Florida HB 191: Verification of Reemployment Assistance Benefit Eligibility

Bill Text

HB 191 2026

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb191-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to verification of reemployment 2
assistance benefit eligibility; providing a short 3
title; amending s. 443.101, F.S.; revising 4
circumstances under which the Department of Commerce 5
disqualifies claimants from reemployment assistance 6
benefits; creating s. 443.1112, F.S.; requiring the 7
department to verify claimants' identities before 8
paying benefits; requiring the department to cross-9
check certain information to verify claimants' 10
eligibility under certain circumstances; providing 11
duties of the department; requiring the department to 12
maintain a web page for a specified purpose and to 13
notify employers each year of the web page; providing 14
annual reporting requirements; providing an effective 15
date. 16
17
Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 18
19
Section 1. This act may be cited as the "Promoting Work, 20
Deterring Fraud Act of 2026." 21
Section 2. Subsection (2) of section 443.101, Florida 22
Statutes, is amended to read: 23
443.101 Disqualification for benefits.—An individual shall 24
be disqualified for benefits: 25

HB 191 2026

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hb191-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

(2) If the Department of Commerce finds that the 26
individual has failed without good cause to apply for available 27
suitable work, to contact the required number of prospective 28
employers per week for any week of unemployment claimed in a 29
benefit year in accordance with s. 443.091, to appear on three 30
or more occasions for a scheduled job interview without 31
notifying the prospective employer of the need to cancel or 32
reschedule the interview, to accept suitable work when offered 33
to him or her, to or return to the individual's customary self-34
employment when directed by the department, or to return to 35
employment when recalled to work by the individual's employer 36
after a temporary layoff, the disqualification continues for the 37
full period of unemployment next ensuing after he or she failed 38
without good cause to apply for available suitable work, to 39
appear on three or more occasions for a scheduled job interview 40
without notification, to accept suitable work, to or return to 41
his or her customary self-employment, or to return to his or her 42
employment after a temporary layoff, and until the individual 43
has earned income of at least 17 times his or her weekly benefit 44
amount. The department shall by rule adopt criteria to implement 45
this subsection, including criteria for determining the 46
"suitability of work," as used in this section. In developing 47
these rules, the department shall consider the duration of a 48
claimant's unemployment in determining the suitability of work 49
and the suitability of proposed rates of compensation for 50

HB 191 2026

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

available work. Further, after an individual has received 25 51
weeks of benefits in a single year, suitable work is a job that 52
pays the minimum wage and is 120 percent or more of the weekly 53
benefit amount the individual is drawing. 54
(a) In determining whether or not any work is suitable for 55
an individual, the department shall consider the degree of risk 56
to the individual's health, safety, and morals; the individual's 57
physical fitness, prior training, experience, prior earnings, 58
length of unemployment, and prospects for securing local work in 59
his or her customary occupation; and the distance of the 60
available work from his or her residence. 61
(b) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, 62
work is not deemed suitable and benefits may not be denied to 63
any otherwise eligible individual for refusing to accept new 64
work under any of the following conditions: 65
1. The position offered is vacant due directly to a 66
strike, lockout, or other labor dispute. 67
2. The wages, hours, or other conditions of the work 68
offered are substantially less favorable to the individual than 69
those prevailing for similar work in the locality. 70
3. As a condition of being employed, the individual is 71
required to join a company union or to resign from or refrain 72
from joining any bona fide labor organization. 73
(c) If the department finds that an individual was 74
rejected for offered employment as the direct result of a 75

HB 191 2026

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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S

positive, confirmed drug test required as a condition of 76
employment, the individual is disqualified for refusing to 77
accept an off