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H0064.......................................by COMMERCE AND HUMAN RESOURCES
APPROPRIATIONS - Appropriates $890,000 to the Department of Commerce and
Labor pursuant to Section 903 of the federal Social Security Act, as
amended, for expenses incurred for computer enhancements that will improve
the administration of the Unemployment Insurance Program; and provides that
the appropriation is authorized by and subject to the limitations of
Section 72-1346(4), Idaho Code.
01/28 House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
01/31 Rpt prt - to Com/HuRes
02/10 Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
02/11 2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
02/16 3rd rdg - PASSED - 70-0-0
AYES -- Anderson, Andrus, Barraclough, Barrett, Bastian, Bayer,
Bedke, Bell, Bilbao, Black, Block, Boe, Bolz, Bradford, Cannon,
Chadderdon, Clark, Collins, Crow, Deal, Denney, Edmunson, Ellsworth,
Eskridge, Field(18), Field(23), Garrett, Hart, Harwood, Henbest,
Henderson, Jaquet, Jones, Kemp, Lake, LeFavour, Loertscher, Martinez,
Mathews, McGeachin, McKague, Miller, Mitchell, Moyle, Nielsen,
Nonini, Pasley-Stuart, Pence, Raybould, Ring, Ringo, Roberts, Rusche,
Rydalch, Sali, Sayler, Schaefer, Shepherd(2), Shepherd(8), Shirley,
Skippen, Smith(30), Smith(24), Smylie(Telleria), Snodgrass,
Stevenson, Trail, Wills, Wood, Mr. Speaker
NAYS -- None
Absent and excused -- None
Floor Sponsor - Schaefer
Title apvd - to Senate
02/17 Senate intro - 1st rdg - to Fin
03/14 Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/15 2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/18 3rd rdg - PASSED - 34-0-0, 1 vacancy
AYES -- Andreason, Brandt, Broadsword, Bunderson, Burkett,
Burtenshaw, Cameron, Coiner, Compton, Corder, Darrington, Davis,
Gannon, Geddes, Goedde, Hill, Jorgenson, Kelly, Keough, Langhorst,
Little, Lodge, Malepeai, Marley, McGee, McKenzie, Pearce, Richardson,
Schroeder, Stegner, Stennett, Sweet, Werk, Williams
NAYS -- None
Absent and excused -- (District 21 seat vacant)
Floor Sponsor - McGee
Title apvd - to House
03/21 To enrol
03/22 Rpt enrol - Sp signed
03/23 Pres signed
03/24 To Governor
03/28 Governor signed
Session Law Chapter 175
Effective: 03/28/05
]]]] LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO ]]]]
Fifty-eighth Legislature First Regular Session - 2005
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
HOUSE BILL NO. 64
BY COMMERCE AND HUMAN RESOURCES COMMITTEE
1 AN ACT
2 APPROPRIATING EIGHT HUNDRED NINETY THOUSAND DOLLARS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COM-
3 MERCE AND LABOR OF THE STATE OF IDAHO PURSUANT TO SECTION 903 OF THE FED-
4 ERAL SOCIAL SECURITY ACT, AS AMENDED, FOR EXPENSES INCURRED FOR COMPUTER
5 ENHANCEMENTS THAT WILL IMPROVE THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE UNEMPLOYMENT
6 INSURANCE PROGRAM AND PROVIDING THAT SAID APPROPRIATION IS AUTHORIZED BY
7 AND SUBJECT TO THE LIMITATIONS OF SECTION 72-1346(4), IDAHO CODE; AND
8 DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
9 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
10 SECTION 1. There is hereby appropriated out of the funds made available
11 to the Department of Commerce and Labor of the State of Idaho, pursuant to
12 Section 903 of the federal Social Security Act, as amended, the sum of
13 $890,000 for the payment of expenses incurred for enhancements to the
14 department's computer systems that will improve the administration of the
15 Unemployment Insurance Program. The enhancements include the creation of an
16 Internet application that would allow the department to maintain a list of
17 employer contact information for unemployment insurance benefit claims; the
18 creation of an Internet application that would allow employers to report
19 claimants who were discharged for misconduct; the creation of an Internet
20 application that would allow the department to provide employers with a list
21 of their former employees who are receiving unemployment insurance benefits
22 that will be charged to the employer's experience rating account; the modifi-
23 cation of the department's computer system so it can assess interest on unem-
24 ployment insurance benefit overpayments and penalties on unemployment insur-
25 ance overpayments that resulted from fraud; and an upgraded document imaging
26 system. This appropriation is authorized by and subject to the limitations of
27 Section 72-1346(4), Idaho Code.
28 SECTION 2. An emergency existing therefor, which emergency is hereby
29 declared to exist, this act shall be in full force and effect on and after its
30 passage and approval.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
RS 14527
The Federal Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA) requires all covered
employers to pay .8% on the first $7,000 paid to each covered
employee per year. Under the federal Reed Act, when FUTA
balances exceed the statutory ceiling on the amount of FUTA
revenue that may be held in the federal Unemployment Trust Fund,
the excess is distributed to each state’s unemployment trust
account. A state may use these funds to pay unemployment
insurance benefits or, subject to a state legislative
appropriation, for expenses incurred in the administration of
the unemployment insurance and employment service programs.
Federal law prohibits any other use of these funds. This
appropriation bill authorizes the Department of Commerce and
Labor to spend $890,000 in Reed Act funds for enhancements to
the Department's computer systems that will improve the
administration of the unemployment insurance program. The bill
has an emergency clause so the Department can start working on
the computer enhancements once the bill is enacted.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact on the State General Fund because all
of the Reed Act monies are federal dollars. The computer
enhancements that will allow employers to monitor their former
employees' unemployment insurance claims will likely reduce
benefit payments which will increase the solvency of Idaho's
Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. Upgrading the Department's
imaging system will reduce the Department's administrative
expenses by improving access to stored data. Charging interest
on overpayments and penalties on overpayments due to fraud will
increase revenue to the State Administrative and Reimbursement
Fund established in Section 72-1348, Idaho Code, and may serve
as a deterrent to fraudulent claims.
CONTACT
Name: Dwight Johnson
Agency: Commerce and Labor, Dept. of
Phone: 841-8833
Statement of Purpose/Fiscal Impact H 64