AN ACT INCREASING THE THRESHOLD AMOUNT FOR FELONY UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION FRAUD.

SB 1219 increases the financial threshold for classifying unemployment compensation fraud as a felony from $500 to $2,000. Under current law, fraud involving $500 or less is a misdemeanor, while amounts over $500 are felonies; this bill raises both thresholds to $2,000 or less for misdemeanors and over $2,000 for felonies. It directly affects individuals who commit fraud by making false claims about unemployment benefits, reclassifying lower-value fraud (between $500-$2,000) from felonies to misdemeanors. The change takes effect October 1, 2025, and has no fiscal impact on state or municipal budgets, per the bill's analysis.