SB906: Bill Text

LRB-5919/1

MED:amn

2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE

2019 Senate BILL 906

March 26, 2020 - Introduced by Senators Jacque, Wanggaard, Carpenter, Risser, L. Taylor and Kooyenga, cosponsored by Representatives Pronschinske, Nygren, Brostoff, Cabrera, Edming, Milroy, Schraa, Vorpagel and Tittl. Referred to Committee on Labor and Regulatory Reform.

SB906,1,3 An Act to renumber and amend 108.04 (3); and to create 108.02 (23c) and 108.04 (3) (b) of the statutes; relating to: suspension of the waiting period for collection of unemployment insurance benefits.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Currently, a claimant must wait one week after becoming eligible to receive unemployment insurance benefits before the claimant may receive benefits for a week of unemployment. The waiting period does not affect the maximum number of weeks of a claimant's benefit eligibility.

This bill allows the secretary of workforce development to suspend the application of the one-week waiting period for up to 52 weeks during a declared state of emergency as is needed to address the state of emergency. The bill also specifically requires the secretary to suspend the application of the one-week waiting period retroactively for benefit years that began on March 15, 2020, so as to apply to the public health emergency declared on March 12, 2020, by executive order 72.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB906,1 Section 1. 108.02 (23c) of the statutes is created to read:

SB906,2,2 108.02 (23c) Secretary. “Secretary” means the secretary of workforce development.

SB906,2 Section 2 . 108.04 (3) of the statutes is renumbered 108.04 (3) (a) and amended to read:

SB906,2,7 108.04 (3) (a) The Subject to par. (b), the first week of a claimant's benefit year for which the claimant has timely applied and is otherwise eligible for regular benefits under this chapter is the claimant's waiting period for that benefit year.

SB906,3 Section 3 . 108.04 (3) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

SB906,2,12 108.04 (3) (b) The secretary may, by order, suspend the application of par. (a) for up to 52 weeks during a state of emergency declared under s. 323.10 as is needed to address the state of emergency. Notwithstanding s. 227.10 (1), the order need not be promulgated as a rule under ch. 227.

SB906,4 Section 4. Nonstatutory provisions.

SB906,2,17 (1) The secretary of workforce development shall, under s. 108.04 (3) (b), suspend the application of s. 108.04 (3) (a) retroactively for benefit years that began on March 15, 2020, so as to apply to the public health emergency declared on March 12, 2020, by executive order 72, including any extension under s. 323.10.

SB906,2,18 (End)