Another legislative session has come and gone, leaving California teachers without the pregnancy leave protections they desperately need. Assembly Bill 65, which would have guaranteed school employees full pay during pregnancy, miscarriage, childbirth, and recovery, failed to advance to a Senate hearing before the July 18 deadline.

Currently, teachers find themselves in a frustrating predicament: they are exempt from state disability insurance and can only take unpaid maternity leave. Most rely on cobbling together vacation and sick time to maintain any income during this critical life moment.

Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry’s proposed legislation would have provided up to 14 weeks of paid leave for teachers and school staff. This isn’t a new fight, similar bills have been repeatedly blocked, including previous attempts in 2019 and 2018 that were vetoed by Governors Gavin Newsom and Jerry Brown.

The California Teachers Association remains committed to the cause. Erika Jones, the union’s secretary-treasurer, eloquently highlighted the systemic inequity: “Teachers in California , the fourth largest economy in the world , have to pay out of our pockets to hire substitutes when we are out on leave with our newborn babies”.

The impact goes beyond immediate financial strain. Many teachers face what Jones calls a “pregnancy penalty,” where career progression and retirement benefits are negatively impacted by taking time off for childbirth. Male educators do not experience comparable professional setbacks.

With the legislative session’s current structure, the bill could potentially be revived in 2026. However, it would need to clear both the Senate Education Committee and the Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee.

This ongoing struggle underscores a broader conversation about workplace equity, supporting working parents, and valuing educators’ comprehensive well-being. As California continues to position itself as a progressive leader, the lack of comprehensive pregnancy leave for teachers reveals a significant gap in policy and support.