LANSING, Mich. — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed Senate Bill 690 on Wednesday, which appropriates nearly $880 million in federal funding to support various COVID-19 response actions across the state.
The supplemental budget includes a number of provisions that assist Michigan in responding to the pandemic, including:
- A $2/hour increase for direct care workers;
- $125 million in grant funding to reduce the cost of child care for families;
- $100 million for hazard pay for local first responders and $200 million for local units of government;
- $100 million in small business restart grants;
- $60 million in rental assistance and eviction diversion;
- $25 million for wireless hotspots and enhanced connectivity;
- $18 million for health and safety grants for schools;
- $10 million in MIOSHA grants for protections to keep workers safe on the job;
- and $14 million for food banks and domestic violence shelters.
“I was pleased to sign this bill to put more federal funding to work across our state,” said Governor Whitmer. “Between the signing of this bill today and the recent agreement on the 2020 budget announced earlier this week, we have now put the full amount of the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund to use so that Michiganders can reap the full benefit of our federal funding. Now, we need Congress to act later this month and provide additional aid to the states so that we can begin to address the budget shortfall in 2021.”
The budget funds a $60 million eviction diversion program developed by Whitmer and the Supreme Court Administrative Office. The program is aimed at keeping renters in their homes by ensuring that landlords receive quick lump sum payments for back rent. The program will be implemented in collaboration with local stakeholders and aid organizations.
SB 690 was sponsored by Sen. Jim Stamas, R-Midland.
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