Committee approves extending state paid parental leave from 6 to 12 weeks

The Ways and Means Committee voted to give House Bill 3645 a favorable report after adopting a subcommittee amendment that expands state paid parental leave for eligible employees.

Representative Cobb Hunter, sponsor of H.3645, explained the bill increases paid parental leave for eligible full-time state employees from six to 12 weeks for the birth or primary caregiving parent and increases leave from two to four weeks for eligible employees who are not the birth parent or primary caregiver. The amendment clarifies eligible employees include full-time workers employed by state institutions of higher education but excludes “true temporary employees,” such as summer interns. It also changes the leave-pay calculation from “base pay” to the employee’s average workday to account for supplemental pay commonly received by university employees. The bill’s effective date is October 1 to allow the Department of Administration time to implement the change.

Cobb Hunter said stakeholders had raised concerns the change could be seen as an unfunded mandate for school districts; the subcommittee opted not to alter the language and left further changes to the floor or the Senate. The committee adopted the subcommittee amendment by voice vote and then approved the bill by roll call. Ms. Jackson conducted the roll call; the chair announced a favorable report. The transcript records a final committee tally of 22 to nothing in favor of H.3645 as amended.

The committee’s action sends H.3645, with the subcommittee clarifications, to the next stage of consideration.