Democrats this afternoon knocked down a bill put forward by state Senator Mike Doherty (R-23) aimed at curbing what the movement conservative described as abuses by retiring public sector employees.

Doherty’s bill would require doctor’s notes of those public sector employees who are absent more than six days, “to end the abuse of terminal leave,” he explained.

“Whether a retiring government employee is cashing out a single six-figure check for their accumulated sick leave or collecting regular paychecks every two weeks after they’ve stopped working, the same expense still lands on property taxpayers,” the senator said. “Ending terminal leave is important way to address sick leave reform that we cannot afford to ignore. Senate Democrats should lift their roadblock on this and other sick leave reforms.”

Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg successfully moved to table the bill.

The table motion passed 20-14 to nix doherty’s bill.