With just two days left in the legislative session the seemingly never-ending debate over whether to reduce the amount of unemployment insurance taxes paid by businesses is far from over.

This evening the Senate broached the thorny issue with an emotional debate and several questions about legislative procedure.

After about 45 minutes a majority voted not to support two House amendments to Senate Bill 5963. The proposal will return to the House with the request that representatives drop amendments that would:

• Increase the amount of benefits paid to unemployed workers, up to $20 per week.


• Solidify a state Supreme Court decision from last summer that said some employees who quit voluntarily can receive state benefits.

Sen. Curtis King, R-Yakima, said the amendments would burden businesses at the worst possible time. Any increase in benefits would ultimately lead to higher unemployment insurance taxes on businesses.

While many in Democratic leadership supported helping unemployed workers, Sen. Tim Sheldon, D-Potlatch, opposed the amendments.

"We need to give our businesses some slack, we need to give them some help," Sheldon said. "We have to do everything we can to keep people in business."

Amendments supporters say there is enough money in the unemployment insurance fund to pay the benefits without raising taxes.