Michigan Senate Bill 745 was signed into law on Tuesday. The legislation appropriates $2.8 billion in federal revenues from the Federal Emergency Management Agency in several ways.
Part of the money will go toward a temporary $300 per week in added unemployment benefits to go to current beneficiaries. The extra $300 will automatically be applied for those already on unemployment.
The benefit will continue until the money runs out. Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s office did not know how many weeks it would last and called on the federal government to pass a bipartisan COVID-19 recovery package.
The rest of the appropriation will go toward keeping Asian Carp out of the Great Lakes by putting $8 million toward the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in Illinois as well as toward flood mitigation efforts in Detroit and disaster cleanup from the breached dam in Gladwin and Midland counties.
In his comments on the bipartisan deal, State Budget Director Chris Kolb credited the good working relationship with appropriations chairs, Senator Jim Stamas and Representative Shane Hernandez.
Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland
