Extends the duration of unemployment benefits

HB 588 extends the duration of unemployment benefits in Missouri based on the state's average unemployment rate. It replaces previous provisions with a new section setting benefit limits: 20 weeks if the rate is 9% or higher, down to 13 weeks if below 6%. This directly affects unemployed workers in Missouri who qualify for state unemployment benefits. The bill adjusts benefit length annually using data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, without creating new eligibility or changing benefit amounts.