2020 laws that could help new parents

Governor Gavin Newsom has signed in several new laws for this year, some of which include new regulations that could help ease the process of parenting.

"I don’t know that I’ve ever known a mom that’s ready to go back to work or wants to go back to work, especially at 6 weeks," JadaBug's Kids Boutique owner, Heidi McArthur said.

Another new addition includes SB 83, which is slated to increase paid leave from 6 weeks to 8 weeks. The bill applies to people taking care of a seriously ill family member parents who choose to bond with a new child.

"Of course the longer you can connect and be home with your baby, I think it’s important for the child, I think it’s important for the parent but I think it’s also an individual decision," Children's Discovery Museum CEO, Carol Scott said.

Many people agree with giving parents more child-parent bonding time. McArthur, however, believes there is still room to grow.

"We have a long way to go. Other countries are a year or longer, so 2 weeks is great but we have a long way to go on that one,"

The paid leave extension goes into effect July 1, 2020.

Among the changes, diapers will also not be taxed. Then there is SB 142-- a more complex bill requiring employers to provide clean and safe lactation rooms for breastfeeding mothers.

"Shame and embarrassment. I know a lot of moms say that they have to pump in the break room. There’s other people eating in there, there’s men in there, maybe people who don’t support breastfeeding so this is a great law. Any forward progress is good progress," McArthur said.

The law is an extension of one already in place since 2002. Only now, designated lactation rooms must be shielded from view and free from intrusion, they must be clean and safe, contain a place to sit and surface area for breastfeeding materials.

Employers are also needing to provide access to a sink with running water, and refrigerator to store milk. Employees must be provided a reasonable amount of break time.

An employer with less than 50 employees has the opportunity to be exempt if it demonstrates undue hardship.