Family Leave bill is back; Funded by 2-cent-an-hour employee tax: In 2007, Washington adopted FLI with benefits to new parents scheduled to begin October 1, 2009. As originally passed, the program had no dedicated funding source. Governor Gregoire put preparations for the new program on hold in the fall of 2008 as part of her response to the projected budget deficit. But now the program is back, and has legislative support.