Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Welcome back to my e-newsletter. It continues to be an honor representing the 50th House District and the Genesee County area. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office by phone at (517) 373-3906 or email at TimSneller@house.mi.gov if we can assist you or your family on a state issue.

In This Edition:

  • Genesee County Vaccine Update
  • Vaccine Eligibility Expands to 50 and Older with Conditions
  • March In-District Coffee Hours
  • Updated COVID Restrictions Go Into Effect March 5
  • Hardworking Michiganders Recovery Plan Introduced
  • March is Reading Month
  • Helpful Resources

Genesee County Vaccine Update

I have been working with the Genesee County delegation, the county health department, county commissioners, and the Governor to secure more vaccine doses. While we have been able to increase supply, we are not where we need to be. I will continue to work with my colleagues to make sure we get more vaccines to our county. In the meantime, I encourage you to pre-register at the Genesee County Health Department website at the link below and continue checking their website for the most up-to-date information. I also encourage you to register with Walgreens, Rite-Aid and Meijer to increase your chances of getting the vaccine. These pharmacies receive vaccines on their own schedule and do not have to report them to the state. I will continue to work with these groups until Genesee County residents who want a COVID vaccine gets them.

Genesee County Health Dept: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GCHDCOVIDAPPTRQST

Walgreens: https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp

Rite-Aid: https://www.riteaid.com/covid-19

Meijer: https://clinic.meijer.com/

For more COVID-19 vaccine information, please visit Michigan.gov/COVIDVACCINE.

Vaccine Eligibility Expands to 50 and Older with Conditions

Just announced today, starting this Monday, March 8, Michiganders age 50 and older with medical conditions or disabilities and caregiver family members and guardians who care for children with special health care needs, will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Starting March 22, all residents 50 and older will be eligible. For details, please click here.

Coffee Hour

I safely spoke with constituents at my last Coffee Hour at Scotti’s Coney Island in Burton.

March In-District Coffee Hours

Please join me for my first coffee hour of 2021! These in-person, socially-distanced coffee hours are free to attend and open to the public. Attendees will have an opportunity to discuss their thoughts and concerns about state government and our community with me directly in an informal setting, and I will provide a legislative update. Masks will need to be worn except when eating or drinking.

  • Friday, March 5, from 10-11:30 a.m. at Scotti’s Coney Island, 5522 Lapeer Road in Burton
  • Monday, March 15, from 6-7:30 p.m. at Sam’s Italian Restaurant, 4105 Grand Blanc Road in Mundy Township

I look forward to seeing you at one or all of my upcoming coffee hours.

COVID Update

Updated COVID Restrictions Go Into Effect March 5

Yesterday, MDHHS released updated COVID-19 restrictions based on the stabilization and decline of COVID cases and the increase in people who have received the vaccine. Changes to the Gatherings and Mask Order go into effect Friday, March 5, and remain in effect through Monday, April 19.

Capacity changes include:

  • Restaurants and bars are allowed to be at 50% capacity up to 100 people. Tables must be six feet apart with no more than six people per table. There is now an 11 p.m. curfew.
  • Indoor non-residential gatherings where people interact across households are permitted up to 25 people, allowing public meetings and other small indoor gatherings to resume.
  • Outdoor non-residential gatherings where people interact across households are permitted up to 300, allowing larger outdoor events to resume.
  • Indoor entertainment venues are allowed to be at 50% capacity, up to 300 people.
  • Exercise facilities are allowed to be at 30% capacity with restrictions on distancing and mask requirements.
  • Retail is allowed to be at 50% capacity.
  • Casinos are allowed to be at 30% capacity.
  • Indoor stadiums and arenas are allowed to have 375 if seating capacity is under 10,000; 750 if seating capacity is over 10,000.
  • Outdoor entertainment and recreational facilities may host up to 1,000 patrons.
  • Indoor residential gatherings are now limited to 15 people from three households, while outdoor residential gatherings can include up to 50 people.

The epidemic order continues to temporarily pause other venues and activities where participants have close physical contact and are not consistently masked, like water parks. As before, employees who work in jobs that cannot be performed from home can continue to go to work, while employees who can work from home should continue to do so.

Hardworking Michiganders Recovery Plan Introduced

 

Last week, my Democratic colleagues and I unveiled the Hardworking Michiganders Recovery Plan. This is an important package of bills that will provide immediate help to the more than 1 million unemployed workers in our state. Generally, these bills will expand benefits and eligibility.

Michigan’s unemployment system underwent a major overhaul in 2012. Support was reduced from the standard 26 weeks to 20 weeks and a new automated system was created that was not intended to be — and which is, in fact, not — user-friendly.

Specifically, the bills in this package would:

  • Increase the weekly maximum for unemployment benefits to $593 from $362, and one year later restores indexing this figure to 58% of the state average weekly wage annually (House Bill 4335);
  • Restore the number of benefit weeks to 26 weeks from 20 weeks (House Bill 4334); and
  • Increase benefits for unemployed workers who don’t qualify for the weekly maximum unemployment benefit (House Bill 4336).

Other bills in the package include House Bills 4337, 4338, 4339, 4340, 4341, and 4342.

March is Reading Month

During the month of March, I always look forward to reading to students throughout my district in celebration of “March is Reading Month.” As a former teacher and proud uncle, I understand the need to read to kids at every age. Books can open doorways to entirely new worlds and instill a creativity and thirst for knowledge that only reading can satisfy. Though it will look a little different this year, I will continue to share my love of reading with the great kids and teachers throughout the 50th House District.

Helpful Resources