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Senate File 175: Appropriations Committee approves $18,000 for UI software rename; DWS warns cuts to UI weeks could reduce agency funds
Summary
The Appropriations Committee on Tuesday approved Senate File 175, a one-time $18,000 appropriation to pay for a software change tied to renaming the agency from Unemployment Insurance to the Reemployment Insurance Commission.
The Appropriations Committee on Tuesday approved Senate File 175, a one-time $18,000 appropriation to pay for a software change tied to renaming the agency from Unemployment Insurance to the Reemployment Insurance Commission.
Senator Cole, who presented the bill, told the committee “there is a small appropriation, at least in the big world that we deal with, of $18,000 and it relates to a software change for renaming, part of the agency to, from unemployment to reemployment insurance commission.” The committee was considering the appropriation only, not any change in policy.
The proposal drew brief public comment from Liz Gagan, director of the Department of Workforce Services. Gagan asked the committee to consider fiscal ripple effects if lawmakers reduce the number of weeks for unemployment benefits. “If the weeks kind of get cut back further, that that does cause, problems for workforce services,” she said, explaining part of the UI tax flows to the agency’s Employment Support Fund. “Part of the UI tax does come to the agency. It's called the Employment Support Fund. And we use, the Employment Support Fund for 2 purposes. 1 is to run the UI program. … And then the other use of the ESF funds are for our reemployment purposes in the agency.”
Committee members responded with questions and brief remarks recognizing the fund's relative strength; one member called Wyoming’s UI fund “probably one of the healthiest in the country,” and another thanked agency staff for their work.
The committee moved the bill and completed a roll-call vote. Recorded votes in the transcript were: Senator Driscoll — Aye; Senator Giroux — Aye; Senator Larson — Aye; Senator Smith — Aye; Chairman Salazar — Aye. The clerk announced five ayes and the bill passed out of committee.
The action covered only the appropriation to change agency software; no policy change on unemployment benefit weeks was taken by the committee during this hearing.
Votes at a glance
Senate File 175 — Appropriation of $18,000 to update agency software related to a name change. Outcome: approved by committee (recorded roll-call responses: 5 ayes).
