Lawmakers in Raleigh will vote on a plan Wednesday that would cut unemployment benefits.

Right now, benefits run for 26 weeks. They could be cut to between 12 and 20 weeks, and pay out less money to some people.

State lawmakers will discuss a bill Wednesday that would lower the number of weeks people receive checks from unemployment as a way of cutting costs.

The bill could also change who qualifies to get benefits.

The state borrowed $2.5 billion from the federal government to pay jobless benefits.

The state hasn't paid that back yet, but critics say lawmakers need to find another way.

Right now, there are about 440,000 unemployed workers in North Carolina

Eyewitness News will follow Wednesday's vote in the legislative committee. If approved, it would have to still go through a full vote after the first of the year.

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