Unemployment extension bill failed

Unemployment extension bill failed On Monday afternoon, in a special session of the state Legislature specially called by the governor, legislators did not pass Brewer's extension of unemployment benefits bill...

Unemployment Benefit Extension Bill Failed On Monday afternoon, in a special session of the state Legislature called by the governor, lawmakers failed to pass Brewer's unemployment benefit extension bill, which affects 15,000 people on the island. Under the current law, eligible unemployment benefit applicants can receive an average of $216 per week in unemployment benefits, and those who exceed 79 weeks automatically lose eligibility. The governor's bill would continue benefits to the unemployed after 79 weeks. Fifteen thousand people across the state are receiving their last benefit checks this week after exhausting 79 weeks of aid, and another 25,000 people will lose aid in the coming months. The biggest opponents come from Republicans, who believe that the average $216 unemployment benefit may encourage some people to be inert to not look for work. At the same time, reducing unemployment benefits will also help reduce the federal deficit. Several Republicans said they were not opposed to returning for a special session, but it would be better if the governor brought other bills together, such as cutting corporate taxes. The focus of this meeting should be on jobs and employment, not unemployment, said Sen. Steve Pierce, R-Scott. We need to do tax reform. The moral obligation on each of us is to move toward this goal. He said Brewer was "unwilling" to do this with Parliament. The National Employment Law Project shows that 31 states have passed unemployment benefit extension bills so far, and Arizona is one of five states that would have been eligible for an extension but state lawmakers have not.