House panel-approved increase in jobless benefits is likely DOA
May 14—CONCORD — A significant increase in weekly unemployment benefits narrowly cleared a key House committee Tuesday, but House Speaker Sherman Packard has announced his intent to rule it out of order which will doom any chances of it passing in 2024.
The proposal would raise the maximum weekly benefit that the jobless can receive from $427 to $672 weekly.
Rep. Mark MacKenzie, D-Manchester, said the state has one of the lowest benefit maximums in the nation and it hasn't changed since 2007.
"I really think this is a good time to do this," MacKenzie said.
During the pandemic, Gov. Chris Sununu directed $110 million in unspent federal CARES Act money be placed in the trust fund that pays out jobless benefit claims.
As a result, state officials said the balance is near a record $400 million.
Supporters wanted to tack the proposal onto a Senate-passed bill (SB 330) that would allow someone to still collect unemployment even if that person was only seeking jobs that allowed for work from home.
Business and Industry Association President David Juvet opposed MacKenzie's bid for fear that the Senate might kill the underlying bill that has the support of business and labor interest groups.
The Senate already voted, 13-10, this spring to kill a separate bill (SB 436) to raise the unemployment benefit amounts.
The House Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services Committee endorsed MacKenzie's amendment, 10-9, because there were more Democrats than Republicans present for the vote and all followed party lines.
Committee Chairman Will Infantine, R-Manchester, said he's been told Packard would judge MacKenzie's amendment out of order because it would require a fiscal note to be prepared after the deadline was allowed for a Senate-passed bill.
That would mean a two-thirds vote would be needed to suspend those rules and that won't happen in the closely divided House.
Lawmakers in the future should update the benefit amounts given the size of the surplus, Infantine said.
Rep. Brian Sullivan, D-Grantham, said the committee vote will "send a message" the Legislature needs to update the benefit amounts with a new bill in 2025.
House Democrats will not contest Packard's ruling when the bill comes before the full House, Sullivan said.
