California state Assembly on Monday passed a bill to extend unemployment benefits in California, trying to take steps in drawing billions of dollars from the federal stimulus package.
The bill now goes to the Senate for action Thursday. If passed and signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, it would make available extended benefits of $65 to $475 a week for an estimated 74,000 jobless whose assistance would otherwise run out in the middle of April.
Between now and the end of the year, an estimated 260,000 unemployed people could receive the extended benefits, state officials said.
Schwarzenegger, in a statement released by his office, said he would sign the bill when it got to his desk.
Republicans initially rejected the bill last week over concerns it could require the state to pay for half of the extended benefits. They also argued they didn’t have time to read it.
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