Senate committee kills sick leave, equal pay bills

The Senate Commerce and Labor Committee killed two pro-family bills carried by Senator Jennifer Wexton (D-Loudoun), SB 824 and SB 1080.

SB 824 would have allowed working Virginians to earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 50 hours worked at an employer with 25 or more employees. SB 1080 would have ended the practice of women consistently being paid less than their male counterparts for the same hour of work.

Both bills were passed by indefinitely on a party-line vote.

Said Senator Wexton, “Hard working Virginians should not have to choose between caring for a sick child or keeping their job. This disproportionately hurts the working poor and minorities – the people who need this type of leave the most.”

Said Senator Mamie Locke (D-Hampton), “Our Republican colleagues claim to stand for family values, but the people testifying against these bills were all corporate lobbyists. These are policies that are tried and tested in other states. We need to be doing more for our families, and Democrats are leading the charge.”

Said Senator Dick Saslaw (D-Fairfax), “It’s regrettable that my colleagues think it’s such a radical idea to pass a bill mandating that a woman be paid the same as her male counterpart for doing the same exact work – the same, exact work.”