Senate committee unanimously approves paid family leave study

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Jo Anna Dossett, D-Tulsa, has won unanimous committee approval for her bill requiring a third-party actuarial study on the implementation of a statewide paid family and medical leave insurance program. Senate Economic Development, Workforce, and Tourism Committee approved Senate Bill 254 by a 7-0 vote Tuesday afternoon. The measure specifies that the actuarial study will occur by January 1, 2027, and that the results of the study will be published for public view within 30 days of completion.

“Thirteen states already implement a mandatory statewide paid family and medical leave program, and eight states implement a voluntary program. Of those states, three of them are our neighbors,” Dossett said. “The data from this study will help the Oklahoma Legislature determine if we need to implement similar programs here. SB 254 in no way mandates such programming, but as states around us begin to adopt and implement their own programs, it will give us the information we need to decide if we should follow suit.”

The bill's provisions require that the study address items such as the purposes for which paid family and medical leave could be requested, eligibility standards for workers to qualify, maximum leave duration, and the premium rates necessary to achieve and maintain the solvency of the program.

SB 254 now needs a Senate floor hearing by March 27 in order to continue advancing through the Legislature.

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For more information, contact:  Sen. Jo Anna Dossett: (405) 521-5624 or JoAnna.Dossett@oksenate.gov