Judge weighs whether Florida broke the law in ending expanded unemployment benefits early

A Leon County circuit judge Wednesday waded into a lawsuit about whether Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration violated state law when it cut off federal unemployment money in June for tens of thousands of jobless Floridians.

Judge Layne Smith heard testimony from plaintiffs who said the decision to stop the $300 a week in federal benefits has caused them to struggle to pay for housing and other expenses.…