Senate Democratic Caucus Calls On Republican Leadership To Reconvene And Pass Unemployment Glitch Bill
TALLAHASSEE – The Senate Democratic Caucus on Tuesday called on the Republican Legislative Leadership to re-summon their members and take up legislation clearing the way for hundreds of thousands of out of work Floridians to continue receiving unemployment benefits.
Sponsored by Senators Dave Aronberg (D-Greenacres), Dan Gelber (D-Miami Beach) and Tony Hill (D-Jacksonville), and co-sponsored by Senate Democratic Leader Al Lawson (D-Tallahassee), Senators Charlie Justice (D-St. Petersburg), Eleanor Sobel (D-Hollywood), Chris Smith (D-Miami), Jeremy Ring (D-Margate), Nan Rich (D-Weston) and Gary Siplin (D-Orlando),the legislation is needed so that the unemployment benefits extension Congress is expected to pass this week, and the president is expected to sign can be passed onto Florida’s unemployed.
That’s because Florida Statutes currently include an expiration date of June 5th. Legislation is needed to extend that date if the unemployed are to continue receiving benefits. According to the Agency for Workforce Innovation, almost 35,000 workers have been losing their only real source of income each week. The reauthorization by Congress will allow those Floridians to begin drawing unemployment again, but only if the Legislature acts.
“The Legislature is still in town and can easily extend the call to help Floridians thrown out of work through no fault of their own,” said Sen. Hill. “It is unconscionable if they do not call back their members and take up this bill to help our unemployed. It is unconscionable if they stubbornly sine die on the only economic lifeline keeping our people alive.”
“It is inexcusable that the Republican Leadership is caught flat footed by this issue,” said Sen. Gelber. “The temper tantrums over the oil drilling ban have now been extended to those out of work. Their failure to act is political cowardice at its best.”
“The legislature has turned a deaf ear to the people,” said Sen. Aronberg. “Whether it’s the right to be heard on protecting our shoreline, or the right to collect unemployment assistance to which they’re entitled, their voices have been silenced.”
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