HB 720 – AS INTRODUCED
2007 SESSION
05/10
HOUSE BILL 720
AN ACT establishing a council on families and employment.
SPONSORS: Rep. Gile, Merr 10; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 24
COMMITTEE: Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services
This bill establishes a council on families and employment to examine issues associated with the state unemployment compensation program and the needs of New Hampshire’s working families.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
07-0887
05/10
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seven
AN ACT establishing a council on families and employment.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Findings and Purpose.
I. The unemployment insurance program has assisted the unemployed and underemployed worker for 70 years. During that time the workplace has changed. More individuals are finding it difficult to balance the demands of the workplace with family needs, specifically to care for children and deal with health issues of family members.
II. The delivery of services by individuals has changed. More individuals are working part-time, sometimes by choice, sometimes involuntarily.
III. The purpose of this act is to establish a council to assess ways to tailor the unemployment insurance program to meet the needs of New Hampshire’s working families. The council shall also explore ways to promote full employment for the underemployed individual and seek solutions for problems associated with workers taking temporary leaves of absence to deal with medical conditions involving family members.
2 New Section; Council Established. Amend RSA 282-A by inserting after section 131 the following new section:
282-A:131-a Council on Families and Employment. There is established a council on families and employment to study issues relative to the state unemployment compensation program and the needs of New Hampshire’s working families.
I. The members of the council shall be as follows:
(a) Two members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, one of whom shall be a member of the house children and family law committee and one of whom shall be a member of the house labor, industrial and rehabilitative services committee.
(b) Two members of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate, one of whom shall be a member of the banks and insurance committee.
(c) The commissioner of the department of employment security, or designee.
(d) The commissioner of labor, or designee.
(e) The commissioner of the department of health and human services, or designee.
(f) A member of the commission on the status of women, appointed by the commission.
(g) A representative of a labor union, appointed by the governor.
(h) A representative of the disability insurance industry, appointed by the governor.
(i) A person appointed by the New Hampshire Women’s Lobby.
(j) A person appointed by the New Hampshire Children’s Alliance.
(k) A person appointed by the New Hampshire Parent’s Network.
(l) A person appointed by the New Hampshire Council on Aging.
(m) A person appointed by the New Hampshire Child Care Advisory Council.
(n) A person appointed by the executive director of New Hampshire Legal Assistance.
(o) A representative of the New Hampshire Child and Family Services, Family Works Program, appointed by the executive director of Child and Family Services.
(p) The chairperson of the workforce opportunity council, or designee.
II. Legislative members of the council shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the council. The legislative members shall serve terms which are coterminous with their elected office. Appointed members shall serve 3-year terms.
III. The council shall study and make recommendations relative to ways in which the unemployment insurance program may be used to meet the needs of New Hampshire’s working families. The council also shall identify ways to promote the full employment of underemployed individuals and shall consider ways to address the situation of workers who take temporary leaves of absence as the result of medical conditions or to care for aging family members.
IV. The members of the council shall elect a chairperson from among the members. The first meeting of the council shall be called by the first-named house member. The first meeting of the council shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section. The council shall hold subsequent meetings at such times and in such places as may be deemed necessary by a majority vote of the members. Ten members of the council shall constitute a quorum.
V. The council shall report its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the house clerk, the senate clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before January 1, 2008 and each January 1 thereafter.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.