Happy Friday,
In the rush to pass social legislation in Delaware, the law of unintended consequences can come into play.
The Delaware State News took note of one such case, the well-intentioned law that offers 12 weeks of paid parental leave for state employees.
With the signing of the bill, Delaware became one of a handful of states to offer a benefit that may help retain key employees such as teachers.
Lawmakers passed the legislation and settled on April 1 date for the policy to go into effect.
The April 1 date sounded fair until you think through the nature of pregnancy. For example, is it fair that a new parent of a baby born on March 31 would not receive three months of parental leave?
The State News noted that questions about a hard and fast date were voiced at the time the bill was being considered but were not addressed in the rush to get legislation on the books.
Another issue comes from teachers taking the 12 weeks of leave. Depending on the timing a class could end up with a substitute teacher at a time when it is hard to find replacements for the low-paid position.
What is needed is a mechanism that studies the impact of legislation beyond the quick fiscal note.
A nonpartisan entity that takes a careful look at all aspects of a piece of legislation could reduce the chances of future headaches. Another valuable function would come from determining if a piece of legislation is actually needed.
The desire to deal with a social problem can sometimes be addressed under existing statutes or through a tweak or two in existing legislation.
Agree or disagree? Let me know. Simply hit return and fire away and enjoy your weekend. – Doug Rainey, chief content officer
