As expected, COVID-19 spiked Florida's unemployment rate to 4.3 percent last month.
Some lawmakers now tell Reporter Forrest Sanders it's one more reason they need to return to Tallahassee early.
ABOVE FEBRUARY AND THE HIGHEIT'S BEEN SINCE MAY OF 2017.SOME LAWMAKERS ARE NOW TELLINGCAPITOL REPORTER FORRESTSAUNDERS IT'S ONE MORE REASONTHEY NEED TO RETURNTALLAHASSEE EARLY.<<AIDES TELL ME SOME HOUSEDEMOCRATIC CAUCUS MEMBERS ARECRAFTING A LETTER RIGHT NOW TOCALL FOR A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVESESSION.
THEY WANT TO COMEBACK TO EXPAND FLORIDA'SUNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS WHICHARE SOME OF THE WEAKEST IN THENATION.
PKG TROUBLES FILINGWITH THE STATE SYSTEM ASIDE,LEE VANPELT HAS ANOTHERPROBLEM.
SHE DOESN'T QUALIFYFOR FLORIDA'S UNEMPLOYMENTBENEFITS RIGHT NOW.
(LEEVANPELT, TALLAHASSEE) "I DON'TKNOW HOW I'M GOING TO PAY NEXTMONTH'S RENT.
MY UTILITIES.I'M STILL WAITING ON ASTIMULUS CHECK IT'S GETTINGKIND OF HAIRY RIGHT NOW." (L53:17) VANPELT MAXED OUT ONPAYMENTS ALREADY THIS YEAR.SHE GOT A NEW JOB, THEN LOSTIT AGAIN WHEN VIRUSPROTECTIONS STARTED.
"IT'STELLING ME I CAN APPLY IJANUARY." (LEE 52:56) HERSTORY HIGHLIGHTS HOW MUCH LESSFLORIDA'S BENEFITS ARECOMPARED TO OTHERS.
A $275LIMIT FOR 12 WEEKS.
MOST OTHSTATES OFFER MORE MONEY FORLONGER.
(REP.
MARGARET GOOD,DEPUTY DEMOCRATIC LEADER)"WE'RE ONLY ONE OF NINE STATESTHAT DOES NOT HAVE 26 WEEKS OFUNEMPLOYMENT." (GOOD 1:40)REP.
MARGARET GOOD IS PART OFA GROWING NUMBER OF HOUSEDEMOCRATS WORKING ON A LETTERPUSHING FOR A SPECIAL SESSION.THEY WANT TO BOLSTER BENEFITSMORE MONEY FOR LONGER, GIVERETROACTIVE PAY AND FIX THEONLINE APPLICATION SYSTEM.
"WENEED TO MAKE SURE THATFLORIDIANS WHO LOST THEIR JOB,THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN,ARE TAKEN CARE OF." (GOO2:43) DESANTIS ISN'T TOO KEENON THE IDEA OF BRINGINGLAWMAKERS BACK.
HE SAIDTHURSDAY THE FOCUS SHOULD BEON THE IMMEDIATE IMPROVEMENTSPOSSIBLE WITHOUT THE HOUSE ANDSENATE.
(GOV.
RON DESANTIS,(R) FLORIDA) "LOOK, WE NEED TODO THIS NOW.
WHAT ARE YOGOING TO DO, COME UP ANDDEBATE AND PASS A BILL THAT'SEFFECTIVE IN JULY?" (G12:33) VANPELT, WHO'S OUT OFOPTIONS UNTIL FEDERAL AIDARRIVES, FEELS JUST THEOPPOSITE.
A SPECIAL SESSIONCOULD BE A BIG HELP.
"THOSEPEOPLE, THAT'S THEIR JOB.THEY'RE HERE FOR US.
IN TIMESLIKE THIS THEY NEED TO STEPTO THE PLATE." (LEE 54:2FORREST THE GOVERNOR SAIDYESTERDAY FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENTCHECKS FROM THE CARES ACT ARENOW AVAILABLE.
THIS WEEK ABO24,000 OF THEM WENT OUT TOFLORIDIANS.FIRST AT 6 - STRONG STORMS AREPOSSIBLE THIS EVENING
Some of the lawmakers discussed the major flaws in the CONNECT system and how it ultimately failed Floridians.
According to Business Insider up to 2 million veterans could miss out on $1,200 coronavirus relief stimulus checks.
A lot of..
