Arizona 2023 2023 Regular Session

Arizona Senate Bill SB1167 Comm Sub / Analysis

Filed 04/10/2023

                      	SB 1167 
Initials PRB 	Page 1 	House Engrossed 
 
ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Fifty-sixth Legislature 
First Regular Session 
Senate: COM DP 4-3-0-0 | 3
rd
 Read 16-14-0-0 
House: COM DP 6-4-0-0 
 
SB 1167: unemployment insurance; benefit amounts; definition 
Sponsor: Senator Kaiser, LD 2 
House Engrossed 
Overview 
Changes the duration of unemployment benefits for which an individual may receive during a 
benefit year. 
History 
Individuals awarded unemployment insurance benefits are entitled to receive a weekly benefit in 
an amount equal to 4% of the total wages for insured work paid in the highest quarter of their 
base period. The base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters 
immediately preceding the first day of their benefit year.  The weekly benefit amount is statutorily 
capped at $320 (A.R.S. § 23-779).  
The duration of benefits is based on the unemployment rate in the prior calendar quarter, which 
is the average of the seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for the three months of the most 
recently published calendar year quarter as published by the Office of Economic Opportunity. If 
the prior calendar quarter unemployment rate is less than 5% the duration of benefits is 24 weeks. 
If the prior calendar quarter unemployment rate is 5% or more the duration of benefits is 26 weeks 
(A.R.S. § 23-780). 
According to the Office of Economic Opportunity, Arizona's unemployment rate (January 2023 – 
Seasonally Adjusted) is 3.8%. 
Provisions 
1. Establishes a duration schedule for which an individual receives unemployment benefits 
based on incremental changes in the unemployment rate in the prior calendar quarter (UR): 
a) 12 weeks, if the UR is 5% or less; 
b) 13 weeks, if the UR is more than 5% but not more than 5.5%; 
c) 14 weeks, if the UR is more than 5.5% but not more than 6%;   
d) 15 weeks, if the UR is more than 6% but not more than 6.5%;   
e) 16 weeks, if the UR is more than 6.5% but not more than 7%;   
f) 17 weeks, if the UR is more than 7% but not more than 7.5%;  
g) 18 weeks, if the UR is more than 7.5% but not more than 8%;  
h) 19 weeks, if the UR is more than 8% but not more than 8.5%; and   
i) 20 weeks, if the UR is more than 8.5%. (Sec. 1)  
☐ Prop 105 (45 votes)     ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes)      ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☒ Fiscal Note