We sponsored Washington’s family leave insurance bill in the 2007 session because we believe that no one should have to choose between work and their family’s health.

We heard many people telling us how working parents are struggling to balance the demands of work and family. From our own lives we know that caring for a new child is a joy, but it can trigger a financial crisis.

So, starting in October 2009 new parents in Washington will be able to take up to five weeks off work to care for their newborn or newly adopted child and receive a benefit of $250 per week.

If the Legislature adopts the likely final recommendations of the Joint Legislative Task Force on Family Leave, one-time start-up costs and initial benefits for family leave insurance will be paid from the state’s general fund.

With a surplus of over $1 billion, we believe it’s a sensible source for start-up costs of less than $10 million next year. Any other approach would require borrowing from other funds and paying them back with interest, costing more in the long run.

We were disappointed that the Legislature didn’t specify financing for family leave insurance last session. Ultimately, we’d like to see a dedicated funding source for the program, but for now it’s important we act to provide an economic safety net for working families.

Selena, an Auburn resident, was one who shared her story with us. She and her husband planned for her to take four weeks off work when she gave birth. By saving up all her vacation and sick leave, Selena would have had 21/2 weeks of paid leave at her due date.

By cutting expenses, they could afford another week and a half off, unpaid. But life didn’t turn out as they planned. Selena’s son, Connor, was born six weeks premature, needing intensive medical care.

“There was no way we could afford more unpaid time off, and we had no idea when Connor would leave the hospital,” Selena told us. “So I gave birth Thursday and went to work Monday. For the next three weeks, I left work early, drove from Kent to Seattle to spend a few precious hours with my new baby, then fought rush hour traffic to pick up my older son before his child care closed.

“Those were the most difficult days of my life. Two hundred fifty dollars a week would have allowed me to be with my baby during that time.”

Selena’s story isn’t unusual. Nationally, only 8 percent of private-sector workers receive paid family leave. Fewer than half of Washington’s employers offer paid sick leave; 1 in 4 don’t offer paid vacation to full-time employees; and most part-time workers get no paid leave at all.

We’re not the first state to recognize the importance of paid family leave. California, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Hawaii utilize a payroll tax to pay for maternity or family leave benefits. If Washington later expands family leave insurance to include care of sick family members and funds it through a payroll tax, benefits and administration would cost each Washington worker only about 1.5 cents per hour.

Family leave insurance yields large returns: It lowers infant mortality, encourages breast-feeding (bolstering babies’ immune systems), and allows women time to recover from childbirth. It also improves productivity by reducing turnover and helping children become better learners – both essential to economic growth.

Many small-business owners tell us that supporting families is critical to their company’s success but they lack resources to provide pay during extended leaves. Family leave insurance levels the playing field by providing paid family leave to all Washington workers. The law also includes several provisions specifically designed to protect employers.

Our state’s paramount duty is to provide for the education of all of Washington’s children. Family leave insurance assures that all our children benefit from the care of their first and best teachers – their parents.

We are citizens in a shared community, and family leave insurance represents our joint commitment to the well-being of our current and future citizens. The benefits will be shared by every taxpayer, business, health care provider and school district in the state. It’s a wise investment for today and tomorrow.

State Sen. Karen Keiser, D-Kent, is chairwoman of the Senate Health and Long-term Care Committee. State Rep. Steve Conway, D-Tacoma, chairs the House Commerce and Labor Committee.