HI SCR148

Hawaii has borrowed $700,700,000 in federal unemployment insurance loans as of January 2020, the eighth largest debt among states due to COVID-19 pandemic unemployment.

States must repay federal unemployment loans within approximately two years, after which federal unemployment taxes automatically increase annually for businesses until the debt is repaid.

Urges United States Congress to forgive Hawaii's outstanding federal unemployment insurance loan balance for COVID-19 related emergency funding.

Urges Congress to prohibit penalties on states for debts acquired due to emergency COVID-19 related unemployment funding.

Directs transmission of the resolution to the President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and all members of the Hawaii Congressional Delegation.