SC teachers, school employees paid parental leave bill passes

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCSC) - A bill that would guarantee paid parental leave for public school teachers in South Carolina when they welcome a new child via birth, adoption or fostering will soon be on the governor’s desk.

House members voted on Wednesday to agree with changes senators made to the bill, H. 3908, last week. This means the bill has now been passed by the House and Senate.

If signed by Gov. Henry McMaster, it would make South Carolina the first state in the southeast to guarantee public school employees statewide, including teachers, receive paid leave when they welcome a new child.

Lawmakers say the law would boost South Carolina’s efforts to recruit and retain teachers at a time the state’s educator shortage is growing.

Related: Bill would guarantee paid parental leave for SC teachers, school employees

The Parent Teacher Student Association issued the following statement on the passing of the bill:

This commitment is critically important in light of our state’s persistent and growing educator shortages. Given the scope of these shortages, the passage of H. 3908 should rightly be viewed as an important policy action, but it also cannot be allowed to stand as the only policy action to enhance educator recruitment and retention efforts in our state. More work remains for state and local leaders to ensure that every classroom in this state is staffed by the highly qualified educator that the students of South Carolina need and deserve...

PSTA’s full statement can be viewed below:

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