BILL NUMBER: AB 1556AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 17, 2014 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Perea (Coauthors: Assembly Members Ian Calderon, Frazier, Gonzalez, and Wieckowski) JANUARY 27, 2014 An act to amend Section 316 of, and to add Sections 320.3, 1253.92, and 1326.5 to, the Unemployment Insurance Code, relating to unemployment insurance, and making an appropriation therefor. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1556, as amended, Perea. Unemployment insurance. Existing unemployment insurance law requires all standard information employee pamphlets provided by the Employment Development Department concerning unemployment and disability insurance programs to be printed in English and separately in Spanish, or both. This bill would instead require those pamphlets to be printed in English and the47 other most commonly used languages among participants in each program. This bill would require the Employment Development Department to make pages on its Internet Web site that provide information regarding applying for, and receiving, unemployment insurance benefits available in the47 languages, other than English, most commonly used by unemployment insurance applicants and claimants. Existing unemployment insurance law requires the Employment Development Department to pay unemployment compensation benefits to unemployed individuals meeting specified requirements. This bill would require the Director of Employment Development to periodically review policies and practices used to determine eligibility for and the amount of benefits in the unemployment insurance program, as specified, and report to the Legislature the results of the first review on or before July 1, 2015. Existing law prohibits an unemployed individual from being disqualified for benefits solely on the basis that he or she is a student. This bill would prohibit an unemployed individual who is otherwise eligible for and receiving unemployment compensation benefits from being deemed ineligible for a week in which the individual commenced a training or education program, if specified conditions are met. Because this bill would make changes to existing eligibility requirements for unemployment compensation benefits that would result in additional amounts being payable from the Unemployment Fund, a continuously appropriated fund, the bill would make an appropriation. Existing law requires claims to be made in accordance with authorized regulations of the director. This bill would require a continued claim to be submitted within a specified period. It would also prohibit the director from reevaluating a continued claim for eligibility solely because it was submitted 15 to 21 days, inclusive, from the end of the last week for which benefits were paid. Vote: majority. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 316 of the Unemployment Insurance Code is amended to read: 316. (a) There shall be maintained within an appropriate division of the department, a bureau,sectionsection, or unit relating to education and public instruction for the purpose of informing employers and workers of their rights and responsibilities under this code, and of instructing the public generally concerning its basic purposes,provisionsprovisions, and operations. All standard information employee pamphlets concerning unemployment and disability insurance programs shall be printed in English and thefourseven other most commonly used languages among participants in each program in such number as he or she may determine. (b) The department shall make the pages on its Internet Web site that provide information regarding applying for, and receiving, unemployment insurance benefits available in thefourseven languages, other than English, most commonly used by unemployment insurance applicants and claimants. SEC. 2. Section 320.3 is added to the Unemployment Insurance Code, to read: 320.3. (a) The director shall periodically review policies and practices used to determine eligibility for and the amount of benefits in the unemployment insurance program to identify those policies and practices that do all of the following: (1) Result in delayed eligibility determinations or benefit payments. (2) Increase workload for the department. (3) Provide little or no value in identifying or preventing fraud or abuse in the unemployment insurance program. (b) The director shall report to the Legislature the results of the first review on or before July 1, 2015, and may submit subsequent reports thereafter. The report shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. SEC. 3. Section 1253.92 is added to the Unemployment Insurance Code, to read: 1253.92. (a) An unemployed individual who is otherwise eligible for and receiving unemployment compensation benefits shall not be deemed ineligible for a week in which the unemployed individual commenced a training or education program whenever both of the following occur: (1) The individual has notified the department of the training or education program on a continued claim form. (2) The individual has certified on the continued claim form to all of the following: (A) He or she looked for work. (B) He or she was able to work. (C) He or she was willing to accept full-time work in the same week he or she began a training or education program. (b) The department may conduct an inquiry to determine if the commencement of the training or education program significantly impairs the availability of the unemployed person. If the department determines that the commencement of the training or education program significantly impairs the unemployed person's availability to accept work, then the department may take appropriate action regarding the payment of unemployment benefits. SEC. 4. Section 1326.5 is added to the Unemployment Insurance Code, to read: 1326.5. A claimant shall submit a continued claim within 14 days of the end of the last week for which benefits were paid. The director shall not reevaluate a continued claim for eligibility solely due to a claim being submitted 15 to 21 days, inclusive, from the end of the last week for which benefits were paid.