Safeguards to Help with Basic Needs

To be a force in the 21st Century, Michigan must have an economy that works for everyone with safeguards to support all Michiganders’ basic needs

– but the COVID-19 crisis has further increased the financial struggles for families across our state.

Having the money to make mortgage or rent payments and purchase food, prescriptions, childcare and other daily needs are important every day, especially during an emergency. That starts with letting Michiganders keep more of their hard-earned money while ensuring that everyone contributes their fair share to the state we all call home.

Delivering on Our Commitment

We’re proud to say that we’ve taken important steps to deliver on our commitment to build a stronger future for Michiganders. We’ve secured funding for the priorities our communities care about most, including:

$ 0

per week in additional unemployment benefits for those displaced by COVID-19 after Congress allowed federal support to expire.

$ 0 M

for increased Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) staffing and technology support to process claims quicker and more efficiently.

$ 0 M

to help with the cost of Day Care.

$ 0 M

for the food banks and the Double Up Food Bucks program.

$ 0 M

to support domestic violence shelters.

$ 0 M

for rental assistance, eviction diversion and legal aid.

$ 0 M

for water utility assistance.

$ 0 M

in Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) response grants to keep workers safe.

$ 0 M

million for multicultural social services.

Michigan House Democrats firmly believe providing safeguards help Michiganders, working families and our economy, and will provide these protections by:

Investing in the staffing and technology to speed up unemployment processing.
Increasing payments for all workers including those who receive tips.
Stopping foreclosures, utility shutoffs, evictions, defaults and student loan payments during a state of emergency.
Providing food and nutrition assistance program funding, allowing online Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) purchases and expanding the Double Up Food Bucks program.
Establishing cleaning standards and safe distancing measures to create safe workplaces.
Expanding earned paid sick leave to cover all workers who are exposed or have contracted COVID-19 during quarantine and treatment.
Expanding internet access across Michigan and offering an affordable service option for low-income, seniors and other vulnerable populations.

Requiring auto insurance rate rebates, prohibiting the use of credit reports in rate-setting and assessing the same garage rates across Michigan.
Establishing a health insurance rebate program.
Preventing price gouging, robocall scamming, and elder abuse to protect consumers and providing the required funding.
Leveling the playing field through a graduated income tax to put more hard-earned money back in 92 percent of Michiganders’ pocketbooks, while ensuring everyone, including the wealthiest, pay their fair share.
Restoring the Earned Income Tax Credit to its original level of 20 percent to provide tax relief for American workers with low to moderate income.
Raising the minimum wage to $12 by 2022 to respect the will of hundreds of thousands of Michiganders who pushed for a living wage through a ballot initiative in 201