With Democrats likening the measure to Jim Crow-era practices aimed at keeping Black people from voting, the state Senate on Monday passed an elections package that would make it harder for Floridians to cast ballots by mail.

Despite opposition from Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida senators plowed ahead Thursday with a proposal to increase state unemployment benefits, which are among the lowest in the nation. 

The Senate voted 40-0 to approve a bill (SB 1906) that would increase maximum weekly payments from $275 to $375 and add more weeks in which benefits would be available. The vote came days after DeSantis voiced opposition and the House rejected efforts to boost benefits.

The Florida House on Wednesday passed a bill that would significantly expand eligibility for the state’s school-voucher programs. The measure (HB 7045) was approved in a 79-36 vote, largely along party lines. In part, it would consolidate the Gardiner and McKay scholarship programs, which serve students with special needs, with the Family Empowerment Scholarship program, which serves a broader population of low- to middle-income families.

Sen. Jason Brodeur, R-Sanford, held out hope that unemployment benefits can be increased after the House approved an unemployment-system revamp Wednesday that does not include boosting benefits.