SACRAMENTO – State Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson’s (D-Santa Barbara) released the following statement about Governor Gavin Newsom’s proposal to strengthen job protection for California’s paid family leave program in his January budget released today.
“Having worked on this issue for over seven years, I commend Governor Newsom for his commitment to strengthening our family leave laws in this budget proposal. Because of a gap in our laws, many California families have, up until now, faced the terrible choice between using the California paid family leave benefits they pay for or keeping their jobs. This program needs to work for everyone, and I look forward to working with the Governor to ensure that the final budget we pass this year includes the strongest possible protections for Californians taking critical time off to care for a newborn or seriously ill family member,” said Senator Jackson. “Family leave is good for families, good for children, and good for our economy, and I am thrilled that we have a Governor who, as a father, recognizes that fact.”
Senator Jackson has authored six bills over the past seven years to improve and expand family leave in California and this fall co-chaired a hearing of the Senate Select Committee on Women, Work and Families on California’s paid family leave program. She is the author of SB 135, now on the Senate floor, to ensure that nearly all Californians who pay into the paid family leave program can use it without losing their jobs and that California’s leave laws reflect the state’s diverse, multigenerational families and caregiving needs. She also authored SB 63, the New Parent Leave Act, which was signed into law in 2017 to expand job-protected family leave for Californians who work for employers of 20 or more employees, down from 50 or more. Her SB 1123, which takes effect next year, expanded the use of paid family leave to those taking time off in connection with a family member’s overseas military deployment. In addition, her SB 770 was signed into law in 2013 to expand the definition of family within the paid family leave program.
Jackson chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee. She represents the 19th Senate District, which includes all of Santa Barbara County and western Ventura County.