An Act To Expedite Training Waiver Decisions for Unemployment Claimants by Transferring Original Jurisdiction from the Unemployment Insurance Commission to the Bureau of Unemployment Compensation
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1668
Committee Amendment CA_A_S407 (Senate)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A " to S.P. 663, L.D. 1668, Bill, "An Act To 
Expedite Training Waiver Decisions for Unemployment Claimants by Transferring 
Original Jurisdiction from the Unemployment Insurance Commission to the Bureau of 
Unemployment Compensation" 
Amend the bill by inserting after the title and before the enacting clause the 
following: 
'Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, the number of applications for training waivers to the Maine 
Unemployment Insurance Commission has increased dramatically in 2013 because the 
only path for many citizens to receive their unemployment benefits requires their 
participation in commission-approved training; and 
Whereas, the commission does not possess adequate staff to efficiently process both 
the training waiver case load and its normal case load despite the use of mechanisms such 
as overtime; and 
Whereas, training waiver cases are inherently time-sensitive because claimants rely 
upon their unemployment benefits to pay for necessities of daily living, such as food, 
medicine and shelter, and failure to quickly process training waiver cases can result in 
citizens' having inadequate funds for these critical items; and 
Whereas, the backlog of training waiver cases has increased substantially since 
submission of this legislation; and 
Whereas, if this legislation is not enacted as an emergency, the backlog of training 
waiver cases will increase and adversely affect even more unemployment claimants; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, , 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~. .",. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "An to S.P. 663, L.D. 1668 
Amend the bill in section 1 in subsection 6 in the 2nd and 3rd lines from the end 
(page 1, lines 14 and 15 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "The commission has 
appellate jurisdiction over these cases on appeal from the deputy." 
Amend the bill in section 2 in subsection 6-C in the first paragraph in the last 2 lines 
(page 1, lines 25 and 26 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "The commission has 
appellate jurisdiction over these cases on appeal from the deputy." 
Amend the bill by adding before the summary the following: 
'Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment changes the bill by not extending appellate jurisdiction to the Maine 
Unemployment Insurance Commission. 
Both original and appellate jurisdiction for 
approval of training not approved by the federal Workforce Investment Act of 1998 will 
be within the Department of Labor. 
This amendment also adds an emergency preamble and emergency clause to the bill. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 02119114 
;;t;?ac. 
LD 1668 
LR 2557(02) 
An Act To Expedite Training Waiver Decisions for Unemployment Claimants by Transferring 
Original Jurisdiction from the Unemployment Insurance Commission to the Bureau of Unemployment 
Compensation 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ':1\' (5,' -Ljo l ) 
Committee: Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - Federal Expenditures Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Additional costs to the Bureau of Unemployment Compensation within the Department of Labor associated with 
assuming jurisdiction for making approved training determinations for certain unemployment claimants can be 
absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR2557(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1