Sixteen Democrats in the Georgia General Assembly want to add an amendment to the state constitution that would mandate workers have a Family Medical Leave Fund.
The Georgia General Assembly’s website identifies State Sen. Gloria Butler (D-Stone Mountain) as the primary sponsor.
According to the language of the bill, Georgia residents who need to take leave from work due to their own sickness or non-work related injury would use this trust fund. Workers would also use it for “the sickness or injury of a family member, or the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.”
Officials with the Georgia Department of Labor would administer the fund, according to the language of the bill.
According to Ballotpedia, members of the Georgia House of Representatives or the Georgia State Senate can propose amending the state constitution. Exactly two-thirds of the membership of each chamber must approve the proposed amendment before passing it along to Georgia voters. Voters may only vote on proposed amendments during general elections of even-numbered years.
According to the language of Butler’s bill, Georgia voters would vote yes or no on the following:
“Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to strengthen families and support a healthy workforce by instituting paid medical leave for workers to care for themselves and their families?”
In addition to Butler, other sponsors of the bill include the following:
• State Sen. Jennifer Jordan (D-Atlanta)
• State Sen. Michelle Au (D-Johns Creek)
• State Sen. Elena Parent (D-Atlanta)
• State Sen. Harold Jones II (D-Atlanta)
• State Sen. Nikki Merritt (D-Gwinnett County)
• State Sen. Nan Orrock (D-Atlanta)
• State Sen. Sally Harrell (D-Atlanta)
• State Sen. Kim Jackson (D-Stone Mountain)
• State Sen. Freddie Sims (D-Dawson)
• State Sen. Gail Davenport (D-Jonesboro)
• State Sen. Sheikh Rahman (D-Lawrenceville)
• State Sen. Ed Harbison (D-Columbus)
• State Sen. Tonya Anderson (D-Lithonia)
• State Sen. Lester Jackson (D-Savannah)
• State Sen. Sonya Halpern (D-Atlanta)
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
