As the 100th Legislative Session has drawn to a close, state Rep. Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing) continues to recognize that the struggle is far from over for the Lansing community. Since the pandemic began, Anthony has introduced nine bills in the Michigan House of Representatives to support working families and businesses struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Most recently, Anthony introduced a pair of bills to offer financial relief to working families and codify important education safety procedures into law. House Bill 6460 would require auto insurance companies to issue refunds or apply credits for claimants for the period of the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order, and House Bill 6461 would ensure that staff, students and their families are notified if a student or faculty member tests positive for COVID-19, a practice already in place in MI Department of Education guidelines but not in state law.

“The threat of COVID-19 is far from over, and the sad reality is that Lansing residents will be recovering financially long after the vaccine is widely distributed to the public,” explains Anthony. “The supplemental budget bill we passed this week is a step in the right direction, but we need to step it up and offer more direct assistance to families and cities to help cover the deficit brought on by this pandemic. As I look forward to the start of my second term, I plan to double down on advancing policies that offer affordable housing solutions, funding for cities and local governments, and public health and safety supports in our state’s prisons. I hope we can leave the partisan politics behind us and carry this momentum forward into 2021.”

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact residents and their communities across Michigan in immeasurable ways. As the Legislature continues to seek effective measures to combat the persistent hardship that the pandemic has placed on all citizens of Michigan, Anthony’s legislation would put measures in place to lift up all Michiganders and help them get back on their feet in the new year.