Bill Would Give Parents Paid Time off for School Functions

FEEL ABOUT THE PROPOSAL. >> YOU WANT A STRAWBERRY NATALIE: BETWEEN A FULL-TIME JOB AND LIFE AS A NEW MOM, EMILY V ATTA HAS HER HANDS FULL. >> SHE OPENED MY EYES TO THE WORLD OF MOTHERHOOD AND THE CHALLENGES WORKING MOTHERS ARE FACED WITH. NATALIE: ONE OF HER BIGGEST CHALLENGES IS SQUEEZING IN TIME TO BE PART OF HER DAUGHTER'S CHILD CARE AND EARLY EDUCATION >> CHOOSING BETWEEN BEING A GOOD EMPLOYEE AND SHOW UP TO WORK OR DO I BE A GOOD PARENT. NATALIE: A NEW BILL PROPOSED B LOS ANGELES ASSEMBLYMAN MIKE GATTO WOULD GIVE PARENTS UP TO THREE DAYS OF PAID TIME OFF BE A PART OF THEIR KID'S SCHOOL OR CHILD CARE ACTIVITIES. >> NO PARENT SHOULD HAVE T CHOOSE BETWEEN PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE AND PAYING BILLS AND PARTICIPATING IN THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATIO NATALIE: A STRUGGLE THAT HAS EMILY CONSTANTLY WISHING SHE COULD BE IN TWO PLACES AT ONCE. THE BILL WOULD UPDATE CALIFORNIA'S FAMILY-SCHOOL AN PARTICIPATION ACT PASSED IN 1995. THE ACT CURRENTLY ALLOWS PAREN TO TAKE UP TO 40 HOURS OF TIME OFF FOR SCHOOL ACTIVITIES AN RELATED EMERGENCIES, BUT THAT TIME ISN'T PAID. >> STUDIES SHOW IT'S SO HELPFUL FOR PARENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION. RESULTS IN HIGHER GRADES. >> IT'S UNFORTUNATE WE NEED A LAW THAT SAYS YOU CAN HAVE PAI TIME OFF TO BE WITH YOUR CHILD. NATALIE: OTHER PARENTS AGREE. >> WHY NOT? PARENTS DESERVE THAT I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA. >> I'M ALL FOR ANYTHING THA THEIR KIDS. NATALIE: EMILY'S DAUGHTER IS STILL A FEW YEARS AWAY FROM FULL-TIME SCHOOL, BUT SHE HOPE WHEN THAT TIME COMES, SHE'LL HAVE THE TIME TO DEVOTE TO PARTICIPATING IN HER STUDIES. >> I THINK A LOT OF PARENTS WI BENEFIT FROM IT, AND HOPEFULLY, IT WILL MAKE IT A LITTLE EASIER FOR WORKING PARENT RECENT SURVEY SHOWED LESS THAN A QUARTER OF PARENTS WITH INCOMES THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION.