Bill would maintain longer jobless benefits

Published 4:37 pm Monday, March 7, 2011

ST. PAUL — The Minnesota Legislature has passed a bill that would maintain access to longer unemployment benefits for the state’s jobless.

The bill cleared the Senate unanimously Monday after passing the House last month. It now heads to Gov. Mark Dayton’s desk.

The House version of the bill was sponsored by District 27A Rep. Rich Murray of Albert Lea, who said he is happy to see the bill move forward.

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“It’s exciting because it’s my first bill to go to the floor and get passed, and I’m pretty sure the governor will be signing it this week,” Murray said.

The legislation makes a technical adjustment to state law to allow unemployed Minnesotans to continue collecting unemployment benefits for up to 86 weeks. Without the change, Minnesota’s unemployed workers would lose out on a 13-week extension of federally authorized unemployment benefits.

Minnesota’s unemployment trust fund is currently running a $600 million deficit.

But the Senate sponsor, Sen. John Pederson, said business owners who pay unemployment taxes are willing to operate on borrowed federal money since the fund is scheduled to return to solvency within two years.

Murray said the bill would affect 55,000 Minnesotans.

It also proposes to restore the opportunity for adult children of business owners to receive unemployment benefits to the same extent as any other employee.

Under current law, the spouse, parent or child (regardless of age) of a business owner may not receive more than five weeks of state unemployment benefits and up to 11 weeks of federal benefits.