During the 2019 legislative session in Richmond, Republican lawmakers in the Virginia General Assembly tackled big-ticket topics like tax reform, government transparency, K-12 education, and others. Though, they also did not let other legislation that would help certain sections of the population pass by.
Here are three GOP-led bills, which passed both the House of Delegates and State Senate, that would benefit women and mothers:
H.B. 1916, introduced by Delegate David Yancey (R-Newport News), will require the Department of Human Resource Management (DHRM) to develop state personnel policies that provide break times for mothers to breastfeed their infants.
According to the bill, a mother would be given a “reasonable” break time “that, if possible, runs concurrently with any break time already provided for an employee” and a location other than a restroom that is “shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public and that may be used by an employee” to breastfeed. A mother would be allowed to do such for up to one year after the child’s birth.
H.B. 2234, patroned by Delegate Roxanne Robinson (R-Chesterfield), would direct DHRM to implement and administer 12 weeks of paid parental leave benefits for a state employee who becomes the parent of a child either by adoption or by birth of a child.
To be eligible for the program, an employee must be a full-time with at least one year of continuous employment with the Commonwealth. Employees would be required to take leave within one year of a child’s birth or adoption, with only one parent claiming leave benefits. If a state employee is unable to return to work via notification from a physician, they may receive short-term disability benefits.
H.B. 2540, sponsored by Delegate Kathy Byron (R-Bedford), would institute a reduced sales and use tax rate on essential personal hygiene products for women.
All “non-durable incontinence products such as diapers, disposable undergarments, pads, and bed sheets…menstrual cups and pads, pantyliners, sanitary napkins, tampons, and other products used to absorb or contain menstrual flow” would be taxed at a rate of 2.5 percent, rather than the current 5.3 percent state sales and use tax.