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Committee hears bill to lower unemployment tax rates, add DMV cross-check to speed claims
Summary
House Bill 210 would add a lower tier to Montana’s unemployment tax table and allow Department of Labor to cross-check applicants’ driver’s license data with Motor Vehicle Division records to reduce fraud and speed benefits, officials said.
Representative Steve Fitzpatrick introduced House Bill 210 as a three-part package: reduce employer unemployment tax rates within Montana’s existing tax table, add a real-time identity cross-check with the Motor Vehicle Division to combat fraud, and clarify accounting for penalty and interest dollars so they can be carried across fiscal years.
Sarah Swanson, commissioner of the Montana Department of Labor and Industry (DLI), told the committee Montana’s unemployment trust fund is strong and that actuarial work showed room to add a lower tax tier while preserving fund health. “We have an ending fund balance as of January 16th of this year of $643,420,988,” Swanson said,…
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