Wednesday's Daily Pulse | 12/23/2020 Jobless Floridians could receive federal assistance by year's end As many as 650,000 Floridians, including an estimated 500,000 whose state unemployment benefits have expired, could receive federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) payments between Christmas and the new year. Congress passed a $900 billion COVID-19 stimulus bill Monday night, with only six "no" votes in the Senate, including Florida U.S. Sen. Rick Scott. The renewed PUA benefits – 11 weeks of an additional $300 – should kick in for Floridians by Sunday. [Source: The Center Square] Stimulus plan to help Florida entertainment industry amid calls for more help The stimulus plan singles out several industries for extra financial assistance. One of those industries is entertainment– the backbone of Florida tourism. Specifically, the plan allocated $15 billion in grant money, which could help theaters and live event venues that lost more than 25 percent of their revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the bill, the money would go to the hardest hit venues first, and it would help pay for payroll, rent, utilities and personal protective equipment – or PPE. [Source: WKMG]