Committee advances bill removing an 8-week reduction to requalified unemployment benefits; motion passes to floor

The House Committee on Labor and Workplace Standards advanced House Bill 30 24 in a work session, voting to send the bill to the floor with a do-pass recommendation.

Vice Chair Munoz moved the measure to the floor. During the committee discussion members asked about fiscal impacts; Lindsay Leahy, Unemployment Insurance Division Director at the Oregon Employment Department, provided the division’s estimate. Leahy said removing the rule that reduces a requalified claimant’s maximum unemployment benefit amount “will result in about $1,300,000 in additional benefits paid out in the 2025–27 biennium.” She placed that figure in context by noting the UI program paid about $1,500,000,000 in benefits during calendar years 2023–24 and said the change was unlikely to affect tax schedules or the trust fund tax schedule because the impact was small relative to total payouts.

Committee members then proceeded to roll-call the motion. The clerk recorded votes as follows: Representative Montoya Davis — No; Representative Fraglia — Yes; Representative Nelson — Yes; Representative Sharp — No; Vice Chair Elmer — No; Vice Chair Munoz — Yes; Chair Graber — Yes. The motion carried and the committee chair said she would carry the bill on the floor.