SR20 - Relative to California Human Milk Donation Month.

Enrolled May 09, 2025 Passed IN Senate May 08, 2025 Amended IN Senate April 30, 2025 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Senate Resolution No. 20 Introduced by Senators Cortese and Weber Pierson (Coauthors: Senators Alvarado-Gil, Ashby, Blakespear, Caballero, Gonzalez, Hurtado, Limón, Pérez, Rubio, and Umberg) February 21, 2025 Relative to California Human Milk Donation Month. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SR 20, Cortese. Digest Key Bill Text WHEREAS, World Human Milk Donation Day is celebrated annually on May 19 and was first established in Brazil in 2004 to raise awareness about the critical role of donor-human milk for vulnerable infants; and WHEREAS, Human-milk banks around the globe, including those in California, play a pivotal role in collecting, processing, and distributing donated breast milk to babies in need, particularly preterm and low-birth-weight infants whose mothers cannot provide sufficient milk; and WHEREAS, The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends the use of donor-human milk as the best alternative when a mother’s own milk is unavailable, insufficient, or contraindicated, underscoring the vital health benefits that breast milk provides to these infants; and WHEREAS, The celebration of World Human Milk Donation Day is supported by the global community, and World Human Milk Donation Day’s 2023 slogan, “A small gesture can feed a big dream - donate breast milk!” inspires collective action to ensure that all babies, regardless of their circumstances, have access to the lifesaving nutrition of human milk; and WHEREAS, Donor-human milk has been shown to reduce the risk of life-threatening conditions in premature infants, such as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and to improve overall health outcomes, especially in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) across California; and WHEREAS, California’s nonprofit milk banks, such as Mothers’ Milk Bank California and the University of California Health Milk Bank, have been instrumental in promoting human-milk donation, educating the public, and providing safe and pasteurized donor-human milk to hospitals and families throughout the state, ensuring that the most fragile babies receive the nourishment that they need to thrive; and WHEREAS, The compassionate act of donating breast milk reflects the strength of community support for California’s infants and their families, promoting health equity and helping to address disparities in access to donor-human milk for the most vulnerable populations; and WHEREAS, The importance of human-milk donation is further highlighted by the rising demand for donor-human milk, as approximately 300,000 babies are admitted to NICUs annually in the United States, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH); and this demand is further driven by potential formula shortages, as well as California hospitals’ efforts to support the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative by 2025, which promotes breastfeeding and the use of donor-human milk as a vital alternative for infants in need; and WHEREAS, California remains committed to supporting and expanding the efforts of its milk banks, hospitals, health care professionals, and donor mothers in providing donor-human milk to babies in need; and WHEREAS, Declaring a human-milk donation month will further promote awareness and recognition of the lifesaving impact of human-milk donations, encourage more mothers to consider becoming human-milk donors, and celebrate the altruistic contributions of those who make a difference in the lives of countless babies and their families; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, That the month of May is hereby declared California Human Milk Donation Month in honor of the dedicated efforts of human-milk donors, milk banks, health care providers, and advocates who work tirelessly to ensure that all infants have access to life-sustaining breast milk; and be it further Resolved, That the Senate of the State of California encourages all Californians to support and promote the ongoing efforts of nonprofit milk banks and their partners, and to raise awareness of the lifesaving power of human-milk donation for the health and well-being of California’s children; and be it further Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.