Bill > SB407

This bill expands temporary disability insurance (TDI) and family leave benefits for employees with children in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), addressing challenges faced by parents of preterm or medically complex newborns. The legislation introduces new definitions like "kangaroo care" (skin-to-skin contact between parent and baby) and "preterm birth" (birth before 37 weeks of gestation), and modifies existing laws to provide additional support. Specifically, the bill allows employees to receive temporary disability benefits and family leave for activities related to NICU care, such as providing kangaroo care or expressing breast milk, without meeting standard employment requirements. Employees with children in the NICU for extended periods (over eight weeks) can now receive up to six additional weeks of TDI benefits and twelve additional weeks of family leave, recognizing the unique challenges of supporting a medically fragile infant. The bill aims to help parents maintain financial stability and provide critical care for their newborns, while acknowledging the significant medical and developmental benefits of parental involvement during a NICU stay. The legislation also requires the Department of Health to update its administrative rules to include neonatal care as a related medical condition in existing regulations.

Labor and Employment

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=SB&billnumber=407&year=2026