REFERENCE TITLE: paid leave; study committee; reports

State of Arizona

Senate

Fifty-sixth Legislature

Second Regular Session

2024

SB 1397

Introduced by

Senators Epstein: Fernandez, Marsh;  Representative Contreras P

An Act

establishing the paid family and medical leave study committee.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Paid family and medical leave study committee; membership; duties; preliminary report; final report; delayed repeal

A. The paid family and medical leave study committee is established and consists of the following members:

1. The following members who are appointed by the president of the senate:

(a) One member of the senate.

(b) One member who represents an organization of counties.

(c) One member who is from a small and rural chamber of commerce and who is not a member of the Maricopa county chamber of commerce, the Pima county chamber of commerce or the Pinal county chamber of commerce.

(d) One member who is from a well-established organization that represents workers.

2. The following members who are appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives:

(a) One member of the house of representatives.

(b) One member who represents a statewide organization of cities and towns. 

(c) One member who is a member of any of the following:

(i) The Maricopa county chamber of commerce.

(ii) The Pima county chamber of commerce.

(iii) The Pinal county chamber of commerce.

(d) One member who is from a well-established organization that represents workers.

3. The following members who are appointed by the minority leader of the senate:

(a) One member of the senate.

(b) One member who represents an employer with fewer than fifty employees.

(c) One member who is from an organization that represents small and locally-owned businesses. 

(d) One member who is from a well-established organization that represents workers.

4. The following members who are appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives:

(a) One member of the house of representatives.

(b) One member who is from an organization that represents small and locally-owned businesses. 

(c) One member who is from the hospitality industry.

(d) One member who is from a well-established organization that represents workers.

5. The following members who are appointed by the governor:

(a) One member who is from an organization that represents a statewide organization of public school educators.

(b) One member who is an expert on maternity depression or postpartum depression, or both.

(c) One member who represents an employer of fifty persons or more.

6. The director of the department of administration or the director's designee.

7. The director of the industrial commission of Arizona or the director's designee.

B. The committee shall consist of two cochairpersons. One cochairperson must be from the senate and the second cochairperson must be from the house of representatives. Each cochairperson must be from different political parties.

C. The committee shall meet a minimum of three times or at the discretion of either cochairperson.

D. Committee members are eligible to receive reimbursement of expenses pursuant to title 38, chapter 4, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes.

E. The committee shall:

1. Review and discuss the joint legislative budget committee evaluation.

2. Consult with school districts, private schools and charter school administrators to consider the costs and benefits of requiring similar leave for public and private school employees.

3. Review and analyze the costs and benefits of paid family and medical leave programs that have been established in other states.

4. Invite and hear testimony from entities, including private businesses, state and local governments and local organizations, that may be impacted by paid family and medical leave.

5. Invite and hear testimony and take comments from the public.

6. Require the joint legislative budget committee to create a cost and benefit evaluation of the governor's paid parental leave pilot program and provide any other analysis as directed by the committee.

F. The final report, and the preliminary report to the extent possible, shall include the following information:

1. A summary of the committee's activities.

2. Recommendations regarding how entities may implement paid family and medical leave.

3. Recommendations regarding how to structure and manage a paid family and medical leave pilot program.

4. Detailed information regarding possible legislation to implement and fund paid family and medical leave, including a suggested appropriation amount.

G. On or before December 31, 2024, the committee shall submit a preliminary report, and on or before March 1, 2025, the committee shall submit a final report to the governor, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the minority leader of the senate, the minority leader of the house of representatives and the director of the joint legislative budget committee and provide a copy of this report to the secretary of state.  

H. This section is repealed from and after June 30, 2025.