HB2847 • 2026

DES; unemployment benefits; increase

HB2847 - DES; unemployment benefits; increase

Labor

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Mariana Sandoval, Patty Contreras, Quantá Crews, Brian Garcia, Stephanie Stahl Hamilton, Betty J Villegas, Analise Ortiz, Priya Sundareshan
Last action: 2026-01-27
Official status: House second read
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official status indicates the bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment as of January 27, 2026, but no governor's signature or specific enactment date is provided in the source material.

HB2847: Increase in Unemployment Benefit Limits

This bill raises the maximum weekly unemployment benefit amount from $320 to $500 for eligible individuals starting July 1, 2022.

What This Bill Does

Increases the maximum weekly unemployment benefit cap to $500 effective after June 30, 2022.
Updates Section 23-779 of Arizona Revised Statutes regarding employment security benefits.
Keeps the rule that calculates weekly benefits as one twenty-fifth of a person's highest quarterly wages during their base period.
Maintains rounding rules so benefit amounts are whole dollar figures.

Who It Names or Affects

Unemployed individuals in Arizona who qualify for unemployment insurance payments under the new maximum limit.
The Department of Economic Security (DES) which administers these benefits.

Terms To Know

Base period: A specific time frame used to calculate a person's total wages and benefit amount, specifically the quarter with the highest wages.
Weekly benefit amount: The dollar sum an eligible individual receives for each week of unemployment, calculated based on their past earnings but capped at $500 after June 30, 2022.

Limits and Unknowns

This text does not state the specific date when this bill officially becomes law or if it has been signed by the governor.
The source material only shows changes to the maximum benefit cap and a change in the wage deduction threshold, but does not detail other eligibility rules.

Bill History

2026-01-27 House
House second read
2026-01-26 House
House Rules: None
2026-01-26 House
House Appropriations: None
2026-01-26 House
House Commerce: None
2026-01-26 House
House first read

Official Summary Text

HB2847 - DES; unemployment benefits; increase

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB2847 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
DES; unemployment benefits; increase

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2847

Introduced by

Representatives
Sandoval: Contreras P, Crews, Garcia, Stahl Hamilton, Villegas;� Senators
Ortiz, Sundareshan

AN
ACT

amending section 23-779, arizona
revised statutes; relating to employment security.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 23-779, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
23-779.
Amount of benefits

A. The weekly benefit amount of an individual shall
be an amount equal to 1/25 of the person's total wages for insured work paid
during that quarter of the person's base period in which such total wages were
highest, but if
:

1. From and after June 30, 2004 and
before July 1, 2022, this amount is more than $240, the weekly benefit amount
shall be $240.

2. From and after June 30, 2022,

this amount is more than $320, the weekly benefit amount shall be
$320
$500
.

B. If the weekly benefit amount is less than the
maximum weekly benefit prescribed in subsection A of this section and is not a
multiple of $1, the amount shall be rounded to the nearest dollar, with an even
one-half dollar being rounded to the next higher multiple of
$1. An individual's benefit amount shall not be redetermined during
the person's benefit year because of a new maximum or minimum weekly benefit
amount becoming effective during the person's benefit year.

C. Each eligible individual who is unemployed with
respect to any week shall be paid with respect to that week a benefit in an
amount equal to the individual's weekly benefit amount less that part of the
wages, if any, payable to the individual with respect to that week that is in
excess of
$30 through June 30, 2022 and from and after June 30,
2022 that is in excess of
$160.� The benefit, if not a multiple of $1,
shall be rounded to the nearest dollar, with an even one-half dollar
being rounded to the next higher multiple of $1.
END_STATUTE