Bill Summary
The Unemployment Insurance Technology and Accessibility Act of 2020 is a bill that aims to provide funding for States to improve their unemployment insurance technology systems. This bill also includes provisions for ensuring accessibility for individuals with disabilities, older individuals, and individuals with limited English proficiency. The bill would make $500 million available for grants to be given to States, which would be taken from the Federal unemployment account. States receiving these grants would be required to certify that their technology systems will meet certain requirements within two years. If they fail to meet these requirements, they would have to return the grant funds.
Possible Impacts
1. People applying for unemployment insurance may have an easier time accessing and navigating the application process if the state they live in receives a grant for improved information technology. This could potentially save them time and frustration. 2. Individuals with disabilities and limited English proficiency may have better access to unemployment insurance benefits if their state is required to provide translations and make the online claim-filing system accessible. 3. If a state fails to meet the requirements for improved information technology within 2 years of receiving the grant, they will be required to return the full amount of the grant to the Treasury. This could potentially lead to budget cuts or delays in implementing necessary improvements, which could affect the overall efficiency of the unemployment insurance system and potentially impact individuals who rely on it.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4283 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4283
To provide funding for States to improve their unemployment insurance
technology systems, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 22, 2020
Mr. Wyden (for himself, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Brown, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr.
Menendez, Mr. Casey, Ms. Cortez Masto, and Ms. Rosen) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Finance
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide funding for States to improve their unemployment insurance
technology systems, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Unemployment Insurance Technology
and Accessibility Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. SPECIAL TRANSFER FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FUNDING.
Section 903 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1103) is amended
by adding at the end the following:
``(j) Special Transfer in Fiscal Year 2020 for Improved Information
Technology.--
``(1) In general.--In addition to any other amounts, the
Secretary of Labor shall provide for the making of grants to
the accounts of the States in the Unemployment Trust Fund, by
transfer from amounts in the Federal unemployment account, in
accordance with succeeding provisions of this subsection.
``(2) Amount of payment.--The amount of payment under
paragraph (1) with respect to any State shall, as determined by
the Secretary of Labor, be equal to the amount obtained by
multiplying $500,000,000 by the same ratio as would apply under
subsection (a)(2)(B) for purposes of determining such State's
share of any excess amount (as described in subsection (a)(1))
that would have been subject to transfer to State accounts, as
of October 1, 2019, under the provisions of subsection (a).
``(3) Use of funds.--
``(A) In general.--Any amount transferred to the
account of a State by reason of this section shall be
used by the State agency of such State to improve the
information technology used by the State agency to
administer the unemployment compensation laws of the
State.
``(B) Condition for receiving a grant.--
``(i) In general.--As a condition of
receiving a grant under this subsection, a
State shall certify to the Secretary of Labor
that, within 2 years of receiving such grant--
``(I) the information technology
used by the State agency to administer
the unemployment compensation laws of
the State will meet the requirements
described in clause (ii); and
``(II) applications for
unemployment compensation, and
assistance with the application
process, will be accessible in at least
two of the following: in-person, by
phone, or online.
``(ii) Requirements.--The requirements for
the information technology described in this
clause are the following:
``(I) Requirements for online
claim-filing system.--Any online claim-
filing system used by the State shall--
``(aa) ensure that the
process of filing initial and
continuing claims for
unemployment compensation can
be readily understood and
accomplished by the vast
majority of claimants,
including individuals with
limited English proficiency,
individuals with disabilities,
older individuals, and
individuals with literacy
challenges;
``(bb) be available in any
language spoken by more than 1
percent of the State's
population, and such
translations must be completed
by human translators rather
than translation software;
``(cc) be accessible and
optimized for both desktop
computers and mobile devices.
Any features of the system
(such as the ability to upload
documentation) that are
available in the desktop
version of the online claim-
filing system must also be
available in the mobile
version;
``(dd) allow for electronic
submission of documentation
required to support a claim;
``(ee) be available 24
hours a day, 7 days a week; and
``(ff) have an automated
password reset function that
can be completed online.
``(II) Additional requirements for
information technology.--Any other
requirements determined appropriate by
the Secretary of Labor.
``(iii) Repayment if requirements not
met.--If, at the end of the 2-year period
described in clause (i) with respect to a
State, the Secretary of Labor finds that the
State is not in compliance with the conditions
described in subclauses (I) and (II) of clause
(i), the State shall be required to return the
full amount of the grant to the Secretary of
Treasury. Such repayment shall be deposited
into the general fund of the Treasury.
``(4) Funding.--
``(A) In general.--There are appropriated from the
general fund of the Treasury, without fiscal year
limitation, to the Federal unemployment account
$500,000,000 for making grants to States under this
subsection. The amount transferred under the preceding
sentence shall not be taken into account for purposes
of any determination under section 902, 910, or 1203 of
the amount in the Federal unemployment account as of
any given time.
``(B) Certification.--The Secretary of Labor shall
certify to the Secretary of the Treasury for payment to
each State the sum payable to each State under this
subsection.''.
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