LANSING – Michigan’s new controversial unemployment benefits bill got some major national attention on Friday while another top Democrat called on Governor Rick Snyder to veto the measure. But a spokesperson for Snyder said he is expected to sign HB 4408 this week.

The Washington Post featured a story about the legislation as its lead story in Friday’s paper.

The article also said that the legislatures in Florida and Arkansas are considering similar measures. The bill was needed to ensure the state met federal requirements to allow those long-term unemployed to receive benefits for as many as 99 weeks.

But the bill also, starting in 2012, would cut the basic number of weeks a person was eligible for state-paid benefits to 20 weeks from the current 26 weeks. Once it becomes law, it would make Michigan’s benefit weeks the lowest number in the nation.

The Washington Post story said that in Florida lawmakers are looking at legislation that could cut the state’s benefits from 26 weeks to 12 weeks.

Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Lansing) joined other Democrats in calling on Mr. Snyder to veto the measure. On Thursday, U.S. Rep. Sander Levin (D-Royal Oak), Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer (D-East Lansing) and House Minority Leader Richard Hammel (D-Mount Morris Township) called on the governor to veto the legislation and have the Legislature come back into session next week (it is on recess for two weeks) to resolve the bill so the federal guidelines are met and the minimum state provided weeks remain at 26.

In a statement Stabenow said the measure makes Michigan the only state to “inflict this additional pain” on workers. Workers did not cause the financial crisis that lead to the recent recession, she said.

But a spokesperson for Snyder said he would likely hold a signing ceremony on the bill next week. The measure needs to be signed both to meet federal requirements and to send out notices to some 35,000 jobless workers that they still will be eligible for benefits.

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