Combined generic PTO is definitely preferable to separate vacation/sick days, though I currently have the latter. At least at my job, the "sick" days are officially labeled "personal", so it removes that awkwardness/stigma attached to using them when you're not sick.I hope paid sick time doesn't become mandatory for people with paid vacation... One value I benefit is having a larger pool of PTO that is usable irrespective of vacation or unplanned illness... the result is more vacation for those who stay healthy.
I'd agree that mandatory sick days (for those currently with PTO) ought not to be an unintended consequence of any new law.
I'd imagine/hope that the proposed bill would be aimed at employers who currently offer NOTHING, particularly service sector and other jobs at the lower-end of the pay scale. Even if you work 20 hours/week for minimum wage, you should not lose your pay when you are genuinely sick. Remember the Jimmy John's case/lawsuit from a few years back? Employees tried to unionize over their efforts to get paid sick days, because they would get fired if they didn't come in. The result: sick people making your food. I would strongly support (a small number of) mandatory paid sick days for those working at least 20 hours/week (over age 18, etc. with other limitations/provisions for new hires and such, just like the recently enacted min. wage laws).
Lawmakers will have to look long and hard at unintended consequences noted above, but definitely something should be done. Perhaps the law can be tailored only to those positions that currently have zero paid time off whatsoever, to protect the most vulnerable, without screwing things up for anyone else.