Sen. Honeyford's November 13 letter to ESD

December 23, 2003

13 November 2003

Dr. Sylvia P. Mundy, Commissioner
Department of Employment Security
Mail Stop: 6000
Olympia WA 98507-9046

Dear Commissioner Mundy:

This is a follow up to my letter of 12 November 2003 regarding legislative intent in implementing 2ESB 6097.

I refer your agency to the bill reports which clearly show that the maximum of twenty-six weeks for benefits was not a floating target but a maximum.

The Final Bill Report created 12 June 2003 and revised 22 July 2003 states: "When the unemployment rate reaches six and eight-tenths of a percent, the maximum duration for benefits is twenty-six weeks."

The Senate Bill Report created 11 June 2003 and revised 12 June 2003 has the same language as the Final Bill Report.

The House Bill Report, created and revised on 4 November 2003, states: "Beginning in the first month after the Commissioner finds that the state's unemployment rate is 6.8 percent or less, the maximum benefits payable are the lesser of twenty-six times the weekly benefit amount or one-third of the total gross wages in the base year. (The maximum duration of benefits is twenty-six weeks)."

These reports make it perfectly clear that the maximum duration for benefits is twenty-six weeks.

Courts look to the bill reports to determine the legislative intent. Your agency can do no less.

Sincerely,

JIM HONEYFORD
State Senator
15th Legislative District

cc: Juanita Myers, UI Rules Coordinator
Anthony Anton
Kathleen Collins
Tom Dooley

PDF copy of Senator Honeyford's 11/13 letter

Contact: Jason Mercier | Budget Research Analyst | 360.956.3482

Evergreen Freedom Foundation P.O. Box 552, Olympia, WA 98507 Phone: (360) 956-3482, Fax: (360) 352-1874 Email: effwa@effwa.org