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Senate adopts amendment transferring reserve fund into unemployment trust
Summary
Senators adopted amendment 50-70 to transfer remaining money in the unemployment compensation reserve fund into the unemployment insurance fund; floor debate centered on the fund’s origin and whether the money should be retained for workforce services.
Senate amendment 50-70, offered during debate on Senate File 2168, adds a division to transfer remaining funds in the unemployment compensation reserve fund into the unemployment insurance trust. Senator Dickey presented the amendment and stated the reserve contains "approximately $150,000,000."
Opponents said the reserve was established using federal Reid Act money and that the interest had been intended to support workforce offices and add benefits during high unemployment. Senator Dotzler told colleagues the trust fund was created to "assist in keeping the workforce offices open by using only the interest on the money," and warned that rolling those funds into the general trust fund would remove that dedicated capacity. Senator Donahue also raised concerns the bill shifts focus from strengthening the safety net to reducing costs.
The amendment was adopted on the floor by voice vote, as announced by the presiding officer. The transcript records the floor debate, the adoption motion, and subsequent continued consideration of the bill as amended.
