Sen. Dale Zorn | Sen. Dale Zorn's website
Sen. Dale Zorn | Sen. Dale Zorn's website
Sen. Dale Zorn (R-Ida Township) voted to provide more financial support for cases of the new coronavirus in Michigan. On March 12, he voted to send Gov. Gretchen Whitmer a $371 million budget supplement to address the coronavirus outbreak. The funds are also intended to restore more of her fiscal year 2020 transfers and vetoes.
Senate Bill 151 supports local hospitals, veterans, people with disabilities, job training and COVID-19 treatment and precautions, according to Sen. Zorn's website.
"This measure authorizes up to $75 million in new funding to help state and local officials respond to the new coronavirus and dedicates $5 million for grants to help communities make infrastructure repairs due to high water erosion,” said Zorn on his website.
He encourages residents of Michigan to stay calm and to take proper precautions. This followed March 16’s announcement of the first confirmed COVID-19 case in Monroe County. The Monroe News reports that there are now 20 cases in Monroe County, as of March 25.
The State Senate and House in Michigan unanimously voted to approve the supplemental spending bill of $125 million on March 17, according to The Detroit News. It was voted 37-0 in the Senate and 92-0 in House in favor. This money is in addition the $25 million that was approved to be spent the preceding week.
In SB 151, $50 million is geared toward health care costs. This money is scheduled to be given to health care providers in order for them to be able to address the financial costs of treating the virus.
General state efforts to fight the virus are allocated $40 million. This includes laboratory testing, monitoring, infection control, contact tracing and continuing critical state government functions. Prior to this, $10 million was allocated for these expenses.
However, there was no vote on a bill that was focused on education. The aim of the education bill was to reduce the number of days that schools are required to meet this year, in response to school closures that have happened due to COVID-19.
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