By Jim Nolan Printed: February 10, 2010 Republicans while in the Virginia Property of Delegates may have a 2nd possibility to grab the $125 million in federal stimulus funds for unemployment insurance coverage they left about the table final yr.Senate Bill 239,
Windows 7 Serial, sponsored by Sen. John Watkins, R-Powhatan, passed the Virginia Senate with bipartisan help,
Microsoft Office 2007 Product Key, 31-9.Watkins' legislation would allow for Virginia to qualify for your stimulus funds by extending state unemployment many benefits to individuals that have exhausted their eligibility but who're enrolled in teaching applications.The bill would also extend amazing benefits to folks who leave their work opportunities for the compelling household motive, which includes domestic violence, critical sickness or disability of a spouse and children member,
Windows 7 Ultimate Key, or to accompany a wife or husband in a very work alter which makes it difficult to go on their own function.With the Common Assembly's reconvened session final April,
Office 2007 Serial, the house defeated a proposal backed by then-Gov. Timothy M. Kaine to qualify for the funds by extending perks to part-time employees and also to those who are training for new work opportunities.GOP lawmakers and then-gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell opposed expanding unemployment insurance eligibility to people groups, arguing the obligation to extend gains would turn into an unfunded mandate that will drive up the prices about the state's employers when the funding runs out.Many people expressed concerns that providing positive aspects to part-timers could discourage the jobless from returning to do the trick by freeing them to reject positions they deemed unappealing.Watkins' bill effectively substitutes the voluntary position separation qualification for your part-time provision.McDonnell press secretary Stacey Johnson issued a brief statement around the problem yesterday: "The governor won't assistance tax raises."But Watkins claimed accepting the funds would not reduce the legislature from voting to change unemployment eligibility law in the future if lawmakers made a decision they didn't wish to go on offered many benefits towards the groups as soon as stimulus money are exhausted.Watkins also argued that accepting the cash now would reduce the amount of borrowing the state could be expected to carry out through the federal authorities to help keep its unemployment insurance fund solvent.Del. Samuel A. Nixon Jr., R-Chesterfield,
Microsoft Office 2010 Key, labeled as the legislation "problematic" mainly because it asks lawmakers to "make long-term everlasting alterations to unemployment insurance policy . . . which will influence Virginia and Virginia employers for a long time to arrive." Get hold of Jim Nolan at (804) 649-6061 or jnolan@timesdispatch.com.