FRANKFORT, Ky. — A bill that would require public employment offices to be open under certain conditions has passed the Kentucky House with unanimous support.

What You Need To Know

  • Bill to reopen unemployment pffices passed Kentucky House

  • HB367 requires offices in areas where unemployment is higher than 5% to be open and operational

  • Thousands of Kentuckians are waiting for unemployment benefits

  • Gov. Andy Beshear says staff cuts and an antiquated system are to blame

 

Lawmakers said Tuesday that they have been inundated with requests for help from Kentuckians trying to file unemployment claims. 

Co-sponsor Rep. Buddy Wheatley (D - Covington) said it is the main concern he hears about from constituents. 

"We hear from people who are hurting because of schools not being opened, small businesses, large businesses that have suffered because of the pandemic and the restrictions on people being together, but this is really number one," he said. 

House Bill 367 would require Kentucky’s employment offices to be open and operational in areas where the unemployment rate reaches above five percent. 

Rep. Scott Sharp (R - Ashland) co-sponsored the bill. 

"Some of them opened up and then they were closed again and with the pandemic, everything shut down and nobody’s getting their unemployment insurance or very few have and this is a problem we need to address," he said. 

As of Friday, there were more than 44,000 pending claims that hadn’t been flagged for possible fraud or identity issues, according to information from the Kentucky Labor Cabinet.

"We need to move forward and help with our folks that are out of work, scared to death, standing in lines at food banks," said Rep. Mary Lou Marzian (D - Louisville). 

Gov. Andy Beshear said staff cuts under the previous governor and an old computer system have hurt the unemployment system, but that Kentucky should have done better. 

Related Stories