Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Workplace Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House adds fostering to qualifying events for state paid leave; sponsor amendment tabled
Summary
House Bill 9‑57 was amended and passed to add fostering a child to the list of qualifying events for a six‑week paid leave for state employees; a sponsor amendment to limit coverage to children birth through age 6 was moved and tabled during floor debate.
Chairman Slater presented House Bill 9‑57 to add fostering as a qualifying event for the existing six‑week paid leave available to state employees. He said the bill does not add additional weeks but simply makes fostering a qualifying event for the current benefit.
Representative Leatherwood offered an amendment to limit the definition of a qualifying child to birth through age 6; Representative Fazen and others urged caution, noting many foster children are older and may need extended family support. A motion to table the sponsor's amendment carried, and the underlying bill passed on final consideration (Aye 78, Nay 13).
Supporters framed the measure as an encouragement for state employees to foster children without enlarging the statutory leave allotment; opponents raised concerns that an age limit would exclude older foster children who need support.
