Maine § 1190. - Study of benefit changes

§ 1190.. Study of benefit changes

1.  Referral for review and evaluation.  Whenever a legislative measure containing an unemployment compensation benefit change is proposed, the bureau shall complete a review and evaluation pursuant to subsection 2 in advance of the public hearing on the proposed measure. Once a review and evaluation has been completed, the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over the proposal shall review the findings of the bureau. A proposed benefit change may not be enacted into law unless review and evaluation pursuant to subsection 2 has been completed. For purposes of this section, a "benefit change" means any change in law that will cause a change in the number of people eligible as well as any increase or decrease in the dollar amount, maximum amount or duration of benefits payable.

2.  Content of review.  The review and evaluation must include, at a minimum and to the extent information is available, the following:

A. Projected annual change in cost to the fund for the ensuing 5 years;   [PL 2011, c. 212, §2 (AMD).]

B. Projected impact on the experience rating records of employers, sorted by size and industry, and on employer's experience classifications, as described in section 1221, subsection 4‑A, for the ensuing 5 years;   [PL 2011, c. 212, §2 (AMD).]

C. Review of the impact of a proposed benefit change on recipient groups, including an analysis by gender, income levels and geographic distribution;   [PL 2021, c. 456, §12 (AMD).]

C-1. The projected impact of the proposed change on the State’s unemployment insurance recipiency rate. For purposes of this paragraph, "recipiency rate" means the number of insured unemployed persons in regular unemployment insurance programs as a percent of total unemployed persons; and   [PL 2021, c. 456, §13 (NEW).]

D. Any other information that the bureau considers appropriate to assist the Legislature in deciding on the proposed benefit change.   [PL 1999, c. 740, §1 (NEW).]