LINCOLN — Nebraska lawmakers have advanced legislation that would provide six weeks of paid maternity leave for certain state employees who give birth or adopt a child, though the proposal was amended to limit eligibility.
The bill, introduced by Omaha Senator Dunixi Guereca, aims to extend benefits to state troopers, corrections officers, and teachers working within the state prison system—groups that were not fully covered under a previous agreement negotiated by the Nebraska Association of Public Employees.
Lawmakers approved an amendment from Senator Kathleen Kauth that restricts the benefit specifically to female, full-time state employees, effectively excluding fathers who adopt children. Supporters of the amendment said it clarifies that maternity leave applies to women, while opponents argued it leaves out adoptive fathers and some families, including those in the LGBTQ community.
Senator Danielle Conrad criticized the change, saying it could exclude certain families from receiving equal benefits, while Senator Ashlei Spivey noted that broader parental leave policies could help the state attract and retain workers.
Guereca emphasized that the bill is intended to align state law with existing union agreements and would have minimal financial impact, as many agencies have already accounted for the benefit in their budgets.
Last year, 13 employees in the affected groups would have qualified for paid leave but did not receive it.
The amendment passed with 27 votes, and an attempt to reconsider the change fell short. The bill itself advanced to the next stage of debate on a 29 to 5 vote.
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