Hogan Has No Credibility on Parental Leave for State Employees

Annapolis, MD— Larry Hogan is once again trying to take credit for work he didn’t do. After demonstrating in the first, and so far only debate, that he has no vision or plans of his own, Hogan attempted to claim credit for SB 859—Democratic legislation to provide state employees with 60 days of paid parental leave. There’s just one problem: Hogan tried to block the bill during the 2018 legislative session.

Hogan issued a press release today saying, “The new 60 days of paid parental leave is part of Senate Bill 859, which Governor Hogan supported and signed this year.” But during the 2018 legislative session, the Hogan administration was “opposed” to the bill because it would expand parental leave beyond the bare minimum required by federal law.

State Senator Bill Ferguson, lead sponsor of the bill, issued the following statement in response:

“New parents should not have to choose between building a healthy family and making a living, so I was disappointed when Gov. Hogan’s administration publicly opposed this bill last session. That opposition erases any credibility Governor Hogan could have had on this issue. Young Maryland families deserve real, values-based leadership that’s fighting for them all the time, not just when it’s politically expedient in the height of election season. Gov. Hogan’s flip-flop on parental leave only highlights that while Democrats have been able to deliver for working people in Maryland, we could be accomplishing so much more for families with Ben Jealous leading from the front.”