Bill > HB639

This bill establishes a parental leave program for full-time school employees (defined as "education personnel") in Missouri, allowing them to take up to twelve weeks of partially or fully compensated leave within the first twelve weeks following the birth of a biological child or placement of an adoptive child. The program will be managed through a cost-sharing agreement where the state and the school district or charter school each pay 50% of the parental leave expenses. Importantly, this leave will not count against an employee's annual or sick leave, and those leave types will continue to accrue during parental leave. Employees will not be required to use their existing leave before taking parental leave, and holidays will not be counted against the parental leave period. The bill also specifies that if an employee is eligible for leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, the state parental leave will run concurrently with that federal leave. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is tasked with establishing rules for program participation, reimbursement processes, and overall administration of the parental leave program.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB639&year=2025&code=R