Revising the duration of unemployment insurance benefits

- 2025
69th Legislature 2025 HB0131.3
- 1 - Authorized Print Version – HB 131
1 HOUSE BILL NO. 131
2 INTRODUCED BY K. SEEKINS-CROWE, G. OVERSTREET, C. SCHOMER, E. TILLEMAN, C. HINKLE, N.
3 NICOL, F. NAVE
4
5 A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: “AN ACT REVISING THE DURATION OF UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE
6 BENEFITS; REVISING THE RATIO OF TOTAL BASE PERIOD RELATIVE TO CERTAIN FULL WEEKS OF
7 BENEFITS; PROVIDING A BENEFIT DURATION FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYEES; AMENDING SECTION 39-51-
8 2204, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE AND AN APPLICABILITY DATE.”
9
10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:
11
12Section 1. Section 39-51-2204, MCA, is amended to read:
13 "39-51-2204. Maximum benefit amount. (1) Any EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (2), ANY
14 otherwise eligible individual is entitled during the individual's benefit year to a total amount of benefits equal to
15 the individual's weekly benefit amount, as calculated according to 39-51-2201, times the number of full weeks
16 of benefit entitlement appearing in the following table in the line which includes the individual's ratio of total
17 base period earnings to the highest quarter of earnings in the base period:
Ratio of Total Base Period
Earnings to High Quarter Full Weeks
At Least But Less Than of Benefits
1.00 1.25 8
1.25 1.50 10
1.50 1.75 12
1.75 2.00 14
2.00 2.25 16
2.25 2.50 18
2.50 2.75 20
- 2025
69th Legislature 2025 HB0131.3
- 2 - Authorized Print Version – HB 131
2.75 3.00 22
3.00 ....... 24
1 (2) FOR JOB-ATTACHED CLAIMANTS, UNION-ATTACHED CLAIMANTS, OR CLAIMANTS THAT ARE UNEMPLOYED
2RESULTING FROM A MASS LAYOFF AS DEFINED BY THE FEDERAL WORKER ADJUSTMENT AND RETRAINING NOTIFICATION
3 ACT, 29 U.S.C. 2101(A)(3), ANY OTHERWISE ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL IS ENTITLED DURING THE INDIVIDUAL'S BENEFIT YEAR
4TO A TOTAL AMOUNT OF BENEFITS EQUAL TO THE INDIVIDUAL'S WEEKLY BENEFIT AMOUNT, AS CALCULATED ACCORDING
5TO 39-51-2201, TIMES THE NUMBER OF FULL WEEKS OF BENEFIT ENTITLEMENT APPEARING IN THE FOLLOWING TABLE IN
6THE LINE WHICH INCLUDES THE INDIVIDUAL'S RATIO OF TOTAL BASE PERIOD EARNINGS TO THE HIGHEST QUARTER OF
7EARNINGS IN THE BASE PERIOD:
RATIO OF TOTAL BASE PERIOD
EARNINGS TO HIGH QUARTER FULL WEEKS
AT LEAST BUT LESS THAN OF BENEFITS
1.00 1.25 8
1.25 1.50 10
1.50 1.75 12
1.75 2.00 14
2.00 2.25 16
2.25 2.50 18
2.50 2.75 20
2.75 3.00 22
3.00 ....... 24
8 "
9
10 NEW SECTION. Section 2. Effective date. [This act] is effective July 1 5, 2025.
11
12 NEW SECTION. Section 3. Applicability. [This act] applies to unemployment insurance claims filed
13 on or after July 1 5, 2025.
14 - END -