Updates About Agency Policy Updates

In response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announcing that SNAP benefits would not be distributed for the month of November, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined a lawsuit with 24 other states arguing the USDA unlawfully suspended the funds. Recently, a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration must provide partial benefits to SNAP recipients while the federal government shutdown continues. Judge Indira Talwani from the U.S District Court for Massachusetts ruled that the USDA is required to use the appropriated contingency funds for the program.

The Trump administration has insisted that the use of contingency funds is not legally permitted to cover benefits. However, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins argued that because SNAP is not currently funded, the emergency SNAP benefits cannot be distributed. In 2019, the USDA used contingency funds in response to that year’s government shutdown. The pausing of the benefits was set to affect over 42 million Americans nationwide, including 1.4 million Michigan residents.

Following Judge Talwani’s ruling, President Trump instructed his lawyers to ask for clarification from the court on how they can legally fund SNAP. The USDA reported that its contingency fund could only cover approximately half of November’s benefits, leaving no funds available for future months. The USDA was also instructed by the court to notify them if tariff revenue dollars can be used to support SNAP benefits; USDA officials and U.S. Department of Justice lawyers declined the request.

The USDA notified the Michigan Department of Health and Humans Services that the partial SNAP benefits will begin to be distributed on Saturday, November 8th.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is seeking applications for its Civil Monetary Penalty Reinvestment Program, which funds projects aimed at enhancing the quality of life for nursing home residents. Eligible organizations, including hospitals, academic institutions, nursing facilities, and nonprofit groups, can apply for grants to support innovative programs that go beyond standard care requirements. A total of $5 million is available for projects running from October 1, 2025, to September 30, 2026.

Interested applicants must register for the EGrAMS system and request an application by May 16 at 5 pm, with completed applications due by May 22 at 3 pm. MDHHS will also host a pre-application conference on April 8 at 1:30 pm to provide guidance on the grant process. For more information or to apply, visit the EGrAMS Health and Aging Services Administration website.

The United States Supreme Court’s recent decision to overturn the Chevron doctrine marks a significant shift in federal agency authority, impacting how regulations are interpreted and enforced across various sectors, including health care, environmental protection, and more. For decades, under Chevron, courts deferred to agencies’ interpretations of ambiguous statutes, but now, judges will hold greater discretion in evaluating these interpretations themselves. The 6-3 ruling, led by Chief Justice John Roberts, emphasized that agencies do not possess unique expertise in resolving statutory gray areas and that courts must now independently scrutinize agency interpretations instead of deferring to them automatically.

The ruling has polarized opinions, with conservatives applauding it as a check on executive overreach and liberals warning of potential chaos and setbacks in regulatory protections. This decision is expected to lead to increased legal challenges to federal regulations and could reshape how future administrations navigate policy implementation amid judicial scrutiny. It also raises questions about the future of major policy initiatives as administrations navigate a landscape where judicial decisions play an increased role in shaping regulatory outcomes.