If lawmakers can’t find a way to pay for it, a program giving parents five weeks paid time off to be with a new child will be eliminated under a measure passed Monday in the Senate.

Washington’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance Act was adopted in 2007 and gives new parents paid leave of up to $250 a week for five weeks. The program was slated to start in 2009, but a lack of funding has delayed the implementation date twice.

The bill’s sponsor, Sen. John Braun (R-Centralia), said the program was a good idea, but without funding it’s an “empty promise.”

The measure was amended to include the creation of a task force to find a funding solution for the program. If a source isn’t found, parents would still be eligible for five weeks of unpaid leave. The author of the amendment, Sen. Steve Hobbs (D-Lake Stevens), said he plans to introduce a bill that will provide funding.

Under federal law, businesses with 50 or more employees are required to give workers up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for medical leave or to take care of a new child.

The measure passed on a 27 to 21 vote. It now head to the Democratic-controlled House.

A crowd packed the Senate Health Care Committee on the Monday morning.

Update: The chair of the Senate Health Care Committee, Sen. Randi Becker (R-Eatonville), released a statement late Monday afternoon saying she will not schedule a committee vote on the bill this session. Read her statement here.

Original post: A coalition of 25 Senators have released a letter calling for the passage of a measure which would require insurers who cover maternity care to also cover abortions after federal health reforms take effect next year.

Sen. Steve Hobbs (D-Lake Stevens), introduced the letter during Monday’s Senate Health Care Committee hearing on House Bill 1044, or what supporters call the Reproductive Parity Act. The measure passed the House 53-43 in February.

Twenty-four Democrats signed the letter, including Senate Majority Coalition Leader Rodney Tom (D-Medina). One Republican, Sen. Steve Litzow (R-Mercer Island), joined in support of the legislation. Hobbs told the committee that other Republicans support the bill, but did not sign the letter.

“We have 25 votes, let’s pass the Reproductive Parity Act,” Hobbs said. “It’s imperative that we create this protection for women in order to ensure their constitutional right of choice and more importantly, for their health. We have seen in some states an erosion of women’s health and choice and what we want to ensure is that there’s a firewall against that erosion in our state.”

An overflow crowd of religious leaders, medical professionals and concerned citizens filled the hearing room as others spilled into two other rooms to watch the hearing on a video feed.

The Senate panel did not take action on the measure, despite a request from Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Kent) to take the bill into executive session – a necessary step to send the legislation before the full Senate. It’s unclear if the Senate panel, which is chaired Sen. Randi Becker (R-Eatonville), will take up the measure again or let it die. The committee is comprised of five Republicans and four Democrats.

Keiser released this statement shortly after the hearing ended:

“Unfortunately this is not an April Fools joke — I wish it was — a woman’s access to reproductive health care is no laughing matter. Republicans like to talk about bipartisanship, but when they don’t pass a bill out of committee widely believed to have enough support to be voted off the Senate floor, that’s not walking the walk. Sixteen states have already enacted rules that make it harder for individuals to access abortion services. It’s a trend that needs to be stopped here in Washington state.”

Employers would be banned from asking job applicants for passwords to social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter under a proposal considered on Monday. We have details from that hearing on Monday’s “Legislative Review,” as well as debate over a bill that would prohibit teenagers under the age of 18 from using tanning beds.

Plus, the House celebrates President’s Day and passes about a dozen bills off the floor. We also have coverage from a Friday hearing about a bill that would give math, science and special education teachers a 10 percent salary bonus.

The debate over a proposed law requiring parents to be notified of an abortion for any girl under 18 reached the Senate Law and Justice Committee on Tuesday.

The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Don Benton (R-Vancouver) told the committee the bill is common sense. He argued if parental notification is required before minors go on a school field trip or get a driver’s license, it should also be mandatory before abortions.

“This bill is not trying to stop abortions. What it is, is notifying parents of their child’s activities before they engage in them,” he said. “For some reason in Washington state, we insist on elevating this particular surgery to a sacred level that can be done not only without the parents authorization, but without even notifying the parents of the situation.”

Opponents of Senate Bill 5156 say it can be dangerous for some teens to notify their parents and could limit health options for minors.

“Most of teens I see if they come in with unintended pregnancies actually involve their parents,” said Yolanda Evans, a pediatrician from Seattle. “It’s not those teens I worry about. It’s about the more vulnerable teens who do not have trusted adults in their lives.”

The legislation is receiving a hearing for the first time in years after a shakeup in the Senate left a Republican-controlled majority coalition in control of key committees.

Senate Majority Leader Rodney Tom (D-Medina) said he was happy to see the issue get a committee hearing, despite his personal opposition to the bill.

“I think we need to have that open discussion. In our coalition, we have people on both sides of this issue and what you haven’t seen in Olympia is any debate on parental notification. That bill hasn’t been heard in 10 years,” he said.

Senate Law & Justice Committee chair, Mike Padden (R-Spokane Valley), has signed on to the bill. It is unclear if the legislation will get a full debate and floor vote in the Senate.

State Secretary of Health Mary Selecky is stepping down.

Selecky notified Gov. Jay Inslee this week that she will retire after 15 years at the helm of the state  Department of Health, according to a news release.

She was first being appointed to the post by former Gov. Gary Locke in 1998.

“I’m especially proud of the great progress we’ve made lowering smoking rates and getting more kids vaccinated. We’ll have a healthier future because of it,” she said.

She will continue to lead the Department of Health until a replacement is found.

“Thanks to Mary, Washington is a healthier place to live and raise a family. I thank her for her valuable service to the people of our state and wish her all the best as she returns to the beautiful town of Colville,” Inslee said in a statement.

On Thursday’s “Legislative Review,” we cover debate over a controversial measure that would require Washington insurance companies to cover abortions, as well as a bill that would make it illegal to sell pets in parking lots and other public places. Plus, a measure that would allow victims of trafficking to clear their records of prostitution convictions.

A crowd on both sides of the abortion debate packed a hearing this morning on the proposed Reproductive Parity Act, a law that would require health insurance plans providing maternity care also provide abortion services.

Members of the House Health Care and Wellness Committee are considering House Bill 1044, which would maintain insurance coverage for women seeking to terminate pregnancies after the federal Affordable Care Act takes effect in 2014.

Currently health insurance policies in the state typically cover abortions, although they are not required by law. The proposal would make Washington the only state in the country to require insurance companies to cover abortion.

Judy Kimelman, a doctor representing the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, told the committee that women should be able to make their own health choices.

“It would ensure a woman can make health decision that are best for her, rather than based on the insurance coverage she has,” Kimelman said.

Peggy O’Ban, a spokeswoman for Human Life of Washington, told lawmakers the act limits an employer’s freedom of choice.

“To force a human being to take a human life is a violation of our First Amendment right to conscience,” she said. “Washington state would be the only state in the country that would force employers to pay for abortion.”

Gov. Jay Inslee voiced support for the law during his inaugural speech earlier this month.

“Washington women need the freedom and privacy to make the health care decisions that are best for themselves and their families. That’s why I look forward to the Legislature sending the Reproductive Parity Act to my desk, which I will sign,” Inslee said.

On Wednesday, new Senate Majority Leader Rodney Tom (D-Medina) said the coalition will not let social issues to disrupt the focus on jobs and education.

The committee did not take action on the bill Thursday.