Legislative showdown over jobless pay likely today

The explosive issues of guns in bars and expansion of the death penalty are likely to be overshadowed by a General Assembly showdown today over Gov. Timothy M. Kaine’s plea to boost benefits for thousands thrown out of work by the economic crisis.

With nearly 300,000 Virginians idled, pushing the state’s jobless rate to 6.7 percent, Kaine is pressing a divided legislature to expand unemployment pay for part-timers and to protect health insurance for some laid-off employees.

Kaine is seeking changes in state law to enable Virginia to accept $125 million in federal stimulus funds to underwrite the expanded unemployment benefits.

The issues could be decided in the House, where a Republican majority is largely aligned with business in resisting additional unemployment benefits. Still, GOP delegates from areas where joblessness is high are under pressure to side with Kaine, a Democrat.

The legislature will act on Kaine’s recommended changes to, and vetoes of, bills passed this winter. The one-day session signals the close of the last full General Assembly session of Kaine’s term.

Business organizations—from the Virginia Chamber of Commerce to the National Federation of Independent Business—are balking at the proposed increase in jobless pay. They say it will accelerate spending by the unemployment trust fund and help push up taxes on business to keep it solvent.

With all 100 House seats up for election this fall, Kaine’s proposal could make for a tough vote. One Republican, Del. Daniel W. Marshall III of Danville, where unemployment is 15 percent, is expected to side with Kaine.

The Senate, with a slender Democratic advantage, may be friendlier to Kaine.

Advocates for the unemployed—including the Virginia Interfaith Center and its economic think-tank, the Commonwealth Institute—are urging lawmakers to back Kaine and accept the stimulus funds to underwrite the increase.

Supporters say enhanced benefits will pump additional cash into a state economy that started slowing down nearly two years ago, forcing billions of dollars in spending cuts.

The General Assembly also will address perennial issues: Kaine’s vetoes of measures allowing Virginians with concealed-weapons permits to carry their guns in taverns, and imposing capital punishment to accomplices in murders even if they did not pull the trigger.

After the legislature’s 46-day session, which ended Feb. 28, Kaine rejected 12 bills and proposed revisions to 105 others.

Another bill—one mandating additional health-care coverage by small firms—also is being tracked by the business lobby.

Kaine wants to drop a six-month waiting period for employees to qualify for health insurance. Another revision, backed by federal stimulus funds, would extend coverage for laid-off workers an additional six months.

To overturn a gubernatorial veto requires a two-thirds vote of each chamber—67 in the House, 27 in the Senate. Amendments rise or fall on a majority vote.

Several bills vetoed by Kaine passed by enough votes during the regular session to possibly augur an override.

Those include bills extending the death penalty to those convicted in the killings of auxiliary police officers and fire marshals. But Kaine’s veto of a bill allowing capital punishment for those not directly responsible for a murder may be sustained, as it was a year ago.

Kaine again blocked legislation allowing people with concealed-weapons permits to take guns into restaurants where alcohol is served. His veto last year of a similar bill stood.

Kaine also vetoed bills allowing retired law-enforcement officers to carry concealed weapons into bars and exempting active-duty military from a state law limiting handgun purchases to one a month.

Both passed the legislature by hefty, apparently veto-proof margins.

Kaine left the $77 billion budget adopted by the General Assembly almost intact, proposing only three modest adjustments, including restoring $1 million for public broadcasting.