Updates About Press Releases

On June 28, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled 6-0 that the Attorney General’s use of a one-person grand jury system could not issue indictments, and anyone charged under the system has the right to a preliminary examination. This was seen as a win for the Flint Water Crisis defendants; however, the ruling did not throw out the suit entirely.

Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy filed two sets of motions with the Genesee County Circuit Court. The first motions ask for the cases to be remanded to the District Court for preliminary exams in compliance with the Michigan Supreme Court. The second motions inform the court that the cases will proceed upon formal complaint.

All criminal charges that were announced last year can be found here.

On June 29, Governor Gretchen Whitmer joined thirteen other governors to call on Congress to make the advanced premium tax credits (APTCs) that were enacted in the American Rescue Plan (ARP) permanent.

According to the release sent out by the Executive Office of the Governor, this would help lower costs and protect healthcare for over 270,000 Michigan residents. Nationwide, the ARP’s expansion of subsidies, alongside other factors, led to a record-breaking enrollment period for Affordable Care Act coverage. 14.5 million more people signed up for coverage, which is a 21% increase from the prior year.

The letter can found here.

Following approval by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP), the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) announced that all Michigan children 6 months and older are now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

MDHHS reports that more than 500,000 children under the age of 5 are now eligible to receive the vaccine, which can be accessed from a primary care provider, local health department, or federally qualified health center. Not all pharmacies will vaccinate children 3 and up.

As of June 15, there have been more than 427,000 confirmed COVID cases in those 19 years and younger. A total of 44 deaths have been reported in ages 0 to 19.