Existing law requires the Employment Development Department to implement and administer the unemployment insurance program in this state and provides for the payment of unemployment compensation benefits to eligible individuals who are unemployed through no fault of their own. Existing law makes it a violation to, among other things, willfully make a false statement or representation to obtain, increase, reduce, or defeat any benefit or payment under the specified provisions administered by the department. Existing law requires that the place of trial for specified violations of unemployment insurance laws be in the county of residence or principal place of business of the defendant or defendants, or in any county where the defendant or defendants were transacting business that resulted in the alleged offenses. Existing law requires the trial to be held in the County of Sacramento if the defendant has no residence or principal place of business in this state.

This bill would additionally require that the place of the trial be in any county where any money or property from the alleged offenses was obtained, and would require that the place of the trial be in the County of Sacramento if no other prescribed counties are applicable. The bill would delete the requirement that the trial be held in the County of Sacramento if the defendant has no residence or principal place of business in this state.