A bill that would have required employers to report their new hires to the Department of Labor or face a fine is dead for the year. The House unanimously agreed to return Senate Bill 1369 to its Commerce and Human Resources Committee, where it will remain for the session.
The bill was the subject of two protracted debates on the House floor Friday. The measure had initially narrowly passed, but after a reconsideration of the vote, the House voted to work on amendments. Rep. Stephen Hartgen, R-Twin Falls, said lawmakers will work with the Department of Labor on the issue over the summer.
IdahoReporter.com reported last year that the state agency had misapplied some $82 million in unemployment benefits in recent years. The labor department said it needed more power to compel employers to let the state know about new hires in order to prevent benefits from being paid out.