Paid leave for state employees; providing paid parental leave for certain state employees. Effective date.

SB 87 amends Oklahoma state law to provide paid parental leave for eligible state employees, expanding existing paid maternity leave to cover all parents, including adoptive and foster parents. The bill requires that state employees in critical services (fire protection, law enforcement, and corrections) who cannot take parental leave due to extraordinary circumstances threatening public safety continue to receive their regular pay for the unused leave. This bill updates the statutory reference for leave benefits and includes provisions for leave accrual and accumulation rates. The changes apply to state employees and take effect on the date specified in the bill.