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Gov Edwards Stops Federal Pandemic Unemployment Payments Early

Courtesy: Chuck Smith / Red River Radio News

 LA UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS— Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards has agreed to turn off federal pandemic unemployment payments at the end of July in exchange for a long-term, modest boost to the state’s jobless benefits.   The governor's office announced Wednesday that Edwards signed the bill. Republican state lawmakers agreed to support a $28 increase in Louisiana’s maximum weekly unemployment benefits starting in January.   That would increase the payment to a maximum of $275 a week.  But they added a provision into the legislation that only allowed the benefit hike to take effect if the Democratic governor ended the $300 supplemental federal pandemic unemployment benefit by July 31, earlier than the Sept. 6 expiration.
 

Chuck Smith brings more than 30 years' broadcast and media experience to Red River Radio. He began his career as a radio news reporter and transitioned to television journalism and newsmagazine production. Chuck studied mass communications at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and motion picture / television production at the University of California at Los Angeles. He has also taught writing for television at York Technical College in Rock Hill, South Carolina and video / film production at Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport.