“Clearly, part of my campaign was to educate people about paid family leave,” said Kushner, who defeated longtime Sen. Michael McLachlan of Danbury, one of the legislature’s most conservative members. “It will help working families right away — whether they have an illness or are having a baby. It has the immediate impact of helping families. I also think it’s good for the economy. Raising the minimum wage works in the same way — helping working families and helping the economy.”