Dear friends,

As we begin the new year and turn a new page, it is my continued desire that you and yours are staying happy, healthy and safe.

I hope that you will find the following legislative update informative and helpful. My legislation last session to protect nursing home residents from abuse was unfortunately pocket vetoed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Despite this setback, I will not be detoured from working on behalf of our most vulnerable. And I hope the governor will be willing to work with me this time around.

Continue reading for more information on the government’s lockdowns, a resolution to let student-athletes get back to winter sports, an upcoming virtual town hall on appealing your property taxes, and more.

My staff and I continue the uphill battle with the Unemployment Insurance Agency to get your claims processed as quickly as possible. If you have any questions relating to unemployment — or any issue, for that matter — please don’t hesitate to contact my office at any time.

In your service,

Senator Jim Runestad
Serving the 15th State Senate District

I recently introduced Senate Bill 33 to establish the right of a resident in a nursing home facility to have a video monitoring device installed with privacy protections for residents. From the COVID-19 pandemic, to isolation in nursing homes, to reports of elder abuse, our seniors have faced a lot in the last year. Giving nursing home residents the option of installing a camera in their own room would go a long way toward protecting seniors and giving their families peace of mind.

SB 33 is very similar to legislation that passed the Michigan Legislature with bipartisan support in 2020, only to be pocket vetoed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. I believe the governor missed an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of Michigan’s seniors. Nursing home abuse is still continuing unabated.

Right now, nursing homes can deny residents the ability to install their own camera in their own room. SB 33 would preserve this right for residents and would give families the peace of mind that their loved ones are being treated properly.

Recently the governor announced that starting Feb. 1, Michigan restaurants would once again be allowed to serve food indoors, but only at 25% capacity, and with a curfew. While 25% capacity is a step up from no indoor dining whatsoever, restaurants are still struggling to stay in business.

I’ve spent the last few weeks speaking with dozens of restaurant owners who are just trying to keep their heads above water and keep their staff employed. Government grants and COVID-19 relief are one thing, but the reality is that this is not enough. If a restaurant has adopted safety protocols and can open safely and securely, then they ought to be able to do just that.

I will continue to call on the Whitmer administration to adopt more commonsense, data-conscious executive orders for our state. It is my hope that she will come to the negotiating table before it is too late.

Click below to view some of my conversations with local restaurant owners in our community.

My office has now helped over 1,500 constituents in southwest Oakland County receive the unemployment funds due to them. Working with the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) has been incredibly frustrating, and thousands more hardworking taxpayers have yet to see the money they are owed. But my staff and I continue to work with the UIA daily to cut through the bureaucratic red tape and move constituent cases along.

An independent investigation into the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency has found that up to $1.5 billion in taxpayer dollars has been lost to fraud since the pandemic began. It is unconscionable that folks in need still haven’t seen their hard-earned benefits, while criminals have freely stolen from the agency.

See more of my thoughts on this matter in my Op-Ed in the Detroit News here.

Read below for an update on the UIA situation, and as always please do not hesitate to contact my office at 517-373-1758 for assistance in this area.

In the final weeks of 2020, the federal government approved the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. The guidance provides states with important information about several provisions of the law, including the extension of programs first authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), as well as the creation of a new unemployment insurance (UI) benefit for “mixed earners.”

The law extends the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program created by the CARES Act, which provides UI benefits to gig workers and others not traditionally eligible for unemployment benefits. Under the law, the end of the period of applicability for the PUA program extends to those weeks of unemployment ending on or before March 14, 2021.

The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency is working to program new system changes necessary to begin additional payments under the Continuing Assistance Act for Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation and PUA claimants who have exhausted their benefit allowance on or before Dec. 26, 2020.

The fiscal year 2021 state budget, approved by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Whitmer, increased funding from $575,000 to $2 million for the 10 Cents a Meal program, which allows the program to expand statewide and include early childhood centers as eligible for the grant funding.

10 Cents A Meal for Michigan’s Kids & Farms (10 Cents a Meal) is a state-funded program providing schools with matching incentive funding up to 10 cents per meal to purchase and serve Michigan-grown fruits, vegetables and legumes. Initially a pilot program launched in 2016, 10 Cents a Meal has been expanded and is available to schools statewide for the first time ever.

The Michigan Department of Education has selected 138 program grantees from across the state for 2020-2021, many of which are first-time grantees. The 138 grantees approved for the program serve over 406,000 children statewide. Through the program, schools and early childhood education centers are able to purchase locally and invest in Michigan’s agriculture, while improving daily nutrition and eating habits for children.

MDE is assisted in the program by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, which provides expertise on Michigan-grown products and participates in food service director trainings; the MSU Center for Regional Food Systems, which conducts monthly food service director surveys for evaluation; and Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities, which conducts stakeholder interviews and provides communications support.

To learn more, visit www.tencentsmichigan.org. For the list of 2020-2021 award grantees, click here.

With the announcement of the COVID-19 vaccine, many Michigan residents are eager to receive their first dose. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is working to move through phased priorities for residents.

Unfortunately, the vaccine rollout in Michigan has been fraught with issues. As the state first started rolling out vaccines in December, Michigan did not fare well compared with other states, ranking 45th at one point in doses administered per 100,000 people. While Michigan has since administered the 11 most vaccines in the country, it’s important to note that Michigan is the 10th most populous state in the country and vaccines are distributed based on population.

It is my hope that as the process continues, the efficiency will improve at the same time. Folks are in need, and I know we can do better.

Currently, the following individuals are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine:

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