Budget Amendment ID: FY2026-S3-96

ECO 96

Mitigating Cost Increases of Unemployment Insurance

Messrs. Tarr, Fattman and Durant and Mrs. Dooner moved that the proposed new text be amended by inserting after section ___ the following  section:--

"Section __ -  There shall be a special commission to conduct an analysis of the impacts on employers in the commonwealth of unemployment insurance cost increases attributable to the disallowed use of federal COVID-19 relief funds for unemployment claims, and the resulting settlement agreement between the commonwealth and the federal government, and develop recommendations for mitigating, to the maximum feasible extent, cost increases caused by these factors. The commission shall consist of 13 members, including the Secretary of Labor And Workforce Development, or a designee, whom shall act as its chair, and 12 members appointed by the governor, one of which shall represent the National Federation of Independent Business, one of which shall represent the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, one of whom shall represent the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, two of whom shall represent organized labor in the commonwealth, two of whom shall represent employees not affiliated with organized labor in the commonwealth, two of which shall be affiliated with the University of Massachusetts, one of which shall have experience in labor law, and one of which shall have experience in economics, and one member representing the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. In carrying out the provisions of this section, the commission shall meet not less than 3 times, and conduct not less than 3 public hearings in geographically diverse regions of the commonwealth, provided that at least one of which shall allow remote electronic participation. The commission shall file a report of its findings, together with any legislative, regulatory and other recommendations, with the clerks of the House and Senate, the Senate and House Committees on Ways and Means, the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies, and the Secretary of Administration and Finance not later than December 31, 2025."