Paid family leave passes Vermont House

Lawmakers in the Vermont House officially passed a family leave plan Thursday on a vote of 89-58.

Under the bill, parents of new babies would get paid leave benefits for up to 12 weeks, while those caring for ill loved ones would be eligible for eight weeks of benefits.

The plan would be funded through a payroll tax of 20 cents on every $100.

Even though the plan passed through the House, it was 11 votes short of a two-thirds majority. That means if Republican Gov. Phil Scott vetoes the bill, Democratic lawmakers won't have the votes to override it if everyone votes how they did on Thursday. Just days ago, Scott indicated he still won't support the initiative.

Paid family leave is one of the biggest issues left over from the last session and Democratic leaders are urging the governor to sign it.