THE BILL ITSELF
SB 220
Paid Parental Leave
Florida Senate - 2026 SB 220 By Senator Smith 17-00356-26 2026220__
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to paid parental leave; amending s.
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110.221, F.S.; defining the term “paid parental
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leave”; requiring the state to provide paid parental
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leave to certain employees for a specified period of
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time; prohibiting the state from requiring that an
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employee use his or her annual or sick leave for paid
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parental leave; providing that the employee is
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entitled to accumulate specified benefits during such
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leave; prohibiting the state from refusing to grant
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such leave; providing an effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Section 110.221, Florida Statutes, is amended to
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read:
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110.221 Parental or family medical leave.—
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(1) As used in this section, the term :
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(a) “Family” means a child, parent, or spouse . , and the
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term
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(b) “Family medical leave” means leave requested by an
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employee for a serious family illness including an accident,
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disease, or condition that poses imminent danger of death,
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requires hospitalization involving an organ transplant, limb
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amputation, or other procedure of similar severity, or any
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mental or physical condition that requires constant in-home
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care.
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(c) “Paid parental leave” means fully paid leave for the
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father or mother of a child who is born to or adopted by that
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parent.
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(d) The term “Parental leave” means leave for the father or
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mother of a child who is born to or adopted by that parent.
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(2) The state shall provide 12 weeks of paid parental leave
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to any employee in the career service following the birth or
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adoption of a child by the employee. The state may not require
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such employee to use his or her annual leave or sick leave
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during the initial 12-week period. The employee is entitled to
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accumulate all benefits granted under paid leave status.
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(3) The state may shall not:
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(a) Terminate the employment of any employee in the career
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service because of the pregnancy of the employee or the
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employee’s spouse or the adoption of a child by that employee.
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(b) Refuse to grant to a career service employee :
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1. Paid parental leave; or
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2. Parental or family medical leave without pay for a
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period not to exceed 6 months. Such leave shall commence on a
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date that is determined by the employee in consultation with the
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attending physician following notification to the employer in
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writing, and that is approved by the employer.
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(c) Deny a career service employee the use of and payment
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for annual leave credits for parental or family medical leave.
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Such leave shall commence on a date determined by the employee
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in consultation with the attending physician following
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notification to the employer in writing.
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(d) Deny a career service employee the use of and payment
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for accrued sick leave or family sick leave for any reason
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deemed necessary by a physician or as established by policy.
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(e) Require that a career service employee take a mandatory
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parental or family medical leave.
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(4) (3) Upon returning at the end of parental or family
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medical leave of absence, such employee shall be reinstated to
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the same job or to an equivalent position with equivalent pay
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and with seniority, retirement, fringe benefits, and other
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service credits accumulated prior to the leave period. If any
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portion of the parental or family medical leave is paid leave,
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the employee shall be entitled to accumulate all benefits
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granted under paid leave status.
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Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.