As Gongwer reports, with 60 percent of Michigan residents 16 and older receiving their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine, the Department of Health and Human Services said its goal is to get 70 percent vaccinated as soon as possible.

While the state reached the 60 percent threshold this week, the number of people receiving their first doses continues to decline, data from the Senate Fiscal Agency shows.

Data shows that 21,708 people in the week of May 24 were getting their first doses daily. The week of June 2, that dropped to 10,291 and this week, it dropped again to 8,843.

To reach 70 percent of the 16 and older population vaccinated, a key metric tied to herd immunity and the federal government’s goal by July 4, it would take 813,200 more doses administered. This would take until September 8, 2021, at the current rate.

DHHS defines its official goals in an interim strategy presentation posted this week as getting 70 percent of the 16 and older population vaccinated as soon as possible. The agency also seeks to have 95 percent of people get their second dose within the expected time frame and have zero disparity in vaccine rates across racial and ethnic groups or by social vulnerability index.

Additionally, the agency wants to ensure no resident has to drive more than 20 minutes to reach a vaccine site.

To get more people vaccinated, DHHS is working to support mobile clinics, school-based health centers, community vaccinators and more to specifically target vulnerable populations.

For homebound, disabled, migrant and transient populations, DHHS is utilizing EMS, fire departments, mobile strike teams and other partners to implement strategies.

Additionally, the agency is working to assure broad access to the vaccine at pediatrician offices, family practice offices and dialysis centers while also working with pharmacies, colleges and universities to offer vaccines in targeted areas.

Finally, the agency will work to leverage existing nontraditional spaces like casinos, nail salons, barber shops and syringe service programs.

Lynn Sutfin, spokesperson for DHHS, said it is focusing on bringing vaccines into the communities where Michiganders live through community clinics, primary care physicians and mobile clinics.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer praised the state reaching the 60 percent threshold in a statement on Friday.

"We can all feel a sense of optimism thanks to the tireless efforts of countless frontline workers who put their own safety on the line to keep the rest of us going. And we are tremendously grateful to the medical community who kept us all safe and created the safe, effective vaccines, all miracles of modern science," she said. "As we cross the 60 percent milestone in vaccinations, we are seeing cases, deaths, and hospitalizations continue to fall fast, which has helped to poise our economy for a strong recovery. I know that we can give Michigan the economic jumpstart it needs with the billions in available federal funds and our multi-billion dollar budget surplus. We will emerge from this once-in-a-century pandemic stronger than ever, and I am confident that we can make lasting, transformative investments in our schools, small businesses, and communities to help them thrive."

Huge May Brings State Another Billion; July 1 Deadline May Be Delayed
An unprecedented surge of revenues in May that exceeded a three-week old forecast by $1 billion means Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Legislature now have $4.5 billion in unanticipated state revenues to consider when putting together the upcoming fiscal year budget as well as supplementals for the current year.

From a technical standpoint, the surplus is still $3.5 billion because that’s what was agreed to at the May 21 Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference.

But the reports released Thursday from the House and Senate Fiscal agencies on May revenues unquestionably changes the complexion of the budget process. The HFA report shows General Fund revenues were $752.1 million above the forecast and $258.7 million above expectations for the School Aid Fund. The SFA report said General Fund revenues were $709.6 million above the expected level with School Aid Fund revenues $298.7 above the forecast. The Department of Treasury puts revenues at $920 million over the estimate.

While budget target negotiations are said by sources to be going well, doubts are creeping in that the Whitmer administration and legislators can complete the entire budget by the July 1 deadline. That prompted Sen. Jim Stamas (R-Midland), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee Track, to introduce a bill (SB 537) Thursday to lift that deadline for this year, effectively pushing it to September 30, when the current fiscal year ends.

Annual payments from the individual income tax accounted for more than 80 percent of the difference with the stock market recovery also driving revenues upward. The tax deadline was moved from April 15 to mid-May this year, but forecasters knew that would change the usual revenue to the state when they met for the Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference. The fiscal agencies said annual payments in May were the highest on record for any single month.

For revenues to exceed the forecast in a single month by as much as $1 billion is unheard of. Even more remarkable is that the forecasting differential occurred in the month of the actual revenue conference, when the forecast is usually at its most accurate.

This means Ms. Whitmer and the Legislature now have $4.5 billion more in General and School Aid fund revenues available to spend than expected at the start of the calendar year for the current 2020-21 and upcoming 2021-22 fiscal years.

The $3.5 billion more they thought they had after the May 21 revenue conference already was historic.

"It’s the annual payments that are the driver," House Fiscal Agency Director Mary Ann Cleary said. "I think we’re all looking at why."

Treasury spokesperson Ron Leix said other states and the federal government have seen the same revenue surge.

At the May 21 conference, there was a recognition among those who set the forecast that all of the federal coronavirus relief injected into the economy for the past year could have unexpected effects. There was also the movement of the federal and state income tax deadlines from April 15 to May 17.

"We were concerned that we were obviously going to miss something," she said.

Asked if analysts in her office were shocked by the May numbers, Ms. Cleary said, "We’re surprised, yes."

What is unclear is how much of the $1 billion from May is a one-time surge and how much will be ongoing, she said.

Mr. Leix warned there is some risk because some of the surge in May annual income tax payments could be offset by lower annual payments next year.

"In other words, the fact that we are up $920 million for the month doesn’t necessarily mean that we are going to have revenue totals come in $920 million above the overall CREC agreement we just put together," he said.

After the ugly fight over the 2019-20 fiscal year budget that went past the October 1 deadline, Ms. Whitmer and Republican legislative leaders agreed to set a July 1 deadline in statute for passing and presenting the budget to the governor.

However, the requirement was skipped for 2020 after the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now it might be skipped again.

Usually after the May revenue conference, completing the budget is about meeting in the middle between the House, Senate and governor and taking care of some of each entity’s priorities. With $3.5 billion more in revenue from the revenue conference, combined with $6.5 billion in American Rescue Plan aid from the federal government, the administration and legislators in some ways are starting the budget process from the beginning plus trying to figure out supplemental appropriations bills of staggering dimensions. And now there’s another billion in the state’s coffers that was unexpected.

Mr. Stamas said the move to push back the budget deadline requirement is the opposite problem of 2020, with this time being an issue of determining how to craft the budget given the large increase in available dollars and over what federal relief funds to use in the budgeting process. He considered the bill as being a precautionary measure.

"I think we’re going to get a good part of it done," Mr. Stamas said. "But I’m not confident at the moment we’re going to be able to get the whole thing done."

State Budget Office spokesperson Kurt Weiss said the administration had no comment regarding the July 1 deadline.

When asked about reaching budget targets, Mr. Stamas said it’s "very possible" those could be reached yet this week.

As to the increased revenue reported by the House Fiscal Agency, Mr. Stamas said he does not believe that would change the budget discussions much since budget leaders are going off of the May consensus revenue estimate. Those additional funds could come into play in January 2022 and moving forward on a future budget as it relates to ongoing expenses, he said.

House Appropriations Chair Rep. Thomas Albert (R-Lowell) said the revenue numbers revealed Thursday are more of the same in what the state has seen during the last six months.

"But the strategy doesn’t change, I’m still very cautious about how the next year might go, so we’ll still look at making strategic investments where we can and try to put ourselves in a good position if the economy goes south over the next year," Mr. Albert said.

When asked about the bill from Mr. Stamas, Mr. Albert also said he is working night and day on the budget and still focused on finishing work by July 1.

Without revealing many details, Mr. Albert said he expected targets to be set "in the near future."

"We’re getting very close," he said.

News of the additional billion only added to what one person following the budget described as a "feeding frenzy" of stakeholders trying to get their priorities funded.

For the month, sales tax collections were the second-highest on record and above $100 million for the third consecutive month and ninth month since June 2020.

Regulatory Reform Panel Discusses Marijuana-Related Packages
Two bill packages related to marijuana licensing and regulations for an intoxicating synthetic hemp-derivative not covered by the state’s recreational pot laws were discussed by Senate committee Tuesday, the latter of which was passed by the House late last month.

Members of the Senate Regulatory Reform Committee Trackon Tuesday also heard testimony on a slate of several bills unrelated to marijuana, including a bill to curb executive branch use of the state’s emergency alert system, new interest rates for pawnbrokers and two that would assist policing of the Detroit public transit, and another to create a state holiday celebrating Juneteenth.

Regarding marijuana, the committee heard continuing testimony on a large package that would regulate the Delta-8 THC derivative found in industrial hemp that is currently being sold as an unregulated intoxicating substance in convenience stores, smoke shops and gas stations – facilities that cannot sell licensed adult-use or medical THC products.

The package includes HB 4516, HB 4517, HB 4740, HB 4741, HB 4742, HB 4743, HB 4744, HB 4745 and HB 4746. Each of the bills passed in the House in late May (See Gongwer Michigan Report, May 27, 2021).

Rep. Yousef Rabhi (D-Ann Arbor) and Rep. Jim Lilly (R-Park Township) gave brief testimony on behalf of the various other sponsors, reiterating that their bills would address the Delta-8 THC issue while the remaining slate would update definitions regarding hemp in a swath of acts regulating marijuana, as well as the Public Health and Liquor Control codes.

Mr. Rabhi said the chief concern is not that people have access to a new THC product, but that it is currently untested, unlicensed and exists in a space outside of existing marijuana regulations. There were also concerns from the bill sponsors and stakeholders that consumers might not know that they are purchasing an intoxicating marijuana product that is produced synthetically.

Testifying in favor of the changes was Marijuana Regulatory Agency Director Andrew Brisbo, who echoed Mr. Rabhi’s testimony and concerns.

Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield) said that the package was a step in the right direction instead of outright banning Delta-8, though wondered what would happen to product caches if stores purchased them in high quantities to sell – cashing in on what appeared to be a good investment – but could no longer do so under the pending legislation.

Mr. Brisbo didn’t say whether the state would confiscate those products or if operators had to trash them if and when the legislation became law. He did say, however, that the bills do not offer a grace period to stop selling the products as minimizing the risk to public health and safety was paramount.

Unrelated to that package, the committee heard opening testimony on SB 461 and SB 462, sponsored by Sen. Curt VanderWall (R-Ludington) and Sen. Paul Wojno (D-Warren), respectively.

The bills would amend the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act to require proof of financial responsibility for legal liabilities and to modify language related to licensing, making approval of an application contingent on compliance with the new financial responsibility requirements.

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THE DCD MARIJUANA TEAM:  YOUR COMPETITIVE EDGE
DCD continues to exist as the premier resource helping municipalities navigate the waters of cannabis policy. We would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have regarding medical or recreational cannabis policy, procedure, and more. DCD is available for presentations to municipal boards, for one-on-one meetings, and for consultations.

We are here to help you with: municipal lobbying, license application writing and assistance, business plans, state required operations manuals and compliance, facility design, corporate structure, and design and branding. 

We are experts in both medical and recreational cannabis policy and have been in the space for over ten years.  We welcome any opportunity to work with you in the future! 

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Marijuana legalization has not spurred an increase in use among youth, contradicting prohibitionists 

DCD is rebranding, and our bottom line is your bottom line. We are striving to create and foster strong relationships with clients and lawmakers, deliver results with strong ethics and class, but above all else, out-hustle and out-smart our competition every day to be the very best.

We’re making chess moves while others are playing checkers. Everything we do is with you in mind, we’re doing things we’ve never done before and aggressively pursuing opportunities. The time is now. DCD has taken our firm to the next level and your involvement and investment paired with our knowledge and expertise is going to launch the great state of Michigan forward.

Groups Continue to Urge Amendments to Pending No-Fault Fee Schedule
As reported by Gongwer, those representing disabled individuals and others suffering from catastrophic injuries due to automobile crashes renewed calls this week for the Legislature to make additional changes to the state’s no-fault auto insurance law to prevent what they called devastating reductions to reimbursement rates for services from insurance providers.

At issue for some businesses urging further no-fault law changes was the issue of a 45 percent provider rate cut under the 2019 auto insurance overhaul’s new mandated fee schedule.

Groups have contended that the changes, effective July 1, will lead to rehabilitation clinics and specialty physicians being put out of business due to the reimbursement rate cuts.

The groups were also calling for the passage of HB 4486 and SB 314, which would revise reimbursement provisions and medical treatment benefits for rehabilitation clinics and brain injury clinics back to their 2019 levels. During a recent press conference supporters of the proposed changes urged lawmakers to act, while insurance industry officials stood by the 2019 law changes.

A recent study by the Michigan Brain Injury Provider Council said that about eight of every 10 facilities could be shuttered if the rate cut goes into effect. The group’s president, Tom Judd, in a statement called on the Legislature to take up the legislation and not let critical businesses go under.

"As predicted, we’re seeing the first group of health care businesses announce their impending closures due to the slash in reimbursements," Mr. Judd said. "There will certainly be more. This scenario is entirely avoidable – if only our legislative leaders were willing to put vulnerable constituents ahead of the insurance lobby."

Hope Network CEO Phil Weaver on Thursday sent an open letter to insurance industry executives in the state, asking them to negotiate a solution through the proposed legislation.

"The families and guardians of the people affected will struggle to find alternative care providers that can manage their complex care needs at drastically reduced reimbursements," Mr. Weaver wrote. "Time is running out for the Legislature to act before the 2019 law goes into effect. We ask that you step up and offer a solution that honors the policies of thousands of disabled people in Michigan count on. If you do not, it will be a clear signal to the people of Michigan that your profits are more important than standing behind your policies and protecting the lives of those who you claim to care about."

Republican leaders in the Legislature have not indicated an appetite to address the law before the July 1 changes take effect. Rehabilitation and brain injury clinics, and those representing them, have been sounding the alarm about the upcoming changes for weeks.

Roadside Saliva Tests Could Be Used For Drug Impairment Under Howell Bill
Police in Michigan would be allowed to use oral fluid roadside tests to detect the presence of drugs in an intoxicated driver’s saliva under legislation considered this week by the House Judiciary Committee.

The bill would allow for tests of other bodily fluids, beyond blood, breath and urine, as well.

What sponsor Rep. Gary Howell (R-North Branch) said what he is not trying to do with HB 4701 is set a level in law of what would be considered impairment. He explained the science is not clear what level of drugs in someone’s system should count as impairment.

"With the legalization of marijuana and the popularity of drugs, we are quickly finding that drunk driving is not the sole issue that we’ve got to deal (with) on road safety. We need to deal with properly enforcing safe driving laws. How do we identify those that are under the influence of drugs? It has presented a real problem for our law enforcement community," Howell told the committee.

Howell did note that some officers have been specially trained, referred to as drug recognition experts (DREs) to develop an expertise to ask the right questions, observe the right behaviors, and "come to a reasonably accurate conclusion as to whether somebody is under the influence of drugs.

"But, obviously, that presents a real problem of manpower, training, availability, and more importantly it is a time-consuming, challenging process," Howell said.

While he is not setting a standard in the law for drugs in someone’s system that would count as impairment, he explained that is because "I don’t believe we’ve got the information at this point in time to do that."

When the science can determine impairment levels of marijuana and other drugs, those could be added to the law, Howell said.

That led committee members to balk a bit. Rep. Steven Johnson (R-Wayland) said that for preliminary breath tests, there is the .08 blood-alcohol content (BAC) limit.

"If they get an .03, you are good to go," Johnson said. "I feel we almost need a number here, otherwise law enforcement is going to have no idea what is acceptable to bring someone in and what isn’t acceptable . . . But should we have some sort of standard here, because I don’t want to put law enforcement in a tough position."

Bridget Lorenz Lemberg, toxicologist with Forensic Fluids Laboratories in Kalamazoo, said her company has partnered with the Michigan State Police to run two studies of such roadside tests in what she said were the largest ever conducted in the U.S. comparing results of oral fluid tests with blood tests and DREs for a variety of drugs.

Some 19 states have set levels for what counts as impairment as have other countries, including European countries, Brazil and Canada, she said.

Lemberg explained the oral tests don’t require a blood draw and results come back in 18 hours. She also said the tests can distinguish between marijuana and CBD oil.

The committee did not vote on the bill. Chair Graham Filler (R-DeWitt) explained the committee had a lot questions, so he believed there would be further discussion.

Livingston County Sheriff Mike Murphy, who is also president of the Michigan Sheriff’s Association, said the organization has not taken a position yet on oral drug tests because they’re not proven technology.

Speaking as the sheriff, Murphy said he doesn’t know if the bill or a set level is really needed. The operating while intoxicated (OWI) law allows police to arrest based on field sobriety tests if the officer is willing to testify that the driver was operating the vehicle and was "visibly and substantially impaired."

"We’ve already got the ability to do that without a magic number test. Again, is it another tool in the toolbox? Yes. Do we need it? I don’t know," Murphy said.

He said the testimony of DREs, who take intensive training, does hold up in court.

"I come in as a drug recognition expert and say when I pulled this guy over because his car was weaving. I get him out and I do my field sobriety tests. Based on my 8,000 people that I’ve done sobriety tests on before, he was definitely on something," Murphy explained. "And then we get breath, blood or urine and it comes back that you’ve got whatever it is in your system. That is enough to seal the deal for an OWI."

Short Term Rental Bills Divide Cities, Realtors, Hosts
Two Michigan bills that could change the way cities approach short-term home rentals have created intense debate around who gets to determine how to regulate these dwellings, more popularly known as Airbnb or vacation rentals.

The issue has put interested groups such as the Ann Arbor-based Michigan Municipal League and Lansing-based Michigan Realtors on opposite sides with each asking its constituents to email, call and write to their local legislators about the bills.

The Michigan Municipal League last week held a Zoom call during which officials outlined their stance against Michigan Senate Bill 446 and House Bill 4722, both of which have similar wording. MML Legislative Associate Jennifer Rigterink said the two bills would limit a city’s ability to create a short-term rental solution that fits its needs, especially in Michigan’s tourism-heavy municipalities.

"We’re not opposed to short-term rentals. We’re opposed to a big government, one-size-fits-all solution," Rigterink said.

The two bills would amend the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act. Rep. Sarah Lightner, R-Springport, introduced the House bill in late April. Sen. Aric Nesbitt, R-Lawton, introduced the Senate bill on May 13. Under the bills, for the purposes of zoning, a short-term rental would be a residential use of property and a permitted use in all residential zones. It would not be subject to a special use or conditional use permit or procedure different from those required for other dwellings in the same zone. Also, it would not be a commercial use of property.

The two bills define short-term rental as the rental of a single-family home, a one- to four-family house or any unit or group of units in a condominium for a term of not more than 30 consecutive days.

The Michigan Municipal League opposes the bills because its members that have or want short-term rental ordinances may see their local rental-inspection programs put in jeopardy, its regulations made null and void and businesses buying up homes to serve as "mini-hotels," creating issues around housing supply and affordability.

Cities such as Boyne City in northern Michigan, which is considering a short-term rental ordinance, as well as areas such as Frankenmuth, which already has an ordinance, spoke during the recent Zoom call. They called the bills a "cookie-cutter approach" to legislation that ignores the different needs among Michigan cities when it comes to regulating short-term rentals.

"Local government needs to have the opportunity to set standards that benefit their community," said Michael Zehnder, a fourth-generation family member who serves as the general manager of the Bavarian Inn lodge in Frankenmuth and a short-term rental owner.

However, groups such as Lansing-based Michigan Realtors are asking people to support the two bills, noting that they "protect the rights of property owners" and "stop local government overreach … (that) are short-sighted and negatively impact local economies." Michigan Realtors says it supports "reasonable regulation of short-term rentals outside of zoning."

The Michigan House and Senate recently held hearings on the bills, and Ferndale Mayor Melanie Piana spoke against them. Piana, a former Michigan Municipal League board of trustees president, said Ferndale has put long hours into creating its own short-term rental ordinance and she doesn’t want these bills to change that.

"We took a path that was middle of the road," Piana said. "Our residents felt there was a benefit to having short-term rentals in our community, but we needed better tools in place for our city to manage the problematic ones."

Its new ordinance passed in March following a January incident where there was a shooting requiring police intervention at a Ferndale short-term rental. No one was hurt, Piana said, but cities including Ferndale sought ordinances to ensure "best practices" are in place when incidents such as this occur.

The city of Detroit has had a ban since November 2017 on short-term rentals in properties that are zoned R1 and R2. Generally, however, officials and short-term rental owners agree the ban hasn’t been enforced. Detroit neighborhoods with single-family homes are generally zoned as R1 districts and R2 districts can contain single-family or two-family dwellings.

Detroit City Council member Janeé Ayers in 2019 suggested an updated short-term rental ordinance would include a variety of requirements, including an annual registration fee, require short-term rentals to be more than 1,000 feet from one another, be the owner’s principal residence and not rented for more than 90 cumulative days per year. There has been no new discussion of this ordinance change since some initial hearings in 2019.

Nathan Jaganath Andren has watched Detroit and other cities debate how to handle short-term rentals for more than a decade — and he understands how issues around the rapid-fire growth of Airbnb has fueled this discussion. Andren was the first Airbnb host in Detroit in 2009. His Airbnb listing, a single-family home called Detroit Loves You Guest Home on the Airbnb website, is his full-time occupation.

He said that he and other Airbnb owners have been burned when cities unexpectedly change their ordinances, some even banning Airbnb outright. He said short-term rentals, when done right, boost home values, create more stable communities and benefit Realtors, homeowners and renters.

"It’s hard to make decisions about what to do in this business and what cities to support," Andren said, noting that he is watching these two bills as well as what Detroit is planning closely. "Clarity is better. Uncertainty hurts investment."

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ARE YOU STILL IN NEED OF A COVID VACCINE??  CONSIDER HONOR COMMUNITY HEALTH
Honor Community Health is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) community health center providing comprehensive and integrated primary, behavioral health and dental care throughout Oakland County, Michigan. Honor Community Health is designated as a Federally Qualified Health Center by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

Honor Community Health cares for and about people. Plain and simple. They strive to be your partner in health – helping you with your needs, including transportation, cost, translation, and others. Honor Community Health provides services open to anyone and everyone – regardless of ability to pay, insurance status, or place of residence.

In addition, our great friend and Honor CEO, Deb Brinson, has graciously offered vaccine help to any DCD clients that are looking to get their families or staff vaccinated.  To sign up for the Covid-19 vaccine – click here

If you have additional questions on the vaccine, or about how to get on the list, please feel free to call DCD @ 248.693.1391 or call Honor Health directly @ 248.724.7600.

Marijuana News, Updates, & Articles of Interest

THE DCD MARIJUANA TEAM:  YOUR COMPETITIVE EDGE
DCD continues to exist as the premier resource helping municipalities navigate the waters of cannabis policy. We would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have regarding medical or recreational cannabis policy, procedure, and more. DCD is available for presentations to municipal boards, for one-on-one meetings, and for consultations.

We are here to help you with: municipal lobbying, license application writing and assistance, business plans, state required operations manuals and compliance, facility design, corporate structure, and design and branding. 

We are experts in both medical and recreational cannabis policy and have been in the space for over ten years.  We welcome any opportunity to work with you in the future! 

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DCD is rebranding, and our bottom line is your bottom line. We are striving to create and foster strong relationships with clients and lawmakers, deliver results with strong ethics and class, but above all else, out-hustle and out-smart our competition every day to be the very best.

We’re making chess moves while others are playing checkers. Everything we do is with you in mind, we’re doing things we’ve never done before and aggressively pursuing opportunities. The time is now. DCD has taken our firm to the next level and your involvement and investment paired with our knowledge and expertise is going to launch the great state of Michigan forward.

GOP Leadership Pushes For Lifting of All Mandates in Wake of Mask Mandate Lift
News late last week that Michigan is lifting mask requirements for vaccinated people in all settings brought a flurry of reactions, most calling on the Governor to remove all remaining restrictions.

"A few weeks ago, Michigan finally rejected the old, failed path of one-size-fits-all mandates and restrictions that took away people’s jobs, schools and critical services," said House Speaker Jason Wentworth in a press release.

"But even after today’s announcement, we are still a few steps behind other states around the country that have trusted their local residents and enjoyed better health outcomes," he said. Wentworth urged the Governor to "keep going" and allow "everyone to go back to work and return to their normal lives."

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced last week that, based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, "fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in any setting," except where required to by federal, state, local laws, rules, and workplace regulations.

Outdoors, no one will have to wear a mask. Indoors, those not vaccinated or who haven’t completed vaccination should still wear masks.

After July 1, the broad indoor mask mandate will expire, according to the press release. 

Wentworth called for the July 1 expiration to be moved up.

"There is no science that says July 1 is a safer date to stop wearing a mask than any other day; it is just a round number on the calendar. Let’s move it up sooner, embrace the strategy of trust that’s working right now and move Michigan past this pandemic," Wentworth said.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey said he’s pleased the CDC and Michigan have gotten in alignment with the current science, but today’s decision "begs more questions than it answers."

For starters, how does the Governor reconcile the actions still being taken by her administration, in particular the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) workplace rules related to COVID-19 safety?

"The temporary rules were initially put in place to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and keep people safe," said President Pro Tem Aric Nesbitt. "It’s now one year later and businesses have made major investments in safety equipment to create a safe atmosphere for both employees and patrons."

Nesbitt said the second extension of the rules currently expires in October, but the agency has announced it is taking steps to make them permanent. He said it is "time we ease some of these burdens on businesses rather than considering making them long-term policy."

Sen. John Bizon and Sen. Curt Vanderwall also called for input on the MIOSHA rules.

"This is a clear case of government overreach on the part of the Whitmer administration," Bizon said. "It is absurd to think that once the coronavirus pandemic is behind us and the threat is gone, we should continue to follow rules put in place in response to the crisis."

Rep. Andrew Fink said the Governor’s decision-making throughout the pandemic "has made a mockery of self-government."

"While I am pleased to see common-sense changes being made to our state’s mask mandates today, it is clear the Governor is simply aligning with the Biden administration and continues to use the pandemic as a means of advancing her own political standings," Fink said. "Just two weeks ago, Gov. Whitmer required two-year-old children to wear masks. Today, she has taken an entirely new position on masks."

Others reacted as well. Scott Ellis, executive director of the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association (MLBA), said the lifting of the mandate will create conflict and confusion "between patrons and hospitality employees." The next step is to get MIOSHA and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) on the same page, he said.

"MIOSHA needs to update their workplace safety rules that contradict with the new MDHHS order and CDC guidelines," he said.

Until MIOSHA updates these rules, all employees must still wear masks in the workplace.

"Right now, employers are caught in a bad spot and MIOSHA needs to step up," Ellis said.

The Saginaw Transit Authority Regional Services (STARS) announced it will still require passengers to wear masks while riding.

"While I applaud this progress, I ask the community to respect our drivers and riders, continue to be safe, and mask up on all public transportation services even when fully vaccinated," said Glenn Steffens, STARS executive director.

He said the CDC, Transportation Security Administration and Homeland Security have not changed mask rules or recommendations for public transit.

The State Court Administrative Office also announced today they are the keeping the use of face coverings and social distancing in place in all Michigan courts.

Nonprofit Paid for Whitmer’s Florida Trip
A nonprofit set up to cover the costs of the transition process between the time Governor Gretchen Whitmer won election in 2018 and took office about seven weeks later paid almost $27,000 to cover the cost of a chartered flight for Ms. Whitmer to visit her ailing father in Florida, the governor’s office disclosed Friday.

Ms. Whitmer has been under scrutiny for the past month over her trip to Florida between March 12-15.

Much of that criticism appears to contradict the facts of what happened. Republicans have claimed Ms. Whitmer showed hypocrisy in traveling to Florida but there were no travel restrictions in place at the time and the state had only started to see a rise in coronavirus cases at that point. Additionally, while Ms. Whitmer had expressed "concern" about spring break travel to Florida, there is a big difference between the typical break scene and going to care for an ailing relative.

Further, Department of Health and Human Services guidance advising against travel did not come for another three weeks, in early April.

However, the one question that had appeared resonant was how Ms. Whitmer got to Florida. A week ago, Deadline Detroit first reported that Ms. Whitmer had flown aboard a high-end jet owned by some of the state’s top business executives – PVS Chemical Co-Chair Jim Nicholson, Ambassador Bridge owner Matthew Moroun and the Cotton family. Mr. Nicholson and Mr. Moroun own companies heavily regulated and permitted by state government.

Ms. Whitmer for some time had attempted to dodge questions, only saying the flight was not a gift and not paid for at taxpayer expense, and even said a couple times she had said all she was going to say on the topic.

Friday appeared an acknowledgement that failing to explain how she covered the cost of an expensive flight was untenable.

In a memo to Executive Office staff, Chief of Staff JoAnne Huls said "we made a decision" because of ongoing security and public health concerns to use a chartered flight. At the time of the trip, Ms. Whitmer had not been vaccinated. And she has been the subject of many death threats, one of which resulted in criminal charges. There’s also the extensive federal charges against men who plotted to kidnap her.

The cost for the flight was $27,521. Ms. Whitmer paid $855 of that for the cost of her seat.

Paying for the trip was the nonprofit fund Michigan Transition 2019, which the memo said "defrays the cost of the governor’s travel when it’s consistent with the account’s purposes and not covered by taxpayers." This was an account set up to cover the cost of the transition. Now called the Executive Office Account, it has accepted money from corporations, other nonprofits and associations.

"Given the extraordinary and ongoing threats to the life and safety of the governor and her family, we do not generally comment on the governor’s personal schedule. However, I fully expect Republican party officials will continue to make political attacks against the governor and her family, so I wanted you to have the facts," Ms. Huls said. "As chief of staff, I acknowledge we could have done a better job of answering questions about this trip with more clarity while also balancing the need to protect the governor’s security, and for that I take responsibility."

Ms. Huls also said the health of Ms. Whitmer’s father, Dick Whitmer, "deteriorated" after she returned to Michigan. His physicians at the University of Michigan asked him to return to Michigan, where he has a residence in East Lansing, to be re-evaluated. Ms. Whitmer personally took her father to Ann Arbor on Monday, where he underwent a procedure to start intravenous antibiotics. The procedure was successful, Ms. Huls said.

One of the immediate questions raised in the aftermath of the disclosure, which had all the hallmarks of a Friday news dump coming late in the afternoon, was whether the cost of Ms. Whitmer’s travel for an ostensibly personal trip was an acceptable use of the nonprofit. The governor has said she worked while in Florida.

In her memo, Ms. Huls said the Executive Office Account "defrays the cost of the governor’s travel when it’s consistent with the account’s purposes and not covered by taxpayers." She also said payment was "done in compliance with the law."

Republicans, however, questioned that assertion.

"This is not a legitimate expenditure for a 501(c)4," said Chris Gustafson of the Republican Governors Association.

Tori Sachs of the conservative super PAC Michigan Rising Action said, "There is no legal theory where reimbursing $800 for a $27,000 flight solves anything. Whitmer’s use of her 501(c)4 account funds must be investigated."

Internet Sports Betting Drops Significantly After March Madness
Internet sports betting operators handled $249.9 million in April, more than $100 million less than in March, a predictable scenario given the NCAA basketball tournament that took place last month was a boon for the new industry.

Internet gaming operators in Michigan reported $94.85 million in internet gaming gross receipts for April. Internet sports betting operators received $20.38 million in total gross sports betting receipts and reported a total handle of $249.9 million for the month.

"While the sports betting handle dropped 30-plus percent, which we expected the month after March Madness, internet casino gaming adjusted gross receipts held steady with a slight two-tenths of a percent increase in April," Michigan Gaming Control Board Executive Director Richard Kalm said in a statement.

Taxes and payments are based on adjusted gross receipts, which were $88.87 million for internet gaming and $10.88 million for internet sports betting during April. Adjusted gross receipts include deductions for the monetary value of free play incentives provided to and wagered by bettors. The operators delivered approximately $18.1 million in taxes and payments to the state of Michigan for April.

For internet gaming, the state receives 70 percent of the total tax from the commercial operators and 80 percent of the total payment from tribal operators. The tax and payment rate ranges from 20 percent to 28 percent based on annual adjusted gross receipts.

For internet sports betting, commercial operators pay 70 percent of the 8.4 percent tax to the state and 30 percent to the city of Detroit. Tribal operators make an 8.4 percent payment to the state on adjusted gross sports betting receipts.

The three Detroit casinos reported city wagering taxes and municipal services fees of $5.4 million for April with $5.2 million in internet gaming taxes and fees and $186,939 in internet sports betting taxes and fees. Tribal operators reported $1.8 million of wagering payments to the tribes’ governing bodies.

ARTICLES OF POLITICAL INTEREST:

State Prosecutor Removed From Whitmer Case Over Ethics Issue

New Bills Would Change How Gravel Mines Are Approved in Michigan

Senate Approves Billions in Budget Bills

Water Wars:  Should Michigan Worry About Water Diverted From Great Lakes?

Planning A Return to the Office?  Here’s What to Know…

ARE YOU STILL IN NEED OF A COVID VACCINE??  CONSIDER HONOR COMMUNITY HEALTH
Honor Community Health is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) community health center providing comprehensive and integrated primary, behavioral health and dental care throughout Oakland County, Michigan. Honor Community Health is designated as a Federally Qualified Health Center by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

Honor Community Health cares for and about people. Plain and simple. They strive to be your partner in health – helping you with your needs, including transportation, cost, translation, and others. Honor Community Health provides services open to anyone and everyone – regardless of ability to pay, insurance status, or place of residence.

In addition, our great friend and Honor CEO, Deb Brinson, has graciously offered vaccine help to any DCD clients that are looking to get their families or staff vaccinated.  To sign up for the Covid-19 vaccine – click here

If you have additional questions on the vaccine, or about how to get on the list, please feel free to call DCD @ 248.693.1391 or call Honor Health directly @ 248.724.7600.

Marijuana News, Updates, & Articles of Interest

THE DCD MARIJUANA TEAM:  YOUR COMPETITIVE EDGE
DCD continues to exist as the premier resource helping municipalities navigate the waters of cannabis policy. We would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have regarding medical or recreational cannabis policy, procedure, and more. DCD is available for presentations to municipal boards, for one-on-one meetings, and for consultations.

We are here to help you with: municipal lobbying, license application writing and assistance, business plans, state required operations manuals and compliance, facility design, corporate structure, and design and branding. 

We are experts in both medical and recreational cannabis policy and have been in the space for over ten years.  We welcome any opportunity to work with you in the future! 

ARTICLES OF CANNABIS INTEREST:

Michigan Banking Groups Back Federal Cannabis Bill

Michigan Man Develops Award-Winning Cannabis Rub After ATV Accident

Michigan’s First Marijuana Consumption Lounge Approved for Ann Arbor

Michigan Cannabis Sales Increase 149% In April to %154 Million

America’s Most Conservative States Are Embracing Medical Pot

DCD is rebranding, and our bottom line is your bottom line. We are striving to create and foster strong relationships with clients and lawmakers, deliver results with strong ethics and class, but above all else, out-hustle and out-smart our competition every day to be the very best.

We’re making chess moves while others are playing checkers. Everything we do is with you in mind, we’re doing things we’ve never done before and aggressively pursuing opportunities. The time is now. DCD has taken our firm to the next level and your involvement and investment paired with our knowledge and expertise is going to launch the great state of Michigan forward.