Legislature(2023 - 2024)BARNES 124
05/01/2023 03:15 PM House LABOR & COMMERCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB21 | |
| HB126 | |
| HB97 | |
| HB100 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| += | HB 126 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 97 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 100 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 21 | TELECONFERENCED | |
HB 100-PAID FAMILY LEAVE
3:33:01 PM
CHAIR SUMNER announced that the final order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 100, "An Act relating to teacher and public
employee leave."
3:33:26 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JENNIE ARMSTRONG, Alaska State Legislature, as
prime sponsor, introduced HB 100. She stated that HB 100 would
give 18 weeks of paid family medical leave to state employees
and teachers. She said that there would be a committee
substitute which would give the private sector the chance to opt
into the provisions of the bill.
3:33:59 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG began a PowerPoint presentation titled,
"HB 100: Paid Family and Medical Leave" [hard copy included in
the committee packet]. Moving to slide 2 through slide 4, she
stated that 23 percent of mothers in the U.S. return to work
within 10 days of giving birth, although experts recommend a
waiting period of at least 6 weeks for a birth without
complications and 12 weeks for a cesarean section birth. She
pointed out that children and families are the first step in
investing in "human capital," and she displayed a graph showing
the return on this investment.
3:36:13 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG continued to slide 5 through slide 9
and stated a child's early years are a time of intense
neurological development. She pointed out that increased social
and emotional contact with a caregiver is important for a
child's development, as 90 percent of brain development occurs
before kindergarten. She said that the Family and Medical Leave
Act (FMLA) was passed in 1993, giving 12 weeks of unpaid leave
for employees of qualifying companies and federal employers.
She stated that the proposed legislation would provide up to 18
weeks of unpaid leave for state employees. She stated that the
lack of paid leave costs workers in the U.S. $22 billion
annually. She displayed a map showing which states have some
type of paid family leave.
3:38:47 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG moved to slide 10 through slide 12 and
gave a brief overview of how paid family leave supports
families, infants, and parents. She argued that mothers are
less likely to need public assistance if they are able to take
paid family leave, and overall financial burdens are lessened
for these families. She said that infants are more likely to
receive follow-up appointments and have increased brain
development under paid family leave. Mothers who take paid
family leave are less likely to be re-hospitalized within 21
months of giving birth, less likely to have postpartum
depression, and more likely to have a better relationship
between the father and the baby.
3:41:40 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG moved to slide 13 through slide 15 and
gave a brief overview of how paid family leave would support
businesses, dependents, and the state. She said that businesses
offering paid family leave are more likely to retain employees.
She noted that small businesses in California saw a 14 percent
decrease in per worker labor costs. She suggested that paid
family leave allows an increase in preventative care, reducing
healthcare costs for the nearly one in three U.S. households
that provide care for an adult family member with a serious
disability or illness. She stated that if Alaskan women had the
same rate of participation in the workforce as countries with
paid family leave, it is estimated there would be an additional
8,000 workers and over $300 million in wages earned in Alaska.
She concluded that paid family leave would increase
participation of women in the workforce.
3:43:52 PM
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG continued to slide 16 and slide 17 and
stated that HB 100 would change current state statute to offer
18 weeks of paid family leave, rather than unpaid, for state
employees and teachers. She stated that a committee substitute
will be offered, and this follows the model used by New
Hampshire, which has made paid family leave a part of the
employees' insurance policy, allowing political subdivisions of
the state to opt in. She said that the plan would also allow
private businesses to opt into the plan at the same rate as the
state.
3:45:16 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS asked whether paid family leave would
allow families to have more children, if desired.
3:45:35 PM
TRISTIAN WALSH, Staff, Representative Jennie Armstrong, Alaska
State Legislature, answered questions on HB 100, on behalf of
Representative Armstrong, prime sponsor. Concerning
Representative Fields' question, he expressed uncertainty, but
noted that childcare for early childhood is very expensive, and
paid family leave would help keep the families' earnings higher.
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG added that finding childcare is
difficult, and paid family leave could potentially result in
more openings at childcare centers.
3:47:26 PM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked whether the state would be paying the
deductible.
MR. WALSH answered that New Hampshire offers an insurance plan
to its employees in which it pays for the premiums, which are
capped at the same rates as long-term disability premiums. He
stated that he would follow up to the committee on who is
responsible for the deductible. In response to a series of
follow-up questions, he said that there would be a short waiting
period on the insurance policies. He answered that the proposed
legislation would allow the family leave to be used for any
reason a child is added to the family, as well as the care of
another family member's health. Concerning the actuarial
analysis, he answered that there is an estimate through
legislative finance.
3:52:58 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked who would ultimately be responsible
for paying the cost of family leave for state employees.
REPRESENTATIVE ARMSTRONG answered that it would come from the
general fund like any other state employee benefit.
3:53:44 PM
REPRESENTATIVE FIELDS asked whether the Department of
Administration tracks the number of employees who leave
employment because of a lack of paid family leave.
MR. WALSH answered no, as it is considered to be part of an
employee's personnel file. In response to a follow-up question,
he said that failing to retain an employee can cost as much as
21 percent of the salary which would have been paid.
3:55:35 PM
REPRESENTATIVE CARRICK asked whether the required figure for
hours worked is a standard requirement in other legislation.
MR. WALSH answered yes.
3:57:32 PM
REPRESENTATIVE PRAX asked whether it would be an optional
benefit.
MR. WALSH answered no. He added that it could apply to older
workers needing to take care of a family member. In response to
a follow-up question, he said that there had not been much
discussion with labor unions.
3:59:46 PM
REPRESENTATIVE WRIGHT asked whether there has been a
conversation with the administration concerning the proposed
bill.
MR. WALSH answered that there has been minimal discussion with
members of the administration.
4:00:51 PM
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER asked whether there is a figure for usage
of the current unpaid leave policy.
MR. WALSH answered no. In response to a follow-up question, he
said that he is unsure what the split is between employees using
the leave to care for sick family members or children.
REPRESENTATIVE SADDLER questioned whether there is information
on a federal level.
MR. WALSH responded that he would follow up to the committee
with this information.
4:02:54 PM
CHAIR SUMNER announced that HB 100 was held over.
4:03:01 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Labor and Commerce Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at
4:03 p.m.