Montgomery, AL – Committees in the Alabama Senate and House have approved versions of a bill that would extend unemployment benefits to state workers for an additional 20 weeks.
The Senate Finance and Taxation-Education Committee and the House Commerce Committee approved versions of the bill that would use federal stimulus money to continue to pay benefits to unemployed workers after the initial 59 weeks of unemployment insurance has expired.
The Senate sponsor, Democratic Sen. Rodger Smitherman of Birmingham, said the bill allows the state to accept about $65 million in federal money to extend the benefits.
The bill was part of Gov. Bob Riley's call for a special session.
Smitherman said extending the benefits will help unemployed Alabama residents struggling to find a new job in the recession.
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