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Note from Erika This past week marked the anniversary to two important dates in American history, Loving Day and Juneteenth. |
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June 12th is Loving Day, which marks the anniversary of Loving v. Virginia, the landmark 1967 Supreme Court case that struck down all laws against interracial marriage. Loving Day recognizes Mildred and Richard Loving who spoke up and fought against restrictive laws that prevented interracial couples from marrying and their legacy.
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Juneteenth recognizes the date in which Union soldiers marched in Galveston, Texas and declared that President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. While the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed had been signed on January 1, 1853, two and a half years earlier, it still failed to free all enslaved people. It was not until June 19, 1865, that freedom rang for all. Fast forward more than 150 years, and after years of lobbying Congress, on June 17, 2021, President Biden signed into law federal recognition of Juneteenth, an Independence Day for all people in the United States. This holiday has its own flag, and you can learn more about what it means here. Despite the progress we have made, injustices still exist in Michigan, throughout our country, and around the world. These important days remind us to continue the efforts to demand equality, equity, and justice for all. The project of bending the moral arc toward justice is long, hard, and worthwhile, and part of that is being able to serve you in the Michigan Legislature. 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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In This Edition :
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
My Senate Democratic colleagues and I recently introduced a package of bills designed to attract and retain teachers in Michigan to address the educator shortage that has been many years in the making. In February 2020, just before the pandemic, the Michigan Education Associatioand the American Federation of Teachers released a report finding that newly issued teacher certificates were down nearly 25% between the 2013-2014 and 2017-2018 school years. The COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbated the problem, and now, teachers are retiring faster than they can be replaced. Attracting new teachers and retaining veteran teachers must be among our K-12 public education priorities.
Here are some highlights of what some of the 11 bills and one resolution that we introduced would do:
STAYING SAFE IN THE HEAT
Hot days are here! With the current and upcoming excessive heat warnings, please be mindful and stay hydrated. As daily temperatures rise above 80°, emergency department visits for heat-related illness tend to increase. This is often more likely early in the summer season as people are not yet used to elevated temperatures and are not taking the necessary precautions.
Never leave children, the elderly, or pets in closed vehicles with the windows up and engine off. Additionally, use this infographic from Beaumont Health Systems to recognize the difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke:
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If you are looking for other ways to stay cool, cooling centers are now open in several Wayne County communities. Click here to find a cooling center near you and call ahead for hours and capacity and availability. (Note: these public cooling center spaces may still require visitors to wear masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.)
COVID VACCINATION UPDATE Good news! On June 15, 2022, an expert panel from the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) announced that two COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are safe and effective for children ages 6 months to four years old. Click here to learn more about this new update and contact your pediatrician or your local health department to find a location where eligible infants and toddlers can receive their COVID vaccinations. Additionally, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have authorized a second Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna booster dose for people who meet the following criteria: You received your first booster more than 4 months ago AND
Children ages 5-11 are eligible for a single 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. *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 like 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 You can also visit the Michigan LEO (Labor and Economic Opportunity) FAQs page for answers to questions you may have regarding eligibility for unemployment or for issues you may have with your current claim.
COMMUNITY UPDATE It’s almost time for the Taylor Summer Festival! It is always a fun family event with concerts, fireworks, carnival rides, and more and is among the signature summer events Downriver. The festival will take place in Heritage Park, 12111 Pardee Road, Taylor, MI 48180. |
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The events will take place:
Enjoy the fun and please be safe! |
