Florida Senate - 2013                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 1024
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Barcode 190184                          
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                  Comm: RCS            .                                
                  03/07/2013           .                                
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       The Committee on Community Affairs (Stargel) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Between lines 935 and 936
    4  insert:
    5         Section 35. Paragraphs (b) and (c) of subsection (1) of
    6  section 443.091, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
    7         443.091 Benefit eligibility conditions.—
    8         (1) An unemployed individual is eligible to receive
    9  benefits for any week only if the Department of Economic
   10  Opportunity finds that:
   11         (b) She or he has completed the department’s online work
   12  registration registered with the department for work and
   13  subsequently reports to the one-stop career center as directed
   14  by the regional workforce board for reemployment services. This
   15  requirement does not apply to persons who are:
   16         1. Non-Florida residents;
   17         2. On a temporary layoff;
   18         3. Union members who customarily obtain employment through
   19  a union hiring hall; or
   20         4. Claiming benefits under an approved short-time
   21  compensation plan as provided in s. 443.1116.
   22         5. Unable to complete the online work registration due to
   23  illiteracy, physical or mental impairment, a legal prohibition
   24  from using a computer, or a language impediment. If a person is
   25  exempted from the online work registration under this
   26  subparagraph, then the filing of his or her claim constitutes
   27  registration for work.
   28         (c) To make continued claims for benefits, she or he is
   29  reporting to the department in accordance with this paragraph
   30  and department rules, and participating in an initial skills
   31  review, as directed by the department. Department rules may not
   32  conflict with s. 443.111(1)(b), which requires that each
   33  claimant continue to report regardless of any pending appeal
   34  relating to her or his eligibility or disqualification for
   35  benefits.
   36         1. For each week of unemployment claimed, each report must,
   37  at a minimum, include the name, address, and telephone number of
   38  each prospective employer contacted, or the date the claimant
   39  reported to a one-stop career center, pursuant to paragraph (d).
   40         2. The administrator or operator of the initial skills
   41  review shall notify the department when the individual completes
   42  the initial skills review and report the results of the review
   43  to the regional workforce board or the one-stop career center as
   44  directed by the workforce board. The department shall prescribe
   45  a numeric score on the initial skills review that demonstrates a
   46  minimal proficiency in workforce skills. The department,
   47  workforce board, or one-stop career center shall use the initial
   48  skills review to develop a plan for referring individuals to
   49  training and employment opportunities. The failure of the
   50  individual to comply with this requirement will result in the
   51  individual being determined ineligible for benefits for the week
   52  in which the noncompliance occurred and for any subsequent week
   53  of unemployment until the requirement is satisfied. However,
   54  this requirement does not apply if the individual is able to
   55  affirmatively attest to being unable to complete such review due
   56  to illiteracy or a language impediment or is exempt from the
   57  work registration requirement as set forth in paragraph (b).
   58         3. Any individual who falls below the minimal proficiency
   59  score prescribed by the department in subparagraph 2. on the
   60  initial skills review shall be offered training opportunities
   61  and encouraged to participate in such training at no cost to the
   62  individual in order to improve his or her workforce skills to
   63  the minimal proficiency level.
   64         4. The department shall coordinate with Workforce Florida,
   65  Inc., the workforce boards, and the one-stop career centers to
   66  identify, develop, and utilize best practices for improving the
   67  skills of individuals who choose to participate in training
   68  opportunities and who have a minimal proficiency score below the
   69  score prescribed in subparagraph 2.
   70         5. The department, in coordination with Workforce Florida,
   71  Inc., the workforce boards, and the one-stop career centers,
   72  shall evaluate the use, effectiveness, and costs associated with
   73  the training prescribed in subparagraph 3. and report its
   74  findings and recommendations for training and the use of best
   75  practices to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the
   76  Speaker of the House of Representatives by January 1, 2013.
   77         Section 36. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section
   78  443.151, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   79         443.151 Procedure concerning claims.—
   80         (2) FILING OF CLAIM INVESTIGATIONS; NOTIFICATION OF
   81  CLAIMANTS AND EMPLOYERS.—
   82         (b) Process.—When the Reemployment Assistance Claims and
   83  Benefits Information System described in s. 443.1113 is fully
   84  operational, the process for filing claims must incorporate the
   85  process for registering for work with the workforce information
   86  systems established pursuant to s. 445.011. Unless exempted
   87  under s. 443.091(1)(b)5., a A claim for benefits may not be
   88  processed until the work registration requirement is satisfied.
   89  The department may adopt rules as necessary to administer the
   90  work registration requirement set forth in this paragraph.
   91  
   92  
   93  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   94         And the title is amended as follows:
   95         Delete line 73
   96  and insert:
   97         annual reports by Space Florida; amending s.443.091,
   98         F.S.; providing for online work registration and
   99         providing exceptions; amending s. 443.151, F.S.;
  100         conforming provisions to changes made by this act;
  101         amending s. 443.1113,