By Jim Nolan Published: February 10,
Office 2010 Professional Plus Key, 2010 Republicans while in the Virginia Residence of Delegates may have a 2nd probability to grab the $125 million in federal stimulus funds for unemployment insurance coverage they left around the table very last yr.Senate Bill 239, sponsored by Sen. John Watkins, R-Powhatan,
Office Professional Plus, handed the Virginia Senate with bipartisan assist, 31-9.Watkins' legislation would make it easy for Virginia to qualify for the stimulus money by extending state unemployment many benefits to those that have exhausted their eligibility but who're enrolled in instruction applications.The bill would also extend features to individuals who leave their jobs for the compelling spouse and children good reason, similar to domestic violence,
Office 2010 Pro Plus, major illness or disability of a family members member, or to accompany a spouse in a very work switch that makes it unachievable to carry on their own perform.At the Common Assembly's reconvened session last April,
Office 2010 Standard, the home defeated a proposal backed by then-Gov. Timothy M. Kaine to qualify for that money by extending advantages to part-time employees and to people who are teaching for new jobs.GOP lawmakers and then-gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell opposed expanding unemployment insurance eligibility to those groups,
Microsoft Office 2007, arguing that the obligation to extend added benefits would develop into an unfunded mandate that will drive up the prices on the state's employers when the funding runs out.Some others expressed fears that giving positive aspects to part-timers could discourage the jobless from returning to do the job by freeing them to reject positions they deemed unappealing.Watkins' bill in essence substitutes the voluntary job separation qualification for the part-time provision.McDonnell press secretary Stacey Johnson issued a short statement on the challenge yesterday: "The governor doesn't assist tax increases."But Watkins explained accepting the money would not avoid the legislature from voting to alter unemployment eligibility law in the future if lawmakers made the decision they didn't need to carry on provided many benefits towards the groups when stimulus funds are exhausted.Watkins also argued that accepting the money now would diminish the amount of borrowing the state may be required to carry out from your federal government to keep its unemployment insurance coverage fund solvent.Del. Samuel A. Nixon Jr., R-Chesterfield, identified as the legislation "problematic" given that it asks lawmakers to "make long-term everlasting changes to unemployment insurance policy . . . that should influence Virginia and Virginia employers for a long time to come." Communicate with Jim Nolan at (804) 649-6061 or jnolan@timesdispatch.com.