Gov. Kay Ivey says she will sign parental leave bill for state employees, educators
Rep. Ginny Shaver (left), R-Leesburg, and Sen. Vivian Figures (right), D-Mobile, laughing in the House press room at the Alabama State House in Montgomery, Alabama, on March 20, 2025. The pair passed legislation to give eight weeks of parental leave to state employees and educators. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)
The Alabama House of Representatives Thursday gave final approval to a bill extending paid parental leave to all state and education employees staring July 1, sending the bill to Gov. Kay Ivey.
The House passed SB 199, sponsored by Sen. Vivian Figures, D-Mobile, 94-2 after substituting it for HB 327, sponsored by Rep. Ginny Shaver, R-Leesburg.
The bill allows women who give birth, have a stillbirth, or a miscarriage after 12 weeks to receive eight weeks of paid leave. It also allows a father to take two weeks of paid leave under those circumstances. If a couple adopts a child under 3 years old, either parent may have eight weeks of leave.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
'I think the impact will be seen in future years, and the effects of it and how it helps families, and helps to support families and enable them to properly bond with their children and have that time at home to take care of their children,' Shaver said after the bill passed.
Figures carried a version of the legislation that only applied to educators last year, but it died in the Senate in the last week of the session.
'This day has really touched my heart,' Figures said in an interview.
Ivey, who called for the legislation in her State of the State address in February, said in a statement posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, that she would sign the bill.
'Thank you to Rep. Ginny Shaver and Sen. Vivian Figures for carrying this important legislation. I look forward to receiving the bill and getting my signature on it,' she wrote.
Under current law, educators are given two weeks of paid leave for 'catastrophic' sick leave, which parents usually take when they have a baby, Shaver said. She also said that catastrophic sick leave should be reserved for unusual circumstances.
'Having a baby is a normal function. The catastrophic leave is for that, catastrophic and for unusual circumstances,' Shaver said in an interview.
Besides the catastrophic sick leave, teachers accrue one sick day per month of employment. Rep. Jim Carns, R-Birmingham, asked Shaver why teachers could not use those sick days as parental leave. He said that if teachers had not used their sick days for years, they would already have time to take off for parental leave.
'That was built for situations like this, in my opinion,' Carns said. 'After three years, you have 30 days.'
Shaver said those sick days could be used when the parent, or child, is sick.
'It takes more than 10 days to recover from having a baby,' Shaver said.
Carns and Rep. Ben Harrison, R-Elkmont, voted against the bill. Harrison said he was worried that the benefit would deter people from working in the private sector. Shaver said the legislation will serve as a recruiting tool for state jobs.
'We are using taxpayer dollars from the private sector to recruit employees away from the private sector to fill these jobs,' Harrison said.
Figures said after the bill passed that she was unaware of the lack of parental leave for state employees until her son, U.S. Congressman Shomari Figures, D-Mobile, told her about it while on the campaign trail. She said women deserve to be represented and advocated for.
'Women populate this world. We are the ones who have to conceive that child,' she said. 'We are the ones who have to carry that child for nine months, unless you have a health issue or whatever. Then when that child comes into this world, it's the mother that that child looks to.'
When Figures carried the legislation last year for educators, it was changed to remove male employees' leave in the case of a miscarriage and stillborn. Former Senate Pro Tem Greg Reed blocked the bill from passage on the 27th legislative day.
Figures said after SB 199 passed the House that she is pleased that the chambers could work together across the aisle to pass legislation for parents.
'It signifies that you can have a bill that means so much to so many people, as well as you can have a bill working with the other party, with someone who's a member of the other party.'
Shaver said parents should not have to stress about financials when starting a family.
'That's our Alabama values, no matter who you are: to support families,' she said.
SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Politico
9 minutes ago
- Politico
Fulbright board members, accusing Trump of politicizing the program, announce resignation
Board members of the Fulbright Scholarship Program announced their resignation Wednesday, protesting what they call the Trump administration's politicization of the program, as the White House continues to find itself locked in a battle with universities around the nation. In a memo released on Wednesday, board members said they voted 'overwhelmingly' to resign in light of the actions of political appointees at the State Department, which manages the program. The 12-person board was appointed by former President Joe Biden. The program awards nearly 8,000 scholarships to academics each year, according to its website. The board said the administration usurped the program's authority when the State Department denied some of those awards for a 'substantial number of individuals' for the 2025-2026 academic year, overriding the board's decision to admit academics studying subjects including biology, engineering, medical sciences, music and history. 'Our resignation is not a decision we take lightly,' the memo read. 'But to continue to serve after the Administration has consistently ignored the Board's request that they follow the law would risk legitimizing actions we believe are unlawful and damage the integrity of this storied program and America's credibility abroad.' The Fulbright Program directed a request for comment to the State Department, which did not immediately respond. However, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) — the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee — confirmed the board members' resignation. 'While I understand and respect the bipartisan Fulbright Board for resigning en masse rather than grant credibility to a politicized and unlawful process, I'm painfully aware that today's move will change the quality of Fulbright programming and the independent research that has made our country a leader in so many fields,' Shaheen said. The Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board's page on the State Department's website — which earlier Wednesday listed a dozen members — only has one member on Wednesday afternoon: Carmen Estrada-Schaye, the president of Historic Homes Restoration, who was appointed to the board in 2022. Members on the board included several alumnis of Joe Biden's White House, including former deputy chief of staff Jen O'Malley Dillon, former head of speechwriting Vinay Reddy and Louisa Terrell, former director of the Office of Legislative Affairs. Congress established the Fulbright Program nearly 80 years ago and, according to the board, specified that the board has final approval authority of applicants. The program was established to 'increase mutual understanding and support friendly and peaceful relations between the people of the United States and the people of other countries,' according to the Fulbright website. Forty-four Fulbright alumni have served as heads of state or government, according to the State Department, while 62 Fulbright alumni from 15 countries have been awarded the Nobel Prize. Ninety Fulbright alumni have received Pulitzer Prizes. 'This proud legacy has depended on one thing above all: the integrity of the program's selection process based on merit, not ideology, and its insulation from political interference,' the board's memo said. 'That integrity is now undermined.' The board said it has repeatedly raised legal issues and strong objections with senior administration officials, including in writing, but officials have refused to acknowledge or respond to the board. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Since President Donald Trump began his second term, the White House has clashed with universities for programs and policies the administration has labeled divisive. Recently, the administration tried to stop foreign students and scholars from attending Harvard University. A court has temporarily blocked the administration from enforcing the order.
Associated Press
9 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Iowa governor rejects GOP bill to increase regulations of Summit's carbon dioxide pipeline
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Wednesday rejected a bill that could have introduced more complications for a massive carbon-capture pipeline project routed across several Midwestern states, issuing a rare veto in the Republican-controlled statehouse. The legislation was designed by Iowa House Republicans to increase regulations of Summit Carbon Solutions' estimated $8.9 billion, 2,500-mile (4,023-kilometer) project that cuts across Iowa and already has an approved permit in the state. But in the Senate, it exposed a rift within the party over how to protect property rights. It also provoked loud opposition from members of Iowa's powerful ethanol industry, which argued the project is essential for Iowa's agricultural dominance, for farmers and for construction jobs. Even with the relief from Reynolds' veto, Summit will likely have to readjust plans after South Dakota's governor signed a ban on the use of eminent domain — the government seizure of private property with compensation — to acquire land for carbon dioxide pipelines. Summit's permit application was also rejected in South Dakota. The project has permit approvals in Iowa, Minnesota and North Dakota but faces various court challenges. The Iowa bill would have prohibited the renewal of permits for a carbon dioxide pipeline, limited the use of such a pipeline to 25 years and significantly increased the insurance coverage requirements for the pipeline company. Those provisions would likely have made it less financially feasible for a company to build a carbon dioxide pipeline. As the legislative session wound down, a dozen Republican senators insisted their leaders bring the House-approved bill to the floor for a vote after several years of inaction. The stalemate ended in a long and divisive debate among the Iowa Senate's Republican supermajority, with senators openly criticizing one another and exposing the closed-door discussions that got them there. The pipeline's many critics have for years begged lawmakers for action. They accuse Summit of stepping on their property rights and downplaying the safety risks of building the pipeline alongside family homes, near schools and across ranches. Lee Enterprises and The Associated Press reviewed hundreds of cases that reveal the great legal lengths the company went to to get the project built. In South Dakota, in particular, a slew of eminent domain legal actions to obtain land sparked a groundswell of opposition that was closely watched by lawmakers in Iowa as well. But as debate in the state Senate seemed inevitable, dozens of Summit employees and leaders and members of the Iowa Corn Growers Association, the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association and labor unions made a big showing as well. The pipeline was proposed to carry carbon emissions from ethanol plants in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota to be stored underground permanently in North Dakota. By lowering carbon emissions from the plants, the pipeline would lower their carbon intensity scores and make them more competitive in the renewable fuels market. The project would also allow ethanol producers and Summit to tap into federal tax credits. Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw said in a May 12 statement after the vote that a majority of the Iowa Senate 'turned their back on Iowa agriculture.'
Hamilton Spectator
11 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Permitless concealed carry in North Carolina faces uphill battle after some GOP pushback
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A bill to let adults carry concealed handguns without a permit cleared the North Carolina legislature on Wednesday, however the path to joining the majority of U.S. states with similar laws remains uncertain. The GOP-backed legislation faces a likely veto from Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, as well as pushback from a handful of Republicans who voted against the legislation in the state House. House Speaker Destin Hall acknowledged those concerns after Wednesday's vote. 'I would imagine that — math being math — that it's probably a low percentage relative to other bills,' Hall told reporters. If the bill becomes law, North Carolina would become the 30th state in the country to legalize permitless carrying of a concealed handgun, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. North Carolina would also be one of the last states in the Southeast to implement that legislation. The legislation allows for eligible people with valid identification over the age of 18 to carry a concealed handgun. More than half of states with permitless concealed carry set their age limit at 21 and older, while the rest have the legal carrying age at 18, according to the NCSL. Currently, a person must be 21 and older to obtain a concealed handgun permit in North Carolina. To qualify, an applicant must pass a firearms safety training course and not 'suffer from a physical or mental infirmity that prevents the safe handling of a handgun,' according to state law. Approving permitless concealed carry has been a goal of gun-rights activists in North Carolina for years, with House Republicans historically supportive of the idea. Some see it as the next step after Republican lawmakers successfully eliminated the permit system that required sheriffs to conduct character evaluations and criminal history checks for pistol applicants in 2023. Conservative advocates for the bill say it would strengthen Second Amendment rights for North Carolinians. Republican lawmakers also disputed that the bill would make the state more dangerous, as 'law-abiding citizens' would be the only people that would benefit from the permit elimination, not criminals, Republican Rep. Brian Echevarria said. 'Rights to keep and bear arms are constitutionally inseparable,' Echevarria said. 'If a person cannot own a firearm, they cannot bear a firearm.' The bill's passage tees up one of the first opportunities for a likely veto from Stein if he stays aligned with his fellow Democrats in the legislature. Stein has a more powerful veto stamp than his predecessor Roy Cooper , after Republicans lost their House supermajority last year that allowed them to override vetoes and enact their legislative agenda with relative ease. Now, House Republicans would need to count on a Democrat to join in their override efforts. Reaching that goal seems especially daunting, considering all of the present House Democrats — and two Republicans — voted against the bill. The governor's office didn't respond to a request for comment on the legislation, but House Deputy Democratic Leader Cynthia Ball said in a committee Tuesday that Stein was opposed to it. Several Democratic legislators said it would make communities unsafe by loosening who can carry a concealed handgun without training. Democrats also raised issue with the age limit set in the bill, saying it would put guns in the hands of young people who aren't yet mature enough to have one. 'Do you not remember when you were 18? We are prone and so susceptible to peer pressure, we are hotheaded, we are emotional,' Democratic Rep. Tracy Clark said on the House floor after retelling her personal experience of losing two friends in college to gun violence. Those seeking a permit for their concealed handgun — such as for the purpose of traveling with a firearm to a state that requires a permit — would still be able to do so. The bill also heightens the felony punishment for those who assault law enforcement officers or first responders with a firearm. A separate bill that makes gun safety courses available at North Carolina community colleges for people 18 and up passed in a near-unanimous House vote directly after the concealed carry permit repeal legislation was approved. ___ Associated Press writer Gary D. Robertson in Raleigh contributed to this report. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
