ATLANTA — Today, Georgia’s governor signed into law House Bill 146, which will provide three weeks of paid parental leave to full-time state employees, including teachers and additional school staff. Qualified employees of any gender will be able to use this benefit to bond with a child who joins their family through birth, adoption, or foster care placement.
“I am proud that this legislation received such overwhelming bipartisan support in the General Assembly,” said Rep. Houston Gaines, the original sponsor of the bill. “We know this benefit will make a difference in the lives of young families across our state. This is a pro-family, pro-jobs bill that will set the right example in the nation’s number-one state for business.”
Additionally, 9to5, National Association of Working Women’s Georgia chapter issued the following statement:
“We appreciate the work of Rep. Houston Gaines, as well as Sen. Butch Miller who carried the bill in the Senate. Paid leave is important to all people regardless of political affiliation and we are glad to have had bipartisan support.
“We are also proud of our work to help pass this bill, along with our other paid leave coalition partners. HB 146 is a great step forward in support of working families so they can care for their children without the financial stress of losing wages. Although it is limited to state employees, HB 146 will affect about 423,000 parents. This policy will also help address disparities faced by women and people of color, as 66 percent of state workers are women and 55 percent are people of color.
“Paid parental leave is important for families, good for business and critical public policy. 9to5 is dedicated to ensuring that all families get the comprehensive paid leave that Georgians need. We look forward to continuing to work with legislators, organizational partners and community members to ensure that workers are able to care for their families without risking their economic security.”
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