(Mar. 7, 2024) – Today, the Senate Commerce Committee, chaired by Senator Brenda Dietrich (R-Topeka), met to hold a hearing on House Bill 2570. The legislation defines benefit year, temporary unemployment, wages and other terms in the employment security law, requires electronic filing for certain employers, establishes qualifications for the Employment Security Board of Review candidates, extends the deadline for new accounts following business acquisitions, makes certain changes to the employer rate schedules, enables employers to report claimant work search issues, confirms Legislative Coordinating Council oversight for the new unemployment insurance information technology system implementation, authorizes the secretary to grant temporary unemployment, requires the secretary to annually publish certain data, abolishes the Employment Security Interest Assessment Fund and provides relief for negative account balance employers.
Conferees submitting proponent testimony included:
- Phillip Hayes, Kansas SHRM, National Federation of Independent Business
- William Wilk, Kansas Chamber
- Dan Murray, National Federation of Independent Business
- Michael White, Kansas Contractors Association
- Andrew Wiens, Opportunity Solutions Project
- Kevin Walker, Overland Park Chamber
Secretary Amber Shultz, Kansas Department of Labor, appeared before the committee to answer committee questions. There were no opponents or neutral.