House Bill 1601 would allow teachers to use accrued sick leave to extend maternity leave. The Oklahoma Senate Education Committee sent the measure to the full Senate floor this week.
Senator Mark Mann is carrying the bill in the Senate.
“Oklahoma already provides six weeks of maternity leave for teachers,” Mann said. “Allowing educators to use the sick leave they’ve saved to extend that maternity leave by up to six more weeks will give both mothers and babies an even healthier start, plus it’s a benefit that will help with teacher recruitment and retention.”
Representative Emily Gise is the House author of HB 1601.
“In Oklahoma, we take care of those who care for our future,” Gise said. “Supporting House Bill 1601 is about honoring Oklahoma’s educators with the same respect and dignity we expect them to give our children. No teacher should be forced to choose between bonding with their newborn and the profession they love. This bill strengthens families, supports life, and reaffirms our commitment to a pro-family, pro-education future.”
