Year: 2022
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U.S. weekly unemployment insurance claims rise to 200,000
New applications for U.S. unemployment insurance benefits rose 19,000 for the week ending April 30 to a seasonally adjusted 200,000. The previous week's figure was revised up from 180,000 to 181,000. The four-week moving average as of April 30 rose to 188,000 from a revised 180,000 as of the week ending April 23. The number…
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Oklahoma legislature passes unemployment insurance indexing bill
The Oklahoma House of Representatives gave final approval May 17 to House Bill 1933, which would index unemployment insurance benefits, tying the length of benefits to the state's unemployment rate. The Seante passed the bill April 26. If the governor approves the bill, Oklahoma will provide shorter periods of benefits during times of low unemployment…
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Mellen School District votes to prohibit race from being discussed during American history lessons
The Mellon School Board in Wisconsin voted on April 20, 2022, to adopt a new policy to prohibit race from being discussed during American history lessons. This decision follows a vote in March that barred subjects such as critical race theory, religion, sexual orientation, privilege, empathy, and political orientation from being taught in classrooms. The…
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Michigan waives 55,000 pandemic unemployment insurance overpayments
The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency announced May 4 that an additional 55,000 unemployment insurance claimants who received overpayments during the coronavirus pandemic will not have to repay the funds. The agency also said about 400,000 overpayments totalling $4.3 billion had already been forgiven. Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) signed a bill Feb. 28 allowing for…
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Colorado legislators pass bill to direct federal funds to repay unemployment insurance debt
Colorado legislators on May 10 passed a bill that would direct $600 million of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to help pay back the state's $1 billion unemployment insurance trust fund debt to the federal government. The bill would also forgive certain non-fraud overpayments, meaning some workers who received more unemployment insurance payments…
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U.S. weekly unemployment insurance claims rise to 203,000
New applications for U.S. unemployment insurance benefits rose 1,000 for the week ending May 7 to a seasonally adjusted 203,000. The previous week's figure was revised up from 200,000 to 202,000. The four-week moving average as of May 7 rose to 192,750 from a revised 188,500 as of the week ending April 30. The number…
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Amendment to remove register of probate office on New Hampshire ballot
Last week, the New Hampshire House of Representatives voted in agreement with the New Hampshire State Senate to approve a constitutional amendment that would eliminate the register of probate office. This measure will appear on the ballot in November for New Hampshire voters. The ballot measure was introduced to the New Hampshire General Court in…
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Kansas Supreme Court overturns district court ruling, upholds state's congressional district map
On May 18, the Kansas Supreme Court overturned a district court's ruling that found that the state's enacted congressional district boundaries were unconstitutional. In a two-page order, Justice Caleb Stegall wrote for the court, "A majority of the court holds that, on the record before us, plaintiffs have not prevailed on their claims that Substitute…
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Alabama bond question, Atlanta and Little Rock local measures on Tuesday ballot
On May 24, Alabama voters will decide Amendment 1. The measure would amend the state constitution to issue up to $85 million in bonds for improvement, renovation, acquisition, construction, and maintenance of state parks. Of the bonds, $80 million would be used for state parks managed by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR)…
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Mastriano wins the Republican primary for Governor of Pennsylvania
Doug Mastriano defeated Lou Barletta, Bill McSwain, Dave White, and five other candidates to win the May 17, 2022, Republican primary for Governor of Pennsylvania. Incumbent Tom Wolf (D) was term-limited. The primary featured the most candidates in a Pennsylvania Republican gubernatorial primary since at least 1978. The state Republican Party did not endorse a…