New Hampshire Sen. Dan Feltes (D-Concord), center, gestures as he speaks Senate Chief of Staff Donald Manning, right, on Tuesday, June 16, 2020 at the State House in Concord, New Hampshire. The 24 N.H. Senators met in the N.H. House Chamber while adhering to social distancing rules due to the COVID-19 virus outbreak. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

CONCORD – On Wednesday, HB 712, a comprehensive, bipartisan paid family and medical leave bill was signed by the Senate president. It will next be delivered to the Secretary of State before heading to the governor’s desk where he will have five business days to sign, veto, or allow the bill to become law without his signature. HB 712 mirrors language in SB 1, which was vetoed by Governor Chris Sununu in 2019.

Senate Majority Leader Dan Feltes (D-Concord) issued the following statement in response:

“More than ever, New Hampshire families need security. New Hampshire has the highest health care costs in the nation, in part based on the absence of paid family and medical leave insurance, and thousands of working families are struggling to deal with COVID-19 because of Governor Sununu’s veto of paid family and medical leave insurance. No one should be forced to choose between their job, their family, and their health — that’s what paid family and medical leave is all about. I urge the governor to reconsider his opposition to paid family and medical leave and sign HB 712.”

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