State lawmakers have voted to extend unemployment benefits for North Carolinians for up to four additional months. But the measure would also force the governor to accept a spending cut.
Both the House and the Senate have now passed House Bill 383. It would extend unemployment benefits for about 37 thousand workers who otherwise would stop receiving their checks as of Saturday. Republican Paul Stam is the House Majority Leader.
Paul Stam: "This bill, this law ensures the continuity of government and the expectations of our citizens, first the 37 thousand citizens who otherwise would lose unemployment insurance benefits."
But there's a catch. Stam and others have tied the benefits to a plan that would force the governor to accept a thirteen percent spending cut from her budget proposal for next year. That's if the two sides can't agree on a budget before the June thirtieth deadline.
