House will up benefits for unemployed workers today

Speaker Frank Chopp, Representative Steve Conway, and Representative Tina Orwall will hold a press conference this morning at 9:30 to announce an increase in unemployment benefits for workers who have lost their jobs due to the national economic nosedive.

Then at 10:00, members will go to the floor to debate and pass the measure (HB 1906). Dubbed the Economic Security Act of 2009, the bill will temporarily increase benefits for all unemployed workers $45 a week, and raise the minimum benefit from $129 per week to $155.

We'll post debate highlights and the result of the vote later today.