SB 433 -- UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION FOR VETERANS

SPONSOR:  Callahan (Day)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Special Committee on
Veterans by a vote of 8 to 0.

To qualify for unemployment compensation benefits, this bill
requires that a war on terror veteran must be a Missouri resident
immediately before deployment, be a member of the Missouri
National Guard or a United States reservist, and be found by a
court of competent jurisdiction that the veteran was discharged
or laid off from nonmilitary employment during deployment or
within 30 days after the completion of his or her deployment.
Benefit computations will be based on the veteran's wages in the
five completed quarters immediately before the deployment.

The Division of Employment Security within the Department of
Labor and Industrial Relations is allowed to recoup erroneously
paid benefits, and the penalty for employers who take adverse
employment actions against veterans is increased from $25,000 to
$35,000.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on General Revenue Fund in FY 2008,
FY 2009, and FY 2010.  Estimated Effect on Other State Funds of
an income of $557 in FY 2008, a cost of $413 in FY 2009, and a
cost of $547 in FY 2010.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the unemployment compensation
bill in 2006 did not comply with federal guidelines.  This year's
bill brings Missouri into compliance with federal law.

Testifying for the bill were Senator Callahan; and Division of
Employment Security, Department of Labor and Industrial
Relations.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated July 25, 2007 at 11:22 am