UNOFFICIAL COPY OF SENATE BILL 703 A BILL ENTITLED

Transcription

1 UNOFFICIAL COPY OF SENATE BILL 703 K2 5lr1434 CF 5lr1435 By: Senators Middleton, Exum, and Kelley (Unemployment Insurance Funding Task Force) Introduced and read first time: February 4, 2005 Assigned to: Finance 1 AN ACT concerning A BILL ENTITLED 2 Unemployment Insurance - Charging and Taxation - Benefits - Oversight 3 Committee 4 FOR the purpose of altering the unemployment insurance charging and taxation 5 system; altering the standard rate of contribution that certain employing units 6 are required to pay; increasing the maximum weekly unemployment insurance 7 benefit amount; increasing the amount of wages used to compute a claimant's 8 weekly benefit amount for partial benefits; establishing a certain oversight 9 committee; requiring the committee to report to the Governor and the General 10 Assembly on or before certain dates; providing for the application of this Act; 11 providing for the termination of certain provisions of this Act; defining a certain 12 term; altering a certain definition; and generally relating to the unemployment 13 insurance charging and taxation system and benefits and the establishment of a 14 Committee on Unemployment Insurance Oversight. 15 BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 16 Article - Labor and Employment 17 Section 8-608, 8-609(a) and (b), 8-610(c), 8-612, and Annotated Code of Maryland 19 (1999 Replacement Volume and 2004 Supplement) 20 SECTION 1. AND BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF 21 MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 22 Article - Labor and Employment (A) IN THIS SUBTITLE, "STANDARD RATE" MEANS THE MAXIMUM RATE IN THE 25 APPLICABLE TABLE OF BASIC RATES UNDER 8-612(D) OF THIS SUBTITLE. 26 (B) Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, an employing unit shall pay 27 contributions at the standard rate [of 7.5% of] APPLIED TO the taxable wage base.

2 2 UNOFFICIAL COPY OF SENATE BILL (a) (1) In this section the following terms have the meanings indicated. 3 (2) "New employer" means an employing unit that does not qualify for an 4 earned rate under of this subtitle. 5 (3) "Employer industry category" means the [2-digit standard industry 6 classification code] 6-DIGIT NORTH AMERICAN INDUSTRY CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM 7 promulgated by the Federal Office of Management and Budget. 8 (b) A new employer shall pay contributions at a rate that does not exceed 9 [2.3%] 2.6% of the taxable wage base, and that is the highest of: 10 (1) 1% of the taxable wage base; 11 (2) the 5-year benefit cost rate of the State as computed under 12 subsection (c) of this section; or 13 (3) the contribution rate under of this subtitle that applies to an 14 employing unit with a benefit ratio of (c) If an employing unit has met each of the requirements to qualify for an 17 earned rate but files no contribution reports for any of the 3 rating years immediately 18 preceding the computation date as required by of this subtitle, the Secretary 19 shall assign the employing unit [a contribution rate that is the earned rate of the 20 employing unit or] the standard rate of contribution[, whichever is greater] (a) (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, on the basis of the earned 23 rating record of an employing unit that qualifies for an earned rate of contribution 24 under of this subtitle, the Secretary shall[: 25 (i)] compute to the 4th decimal place a benefit ratio for the 26 employing unit in accordance with subsection (b) or (c) of this section[; and 27 (ii) subject to the Schedule of Basic Rate Adjustments in subsection 28 (e) of this section, assign the basic contribution rate that corresponds to the employing 29 unit's benefit ratio in the Table of Basic Rates in subsection (d) of this section]. 30 (2) The Secretary may not assign an earned rate of contribution that is 31 less than [0.1%] 0.3% or more than [9.5%] 13.5%. 32 (b) For an employing unit that qualifies under 8-610(a)(2) of this subtitle, 33 the Secretary shall compute a benefit ratio by:

3 3 UNOFFICIAL COPY OF SENATE BILL (1) adding the regular, work sharing, and extended benefits that were 2 chargeable to the earned rating record of the employing unit and paid during the 3 3 rating years immediately preceding the computation date; and 4 (2) dividing the figure determined under item (1) of this subsection by 5 the total of the reported taxable wages for the same period. 6 (c) For an employing unit that qualifies under 8-610(a)(3) of this subtitle, 7 the Secretary shall compute a benefit ratio for the employing unit by: 8 (1) adding the regular, work sharing, and extended benefits that were 9 chargeable to the earned rating record of the employing unit and paid during the 10 period beginning with the 1st day of the calendar quarter in which the employing unit 11 first became subject to this title and ending on the June 30 immediately preceding the 12 computation date; and 13 (2) dividing the figure obtained under item (1) of this subsection by the 14 total of the reported taxable wages for the same period. 15 [(d) For any calendar year beginning on or after January 1, 1992, when the 16 Unemployment Insurance Fund balance on September 30 of the immediately 17 preceding calendar year equals or exceeds 4.7% but is not in excess of 5.5% of the total 18 taxable wages in covered employment for the 4 completed calendar quarters 19 immediately preceding September 30, the Table of Basic Rates shall apply. 20 Table Of Basic Rates 21 Employing Employing 22 Unit's Benefit Unit's Basic 23 Ratio Rate 24 (1) % 25 (2) % 26 (3) % 27 (4) % 28 (5) % 29 (6) % 30 (7) % 31 (8) % 32 (9) % 33 (10) % 34 (11) % 35 (12) % 36 (13) % 37 (14) % 38 (15) % 39 (16) % 40 (17) % 41 (18) %

4 4 UNOFFICIAL COPY OF SENATE BILL (19) % 2 (20) % 3 (21) % 4 (22) % 5 (23) % 6 (24) % 7 (25) % 8 (26) % 9 (27) % 10 (28) % 11 (29) % 12 (30) % 13 (31) % 14 (32) % 15 (33) % 16 (34) % 17 (35) % 18 (36) % 19 (37) % 20 (38) % 21 (39) % 22 (40) % 23 (41) % 24 (42) % 25 (43) % 26 (44) % 27 (45) % 28 (46) % 29 (47) % 30 (48) % 31 (49) % 32 (50) % 33 (51) % 34 (52) % 35 (53) % 36 (54) % 37 (55) % 38 (56) % 39 (57) % 40 (58) % 41 (59) % 42 (60) % 43 (61) % 44 (62) % 45 (63) % 46 (64) % 47 (65) % 48 (66) %

5 5 UNOFFICIAL COPY OF SENATE BILL (67) % 2 (68) % 3 (69) % 4 (70) % 5 (71) % 6 (72) % 7 (73) % 8 (74) % 9 (75) and over %] 10 [(e) For any calendar year beginning on or after January 1, 1992, when the 11 Unemployment Insurance Fund balance on September 30 of the immediately 12 preceding calendar year is less than 4.7% or equals or is in excess of 5.5% of the total 13 taxable wages in covered employment for the 4 completed calendar quarters 14 immediately preceding September 30, the rates at which employers shall be required 15 to pay contributions shall be determined by using the Table of Basic Rates under 16 subsection (d) of this section adjusted as shown in the Schedule of Basic Rate 17 Adjustments set forth below. 18 SCHEDULE OF BASIC RATE ADJUSTMENTS 19 When Ratio Between Fund Balance Employing Unit's 20 on September 30 and Total Contribution 21 Taxable Wages for Prior Year Is: Basic Rate Shall: 22 (1) up to 2.8% Increase by 2.0% 23 (2) 2.8% but less than 2.9% Increase by 1.9% 24 (3) 2.9% but less than 3.0% Increase by 1.8% 25 (4) 3.0% but less than 3.1% Increase by 1.7% 26 (5) 3.1% but less than 3.2% Increase by 1.6% 27 (6) 3.2% but less than 3.3% Increase by 1.5% 28 (7) 3.3% but less than 3.4% Increase by 1.4% 29 (8) 3.4% but less than 3.5% Increase by 1.3% 30 (9) 3.5% but less than 3.6% Increase by 1.2% 31 (10) 3.6% but less than 3.7% Increase by 1.1% 32 (11) 3.7% but less than 3.8% Increase by 1.0% 33 (12) 3.8% but less than 3.9% Increase by 0.9% 34 (13) 3.9% but less than 4.0% Increase by 0.8% 35 (14) 4.0% but less than 4.1% Increase by 0.7% 36 (15) 4.1% but less than 4.2% Increase by 0.6% 37 (16) 4.2% but less than 4.3% Increase by 0.5% 38 (17) 4.3% but less than 4.4% Increase by 0.4% 39 (18) 4.4% but less than 4.5% Increase by 0.3% 40 (19) 4.5% but less than 4.6% Increase by 0.2% 41 (20) 4.6% but less than 4.7% Increase by 0.1% 42 (21) 5.5% but less than 5.6% Decrease by 0.1%

6 6 UNOFFICIAL COPY OF SENATE BILL (22) 5.6% but less than 5.7% Decrease by 0.2% 2 (23) 5.7% but less than 5.8% Decrease by 0.3% 3 (24) 5.8% but less than 5.9% Decrease by 0.4% 4 (25) 5.9% but less than 6.0% Decrease by 0.5% 5 (26) 6.0% but less than 6.1% Decrease by 0.6% 6 (27) 6.1% but less than 6.2% Decrease by 0.7% 7 (28) 6.2% but less than 6.3% Decrease by 0.8% 8 (29) 6.3% but less than 6.4% Decrease by 0.9% 9 (30) 6.4% but less than 6.5% Decrease by 1.0% 10 (31) 6.5% but less than 6.6% Decrease by 1.1% 11 (32) 6.6% but less than 6.7% Decrease by 1.2% 12 (33) 6.7% but less than 6.8% Decrease by 1.3% 13 (34) 6.8% but less than 6.9% Decrease by 1.4% 14 (35) 6.9% but less than 7.0% Decrease by 1.5% 15 (36) 7.0% but less than 7.1% Decrease by 1.6% 16 (37) 7.1% but less than 7.2% Decrease by 1.7% 17 (38) 7.2% but less than 7.3% Decrease by 1.8% 18 (39) 7.3% but less than 7.4% Decrease by 1.9% 19 (40) 7.4% and over Decrease by 2.0%] 20 (D) (1) FOR ANY CALENDAR YEAR BEGINNING ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, , WHEN THE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE FUND BALANCE ON SEPTEMBER 30 OF 22 THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING CALENDAR YEAR EXCEEDS 5% OF THE TOTAL 23 TAXABLE WAGES IN COVERED EMPLOYMENT FOR THE 4 COMPLETED CALENDAR 24 QUARTERS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING SEPTEMBER 30, THE TABLE OF BASIC RATES 25 IN THIS PARAGRAPH OF THIS SUBSECTION SHALL APPLY. 26 TABLE OF BASIC RATES - TABLE A 27 EMPLOYING EMPLOYING 28 UNIT'S BENEFIT UNIT'S BASIC 29 RATIO RATE 30 (1) % 31 (2) % 32 (3) % 33 (4) % 34 (5) % 35 (6) % 36 (7) % 37 (8) % 38 (9) % 39 (10) % 40 (11) % 41 (12) % 42 (13) % 43 (14) %

7 7 UNOFFICIAL COPY OF SENATE BILL (15) % 2 (16) % 3 (17) % 4 (18) % 5 (19) % 6 (20) % 7 (21) % 8 (22) % 9 (23) % 10 (24) % 11 (25) AND OVER % 12 (2) FOR ANY CALENDAR YEAR BEGINNING ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 2006, 13 WHEN THE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE FUND BALANCE ON SEPTEMBER 30 OF THE 14 IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING CALENDAR YEAR EXCEEDS 4.5%, BUT IS NOT IN EXCESS 15 OF 5% OF THE TOTAL TAXABLE WAGES IN COVERED EMPLOYMENT FOR THE 4 16 COMPLETED CALENDAR QUARTERS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING SEPTEMBER 30, THE 17 TABLE OF BASIC RATES IN THIS PARAGRAPH OF THIS SUBSECTION SHALL APPLY. 18 TABLE OF BASIC RATES - TABLE B 19 EMPLOYING EMPLOYING 20 UNIT'S BENEFIT UNIT'S BASIC 21 RATIO RATE 22 (1) % 23 (2) % 24 (3) % 25 (4) % 26 (5) % 27 (6) % 28 (7) % 29 (8) % 30 (9) % 31 (10) % 32 (11) % 33 (12) % 34 (13) % 35 (14) % 36 (15) % 37 (16) % 38 (17) % 39 (18) % 40 (19) % 41 (20) % 42 (21) % 43 (22) %

8 8 UNOFFICIAL COPY OF SENATE BILL (23) % 2 (24) % 3 (25) % 4 (26) % 5 (27) % 6 (28) % 7 (29) AND OVER % 8 (3) FOR ANY CALENDAR YEAR BEGINNING ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 2006, 9 WHEN THE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE FUND BALANCE ON SEPTEMBER 30 OF THE 10 IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING CALENDAR YEAR EXCEEDS 4%, BUT IS NOT IN EXCESS OF % OF THE TOTAL TAXABLE WAGES IN COVERED EMPLOYMENT FOR THE 4 12 COMPLETED CALENDAR QUARTERS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING SEPTEMBER 30, THE 13 TABLE OF BASIC RATES IN THIS PARAGRAPH OF THIS SUBSECTION SHALL APPLY. 14 TABLE OF BASIC RATES - TABLE C 15 EMPLOYING EMPLOYING 16 UNIT'S BENEFIT UNIT'S BASIC 17 RATIO RATE 18 (1) % 19 (2) % 20 (3) % 21 (4) % 22 (5) % 23 (6) % 24 (7) % 25 (8) % 26 (9) % 27 (10) % 28 (11) % 29 (12) % 30 (13) % 31 (14) % 32 (15) % 33 (16) % 34 (17) % 35 (18) % 36 (19) % 37 (20) % 38 (21) % 39 (22) % 40 (23) % 41 (24) % 42 (25) % 43 (26) %

9 9 UNOFFICIAL COPY OF SENATE BILL (27) % 2 (28) % 3 (29) % 4 (30) % 5 (31) % 6 (32) AND OVER % 7 (4) FOR ANY CALENDAR YEAR BEGINNING ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 2006, 8 WHEN THE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE FUND BALANCE ON SEPTEMBER 30 OF THE 9 IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING CALENDAR YEAR EXCEEDS 3.5%, BUT IS NOT IN EXCESS 10 OF 4% OF THE TOTAL TAXABLE WAGES IN COVERED EMPLOYMENT FOR THE 4 11 COMPLETED CALENDAR QUARTERS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING SEPTEMBER 30, THE 12 TABLE OF BASIC RATES IN THIS PARAGRAPH OF THIS SUBSECTION SHALL APPLY. 13 TABLE OF BASIC RATES - TABLE D 14 EMPLOYING EMPLOYING 15 UNIT'S BENEFIT UNIT'S BASIC 16 RATIO RATE 17 (1) % 18 (2) % 19 (3) % 20 (4) % 21 (5) % 22 (6) % 23 (7) % 24 (8) % 25 (9) % 26 (10) % 27 (11) % 28 (12) % 29 (13) % 30 (14) % 31 (15) % 32 (16) % 33 (17) % 34 (18) % 35 (19) % 36 (20) % 37 (21) % 38 (22) % 39 (23) % 40 (24) % 41 (25) % 42 (26) % 43 (27) %

10 10 UNOFFICIAL COPY OF SENATE BILL (28) % 2 (29) % 3 (30) % 4 (31) % 5 (32) % 6 (33) % 7 (34) % 8 (35) AND OVER % 9 (5) FOR ANY CALENDAR YEAR BEGINNING ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 2006, 10 WHEN THE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE FUND BALANCE ON SEPTEMBER 30 OF THE 11 IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING CALENDAR YEAR EXCEEDS 3%, BUT IS NOT IN EXCESS OF % OF THE TOTAL TAXABLE WAGES IN COVERED EMPLOYMENT FOR THE 4 13 COMPLETED CALENDAR QUARTERS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING SEPTEMBER 30, THE 14 TABLE OF BASIC RATES IN THIS PARAGRAPH OF THIS SUBSECTION SHALL APPLY. 15 TABLE OF BASIC RATES - TABLE E 16 EMPLOYING EMPLOYING 17 UNIT'S BENEFIT UNIT'S BASIC 18 RATIO RATE 19 (1) % 20 (2) % 21 (3) % 22 (4) % 23 (5) % 24 (6) % 25 (7) % 26 (8) % 27 (9) % 28 (10) % 29 (11) % 30 (12) % 31 (13) % 32 (14) % 33 (15) % 34 (16) % 35 (17) % 36 (18) % 37 (19) % 38 (20) % 39 (21) % 40 (22) % 41 (23) % 42 (24) % 43 (25) %

11 11 UNOFFICIAL COPY OF SENATE BILL (26) % 2 (27) % 3 (28) % 4 (29) % 5 (30) % 6 (31) % 7 (32) % 8 (33) % 9 (34) % 10 (35) % 11 (36) % 12 (37) AND OVER % 13 (6) FOR ANY CALENDAR YEAR BEGINNING ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 2006, 14 WHEN THE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE FUND BALANCE ON SEPTEMBER 30 OF THE 15 IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING CALENDAR YEAR IS NOT IN EXCESS OF 3% OF THE TOTAL 16 TAXABLE WAGES IN COVERED EMPLOYMENT FOR THE 4 COMPLETED CALENDAR 17 QUARTERS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING SEPTEMBER 30, THE TABLE OF BASIC RATES 18 IN THIS PARAGRAPH OF THIS SUBSECTION SHALL APPLY. 19 TABLE OF BASIC RATES - TABLE F 20 EMPLOYING EMPLOYING 21 UNIT'S BENEFIT UNIT'S BASIC 22 RATIO RATE 23 (1) % 24 (2) % 25 (3) % 26 (4) % 27 (5) % 28 (6) % 29 (7) % 30 (8) % 31 (9) % 32 (10) % 33 (11) % 34 (12) % 35 (13) % 36 (14) % 37 (15) % 38 (16) % 39 (17) % 40 (18) % 41 (19) % 42 (20) % 43 (21) %

12 12 UNOFFICIAL COPY OF SENATE BILL (22) % 2 (23) % 3 (24) % 4 (25) % 5 (26) % 6 (27) % 7 (28) % 8 (29) % 9 (30) % 10 (31) % 11 (32) % 12 (33) % 13 (34) % 14 (35) % 15 (36) % 16 (37) AND OVER % 17 [(f)] (E) For the purpose of making any computation under this section: 18 (1) money that has been credited to the account of the State in the 19 Unemployment Trust Fund under 903 of the Social Security Act and that has been 20 appropriated for expenses of administration, whether or not withdrawn from the 21 account, shall be excluded from the total amount available for benefits in the 22 Unemployment Insurance Fund; and 23 (2) the total amount available for benefits in the Unemployment 24 Insurance Fund includes: 25 (i) money receivable by the Unemployment Insurance Fund as 26 federal reimbursement for shareable benefits under the Federal-State Extended 27 Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970; 28 (ii) all advance payments made to the Unemployment Insurance 29 Fund on behalf of eligible employing units who elect to make reimbursement 30 payments; and 31 (iii) money receivable by the Unemployment Insurance Fund from 32 an eligible employing unit who elects to make reimbursement payments. 33 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Laws of Maryland 34 read as follows: 35 Article - Labor and Employment (a) (1) To determine the weekly benefit amount to assign to a claimant in 38 the schedule of benefits in subsection (b) of this section, the line in the schedule of 39 benefits shall be located in which the high quarter wages in column (A) correspond to

13 13 UNOFFICIAL COPY OF SENATE BILL wages that the claimant was paid for covered employment in the calendar quarter of 2 the claimant's base period in which those wages were highest. 3 (2) The claimant shall be assigned: 4 (i) the weekly benefit amount in column (B) of the schedule for 5 that line; or 6 (ii) if the claimant is not eligible under of this subtitle for 7 that weekly benefit amount but was paid wages to qualify in 1 of the next 6 lower 8 lines of the schedule, the weekly benefit amount in the next lower line in column (B) 9 of the schedule. 10 (b) 11 SCHEDULE OF BENEFITS 12 Weekly Minimum 13 Benefit Qualifying 14 Line High Quarter Wages Amount Wages 15 (A) (B) (C) 16 (1) $ to $ (2) $ to $ (3) $ to $ (4) $ to $ , (5) $ to $ , (6) $ to $ , (7) $ to $ , (8) $ to $ , (9) $ to $ , (10) $ to $ , (11) $ to $ , (12) $ to $ , (13) $ to $ , (14) $ to $ , (15) $ to $ , (16) $ to $ , (17) $ to $ , (18) $ to $1, , (19) $1, to $1, , (20) $1, to $1, , (21) $1, to $1, , (22) $1, to $1, , (23) $1, to $1, , (24) $1, to $1, , (25) $1, to $1, , (26) $1, to $1, , (27) $1, to $1, , (28) $1, to $1, ,872.00

14 14 UNOFFICIAL COPY OF SENATE BILL (29) $1, to $1, , (30) $1, to $1, , (31) $1, to $1, , (32) $1, to $1, , (33) $1, to $1, , (34) $1, to $1, , (35) $1, to $1, , (36) $1, to $1, , (37) $1, to $1, , (38) $1, to $1, , (39) $1, to $1, , (40) $1, to $1, , (41) $1, to $1, , (42) $1, to $1, , (43) $1, to $1, , (44) $1, to $1, , (45) $1, to $1, , (46) $1, to $1, , (47) $1, to $1, , (48) $1, to $1, , (49) $1, to $1, , (50) $1, to $1, , (51) $1, to $1, , (52) $1, to $1, , (53) $1, to $1, , (54) $1, to $1, , (55) $1, to $1, , (56) $1, to $1, , (57) $1, to $1, , (58) $1, to $1, , (59) $1, to $1, , (60) $1, to $2, , (61) $2, to $2, , (62) $2, to $2, , (63) $2, to $2, , (64) $2, to $2, , (65) $2, to $2, , (66) $2, to $2, , (67) $2, to $2, , (68) $2, to $2, , (69) $2, to $2, , (70) $2, to $2, , (71) $2, to $2, , (72) $2, to $2, , (73) $2, to $2, , (74) $2, to $2, , (75) $2, to $2, , (76) $2, to $2, ,600.00

15 15 UNOFFICIAL COPY OF SENATE BILL (77) $2, to $2, , (78) $2, to $2, , (79) $2, to $2, , (80) $2, to $2, , (81) $2, to $2, , (82) $2, to $2, , (83) $2, to $2, , (84) $2, to $2, , (85) $2, to $2, , (86) $2, to $2, , (87) $2, to $2, , (88) $2, to $2, , (89) $2, to $2, , (90) $2, to $2, , (91) $2, to $2, , (92) $2, to $2, , (93) $2, to $2, , (94) $2, to $2, , (95) $2, to $2, , (96) $2, to $2, , (97) $2, to $2, , (98) $2, to $2, , (99) $2, to $2, , (100) $2, to $2, , (101) $2, to $3, , (102) $3, to $3, , (103) $3, to $3, , (104) $3, to $3, , (105) $3, to $3, , (106) $3, to $3, , (107) $3, to $3, , (108) $3, to $3, , (109) $3, to $3, , (110) $3, to $3, , (111) $3, to $3, , (112) $3, to $3, , (113) $3, to $3, , (114) $3, to $3, , (115) $3, to $3, , (116) $3, to $3, , (117) $3, to $3, , (118) $3, to $3, , (119) $3, to $3, , (120) $3, to $3, , (121) $3, to $3, , (122) $3, to $3, , (123) $3, to $3, , (124) $3, to $3, ,328.00

16 16 UNOFFICIAL COPY OF SENATE BILL (125) $3, to $3, , (126) $3, to $3, , (127) $3, to $3, , (128) $3, to $3, , (129) $3, to $3, , (130) $3, to $3, , (131) $3, to $3, , (132) $3, to $3, , (133) $3, to $3, , (134) $3, to $3, , (135) $3, to $3, , (136) $3, to $3, , (137) $3, to $3, , (138) $3, to $3, , (139) $3, to $3, , (140) $3, to $3, , (141) $3, to $3, , (142) $3, to $3, , (143) $3, to $4, , (144) $4, to $4, , (145) $4, to $4, , (146) $4, to $4, , (147) $4, to $4, , (148) $4, to $4, , (149) $4, to $4, , (150) $4, to $4, , (151) $4, to $4, , (152) $4, to $4, , (153) $4, to $4, , (154) $4, to $4, , (155) $4, to $4, , (156) $4, to $4, , (157) $4, to $4, , (158) $4, to $4, , (159) $4, to $4, , (160) $4, to $4, , (161) $4, to $4, , (162) $4, to $4, , (163) $4, to $4, , (164) $4, to $4, , (165) $4, to $4, , (166) $4, to $4, , (167) $4, to $4, , (168) $4, to $4, , (169) $4, to $4, , (170) $4, to $4, , (171) $4, to $4, , (172) $4, to $4, ,056.00

17 17 UNOFFICIAL COPY OF SENATE BILL (173) $4, to $4, , (174) $4, to $4, , (175) $4, to $4, , (176) $4, to $4, , (177) $4, to $4, , (178) $4, to $4, , (179) $4, to $4, , (180) $4, to $4, , (181) $4, to $4, , (182) $4, to $4, , (183) $4, to $4, , (184) $4, to $4, , (185) $4, to $5, , (186) $5, to $5, , (187) $5, to $5, , (188) $5, to $5, , (189) $5, to $5, , (190) $5, to $5, , (191) $5, to $5, , (192) $5, to $5, , (193) $5, to $5, , (194) $5, to $5, , (195) $5, to $5, , (196) $5, to $5, , (197) $5, to $5, , (198) $5, to $5, , (199) $5, to $5, , (200) $5, to $5, , (201) $5, to $5, , (202) $5, to $5, , (203) $5, to $5, , (204) $5, to $5, , (205) $5, to $5, , (206) $5, to $5, , (207) $5, to $5, , (208) $5, to $5, , (209) $5, to $5, , (210) $5, to $5, , (211) $5, to $5, , (212) $5, to $5, , (213) $5, to $5, , (214) $5, to $5, , (215) $5, to $5, , (216) $5, to $5, , (217) $5, to $5, , (218) $5, to $5, , (219) $5, to $5, , (220) $5, to $5, ,784.00

18 18 UNOFFICIAL COPY OF SENATE BILL (221) $5, to $5, , (222) $5, to $5, , (223) $5, to $5, , (224) $5, to $5, , (225) $5, to $5, , (226) $5, to $6, , (227) $6, to $6, , (228) $6, to $6, , (229) $6, to $6, , (230) $6, to $6, , (231) $6, to $6, , (232) $6, to $6, , (233) $6, to $6, , (234) $6, to $6, , (235) $6, to $6, , (236) $6, to $6, , (237) $6, to $6, , (238) $6, to $6, , (239) $6, to $6, , (240) $6, to $6, , (241) $6, to $6, , (242) $6, to $6, , (243) $6, to $6, , (244) $6, to $6, , (245) $6, to $6, , (246) $6, to $6, , (247) $6, to $6, , (248) $6, to $6, , (249) $6, to $6, , (250) $6, to $6, , (251) $6, to $6, , (252) $6, to $6, , (253) $6, to $6, , (254) $6, to $6, , (255) $6, to $6, , (256) $6, to $6, , (257) $6, to $6, , (258) $6, to $6, , (259) $6, to $6, , (260) $6, to $6, , (261) $6, to $6, , (262) $6, to $6, , (263) $6, to $6, , (264) $6, to $6, , (265) $6, to $6, , (266) $6, to $6, , (267) $6, to $6, , (268) $6, to $7, ,512.00

19 19 UNOFFICIAL COPY OF SENATE BILL (269) $7, to $7, , (270) $7, to $7, , (271) $7, to $7, , (272) $7, to $7, , (273) $7, to $7, , (274) $7, to $7, , (275) $7, to $7, , (276) $7, to $7, , (277) $7, to $7, , (278) $7, to $7, , (279) $7, to $7, , (280) $7, to $7, , (281) $7, to $7, , (282) $7, to $7, , (283) $7, to $7, , (284) $7, to $7, , (285) $7, to $7, , [(286) $7, and over ,160.00] 19 (286) $7, TO $7, , (287) $7, TO $7, , (288) $7, TO $7, , (289) $7, TO $7, , (290) $7, TO $7, , (291) $7, TO $7, , (292) $7, TO $7, , (293) $7, TO $7, , (294) $7, TO $7, , (295) $7, TO $7, , (296) $7, TO $7, , (297) $7, TO $7, , (298) $7, TO $7, , (299) $7, TO $7, , (300) $7, TO $7, , (301) $7, TO $7, , (302) $7, TO $7, , (303) $7, TO $7, , (304) $7, TO $7, , (305) $7, TO $7, , (306) $7, TO $7, , (307) $7, TO $7, , (308) $7, TO $7, , (309) $7, TO $7, , (310) $7, TO $8, , (311) $8, TO $8, , (312) $8, TO $8, , (313) $8, TO $8, , (314) $8, TO $8, , (315) $8, TO $8, ,204.00

20 20 UNOFFICIAL COPY OF SENATE BILL (316) $8, AND OVER , (c) The schedule of benefits that is in effect on the 1st day of a claimant's 3 benefit year applies to the claimant throughout that benefit year. 4 (d) (1) Except as provided in of this title for the work sharing 5 program and of this title for the Self-Employment Assistance Program, an 6 eligible claimant shall be paid a weekly benefit amount that is computed by: 7 (i) determining the claimant's weekly benefit amount under this 8 section; 9 (ii) adding any allowance for a dependent to which the claimant is 10 entitled under of this subtitle; and 11 (iii) subtracting any wages exceeding [$90] $100 payable to the 12 claimant for the week. 13 (2) In computing benefits under this subsection, a fraction of a dollar 14 shall be rounded to the next lower dollar. 15 (e) Any child support payment that is required under of this subtitle 16 shall be withheld from benefits. 17 SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 18 (a) There is a Committee on Unemployment Insurance Oversight. 19 (b) The committee consists of the following 13 members: 20 (1) 3 shall be members of the Senate, appointed by the President of the 21 Senate; 22 (2) 3 shall be members of the House of Delegates, appointed by the 23 Speaker of the House of Delegates; 24 (3) The Secretary Labor, Licensing, and Regulation, or the Secretary's 25 designee; 26 (4) The Secretary of Business and Economic Development, or the 27 Secretary's designee; 28 (5) A representative of the Maryland Retailers Association, designated 29 by the Maryland Retailers Association; 30 (6) A representative of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, designated 31 by the Maryland Chamber of Commerce; 32 (7) A representative of the Job Opportunities Task Force, designated by 33 the Job Opportunities Task Force;

21 21 UNOFFICIAL COPY OF SENATE BILL (8) A representative of union labor, designated by the Maryland State 2 and District of Columbia AFL-CIO; and 3 (9) A representative of the academic profession who is knowledgeable in 4 unemployment insurance law, designated jointly by the President of the Senate and 5 the Speaker of the House of Delegates. 6 (c) The members of the committee serve at the pleasure of the presiding 7 officer who appointed them. 8 (d) The President and the Speaker shall appoint a Senator and a Delegate, 9 respectively, each to serve as co-chair. 10 (e) (1) The committee shall examine the condition of the unemployment 11 insurance system in the State as a result of the implementation of this Act. 12 (2) The committee may examine the need for additional alterations to 13 the unemployment insurance system, including the charging and taxation provisions 14 and the eligibility and benefit provisions, in consideration of the fairness of the 15 system and in order to maintain the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund at a level 16 sufficient to ensure that benefits will be paid from the fund. 17 (f) (1) The Department of Legislative Services shall provide staffing for the 18 committee. 19 (2) The Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation shall report to 20 the committee on the condition of unemployment insurance in the State. 21 (g) A member of the committee may not receive compensation for serving on 22 the committee, but is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard 23 State Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 24 (h) The committee shall report its preliminary findings and recommendations 25 on or before December 31, 2005 and its final findings and recommendations on or 26 before December 31, 2006 to the Governor and, subject to of the State 27 Government Article, to the General Assembly. 28 SECTION 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That Section 1 of this Act shall 29 take effect January 1, 2006 and shall apply to tax contributions due that are based on 30 taxable wages for calendar years beginning on January 1, SECTION 5. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That Section 2 of this Act shall 32 take effect October 1, 2005 and shall apply to all claims filed establishing a new 33 benefit year on or after October 2, SECTION 6. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, except as provided in 35 Sections 4 and 5 of this Act, this Act shall take effect July 1, Section 3 of this Act 36 shall remain effective for a period of 1 year and 6 months and, at the end of December 37 31, 2006, with no further action required by the General Assembly, Section 3 of this 38 Act shall be abrogated and of no further force and effect.

22 22 UNOFFICIAL COPY OF SENATE BILL 703