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In an effort to give the unemployed hope, lawmakers are moving a bill to rename the state’s unemployment program the re-employment assistance program. As Whitney Ray tells us, the bill’s sponsor says changing the name will change the psyche of Florida’s jobseekers.

With a unanimous vote, unemployment benefits in Florida came one step closer to extinction. But it’s not the money for jobseekers that is going away, just the name.

Representative Doug Holder is moving legislation to rename the state’s unemployment compensation program the Re-Employment Assistance Program. He says changing the name will change the outlook of the unemployed.

“I think that re-employment certainly is a more positive word,” said Holder.

The idea for the legislation came straight from Governor Rick Scott and supporters say switching the focus from unemployment to reemployment will have a positive impact. But not everyone is buying it.

“Changing the name doesn’t make a hill of beans of difference to the unemployed,” said Woodall.

Karen Woodall, the director of the Florida Center for Fiscal and Economic Policy, isn’t opposed to the name change. She just wants to make sure the transition doesn’t keep people from claiming benefits.

The fear is someone who just lost their job will search the web for unemployment benefits and come up empty.

The state is already working to fix that problem. The bill’s sponsor says by the time the name is changed, an internet search for unemployment will direct seekers to the state’s re-employment website. There were talks of amending the bill to include a reduction of the state’s unemployment compensation tax, but as of now the tax reduction bill will have to stand on it’s own.