HLS 202ES-47 ENGROSSED
2020 Second Extraordinary Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 66
BY REPRESENTATIVE BEAULLIEU
UNEMPLOYMENT COMP: Provides relative to the state's unemployment insurance
program and data sharing (Item #64)
1 AN ACT
2To enact R.S. 23:1605, relative to unemployment compensation; to provide for definitions;
3 to require the Louisiana Workforce Commission to conduct certain checks with
4 respect to unemployment compensation; to provide for data sharing; to require
5 annual reports; to provide for the promulgation of rules; and to provide for related
6 matters.
7Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 23:1605 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 ยง1605. Unemployment insurance integrity program
10 A. For the purpose of this Section, the following terms have the meanings
11 ascribed to them:
12 (1) "Department" means the Louisiana Workforce Commission.
13 (2) "Integrity Data Hub" means the centralized, multi-state data analysis tool
14 utilized by the National Association of State Workforce Agencies, which allows
15 participating state unemployment insurance agencies to cross-match unemployment
16 insurance claims against a database of information associated with potentially
17 fraudulent claims or overpayments.
18 (3) "National Directorate of New Hires" means the database that stores
19 personal and financial data on employed individuals across the country and contains
20 information and data on individuals receiving unemployment compensation.
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1 (4) "New hire records" means the directory of newly hired and re-hired
2 employees reported under state and federal law and managed by the Louisiana
3 Workforce Commission.
4 (5) "Unemployment insurance rolls" means unemployed workers receiving
5 unemployment insurance in the state.
6 B. The department shall be tasked with the responsibility of enhancing the
7 integrity of the state's unemployment insurance program.
8 C. To ensure the integrity of the unemployment insurance program and to
9 verify eligibility and to prevent fraudulent filing and payment of claims, the
10 department is required to do all of the following:
11 (1) The department shall utilize the Integrity Data Hub or may use other
12 commercially available database solutions to check new hire records against the
13 state's unemployment insurance rolls on a weekly basis.
14 (2) The department, on a weekly basis, is required to check new hire records
15 against the National Directorate of New Hires.
16 (3) The department is required to check the Integrity Data Hub and National
17 Directorate of New Hires against federal, state, and local prison and jail records.
18 (4) The department, on a weekly basis, is required to check the
19 unemployment insurance rolls against the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and
20 Corrections' list of incarcerated individuals.
21 D. When the department receives information concerning an individual who
22 is participating in the unemployment compensation insurance program that indicates
23 a change in circumstances that may affect his eligibility, the department shall review
24 the individual's case and make a final determination of his eligibility in accordance
25 with the provisions in R.S. 23:1600 and 1601.
26 E. Pursuant to the performance of all cross-match activities required by this
27 Section, the Louisiana Workforce Commission shall provide to the legislature a
28 report on or before June thirtieth annually. The report shall include all of the
29 following:
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HB NO. 66
1 (1) The department's rate of consistency in performing the weekly checks
2 against the Integrity Data Hub and National Directorate of New Hires.
3 (2) The type and amount of improper payments detected retroactively.
4 (3) The type and amount of improper payments prevented.
5 (4) The dollar amount the state has saved in preventing improper payments
6 and, if any, in recuperating improper payments.
7 F. The department shall have the authority to execute a memorandum of
8 understanding with any state department, agency, or division for data that is
9 necessary to carry out the purposes of this Section.
10 G. The Louisiana Workforce Commission shall promulgate all rules and
11 regulations necessary for the purposes of carrying out the provisions of this Section.
12 Section 2.(A) This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Unemployment
13Insurance Program Integrity Act of 2020".
14 (B) The purpose of this Act is to enhance program integrity for the state's
15unemployment insurance program.
16 Section 3. This Act shall become effective January 1, 2021.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 66 Engrossed 2020 Second Extraordinary Session Beaullieu
Abstract: Provides relative to the state's unemployment insurance program by
implementing an unemployment insurance integrity program and data sharing.
Proposed law defines terms for the purposes of proposed law.
Proposed law provides that the La. Workforce Commission (LWC) shall be tasked with the
responsibility of enhancing the integrity of the state's unemployment insurance program.
Proposed law provides that in order to ensure the integrity of the unemployment insurance
program and to verify eligibility to prevent fraudulent filing and payment of claims, LWC
is required to do all of the following:
(1) LWC shall utilize the Integrity Data Hub or may use other commercially available
database solutions to check new hire records against the state's unemployment
insurance rolls on a weekly basis.
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HB NO. 66
(2) LWC, on a weekly basis, is required to check new hire records against the National
Directorate of New Hires.
(3) LWC is required to check the Integrity Data Hub and National Directorate of New
Hires against federal, state, and local prison and jail records.
(4) LWC, on a weekly basis, is required to check the unemployment insurance rolls
against the La. Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections' list of incarcerated
individuals.
Proposed law provides when LWC receives information concerning an individual who is
participating in the unemployment compensation insurance program that indicates a change
in circumstances that may affect his eligibility, LWC shall review the individual's case and
make a final determination of his eligibility in accordance with the provisions in present law.
Proposed law requires LWC to provide an annual report to the legislature to include all of
the following:
(1) The department's rate of consistency in performing the weekly checks against the
Integrity Data Hub and National Directorate of New Hires.
(2)The type and amount of improper payments detected retroactively.
(3)The type and amount of improper payments prevented.
(4)The dollar amount the state has saved in preventing improper payments and, if any,
in recuperating improper payments.
Proposed law provides that LWC shall be the authority to execute a memorandum of
understanding with any, within reason, state department, agency, or division for data that is
necessary to carry out the purposes outlined in proposed law.
Proposed law provides that LWC shall promulgate all rules and regulations necessary for the
purposes of carrying out the provisions under proposed law.
Proposed law provides that proposed law shall be known and may be cited as the
"Unemployment Insurance Program Integrity Act of 2020" and that the purpose of proposed
law is to enhance program integrity for the state's unemployment insurance program.
Effective Jan. 1, 2021.
(Adds R.S. 23:1605)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Labor and Industrial
Relations to the original bill:
1. Make technical changes.
2. Authorize LWC to use other commercially available database solutions to check
new hire records.
3. Require annual reporting of certain indicators to the legislature.
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