Arizona lawmakers adjourn without unemployment benefits vote

PHOENIX - Both the Arizona House and Senate have voted to adjourn their special session on unemployment benefits without reaching a decision on a potential 20-week extension.

No future special session has been scheduled at this point and that could mean the federally-funded unemployment benefits will not be extended.

The move means about 15,000 people will likely lose benefits this week, but overall, it could end up affecting about 45,000 people, according to Gov. Jan Brewer.

Brewer had tried to get lawmakers to change a formula in state law so jobless Arizonans could continue to receive the extended unemployment benefits.

But several GOP lawmakers accused the Republican governor of failing to line up votes to support the measure.

"Just because the Governor decides that she wants to do something, the legislature is just supposed to lay down and do it?” remarked Republican District 3 state senator Ron Gould. “It doesn't work that way. We're a co-equal branch of the government. The Governor needs to get the ducks all lined up in a row."

GOP lawmakers say there wasn't enough support for the proposal without also taking action on long-term measures such as business tax cuts and regulatory changes to spur the economy.

Some Republicans say the state shouldn't make a change that would provide a total of nearly two years of unemployment benefits.

A large number of unemployed showed up at the Capitol Monday to convince lawmakers to pass the benefit extension. The group was very upset with Senate President Russell Pearce.

"What it shows me is Pearce would rather play politics than meet the needs of a constituency and is not concerned about what is going on in Arizona," unemployed benefit dependent Carla Mannes said.

Republicans said they did not want to rush the unemployment extension in one day. Democrats say there is no reason they could not have accomplished something.

"It was a day of complete disbelief,” Democratic State Senator Leah Landrum Taylor said. “I could not believe that the courser of events went this way. What was the point of coming in on Friday and then adjourning until Monday to come in to do absolutely nothing?"

Why is Arizona losing the benefits? It’s all due to a small adjustment the state legislature decided not to make. ABC15 reported on the issue last month.