Senate District 20 News and Year in Review

Dear Friend, 

It is my privilege and honor to represent the people of Kalamazoo County at our State Capitol in Lansing. This past year and the COVID-19 pandemic have served up more than their fair share of challenges for our local community, like so many others around our state. I, and my team, remain committed to helping you throughout this unprecedented time in every possible way, with the hope of relieving some of your burdens and making life just a little bit easier.

We assisted with hundreds of unemployment claims and distributed helpful information to keep you safe and healthy. In addition, I introduced legislation to protect our essential workers and voted for budget bills in support of our teachers, students, environment, and the public’s health, to name just a few examples.

Below is a look at some of our work this year.

THE YEAR IN NUMBERS

CONSTITUENT STORIES

This year, my staff and I had the opportunity to assist 20th district constituents in a variety of ways. Here is just a sampling of some of their stories, with names changed to protect the individuals’ identities:

Corrected reported wages to restore unemployment benefits
“Katrina” ran into problems with her unemployment benefits due to incorrectly reported wages. She was having trouble getting this information corrected in the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) system due to the high volume of claims that were processed during the spring and summer months. After persistent inquiries from our office on her behalf, Katrina reported, “Because of your assistance and efforts, UIA reopened my PUA benefits and made payments on my account. As of right now, I paid the three months’ rent, four months of car insurance payment, and medical bills that I owed.” 

Assisted with submission of unemployment claims
“Joe” works with a local construction trade union. He referred dozens of his team members to our office so that we could assist them with their unemployment claims. He shared with us, “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your help! It’s been a struggle for people to get things resolved on their own; you guys have been super responsive, and it’s appreciated.”

Secured licensing approval for stalled business merger
“Howard” reached out for help on June 22 with a business merger that had been stalled during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. He needed help cutting through the red tape to secure licensing approval from the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. We went to work and by the very next day, on June 23, Howard received the approval he needed from the state to complete the merger and add 20 local jobs in Kalamazoo. 

Helped secure documents for re-entry
“Ismael” was returning to the community after 25 years of incarceration and struggling to retrieve necessary documents and information to get back on his feet. Senate office staff worked with the Secretary of State, Kalamazoo Public Schools’ transcript records department personnel, and Congressman Fred Upton’s office to obtain enough vital records so that he could make an appointment at an SOS branch office. He was able to get a photo ID, which enabled him to access housing, food, banking, and other critical services that he needed. 

Please contact me if you, or a loved one, needs assistance. We’re happy to help any way we can, from directly resolving the issue to directing you to the appropriate state agency.

THE YEAR IN PHOTOS

#MaskUpMichigan at the Capitol.

Touring the Kalamazoo River and viewing sediment damage. 

Attending the grand opening of the Southwest Michigan Miracle Field in Schoolcraft, where children with disabilities get to play baseball on a team with their peers.

Hard at work with my Democratic Caucus colleagues in the Michigan Senate chamber.

LEGISLATIVE WORK

When you contact me about issues affecting your families or communities, you play a special role in the legislative process. Your concerns and insights helped shape the legislation I introduced, supported, or opposed this year, and I will carry this commitment to responsiveness into my third year serving the residents of Kalamazoo County.

Introduced Bills

This year, I introduced bills to:

• Protect essential workers who test positive for COVID-19 by presuming them eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits. (Senate Bill 928)
• Improve tipped workers’ access to unemployment benefits by requiring employers to keep track of declared tips and report them to the Unemployment Insurance Agency. (Senate Bill 1004)
• Ensure equity in our school attendance policies by creating universal definitions for “truant” and “chronically absent,” and prohibit suspension or expulsion as punishment for truancy. The punishment for missing school should not be to keep kids out of school. (Senate Bill 1028)
• Provide relief for our schools, teachers, and students during stressful times by pausing the Kindergarten Readiness Exam for the 2020-2021 school year. (Senate Bill 1043)
• Protect people from dangerous dogs without discriminating against specific breeds. (Senate Bills 1231 and 1232)

Co-sponsored Bills
In addition, I supported legislation by co-sponsoring bills that will:  

• Secure our elections by protecting absentee voter ballot drop boxes from tampering. (Senate Bill 1115)
• Prevent harmful substances such as PFAS from being used in food packaging. (Senate Bill 1072)
• Reform policing by strengthening mental health screenings for Michigan law enforcement officers. (Senate Bill 945)
• Prohibit the denial of food assistance based on past drug convictions. (Senate Bill 1006)
• Hold polluters accountable by strengthening the State of Michigan’s legal options to seek damages for up to 6 years after contaminants are discovered. (Senate Bill 1122)

Budget Bills
I am proud of my work on the Senate Appropriations Committee during the unprecedented budget challenges we faced this year. Earlier this spring, the economic outlook was bleak, when we initially anticipated needing to cut $3 billion from the $10 billion General Fund budget. However, the revenue forecast improved helping to avert drastic measures and now our state is expected to bounce back faster than other states that didn’t take the same COVID-19 precautions.

On Wednesday, Sept. 23, the legislature approved — with unprecedented bipartisan support — two Fiscal Year 2020-2021 budget bills that restored essential funding to many priorities, including public education, health, and the environment.

Some highlights included:

• $95 million for public schools, averaging approximately $65 per student
• $4 million for literacy training for coaches, principals, and teachers
• $35.6 million for school mental health grants, an increase of $5.6 million
• Necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) for nursing homes

In addition, we were able to secure bipartisan support for the following priorities that benefits our region:

• $150 million in March 2020 for medical supplies, testing equipment, and personal protective equipment to fight the coronavirus. (Senate Bill 151, House Bill 4729)
• The appropriation of nearly $880 million in federal CARES Act relief dollars toward state support programs to help families, small businesses, schools, landlords, and tenants during the pandemic. (Senate Bill 690)
• $1.5 million for Western Michigan University to develop a Resiliency Center for Families and Children that will address the multifaceted needs of those experiencing trauma, toxic stress, chronic disability, neurodevelopmental disorders, or addictions. (House Bill 5396)
• $1.8 million to study construction of a U.S. 131 interchange on the north side of Kalamazoo County. (House Bill 5396)
• $450,000 for water infrastructure projects in Parchment. (House Bill 5396)
• $500,000 in ongoing funding for the Michigan Geological Survey, which is being conducted by the Michigan Geological Repository for Research and Education at Western Michigan University. (House Bill 5396)
• $150,000 to the Cooperative Lakes Monitoring Program, or CLMP, which provides technical assistance, training, and other support to volunteer lake monitors in Michigan to ensure that they are collecting reliable, high-quality data. Four lakes in Kalamazoo County participate in the CLMP: Woods, Gull, Barton, and Indian Lakes. (House Bill 5396)
• $3 million in ongoing funding for the Animal Alliance for Agriculture program of Michigan which will help with critical research activities at the Michigan State University Kellogg Biological Station in Kalamazoo County. (House Bill 5396)

$465M SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET BILL TO PROVIDE COVID RELIEF

On Friday, Dec. 18, the Senate passed Senate Bill 748, which allocates $465 million in state funding to address needs related to the COVID-19 public health crisis.

I voted in support of this bipartisan, supplemental budget bill that will support COVID-19 treatment and testing efforts, and provide relief to Michigan’s small businesses, workers, and those still struggling with unemployment. While this provides some help, there is much more that needs to be done and we must have meaningful relief out of Washington in the coming days.

Some distributions allocated in SB 748 include:

• $51.3 million for health systems to ramp up the administration of COVID-19 vaccines
• $22.5 million for continued support of COVID testing in vulnerable populations
• $15 million for necessary supplies and equipment to support testing and vaccination efforts
• $3.3 million to reimburse hospitals for housing and providing care for COVID-positive nursing home residents
• $10 million for the Michigan Hospital Association to give grants to health systems to support their hiring of temporary staff
• $55 million for small businesses that have sacrificed to protect public health
• $3.5 million for independent venues whose stages have been dark since March

The bill was sent over to the House of Representatives for a vote, which is expected to take place on Monday, Dec. 21.

PFIZER’S COVID-19 VACCINE TO DELIVER SHOTS OF HOPE

On Friday, Dec. 11, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, making the U.S. the sixth country in the world to clear a vaccine for distribution, and I issued the following statement:

“The commitment by Pfizer to create a COVID-19 vaccine that has garnered approval in just 11 months’ time is nothing short of extraordinary and is to be commended. In conjunction with their colleagues at BioNTech in Germany, Pfizer scientists have succeeded at pushing the boundaries of medical advances and given millions of Americans a reason to remain hopeful for a healthy future. Kalamazoo County residents are so proud to be able to share Pfizer’s leadership and success with the rest of the country and world and highlight the brilliance in their own backyard that continues the region’s tradition of innovation in the life sciences.”

I am immensely proud to represent Kalamazoo County, home to the largest manufacturing site in the Pfizer, Inc. network, where millions of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are being produced and shipped across the U.S. in the coming weeks and months. Under an agreement with the federal government, the company will supply a total of 100 million doses — that will be free to the public — by March 2021 and anticipates that 25 million of those doses will be distributed before the end of this year.

From the state that put the world on wheels, it’s great to watch those wheels now transport shipments of the COVID vaccine from Portage to the world, delivering the shots of hope that we all need in order to see each other through to the other side of this pandemic.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

As we head into the holiday season, I encourage everyone to remember to see the humanity in one another. Wear a mask, and limit social gatherings to protect, yourself, your family, friends, and neighbors. We will get through this, but we must work together.

I will always have your back in Lansing, where I continue to advocate for legislation that will positively impact our community.

Happy holidays from my family to yours, and I look forward to continuing to serve you in 2021!

Sean McCann
State Senator
20th District