After more than a decade of fierce opposition
split largely along party lines, the New Jersey Senate passed a bill yesterday to
provide state workers with partial wage replacement for up to six weeks of
family and medical leave. Governor Jon Corzine has promised to sign the bill,
which was passed by the state Assembly on March 14, making New
Jersey the third state in the nation to enact paid leave
legislation (California was the first, with Washington State following suit in 2007). The
legislation was sponsored and tirelessly championed by State Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester) with
grassroots support from a broad coalition
of social justice, labor, and family & caregiver advocacy organizations,
including New Jersey
Citizen Action, ACORN, NOW NJ, National Family Caregivers Association, Mothers
& More, and MomsRising. The final version of the bill passed by a 21-15
vote.
