Bill Text: NH SB146 | 2019 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relative to eliminating the waiting period before eligibility to receive unemployment benefits.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 14-0)
Status: (Vetoed) 2019-09-19 - Notwithstanding the Governor's Veto, Shall SB 146 Become Law: Regular Calendar 14Y-10N, Veto Sustained, lacking the necessary two-thirds vote; 09/19/2019; Senate Journal 22 [SB146 Detail]
Download: New_Hampshire-2019-SB146-Enrolled.html
SB 146-FN - VERSION ADOPTED BY BOTH BODIES
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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.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 RSA 282-A:31, I(h)-(i), relative to the waiting period before eligibility to receive unemployment benefits, are repealed.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.
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
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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 | |||
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COUNTY: |
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Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Expenditures | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase | Indeterminable Increase |
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LOCAL: |
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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
