HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1619        FILED ON: 2/10/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1965

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Shawn Dooley

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to the prevention of unemployment fraud.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Shawn Dooley

9th Norfolk

2/10/2021


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1619        FILED ON: 2/10/2021

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1965

By Mr. Dooley of Norfolk, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1965) of Shawn Dooley for legislation to establish a special commission (including members of the General Court) to study and report on the policies and procedures of the Department of Unemployment Assistance to prevent and address unemployment fraud.  Labor and Workforce Development.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

_______________

 

An Act relative to the prevention of unemployment fraud.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Notwithstanding any general or special laws to the contrary, there shall be established a commission to study and report on the policies and procedures of the department of unemployment assistance to prevent and address unemployment fraud. The commission shall: (1) identify and review current policies to prevent and address fraudulent unemployment claims; (2) compile and review data concerning the frequency and extent of unemployment fraud that has occurred during the 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic, also known as COVID-19; (3) evaluate the effectiveness of current policies to prevent unemployment fraud; and (4) recommend evidence-based strategies or policies that can be established to prevent future fraudulent unemployment claims.

The commission shall be composed of 8 members as follows: the secretary of labor and workforce development or a designee, who shall serve as chair; the speaker of the house of representatives or a designee; the president of the senate or a designee; the house minority leader or a designee; the senate minority leader or a designee; the director of the department of unemployment assistance or a designee; the state auditor or a designee; and the attorney general or a designee.

The commission shall submit a final report with its findings and any recommendations to the clerks of the house of representative and the senate and the joint committee on labor and workforce development not later than December 31, 2021.