© Annie Barker, Detroit Free Press Librarian JoAnn Mannino guides cars to pick up free COVID-19 tests at the Detroit Public Library Wilder Branch in Detroit on Feb. 2, 2022. Visitors received up to five free at-home COVID-19 test kits from the state health department via the library.
The Michigan Senate overwhelming approved spending $1.2 billion to expand COVID-19 testing in schools and elsewhere, retain beleaguered health care workers and otherwise combat the ongoing pandemic.
The upper chamber adopted the supplemental funding measure on Tuesday by a 36-2 margin, signaling bipartisan support and progress toward using the more than $7 billion in federal pandemic relief funds sent to the state.
“This latest supplemental builds on the billions of dollars we have already provided to fight the effects of the coronavirus by providing the resources to keep our kids in school safely, support our health care workers in hospitals and nursing homes, and provide funding for early COVID-19 therapies to help take the strain off our hospitals around the state,” said Senate Appropriations Chairman Jim Stamas, R-Midland.
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Here’s a breakdown of where most of the money will go if approved by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer:
- $367 million for “Epidemiology and Lab Capacity Enhancing Detection Expansion Grants,” funding intended to support ongoing community COVID-19 testing efforts;
- $300 million for health care worker retention, recruitment and training;
- $150 million for COVID-19 testing in schools and similar efforts;
- $100 million for early COVID-19 testing and treatment sites throughout the state;
- $70 million for grants to eligible adult foster care facilities. The grants would be for up to $700 per bed at the facility;
- $19 million for grants to foster parents, families or group homes. The grants would be for up to $1,500 per child.
The funding intended to go to health care employees notes that workplaces accepting the money must use it even for people who are not vaccinated, with a legitimate exemption.
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“A health care employer that receives funds under this section must allow for vaccine exemptions if a physician certifies and properly documents that the vaccination is contraindicated or if the employee provides a written statement that documents in a manner consistent with the employer’s policies that the vaccine policy cannot be met due to religious convictions,” a summary of the bill states.
The measure must still be approved in the House before it could go to Gov. Whitmer for her signature.
Although Michigan received billions of dollars from Congress to fight the pandemic under both presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden, lawmakers have been slow to dole out all the available funds. Republicans controlling the Legislature argue it’s important to understand where those dollars are most needed before immediately distributing all of them.
Whitmer, Democrats and other critics argued legislative delays were unnecessary and costly, hampering efforts to get money in need of food and rental assistance.
Even after enacting this measure, Michigan would still have nearly $6 billion in federal pandemic relief funds, according to the State Budget Office.
The governor is expected to roll out plans to allocate billions more toward education spending, “hero pay” and additional initiatives when her administration presents their formal budget proposal Wednesday to lawmakers.
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This particular funding comes as Michigan and other states are emerging from the latest COVID-19 surge.
The daily average number of COVID-19 cases in the state has decreased slowly but steadily since mid to late January. Hospitalizations and deaths are also starting to come down, but all trends remain near previous pandemic peaks.
Contact Dave Boucher at dboucher@freepress.com or 313-938-4591. Follow him on Twitter @Dave_Boucher1.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan Senate OKs $1.2 billion plan for COVID-19 testing, health care worker retention
