Pennsylvania Senate Moves Bill To Fix Unemployment Comp Mess
HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- The state Senate has passed and sent to the House legislation that would pump money into Pennsylvania's troubled unemployment compensation claims processing system.
In mid-December a dispute between Senate Republicans and Democratic Governor Tom Wolf over state funding for the system led to hundreds of layoffs and the closure of several unemployment call centers.
The Senate Wednesday voted overwhelmingly to authorize $15 million to at least temporarily alleviate long delays for people calling to apply for benefits. But one "no" vote came from Republican Senator Scott Wagner, who has already jumped into the race for governor, and who played a role in thwarting the funding bill last fall. Wagner cited what he claims is an ongoing lack of accountability over the issue.
"The system that is broken – that was broken in November, that has been broken for probably the last five or ten years – is going to be continue to be broken," he said.
The bill now goes to the House, which is expected to take up the issue soon.
