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Gov. Charlie Crist has signed an executive order allowed out-of-work Floridians to get extended federal unemployment checks through Dec. 4.
"Unemployed Floridians are struggling in this challenging economic climate, trying to figure out how to pay their bills and support their families. We simply cannot desert the 250,000 Floridians who qualify...," Crist said in a statement today.
Congress earlier this week authorized money for extended benefits, but the state Legislature earlier in the year ended state benefits extension deadlines June 5. Tens of thousands of Floridians were dropping out of the extended-benefit program each week.
The extension will last until Dec. 4, per the federal law signed by President Obama Thursday. Florida's benefits ended June 5 before Crist's order.
There are more than 1 million people out of work in Florida, with 250,000 of them having burned through 26 weeks of standard unemployment compensation and other tiers of extended checks that allow for up to 79 weeks of benefits.
Crist made them eligible with a stroke of his pen.
"It is in the best interests of the residents of Florida that unemployed Floridians be permitted to benefit from all existing federal unemployment programs without the impediment of inconsistent state statutes," the executive order states.
Originally posted by endisnighe
reply to post by Misoir
Thanks for the clarification.
Question, so a governor can circumnavigate the legislature in Florida?
So, do they have a dictatorship down there?
Just wondering what is the purpose of the legislature if the governor can just decree something?