Latest news with #HouseBill1601
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Oklahoma teachers could get more time off after childbirth
Sen. Mark Mann, D-Oklahoma City, speaks while Sen. Nikki Nice, D-Oklahoma City, listens at a Senate Democrats news conference Jan. 13, 2025, at the Oklahoma State Capitol to outline the caucus' policy priorities for the year. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday sent Gov. Kevin Stitt a measure that would allow teachers to use unused sick days to extend their existing six-week maternity leave. House Bill 1601 would allow educators to use up to six weeks of banked sick leave hours to extend their leave. 'Sick leave must be used for recovery from childbirth, bonding with a newborn, or caring for a newborn,' according to the measure. It would not require approval from the school board or employer, according to the measure. Sen. Mark Mann, D-Oklahoma City, is the senate author. He said it wouldn't cost the state anything. Mann, a former member of the Oklahoma City Public Schools Board of Education, said he would like teachers to have up to 12 weeks of paid maternity leave. 'But with the budget outlook we have right now, that is not possible,' Mann said. Some private companies have significantly more paid maternity leave days, he said. 'So, we've got to do something because these young mothers, when they have a baby, they want to spend more than six weeks,' Mann said. 'And quite frankly, brain research shows us that they need to spend more than six weeks with that newborn.' Mann said the measure will help recruit and retain teachers. Six weeks isn't a lot of time, but it is better than what the state had been doing, which was requiring new mothers to take unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act, Mann said. 'I would like to see male staff have at least a month off when they have a newborn,' Mann said. 'There are some other things we can do that are pro-family, pro-baby, but I think this is a good, good step in the right direction.' Senate Education Committee Chairman Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, said he supported the measure, but said lawmakers were making some decisions for schools in terms of staffing. 'I've heard many times that we'll just trust school boards and superintendents to do the right thing,' Pugh said. 'But I think if you've heard from your teachers on this issue, that is not happening uniformly across every district in the state of Oklahoma.' The measure passed the Senate by a vote of 39-5. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bills aim to tackle teacher shortage, added options for maternity leave for teachers
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Lawmakers at the Capitol are having conversations about how to address a growing problem across the state. Bills heard in Tuesday's Senate Education Committee addressed the teacher workforce shortage. House Bill 1485 concerns emergency teacher certifications. The legislation would allow emergency-certified teachers to spend more time in the classroom while working to become certified. 'Currently, they can only provide a temporary contract for four semesters. This should allow them to extend that contract until that certified teacher obtains full certification,' said Sen. Aaron Reinhardt (R-Jenks). 'It allows a lot of flexibility.' Bill could cut Oklahoma's mandatory grocery, gas tax Reinhardt is co-sponsoring the measure on the Senate side. Nearly 5,000 emergency certifications have been handed out each year for the past two years in Oklahoma. It has been a short-term solution to a long-term problem. The bill gained full support from the Senate Education Committee and passed unanimously. The next step will be consideration on the full Senate floor. House Bill 1601 aims to give pregnant teachers more options. 'Choosing between your career or your family is an unfair choice,' said Sen. Adam Pugh (R-Edmond). The bill will allow teachers to use six weeks of built-up sick leave after their allotted six weeks of maternity leave. The state enacted a law in 2023 giving teachers six weeks of paid maternity leave. Representative Emily Gise (R-Oklahoma City) authored the legislation after complaints of school districts denying requests to use sick leave on top of maternity leave.'A teacher can say, 'Hey this is my first child, and I think it's going to take me eight weeks. I have a ton of saved-up sick leave. I've waited for this moment my whole life, and I'm ready to take it,'' said Gise. 'That is my intention with this bill, to have upfront conversations, and I hope that will help our workforce shortage with teachers.' The committee gave it the green light and moved the bill forward with unanimous support. Its next step will be consideration on the Senate floor. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
