Committee gives do-pass to bill letting secretary waive one-week unemployment waiting period after disasters

Lawmakers on the House Labor, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee on Wednesday approved House Bill 249, which would allow the state Workforce Solutions secretary to waive the one-week waiting requirement for standard unemployment insurance in a federally declared emergency, enabling faster access to disaster unemployment assistance for affected workers.

Sponsor testimony explained the bill’s limited change: federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance is available only after applicants have been denied standard unemployment, and federal rules currently require an initial week of unemployment before benefits begin. The waiver authority would permit the secretary to remove the waiting-week requirement in declared disasters, reducing delay for workers who lost income because of emergencies such as fires or floods.

Local workforce-board leaders and university fiscal agents testified in support. Lisa Ortiz, executive director of the Northern Area Local Workforce Development Board, said the board was “in full support” of HB249. Ryan Prosper, president of Eastern New Mexico University-Ruidoso and fiscal agent for the Eastern Area Workforce Board, said the change would help communities responding to fire and flood disasters.

Supporters cited data from the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon fires, noting that a large share of claims and payments flowed through standard unemployment insurance during that event; sponsors said allowing the secretary to waive the waiting week would address a timing mismatch and speed assistance to affected workers.

Representative Wanda Johnson moved a do pass; Representative Terrazas seconded. The committee recorded no opposition and advanced the bill.

Committee members and witnesses characterized the change as narrow and targeted to declared emergencies and said it would correct an unfair procedural barrier that delayed disaster assistance.