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SPONSOR: |
Rep. Heffernan & Rep. Longhurst & Rep. Minor-Brown & Rep. Baumbach & Rep. Dorsey Walker & Sen. Poore |
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Reps. Bolden, Carson, Griffith, K. Johnson, Lambert, Morrison, Romer, Michael Smith, K. Williams; Sens. Gay, Hoffner, S. McBride, Pinkney, Sokola, Townsend |
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY
HOUSE BILL NO. 65
AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO BEREAVEMENT LEAVE.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:
Section 1. Amend Chapter 51, Title 29 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:
(1) “Miscarriage” means a loss of pregnancy prior to 20 weeks gestation.
(2) “Other loss” includes a diagnosis that negatively impacts pregnancy and loss of pregnancy including termination regardless if medically necessary.
(3) “Stillbirth” is a loss of pregnancy from 20 weeks gestation or more.
(4) "State employee" means any full-time or part-time employee of the State.
(b) Any state employee shall be entitled to a maximum of 5 days of paid bereavement leave for the miscarriage, stillbirth, or other loss suffered by the employee.
Section 2. This Act shall be known as the “Sloane Hajek Act of 2023”.
SYNOPSIS
According to the Mayo Clinic, miscarriages occur in about 20% of all pregnancies, and generally, in the first 12 weeks. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1 out of every 100 American pregnancies ends in stillbirth. Black women have a significantly higher risk of miscarrying— 43% higher when compared to white women. Black mothers are also more than twice as likely to experience stillbirth compared to Hispanic and white mothers.
This bill provides State employees who suffer a miscarriage, stillbirth or other loss, a maximum of 5 days of paid bereavement leave.
This Act shall be known as the "Sloane Hajek Act of 2023".