More than 10 states — not including Texas — have already been federally approved for additional jobless relief, providing an extra $300 or $400 in unemployment checks. On Thursday, Gov. Greg Abbott said he was directing the state employment agency to apply for the federal funding.
Once approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the money will provide an extra $300 weekly for jobless Texans, and another $100 on top of that if Texas decides to chip in.
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The directive from Abbott comes as 61,416 Texans applied for unemployment relief in the week ending Aug. 15. In total, more than 3.2 million Texans have applied for jobless assistance since the coronavirus pandemic began.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.