HCS HB 1544 -- UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION

SPONSOR:  Fisher (125)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Special Committee on
Workforce Development and Workplace Safety by a vote of 9 to 0.

This substitute extends the state's eligibility to receive
federal extended unemployment benefit money to provide unemployed
individuals compensation beyond the current unemployment benefit
period that ended December 5, 2009.  The state is eligible to
receive this money until the week ending four weeks prior to the
last week of unemployment for which 100% federal sharing is
available under the provisions of Public Law 111-5, Section
2005(a) of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009,
commonly known as the federal economic stimulus act.

The substitute contains an emergency clause.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2011, FY 2012, and
FY 2013.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act of 2009 provided 100% funding for extended
unemployment compensation for unemployed workers for weeks of
unemployment beginning on or after February 1, 2009, and ending
on or before December 5, 2009.  New federal legislation extends
this program through February 28, 2010.  The bill is necessary to
extend Missouri's participation in the federal program.
Currently, the program has paid 25,000 unemployed workers in
Missouri $78.3 million.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Fisher (125);
Department of Labor and Industrial Relations; Associated
Industries of Missouri; United Steelworkers District 11; Missouri
AFL-CIO; Missouri Federation of Teachers and School-Related
Personal; Missouri National Education Association; Missouri
Retailers Association; and Missouri Grocers' Association.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated September 14, 2010 at 3:11 pm