California teacher pregnancy leave bill could create paid leave for abortions

2 hours ago 8

California lawmakers whitethorn beryllium connected the verge of creating a caller signifier of taxpayer-funded paid permission that goes beyond accepted gestation and maternity benefits to see paid permission for elective abortions.

As portion of Gov. Gavin Newsom's projected budget, California teachers could soon person up to 14 weeks of paid gestation disablement leave. Supporters accidental the connection would yet springiness teachers benefits akin to those disposable to galore different workers.

But connection successful the measure besides provides paid permission for "termination of pregnancy," raising questions astir whether California could go the archetypal authorities to supply taxpayer-funded paid permission for elective abortions.

Assembly Majority Leader Cecilia Aguiar-Curry authored the connection successful Assembly Bill 65.

As CBS California antecedently reported, the connection comes after years of statement implicit teacher paid leave. Public schoolhouse teachers, who run nether corporate bargaining agreements, mostly cannot enactment successful California's State Disability Insurance program, meaning they cannot cod the aforesaid gestation disablement benefits disposable to galore private-sector workers.

Now, after years of vetoes and failed legislation, Newsom is backing state-funded gestation permission for teachers. But the connection of the measure extends beyond gestation and miscarriage.

CBS California Investigates asked Aguiar-Curry during a caller interrogation if it was the intent of Democratic enactment to supply up to 14 weeks of paid permission for elective abortion.

Aguiar-Curry acknowledged the connection could go a flashpoint arsenic the measure moves done the Senate.

"I deliberation it could get amended. I'm hoping it doesn't, and present that you've brought it up and it's each implicit television, chances are I'm going to get much unit to instrumentality it out," Aguiar-Curry said.

The measure presently does not look to incorporate a circumstantial yearly headdress connected the fig of pregnancy-related permission claims an worker could receive.

That concerns immoderate lawmakers.

Republican Assemblymember David Tangipa was among 17 lawmakers, from some sides of the aisle, who declined to ballot connected the measure.

"I'm precise acrophobic with that information of the bill, chiefly due to the fact that determination is nary cap," Tangipa said.

Tangipa besides questioned however districts would verify eligibility portion protecting worker privacy. He disquieted teachers would beryllium forced to stock idiosyncratic accusation with schoolhouse administrators.

"I deliberation it's overly intrusive," helium said, noting teachers whitethorn person to efficaciously disclose abortions to administrators.

The measurement passed the Assembly with 62 bipartisan aye votes and present heads to the Senate.

Legislative adept and instrumentality prof Chris Micheli said lawmakers often see arguable provisions successful bills during the aboriginal stages of the legislative process.

"Ninety-nine percent of each bills get amended successful their 2nd house," Micheli said, adding that lawmakers often see arguable provisions knowing they whitethorn aboriginal go bargaining chips.

In California's one-party supermajority, arguable clauses bash sometimes go law.

"We play a connection crippled present successful this state," Tangipa argued.

"Things are snuck into a measure and past they conscionable get through," helium said. "I deliberation that there's a crushed wherefore it was worked into the measure initially."

Aguiar-Curry says her superior extremity remains securing paid gestation permission for teachers, adjacent if portions of the measure are yet removed.

"If it is, truthful beryllium it. I tin unrecorded with it arsenic agelong arsenic I get the 14 weeks of paid permission for my teachers," she said.

The statement present moves to the California Senate, wherever lawmakers indispensable determine whether to preserve, amend, oregon region the abortion-related connection earlier the measure reaches the governor's desk.