| 13 | 13 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1 |
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| 14 | 14 | | AN ACT AUTHORIZING ACTIVATION OF AN INCREASED UNEMPLOYMENT 2 |
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| 15 | 15 | | INSURANCE WEEKLY BENEFIT AMOUNT WHEN A DISASTER IS DECLARED 3 |
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| 16 | 16 | | UNDER THE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ACT . 4 |
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| 17 | 17 | | The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5 |
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| 18 | 18 | | SECTION 1.(a) G.S. 96-14.2 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 6 |
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| 19 | 19 | | "(f) Temporary Enhancement During Declared Disasters. – Subject to the certification 7 |
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| 20 | 20 | | requirements of G.S. 96-9.3(f), for claims filed during any period in which a disaster declaration 8 |
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| 21 | 21 | | has been declared pursuant to G.S. 166A-19.21, and for the duration of the declaration, the 9 |
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| 22 | 22 | | maximum weekly benefit amount shall be temporarily increased to six hundred dollars ($600.00), 10 |
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| 23 | 23 | | notwithstanding the maximum weekly benefit amount established under subsection (a) of this 11 |
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| 24 | 24 | | section." 12 |
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| 25 | 25 | | SECTION 1.(b) G.S. 96-9.2 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 13 |
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| 26 | 26 | | "(f) Enhanced Benefit Earmarking. – Funds within the Unemployment Insurance Fund 14 |
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| 27 | 27 | | shall be earmarked as a reserve dedicated to funding the enhanced benefits authorized by 15 |
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| 28 | 28 | | G.S. 96-14.2(f). The Division shall project annually the amount of funds reasonably necessary to 16 |
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| 29 | 29 | | maintain the sufficiency for providing the enhanced benefits. Beginning January 1, 2027, then 17 |
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| 30 | 30 | | annually thereafter, the Division shall report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on 18 |
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| 31 | 31 | | Unemployment Insurance regarding the projections and earmarks for the preceding year." 19 |
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| 32 | 32 | | SECTION 1.(c) G.S. 96-9.3 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 20 |
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| 33 | 33 | | "(f) Certification of Sufficient Funding. – The Division shall certify that sufficient funds 21 |
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| 34 | 34 | | have been earmarked under G.S. 96-9.2(f) to pay enhanced benefits under G.S. 166A-19.20, 22 |
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| 35 | 35 | | prior to the implementation of enhanced benefits under G.S. 96-14.2(f). If the Division 23 |
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| 36 | 36 | | determines that funds in the Account are insufficient to provide enhanced benefits for the 24 |
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| 37 | 37 | | anticipated duration of the disaster declaration, temporary enhancement under G.S. 96-14.2(f) 25 |
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| 38 | 38 | | shall not take effect for that disaster declaration unless the General Assembly enacts the 26 |
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| 39 | 39 | | temporary enhancement in accordance with Article II, Section 23 of the North Carolina 27 |
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| 40 | 40 | | Constitution." 28 |
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| 41 | 41 | | SECTION 2. This act becomes effective July 1, 2025. 29 |
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