Office Standard Va. Senate favors accepting stimul

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By Jim Nolan Published: February ten, 2010 Republicans from the Virginia Property of Delegates may have a second likelihood to grab the $125 million in federal stimulus funds for unemployment insurance they left on the table very last 12 months.Senate Bill 239, sponsored by Sen. John Watkins, R-Powhatan,Office Pro Plus 2007 Key, passed the Virginia Senate with bipartisan assistance, 31-9.Watkins' legislation would allow Virginia to qualify for your stimulus funds by extending state unemployment many benefits to folks who have exhausted their eligibility but that are enrolled in training software programs.The bill would also extend amazing benefits to people who leave their work opportunities to get a compelling relatives valid reason,Office 2010 Serial, similar to domestic violence,Windows 7 X86, severe sickness or disability of a loved ones member, or to accompany a wife or husband inside a employment adjust that makes it unattainable to carry on their very own function.At the Common Assembly's reconvened session last April, the house defeated a proposal backed by then-Gov. Timothy M. Kaine to qualify for the money by extending rewards to part-time workers and to individuals that are instruction for new jobs.GOP lawmakers and then-gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell opposed expanding unemployment insurance eligibility to those groups,Office Standard, arguing that the obligation to extend gains would turned out to be an unfunded mandate that would drive up the expenditures around the state's employers once the funding runs out.Other people expressed concerns that giving perks to part-timers could discourage the jobless from returning to operate by freeing them to reject positions they deemed unappealing.Watkins' bill in essence substitutes the voluntary position separation qualification for your part-time provision.McDonnell press secretary Stacey Johnson issued a brief statement about the concern yesterday: "The governor will not assistance tax raises."But Watkins stated accepting the money wouldn't prevent the legislature from voting to alter unemployment eligibility law later on if lawmakers decided they did not like to continue furnished many advantages on the groups once stimulus funds are exhausted.Watkins also argued that accepting the money now would diminish the amount of borrowing the state could well be necessary to carry out through the federal authorities to maintain its unemployment insurance fund solvent.Del. Samuel A. Nixon Jr.,Windows 7 Starter Product Key, R-Chesterfield, named the legislation "problematic" given that it asks lawmakers to "make long-term long term modifications to unemployment insurance policy . . . that should effect Virginia and Virginia employers for years to come." Speak to Jim Nolan at (804) 649-6061 or jnolan@timesdispatch.com.