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Covering state lawmakers, bills, and policy emerging from Jefferson City.

Gov. Greitens grants paid parental leave for executive branch employees

Gov. Eric Greitens announces an executive order in a video streamed via social media, announcing paid parental leave for executive branch employees.
Eric Greitens via Twitter
Gov. Eric Greitens announces an executive order in a video streamed via social media, announcing paid parental leave for executive branch employees.

Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens issued an executive order on Monday that gives some state workers a maximum of six weeks of paid parental leave after the birth or adoption of a child.

The news came in a short video posted on Twitter and Facebook that also featured his wife, Sheena Greitens, and their 9-month-old son, Jacob.

The order only applies to employees of state agencies in the governor's Cabinet, which he says will benefit thousands of families in Missouri. Primary caregivers will get six weeks of paid leave and secondary caregivers will get three weeks.

Greitens' executive order can be viewed here.

There are identical bills in the Missouri House and Senate that would each give all state employees 10 days of paid parental leave for the birth of a child or the adoption of a child younger than age of 2. Neither  has received a public hearing.

Follow Marshall Griffin on Twitter: @MarshallGReport

Copyright 2017 St. Louis Public Radio

St. Louis Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a native of Mississippi and proud alumnus of Ole Miss (welcome to the SEC, Mizzou!). He has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off an old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Liberty Belle, and their cat, Honey.