FL S0220

Florida Senate Memorial requesting Congress create an Oil Spill Unemployment Assistance Program to provide income support for individuals unemployed due to oil spills of national significance.

Program would cover individuals not entitled to other unemployment compensation, including self-employed workers and independent contractors affected by the Deepwater Horizon explosion of April 20, 2010.

Program costs would be borne by responsible parties under the Oil Pollution Act rather than federal funds.

Current Disaster Unemployment Assistance Program only applies to presidentially-declared natural disasters, not man-made oil spills.

Directs copies be sent to the President, Senate President, House Speaker, and Florida congressional delegation.