• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- South Dakotans who file fraudulent claims for unemployment benefits should have to pay back more money than they received, a state advisory panel recommended Tuesday.
• People are already required to repay any unemployment benefits they receive as the result of fraud, but the proposal would make them pay an additional penalty equal to 50 percent of the benefits received. For a second or subsequent fraudulent claim, the penalty would increase to 100 percent of the benefits received.
• The Unemployment Insurance Advisory Council, which advises the Labor Department on the unemployment benefit system, will ask the 2013 South Dakota Legislature to pass a law imposing the extra penalties.
• Labor Secretary Pam Roberts said federal law requires states to impose a penalty equal to at least 15 percent of the improper payments, but the council decided to seek a stiffer penalty.
• Council members said it makes sense to increase the fine for repeat offenses.
• "The first time, cute. The second time, how dumb do you think we are?" said council member David Owen, president of the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
• Unemployment insurance provides temporary financial assistance to people who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. It is financed by payroll taxes paid by businesses.

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