New York Could Be First State to Offer Paid Prenatal Leave

In a country where only 11 states and Washington D.C. offer paid parental leave, the idea of getting paid leave to take care of prenatal can seem pretty far off. But in New York, that dream may be one step closer to reality today.

On January 4, New York’s governor, Kathy Hochul, proposed new legislation that would be the first of its kind in the nation. Designed to expand access to high-quality prenatal care and prevent maternal and infant deaths in New York, Hochul suggests the state pay women for at least 40 hours of prenatal care each year. From running around to appointments to running labs and morning sickness, the 40 hours to get ready and care for yourself before baby arrives are sure to be game-changing.

“In New York, we’re proud that we have the most expansive paid family leave program in the country. You get paid to stay home those first four months…But that only supports the families after the baby is born and for the first few months, right,” Hochul noted in her announcement speech. “I speak from experience here, having had a couple of babies. You often need help during the pregnancy too.“

The legislation is currently on its way to the House of Representatives where it will no doubt drum up some controversy. “At the end of the day, there isn’t an amount of unlimited pool of money in the program,” Solages said. “We have to be smart with the policies we put forward. We have to reform the programs and strengthen parts of it to make sure all families get access to it,” state assemblywoman Michaelle Solages, noted in dissent.