Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is proposing a new paid sick leave bill.
Hogan said Tuesday he'll introduce it on the first day of the next legislative session in January.
The Republican governor vetoed a bill passed earlier this year by the Democrat-controlled General Assembly. That bill requires businesses with 15 or more employees to provide five days of paid sick leave. But Hogan says the bill would hurt small businesses.
Under the Paid Leave Compromise Act of 2018, businesses with 25 or more employees will be required to offer paid leave to their employees by the year 2020. To give businesses time to prepare, the benefits will be phased in, starting in 2018 for businesses with 50 or more employees, in 2019 businesses with 40 or more employees, and extending to all applicable businesses in 2020.
He also wants to create a $100 million tax incentive.
“We need the legislative leaders across the aisle to finally come to the table and to work with us on behalf of the people of Maryland on paid leave,” the governor said.
“Our administration continues to remain ready and willing to meet with them at any time to engage in open and honest dialogue in order to reach a compromise on this critical issue. The issue of paid leave is much too important and the impact is too far-reaching for us to risk getting it wrong."
The legislature could override Hogan's veto. But it would be a close vote in the Senate, where all 29 Democrats who voted for the bill would need to vote for the override.
