erin Maye Quade fought back tears as they described feeling forced to stop breastfeeding before they were ready because of the limitations of the job.
- Maye Quade recalled breaking down after being told by a nurse that her infant daughter was unable to drink formula during an illness-related hospitalization.
- "I just lost it, because I couldn't breastfeed her because I'd had this job," she told the committee.
- Coleman said that when her twins were born prematurely in 2021, some people told her she should show up to vote in person or resign.
Friction point: Secretary of the Senate Tom Bottern told lawmakers last week that space constraints in the chamber mean there isn't much room for additional seating, which could become a bigger concern if lawmakers bring older kids.
- He also asked that members refrain from asking staff to provide childcare or put them in the awkward position of raising concerns about a child's behavior with the parent.
The fine print: Under the rule, caucus leaders still get the final say on whether to approve a member's request to bring their kid to work.
The intrigue: The proposed rule change passed the Rules Committee 6-3 last week, with bipartisan support and opposition.
The bottom line: Even with the gains, moms of small children remain underrepresented in state capitols across the country.
- Proponents of more gender parity in public office argue that more parents should have a seat at the table, given that so many policies directly impact families.