Today, Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law House Bill 146, a measure that provides three weeks of paid time off for Georgia statement government employees after the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child.

The Georgia Center for Opportunity’s (GCO) take: “Policymakers at the federal and state level should continue seeking ways to help employers and parents find paid parental leave solutions. The policy goals of maintaining employment for parents and strengthening the bond between parents and their children are critically important to the health of our society and create an opportunity for all our citizens to lead flourishing lives,” Buzz Brockway, GCO’s vice president of public policy.

“The challenge is how to pay for parental leave for employees at small and mid-sized businesses. Some might argue that the government should simply mandate businesses offer this benefit. But a government mandate or tax-based solution would disproportionately hurt. It’s important to remember that small businesses are particularly vital to low-income communities. Placing a heavy burden on these businesses may end up doing more harm than good to the very people we seek to help.”

President Biden has unrolled a $1.8 trillion spending plan—called the American Families Plan—for the next decade. 

The Georgia Center for Opportunity’s (GCO) take: “While we support many of the themes that President Biden has included in his plan, such as supporting families, the plan ultimately falls short because it mistakes lasting change as coming from Washington rather than being homegrown in our local communities,” said Randy Hicks, president and CEO of GCO. “What’s more, our fear is that the president’s plan will worsen ingrained generational poverty by expanding, rather than reforming, safety net programs that — no matter how well-intended — often trap people and limit their ability to achieve a better life.”

Gov. Brian Kemp recently signed three bills into law—Senate Bill 33, Senate Bill 34, and House Bill 287 — aimed at fighting human trafficking in Georgia.The Georgia Center for Opportunity’s (GCO) take: “This is a win not just for those who have experienced the horror of human trafficking, but for all families across Georgia,” said Joyce Mayberry, GCO’s vice president of family. “With the average age of trafficking victims being 12 to 14 years old, it’s important that we all be on the same side in helping to eradicate such horrific crimes not only against these young women but the families that these perpetrators are traumatizing. All three of these bills passed with unanimous bipartisan support. This is type of unity that we the people of Georgia want to continue to see.”