Updates About Public Health

In response to the initial pause, Democrats in the state House announced a five-bill package to give benefits to Michiganders receiving SNAP. Key bills in the package include HB 5193 (Myers Phillips, D-Detroit) which would create emergency funding to backfill SNAP benefits for two months, HB 5194 (Edwards, D-Eastpointe) allocating $12.5 million to support food pantry programs, and HB 5195 (Coffia, D-Traverse City) to provide $12.5 million to the Food Bank Council of Michigan.

The Michigan Senate also took action by passing $71 million in supplemental funding to backfill some of the cost for SNAP benefits. Specifically, the appropriation allocates $50 million for emergency food assistance, $10 million for the agricultural surplus system, $10 million for food bank grants, and $1 million to expand the Double Up Food Bucks program.

In an all-hands-on-deck approach, Governor Whitmer also announced that the state will be giving $4.5 million to the Food Bank Council of Michigan. This funding will go toward providing food delivery to residents in all 83 counties who have been impacted by the SNAP benefits pause.

A study done by Michigan State University found that 89% of Michigan kids live in an area with insufficient childcare services, particularly in the rural areas and northern regions. The study also found that this severe scarcity costs the state $2.9 billion in lost productivity from parents who are forced to leave the workforce and instead care for their children at home. As demand continues to outpace supply, many are scrambling to find ways to address Michigan’s childcare crisis.

As a step toward alleviating this issue, the state has set aside a $400,000 grant for northern Michigan. The Leelanau County Early Childhood Development Commission plans to use the money to start a program that will provide financial and coaching support to local childcare providers. The commission hopes the investment will encourage new childcare startups and help existing providers expand through improved access to training.

Another innovative solution Leelanau county is testing includes investing in “micro-centers”, where home-based providers can partner with each other to offer childcare in a shared facility instead of their own home. These new locations lease their space for $1 a year, significantly lessening their overhead costs and lowering the barrier to entry for new providers.

It will now be illegal for any individual, including players, coaches, and stadium staff, to use smokeless nicotine products inside any Detroit stadium. Violators will first receive a warning, but refusal to comply will result in a misdemeanor and $100 fine. City Council Member Fred Durhall III, who spearheaded the ban, said he was motivated after hearing from high school students who believed tobacco use was a normal part of baseball, adding that adults’ unhealthy habits are influencing kids.

Back in 2016, Major League Baseball (MLB) banned new players from using any tobacco products, such as chewing tobacco, which has been popular among players for decades and lead many to be diagnosed with oral cancer. This ban led many players to switch to tobacco-less nicotine products, such as Zyn pouches, which have seen a rise in popularity in recent years.

Supporters of the ban believe it’s prioritizing kids’ health while also discouraging the presence of addictive products in sports. Those in opposition to the ban, like Council Member Coleman Young II, argued that the city has no right limiting the freedom of adults to use legal products. Young pointed to the permitted sales of alcohol and unhealthy hotdogs as also having negative externalities. Council Member Gabriela Santiago-Romero also voted no, saying that since there are already nicotine bans at the stadium, the new ordinance will have minimal impact.