The Montgomery-based Adoption Law Firm recently applauded Gov. Kay Ivey for signing a new law that would grant paid parental leave for state employees and public school workers, including families that adopt.
Senate Bill 199 (SB199), also known as the Alabama K-12 Public School and State Employee Paid Parental Leave Act of 2025, was signed into law by Ivey on Wednesday. The bill was sponsored in the Senate by State Sen. Vivian Figures (D-Mobile) and carried in the House by State Rep. Ginny Shaver (R-Leesburg)
The legislation passed through both bodies relatively quickly and ended up on Ivey's desk without real opposition.
In a release, Ben DuPré, an attorney with the Adoption Law Firm, applauded the bill for providing paid time for people pursuing adoption.
"This is great news for new adoptive parents of little ones," Dupré said.
He continued, "There are few moments in life more sweet than when you bring home a new little bundle of joy – whether birthed or adopted. Children are a blessing, but the smaller they are the more work they require!"
"Having paid time off from work to focus on caring for and bonding with your new baby is a great benefit that, unfortunately, is not available to every employee. And until this year, Alabama state employees and teachers didn't have it either," Dupré added.
Under the law:
- Female employees will receive eight weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, stillbirth or miscarriage of her child.
- Male employees will receive two weeks of paid parental leave in those same circumstances.
- Adoptive parents of a child aged three or younger will also be eligible for parental leave – eight weeks for one parent and two weeks for the other at the choice of the parents if both are eligible employees.
Adoptions are only covered under the law if the adopted child is under three years old.
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