House Prepares for Unemployment Compensation Reform Debate

With protesters gathered in Tallahassee, opposing the plan to reduce unemployment compensation from 26 weeks to 20 weeks and down to 12 weeks if the unemployment rate drops below 5 percent, the House will debate the matter on Thursday. The chairman of the House Rules and Calendar Committee, Rep. Gary Aubuchon, R-Cape Coral, set the stage for the debate, announcing that each side will be given 30 minutes to debate the matter on Thursday.

Rep. Doug Holder, R-Sarasota, introduced the measure on Wednesday morning while Democrats, who held a vote on Tuesday taking a caucus position opposing it, gave signals that they intended to continue the fight against the bill.

Its an honor to present this bill, said Holder, who argued that the measure offered tax relief that would help Floridians get back to work by freeing up businesses. It takes a step moving the state unemployment system to a state re-employment system.

It creates a message to the business community that Florida is the most business-friendly state in the nation, said Holder. It will create more jobs.

Holder insisted that current beneficiaries would not be impacted, nor would anyone receiving federal compensation.

The available federal benefits would not be affected at all, said Holder.

Under questioning from Rep. Marty Kiar, D-Parkland, Holder said that 400,000 Floridians were currently receiving unemployment benefits.

Rep. Dwayne Taylor, D-Daytona Beach, asked Holder why unemployment compensation was being cut from 26 weeks to 20 weeks. Holder responded that the state unemployment compensation fund has been out of money since 2009, forcing Florida to turn to the federal government for help.