Unemployment insurance: use of information.

Under existing law, the information obtained in the administration of the Unemployment Insurance Code is for the exclusive use and information of the Director of Employment Development in the discharge of his or her duties and is not open to the public. However, existing law permits the use of the information for specified purposes, and allows the director to require reimbursement for direct costs incurred. Existing law provides that a person who knowingly accesses, uses, or discloses this confidential information without authorization is guilty of a misdemeanor. This bill would require the Director of Employment Development to permit the use of any information in his or her possession to enable the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to obtain quarterly wage data of former inmates who have been incarcerated within the prison system in order to assess the impact of rehabilitation services or the lack of these services on the employment and earnings of these former inmates. By requiring this information to be provided to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for these purposes, this bill would expand the crime of unauthorized access, use, or disclosure of this information, and would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 1095 of the Unemployment Insurance Code proposed by SB 1028 and AB 1792, to be operative if this bill and one or both or the other bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2006, and this bill is enacted last. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.