Montgomery, AL – An Alabama Senate committee has split along party lines in approving legislation to expand unemployment benefits to about 20,000 more people.
The Senate Business and Labor Committee passed the bill Thursday with seven Democrats voting for it and one Republican against it.
The bill would expand Alabama's unemployment compensation program to cover workers who have only been in the work force a short time, those seeking part-time work rather than full-time jobs, people in job-training programs who have exhausted their normal benefits, and workers who leave their jobs because of domestic violence.
The bill now goes to the Senate. If the Legislature approves it, Alabama will qualify for $100 million from the federal stimulus package. Some Republicans are concerned how the state would pay for the benefits once the federal money runs out.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)