Texas does not have a general law regarding meal and rest period. But, it does provide a day of rest for retail workers in Title 2, Chapter 52 of the Texas Statutes and Code. Title 2, Chapter 21 also provides duty-free meal breaks for librarians and teachers. A provision regarding the rights of breast-feeding mothers can be found in Title 2, Subtitle H, Chapter 165 of the Texas Statutes and Code.

Sec. 52.001. Retail Employer

(a) A person who is an employer may not require an employee to work seven consecutive days in an establishment, the business of which is selling merchandise at retail.

(b) The person may not deny an employee at least one period of 24 consecutive hours of time off for rest or worship in each seven-day period. The time off must be in addition to the regular periods of rest allowed during each day worked.

(c) The person shall accommodate the religious beliefs and practices of an employee unless the employer can demonstrate that to do so would constitute an undue hardship on the conduct of the employer's business. In addition, the person may not require an employee to work during a period that the employee requests to be off to attend one regular worship service a week of the employee's religion.

(d) This section does not apply to employment of a part-time employee whose total work hours for one employer during a calendar week do not exceed 30 hours.

Sec. 21.405. Duty-Free Lunch

(a) Except as provided by Subsection (c), each classroom teacher or full-time librarian is entitled to at least a 30-minute lunch period free from all duties and responsibilities connected with the instruction and supervision of students. Each school district may set flexible or rotating schedules for each classroom teacher or full-time librarian in the district for the implementation of the duty-free lunch period.

(b) The implementation of this section may not result in a lengthened school day.

(c) If necessary because of a personnel shortage, extreme economic conditions, or an unavoidable or unforeseen circumstance, a school district may require a classroom teacher or librarian entitled to a duty-free lunch to supervise students during lunch. A classroom teacher or librarian may not be required to supervise students under this subsection more than one day in any school week. The commissioner by rule shall prescribe guidelines for determining what constitutes a personnel shortage, extreme economic conditions, or an unavoidable or unforeseen circumstance for purposes of this subsection.

Sec. 165.002. Right to Breast-Feed

A mother is entitled to breast-feed her baby in any location in which the mother is authorized to be.

Sec. 165.003. Business Designation as "Mother-Friendly"

(a) A business may use the designation "mother-friendly" in its promotional materials if the business develops a policy supporting the practice of worksite breast-feeding that addresses the following:

(1) work schedule flexibility, including scheduling breaks and work patterns to provide time for expression of milk;

(2) the provision of accessible locations allowing privacy;

(3) access nearby to a clean, safe water source and a sink for washing hands and rinsing out any needed breast-pumping equipment; and

(4) access to hygienic storage alternatives in the workplace for the mother's breast milk.

(b) The business shall submit its breast-feeding policy to the department. The department shall maintain a list of "mother-friendly" businesses covered under this section and shall make the list available for public inspection.