Pa. Senate votes to extend unemployment benefits

HARRISBURG (AP) — A bill to add seven more weeks of unemployment benefits in Pennsylvania is a step closer to final approval.

The Senate voted unanimously today to pass the bill, but an amendment in that chamber requires one more vote in the House before Gov. Ed Rendell can sign it.

The extension would allow as many as 60,000 people who exhaust the 72 weeks of jobless checks this year to get the additional seven weeks.

The Senate amended the bill to ensure that thousands who already exhausted their benefits qualify. It’s not clear when the House will take up the measure.

The federal government would cover the extension for people who lost private sector jobs. The state, cities, counties and school districts would be required to cover their ex-employees.