Senate committee gives favorable report to parental-leave bill for state and education employees

Senate Bill 199, sponsored by Senator Figures, was given a favorable committee report after lawmakers discussed eligibility, miscarriage verification and the bill’s coverage for education and state employees.

Senator Figures told the committee the bill combines separate proposals that previously applied only to education employees or state employees; the compromise would grant up to eight weeks of leave for mothers and two weeks for fathers for newborns, stillborns, miscarriages (with conditions) and adoptions. The sponsor said the measure would apply to state employees and public education employees.

The bill includes language requiring a health-care professional’s verification that a pregnancy loss was not the result of an abortion and limits miscarriage coverage to pregnancies of at least 12 weeks. Committee members expressed concern that this cutoff could exclude some people who experience significant medical need after a loss before 12 weeks; the sponsor said he would consider friendly amendments and that the 12-week threshold was a negotiated compromise.

Committee members also asked whether two-year college employees were covered. The sponsor said two-year institutions are separate from the State Board of Education in administrative structure but that many such employees are state employees and would be captured; he invited amendments to clarify coverage.

The committee recorded 15 ayes, 0 nays and gave SB199 a favorable report.