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Note from Erika This Memorial Day Weekend, whether traveling or staying home, I hope you and your loved ones stay safe and drive responsibly. Please read our community section below for tips for holiday weekend safety. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to our office by email at SenEGeiss@senate.michigan.gov or by phone at 517-373-7800.
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Erika Geiss
In This Edition
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Bicameral Bills Introduced Call for Equity Impact Analysis On May 18, Senate and House colleagues and I introduced a small, but impactful, bill package that would require the House and Senate fiscal agencies to include impact studies on criminal law or sentencing guidelines legislation as part of their bill analyses. If a bill would create a new crime, or substantially change an existing crime, arrest, sentencing, parole, or probation procedure, my bill (Senate Bill 1049) would require that the Senate Fiscal Agency, added to its other analyses, provide a fiscal analysis on whether the bill is likely to have a disparate impact on individual living at or below the poverty line. >> Click here to learn more about the bill package. On Friday, May 20, the Michigan Department of Treasury, House Fiscal Agency, and Senate Fiscal Agency met for their Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference during which they projected the state will end 2022 with a $6 billion surplus. Approximately $1.7 billion was added to the General Fund revenue forecast from January and $1.26 billion was added to the School Aid Fund forecast for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, which ends Sept. 30. Negotiations between legislative leadership and the State Budget Office on the FY 2023 budget have begun. As always, I am advocating on behalf of taxpayers and the communities I represent to make sure that money is invested directly into our people and communities.
NATIONAL MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH HOTLINE Many mothers may feel overwhelmed, sad, anxious, or exhausted at different times during their pregnancy or after having a baby. These feelings can make it hard to care for yourself, care for your baby, or other children and family members, or even do basic daily tasks. Sometimes, these feelings may go away on their own. However, for some, these emotions may be persistent. Symptoms that last more than two weeks and are more serious may need treatment. The National Maternal Health Hotline provides 24/7, free, confidential support before, during, after pregnancy, and at any time during parenting. The hotline offers callers:
Call or text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-9-HELP4MOMS (1-833-943-5746). TTY users can use a preferred relay service or dial 711 and then 1-833-943-5746. If you are in a suicidal crisis, please call or text 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) or visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Website. For TTY users, use preferred relay service or dial 711 then 1-800-273-8255. >> Click here for Frequently Asked Questions about the Hotline.
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES THIRD ROUND OF FREE, AT-HOME COVID TESTS On May 17, the Biden Administration announced that COVIDTest.gov is now open for a third round of ordering. Households are now able to order an additional eight (8) free, at-home tests online. As the highly transmissible subvariants of the Omicron virus is driving a rise in COVID-19 cases, free and accessible tests will help you know if you’ve contracted COVID-19 (even if you’re asymptomatic) and help you make decisions that will help slow the spread of the virus. For those with limited internet access or need additional support placing an order may call 1-800-232-0233 (TTY: 1-888-720-7489) to get assistance in English, Spanish, and more than 150 other languages — 8 a.m. to Midnight ET, 7 days a week.| >> Click here for additional information about ordering tests.
COVID-19 VACCINATION UPDATE The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a second Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna booster dose is authorized if you meet the following criteria:
The Centers for Disease Control recently announced that kids aged 5-11 are eligible for a booster if they received their second Pfizer-BioNtech vaccination shot at least five months ago. If you have not already received your primary dose of the COVID-19 vaccine or booster, now is the time to do so. Information on vaccines, vaccine boosters, and testing locations are available on the Wayne County website. With both the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services revising guidelines for masking, getting vaccinated and boosted now is more critical than ever to help protect ourselves and our communities — especially for those among us who are immunocompromised or otherwise cannot take the vaccine. Beginning at age 5, children are eligible to receive the vaccine. The Wayne County Health Department has established three locations where you can get your child vaccinated. Parents and guardians should consult with their pediatrician or health care providers with questions and concerns as these medical professionals will be the best people to offer the best guidance to your child(ren) and family. *The Wayne County Health Department handles the 42 Wayne County communities outside of Detroit, which has its own separate health department.
UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE Senate Bill 445, signed into law by Governor Whitmer, now turns off the “able and available” requirement for federal unemployment claims filed during the pandemic. Part-time workers who could not work full-time will not have to pay back the benefits they received and/or may be eligible to claim benefits they were denied. To know if your claim was affected by this “able and available” requirement, your Notice of Determination, or Notice of Redetermination will list the “Issue” as either “Ability” or “Availability”. It will look similar to the one below:
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If your claim was denied, you had your benefits halted, or your eligibility was re-determined because of the “able and available” requirement, please fill out the issue form on our website and our office will assist you. As always, If you or someone you know who lives in Senate District 6 is having trouble receiving their Unemployment Insurance (UI) or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), please fill out this unemployment assistance form and our office will reach out to assist you with your issue as soon as possible. You can also visit the Michigan LEO FAQs page for answers to questions you may have regarding eligibility for unemployment or for issues you may have with your current claim.
DOUBLE-UP FOOD BUCKS WITH FRESH, LOCAL OPTIONS |
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Buying food is expensive right now, especially for our neighbors who already struggle to put food on the table. This is where Double Up Food Bucks can help. For those who shop for groceries with a SNAP/Michigan Bridge Card, they can double their benefits to purchase fresh, Michigan-grown fruits and veggies using Double Up Food Bucks. The program is available at 260+ participating farmers markets and grocery stores across Michigan. And, with farmer’s market season around the corner, it’s a great time to use it! Learn how the program works and find a participating location near you at DoubleUpFoodBucks.org.
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND SAFETY For those traveling or holding Memorial Day events at home, please read this article on how to stay safe during the holiday weekend. Additionally, I want to make sure you are aware of other ways to stay safe:
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COMMUNITY UPDATE On May 29, the city of Westland will be hosting a Memorial Day parade to remember the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom, while continuing to honor those veterans who have previously served our country. The parade begins at 1:00 PM starting at John Glenn High School in Westland and ends at the Veteran’s Memorial Garden in Westland. For more information about the parade route and how to participate if you are interested, please visit Westland’s website.
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As an elected representative, I believe in being readily available and transparent because my office is your office. Email is a great way to share updates, and hear from you on the issues you care about. If you want to alter your email preferences, click here to unsubscribe. |