By Karuga Koinange
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
The council chambers in City Hall is primarily a location for council members to discuss legislation, but Monday afternoon the meeting room was filled with parents holding their young children and looking to create more kid-friendly environments for their families.
Councilman Isaac “Yitzy” Schleifer, D-5th District, introduced legislation that would require more establishments and public venues in Baltimore to provide diaper-changing stations for both male and female occupants.
According to Councilman Zeke Cohen, D-1st District, who brought his 5-month-old daughter to the meeting, a majority of the council members support the bill.
“I think it is going to give more options for parents,” Cohen said. “It’s really important that as a city we provide people with an opportunity to continue to raise their kids. The more options we can give for families, the better we are as a city and as a community.”
Cohen said this bill is an important step in fostering more convenient environments for parents to give their children a quick diaper change.
“We need to create safe, healthy environments for young families like mine,” Cohen said.
He said that this bill will not only help him, but it will affect families in the area as well.
“Having changing stations in places where kids like mine get born is really important,” Cohen said.
Schleifer, who brought his 15-month-old daughter to the meeting, said that parents should not be put into situations where they have to change their child on a counter or on the floor.
He stressed that both mothers and fathers should have access to changing stations to prevent unhygienic and unsafe situations for their children.
Schleifer said he hopes to have many of the city’s businesses — such as restaurants and retail stores — install changing stations. Bars and clubs would not be covered, he said. He said the details of the bills will be worked out during a public hearing and workshop that will be scheduled within the next few weeks.