The Senate narrowly passed legislation Wednesday requiring businesses to offer employees paid sick time, moving the state closer to becoming the first in the nation to impose the mandate, The Associated Press reports.
The 18-17 vote followed six hours of debate and marks a major victory for unions and their allies who have pushed for the legislation for years. Businesses have vigorously fought the measure, calling it a job-killer.
The measure now heads to the state House of Representatives. If it passes there, Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has promised to sign it into law, buoying backers of the bill who believe they will ultimately prevail.
Malloy’s Republican predecessor, Gov. M. Jodi Rell, had threatened to veto the bill, helping to kill the measure in previous years.
Beginning Jan. 1, if the law is enacted, businesses with more than 50 workers would allow employees to begin accruing one hour of sick leave for each 40 hours worked.
Sen. Edith Prague, the Senate’s chief sponsor, said the vote was among her biggest victories in her 25 years in the legislature.
“I’m going to savor the moment,” she said.
Representatives of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association vowed to continue their fight against the measure in the House.
Joseph Brennan, the organization’s lobbyist, said that as other states remove obstacles to business growth, Connecticut is “taking out the hammers and the nails” and putting up barriers.
In a statement, Malloy said the legislation is a “reasonable compromise that represents good public policy.”
