SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — The Illinois House passed a bill Tuesday to provide paid family leave for firefighters.
This legislation would allow for six weeks of paid leave for the birth of a child, caring for a newly adopted or fostered child under 18, or caring for a family member with a serious health condition.
It states that employers should pay firefighters at their normal rate of pay for regular work hours while they are away from work.
Rep. Katie Stuart (D-Edwardsville) tried to get this idea approved last year.
"We passed this out of the House," Stuart said. "While it was in the Senate, AAFI realized there was a little bit of fine tuning to make the bill even better. So, that’s what this is and that’s what is in front of us today. It’s paid leave for firefighters."
The Illinois Municipal League opposes the bill due to costs local governments could face with additional paid leave.
House Bill 2490 passed out of the House on a 85-22 vote with five representatives voting present. It now moves to the Senate.
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