The sick leave policy continues to divide lawmakers across the state. Monday, one legislator expressed his support to end the program, while another said it was a fair retirement plan.
State Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, said she will move to waive her personal benefit and will vote to end the program when the Senate reconvenes in session in a statement.
""This is a perk most legislators didn't even know existed, so it clearly won't be missed,"" Darling said. ""While the Legislature will move to eliminate the benefit for future lawmakers, I'm going on record saying I will not use this perk, ever.""
In contrast to Darling's plan, state Rep. Gay E. Sherman, D-Port Wing, compared the sick leave policy to a retirement benefit.
According to a statement from Darling, the sick leave is not paid out to a lawmaker in full when one retires, but is instead converted into monthly payments on health insurance.
