SB426

Senate Bill 426 amends the Arkansas Catastrophic Leave Program to expand paid maternity leave for state employees. Specifically, it increases the allowed period of paid leave from four weeks to twelve weeks for the birth of a biological child, the adoption of a child under one year of age, or the foster placement of an infant under one year of age. The bill specifies that this leave must be taken within the first twelve weeks following the birth or placement. It further stipulates that an employee cannot take an additional twelve weeks of leave for the adoption of a child if they have already utilized twelve weeks of leave for the foster placement of that same child. The bill includes an emergency clause, meaning it takes effect immediately upon becoming law, citing benefits to maternal and infant health as well as employee retention.