Family-Friendly Policies Montana Needs Now: Opinion
You hear it all the time— "children are the future." That's because they are, and yet I don't think the country is doing everything it can to benefit kids or the parents who raise them. I have a vision of Montana becoming the place to start a family, and inspiring other states to take a similar approach. Though taking action for the benefit of families could be expensive, I'd argue it's worth it because no cause is more important for this state mankind. Here are some family-friendly policies that (in my opinion) Montana needs now:
Maternity/Paternity Leave
The state should step in to pay for maternity and paternity leave for new parents, According to the European Commission website, in France mothers have a right to 16 weeks leave, "in principle, 6 weeks before the expected date of childbirth and 10 weeks after" and fathers can take 25 days off, or 32 days if multiple babies are born. This would be a huge help to parents during a crucial time in a child's development.
Housing Subsidies
Montana's housing is too expensive, but subsidies could ease the burden families suffer to afford a place to live.
Parking Spaces for Pregnant People
I don't think it's fair or safe that pregnant people don't always have the option to park close to a business's entryway, especially in a state like Montana that often has icy, slippery walkways. Either pregnant people should be allowed to park in handicap spots, or Montana should require additional reserved spaces only for pregnant people.
Tax Relief
Everything parents buys for their kids is an investment in Montana's future, so I don't see why they should be forced to pay taxes on top of that. And I'll even go a step further...
Guaranteed Basic Income
It's a big ask, but if children are as important as we all say they are, this shouldn't be considered impossible.
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