HB 149 Summary

• Disqualifies individuals who obtained unemployment benefits through fraud from receiving future benefits until the fraud overpayment, interest, and a 15% monetary penalty are fully repaid.

• Limits deductions from future benefits to 50% of the weekly benefit amount for nonfraud overpayments, while fraud overpayments allow 100% deductions until repaid.

• Permits the Department to deliver overpayment notices through multiple methods including mail, email, or other delivery means, and removes the previous 5-year deadline for filing collection actions.

• Prohibits the Department from charging interest on nonfraud overpayments but requires interest on fraud overpayments at the same rate as past due assessments under § 3357.

• Establishes a 3-year period after which uncollectible overpayment debts may be written off and specifies the order in which payments must be credited (fraud principal, fraud interest, fraud penalties, nonfraud principal, court costs).