Bill Text - SB146 (2019)

Relative to eliminating the waiting period before eligibility to receive unemployment benefits.


Revision: Dec. 2, 2019, 10:30 a.m.

SB 146-FN - FINAL VERSION

 

 

2019 SESSION

19-0987

08/05

 

SENATE BILL 146-FN

 

AN ACT relative to eliminating the waiting period before eligibility to receive unemployment benefits.

 

SPONSORS: Sen. Feltes, Dist 15; Sen. Cavanaugh, Dist 16; Sen. Chandley, Dist 11; Sen. Dietsch, Dist 9; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. Hennessey, Dist 5; Sen. Kahn, Dist 10; Sen. Levesque, Dist 12; Sen. Morgan, Dist 23; Sen. Rosenwald, Dist 13; Sen. Sherman, Dist 24; Sen. Soucy, Dist 18; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Rep. Soucy, Merr. 16

 

COMMITTEE: Commerce

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill eliminates the waiting period before eligibility to receive unemployment benefits.

 

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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

19-0987

08/05

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen

 

AN ACT relative to eliminating the waiting period before eligibility to receive unemployment benefits.

 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 

1  Repeal.  RSA 282-A:31, I(h)-(i), relative to the waiting period before eligibility to receive unemployment benefits, are repealed.

2  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect upon its passage.

 

VETOED June 25, 2019

Veto Sustained September 19, 2019

 

 

LBAO

19-0987

1/15/19

 

SB 146-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

 

AN ACT relative to eliminating the waiting period before eligibility to receive unemployment benefits.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:      [ X ] State              [ X ] County               [ X ] Local              [    ] None

 

 

 

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

STATE:

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

FY 2023

   Appropriation

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Revenue

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

   Expenditures

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Funding Source:

  [    ] General            [    ] Education            [    ] Highway           [ X ] Other - Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund

 

 

 

 

 

COUNTY:

 

 

 

 

   Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Expenditures

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

 

 

 

 

 

LOCAL:

 

 

 

 

   Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Expenditures

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

Indeterminable Increase

 

METHODOLOGY:

This bill eliminates the waiting period before eligibility to receive unemployment benefits.  The Department of Employment Security indicates the bill would repeal the one-week waiting period which currently exists.  Claimants for unemployment compensation are eligible for 26 weeks of benefits.  Currently, 44 states impose a one week waiting period.  The Department estimates this bill would increase unemployment compensation benefit payments from the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund ("Trust Fund") by $3.6 million per calendar year.  Currently, only 17% of claim filers exhaust their full 26 weeks of unemployment benefits.  The other 83% of claim filers that do not exhaust their 26 weeks would be paid an additional week of benefits as a result of removal of the waiting week.  This estimate is based upon the current low level of unemployment.  During periods of higher unemployment, ranging from a mild economic downturn to a severe economic downturn, the additional benefits paid out of the Trust Fund would range from $5.5 million to $11.6 million per year.   Further, due to the estimated increase in benefits paid, there would also be an impact on the projected quarter ending balances for the Trust Fund.  Based upon the Department's current Trust Fund forecast, the projected increase in benefit payments would impact the forecasted Fund Balance Reductions (FBRs) due to employers in the first quarter of calendar year 2020 causing the FBR to go from a 1.5% reduction in employer unemployment compensation tax rates to a 1.0% reduction.  The projected increase in tax payments caused by this decrease in the FBR would be an additional $11.9 million in unemployment compensation tax payments paid by employers for the first quarter of 2020.  In addition, there would also be an increase in unemployment expenditures for  state, municipal and county employers.  

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of Employment Security