HOUSE BILL 483

47th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2006

INTRODUCED BY

Mimi Stewart

AN ACT

RELATING TO UNEMPLOYMENT; CREATING AN UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE TASK FORCE; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION; DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     Section 1. TEMPORARY PROVISION--UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE TASK FORCE--CREATION--STAFF.--

          A. The "unemployment insurance task force" is created. The task force consists of fifteen members as follows:

                (1) the secretary of labor or the secretary's designee;

                (2) a staff member of the labor department, appointed by the secretary of labor, who is familiar with the existing structure for calculating contribution rates and alternatives used in other states;

                (3) a staff member of the legislative finance committee, appointed by the legislative finance committee, who is familiar with unemployment compensation and labor department issues;

                (4) the secretary of finance and administration or the secretary's designee;

                (5) the chairs of the house appropriations and finance committee, the senate finance committee, the senate corporations and transportation committee and the house government and urban affairs committee or their designees;

                (6) a public member, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, who is an economist with an advocacy group for the unemployed;

                (7) a minority party member of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives;

                (8) a minority party member of the senate, appointed by the president pro tempore of the senate;

                (9) two public members, one to represent labor interests and one to represent business interests, and both of whom have expertise in unemployment insurance, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; and

                (10) two public members, one to represent labor interests and one to represent business interests, and both of whom have expertise in unemployment insurance, appointed by the president pro tempore of the senate.

          B. The chair of the unemployment insurance task force shall be elected by the task force. The task force shall meet at the call of the chair.

          C. Members of the task force shall serve from the time of their appointment through December 31, 2006. On January 1, 2007, the task force is terminated.

          D. The public members of the task force shall receive per diem and mileage pursuant to the Per Diem and Mileage Act.

          E. The task force shall:

                (1) examine the existing program of unemployment insurance in New Mexico, including:

                     (a) the requirements of federal law;

                     (b) the adequacy of the contribution levels for employers;

                     (c) the reasonableness of the statutory structure for adjusting contribution levels;

                     (d) the adequacy of existing benefits and alternatives to expand and improve upon those benefits; and

                     (e) the actuarial soundness of the unemployment compensation fund and alternatives for reimbursing or crediting excess amounts to employers; and

                (2) no later than December 31, 2006, report its findings and recommendations to the first session of the forty-eighth legislature.

          F. The legislative council service, with assistance from the labor department and the legislative finance committee, shall provide staff for the task force.

     Section 2. APPROPRIATION.--Ten thousand dollars ($10,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the legislative council service for expenditure in fiscal years 2006 and 2007 for the purpose of paying per diem and mileage and other expenses of the unemployment insurance task force. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2007 shall revert to the general fund.

     Section 3. EMERGENCY.--It is necessary for the public peace, health and safety that this act take effect immediately.

- 4 -