Committee advances bill to allow unemployment benefits for striking workers with caps and school cost rules

The House Committee on Labor and Workplace Standards voted May 21 to advance Senate Bill 916 A to the House floor with a due-pass recommendation after adopting two amendments that change how unemployment insurance (UI) benefits apply to workers locked out or on strike.

The committee adopted a conflict amendment (A23) to reconcile differences with House Bill 2236 and then approved the A24 amendment, which narrows when striking workers are disqualified and ties any cap on post-waiting-week benefits to the state's UI tax schedule. The committee voted to move the bill to the floor as amended; Chair Graber will carry the bill.

Why it matters: supporters say the bill helps striking workers and their families cover basic costs during labor disputes and could shorten strikes; opponents, including multiple school-district organizations, warned the measure risks significant new costs and administrative burdens for districts and local governments.

Key provisions and votes - Base bill (SB 916 A): Changes UI disqualification rules for weeks an individual is unemployed due to a lockout; retains a disqualification for the first strike week in some versions but the adopted amendments modify timing…