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House Bill 0003




    Florida House of Representatives - 1997                   HB 3

        By Representatives Starks, Bitner and Arnall






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to unemployment compensation;

  3         requiring a reduction in certain contribution

  4         rates for 1 year; amending s. 443.111, F.S.;

  5         increasing the maximum weekly benefit amount

  6         for unemployment compensation benefits;

  7         providing an effective date.

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  9  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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11         Section 1.  Notwithstanding the initial and minimum

12  contribution rates provided in s. 443.131, Florida Statutes,

13  for employers eligible for a contribution rate that varies

14  from the standard rate and for a period of 1 year beginning

15  July 1, 1997, the Division of Unemployment Compensation of the

16  Department of Labor and Employment Security, after computing

17  such employer's initial or minimum contribution rate, shall

18  reduce such rates by 25 percent.  The division shall notify

19  each such employer of the reduced rate and contributions under

20  the reduced rate shall be payable in the same manner as

21  provided by law.

22         Section 2.  Subsection (3) of section 443.111, Florida

23  Statutes, as amended by chapters 96-378 and 96-423, Laws of

24  Florida, is amended to read:

25         443.111  Payment of benefits.--

26         (3)  WEEKLY BENEFIT AMOUNT.--An individual's "weekly

27  benefit amount" shall be an amount equal to one-twenty-sixth

28  of the total wages for insured work paid during that quarter

29  of the base period in which such total wages paid were the

30  highest, but not less than $32 or more than $275 $250.  Such

31  weekly benefit amount, if not a multiple of $1, shall be

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 1997                   HB 3

    204-158-97






  1  rounded downward to the nearest full dollar amount.  The

  2  maximum weekly benefit amount in effect at the time the

  3  claimant establishes an individual weekly benefit amount shall

  4  be the maximum benefit amount applicable throughout the

  5  claimant's benefit year.

  6         Section 3.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1997.

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  9                          HOUSE SUMMARY

10    Requires a 25 percent reduction in contribution rates for
      1 year for employers eligible for a contribution rate
11    that varies from the standard rate.  Increases from $250
      to $275 the maximum weekly benefit amount for
12    unemployment compensation benefits.

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