Governor Whitmer Signs Bills Into Law
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336 Farms and Food Processors Awarded $15 Million
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2020 community servey
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Protecting Young Viewers from Tobacco Imagery
Media Contacts: Ryan Jarvi FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Attorney General Nessel Joins Bipartisan Coalition in Urging Creative Community to Protect Young Viewers from Tobacco ImageryLANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel recently Last year, a coalition of attorneys general sent letters urging the streaming industry to limit tobacco imagery in their video content. The creative guilds’ assistance and support is critical to stopping the normalization and glamorization of tobacco use, especially youth vaping. “The statistics across our nation and right here in Michigan very clearly demonstrate that youth vaping is not something we can turn a blind eye to. Across counties in Michigan last year, our state witnessed between a 30 percent and 118 percent increase in e-cigarette use among high school students. This increase is According to an August 2020 report from The Truth Initiative, e-cigarette use doubled among high school students and tripled among middle school students from 2017 through 2019. Young people who use e-cigarettes are four times more likely to start smoking cigarettes, are more likely to become addicted to nicotine, have more difficulty quitting and may be at higher risk for addiction to other substances. Tobacco is the No. 1 preventable killer in the United States, with over 480,000 Americans dying from tobacco-related diseases every year. A growing body of evidence indicates that vaping can permanently damage lungs and lead to a lifetime of tobacco and nicotine use. In the race to launch new platforms, provide more content and capture audiences, many streaming companies failed to consider the impact that easy access to movies and programs with tobacco imagery would have on children. In 2012, following a decade of studies, the Surgeon General concluded that “[t]here is a causal relationship between depictions of smoking in the movies and the initiation of smoking among young people.” More recently, a study by the Truth Initiative found that children who watch episodic programs with tobacco content are significantly more likely to begin vaping than those who are not exposed to such content. Even those with low levels of exposure were more than twice as likely to start using e-cigarettes, and those with high exposure were over three times more likely. In the letter sent Monday, the bipartisan coalition urges Hollywood’s creative guilds to use their collective influence to persuade members of the creative community to depict tobacco imagery more responsibly and to encourage streaming companies to:
Letters were sent to the Directors Guild of America, Producers Guild of America, Screenwriters Guild of America, Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. Attorney General Nessel joins the attorneys general of Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, the Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin in sending the letters. |
Whitmer Signs Bill To Ensure Every Vote is Counted
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 6, 2020 Media Contact: Press@Michigan.gov
Governor Whitmer Signs Bill To Help Ensure Every Vote is Counted in the November Election Republican Legislature holds back bill expanding voter protections for military service members and their families
LANSING, Mich. — Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Senate Bill 757, which will help the State of Michigan ensure every vote is counted in the upcoming November election. SB 757 would allow clerks in certain cities or townships to begin processing absentee ballots prior to election day. It would also provide that clerks will notify voters of any reason their vote won’t be counted within 48 hours. The governor signed the bill alongside Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.
“We are anticipating historic turnouts in the November election, and we are committed to ensuring every Michigander can cast their vote safely, and that their votes are counted. Whether you mail in an absentee ballot, drop it off at your local clerk, or vote in person on election day, your vote will count on November 3rd,” said Governor Whitmer. “Michigan voters: request your ballot, fill it out, and drop it in the mail by October 19th or take it to your local clerk’s office. Your voice will be heard in November.”
“Michigan citizens can be confident their votes will count and the results of our elections will be an accurate reflection of the will of the people,” said Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. “While it falls short of providing the relief clerks have asked for, Senate Bill 757 is a small step in the right direction to allow some clerks additional hours to open envelopes and prepare ballots to be tabulated on Election Day.”
“Thank you to both Governor Whitmer and Secretary of State Benson for their leadership during this year’s unprecedented election,” said Mary Clark, Delta Township Clerk. “This critical legislation will give Michigan Clerks the support we need during undoubtedly the most important election of our careers. Myself and Clerks across the state are committed to ensuring the integrity and accuracy of this election.”
SB 757 would amend the Michigan Election Law to allow clerks in cities or townships with a population of at least 25,000 to perform certain absent voter (AV) ballot pre-processing activities prior to Election Day, as long as they give notice of that action to the Secretary of State (SOS) at least 20 days before Election Day. This provision would apply only for the November 3, 2020, general election. The Department of State would have to post any written notices on its website, and the clerk would have to post the notice on the city or township website. The bill would also allow election inspectors on AV counting boards in cities or townships to work in shifts. Additionally, it would provide requirements for AV ballot drop boxes and notification requirements for AV ballot applications and ballots that were rejected for missing a signature or having one that did not match the signature on file. SB 757 is sponsored by Sen. Ruth Johnson (R-Holly).
The governor was supposed to sign Senate Bill 117 at the press conference, which would allow service members and their spouses to return their ballots to their local clerks electronically if they are unable to do so in person. However, the Republican Legislature failed to send the bill to her desk.
“Elections are not the time to play partisan games. Our brave service members and their families put their lives on the line for us, and they deserve leaders who will help them vote,” said Governor Whitmer. “It’s time for the legislature to stop playing games, get back to work, and send this bill to my desk.”
Tripp Adams, a Michigan veteran who served overseas in the United States Army and Navy, said “I think it’s a disservice to our service members and their spouses that the state legislature would hold back already-passed, bipartisan legislation that would ensure these patriots serving overseas can securely exercise their right to vote.”
“It is time for the state legislature to stop playing games and do the right thing for our democracy and the men and women who serve it overseas,” said Liz Snell, a Michigander, former nominee for Military Spouse of the Year, and co-founder of Military Spouses of Strength. “They and their spouses have the right to have their vote counted, and anyone who stands in the way of that clearly misunderstands what it is to serve our state and country.”
SB 117 would amend the Michigan Election Law to require the Michigan Secretary of State (SOS) to create a process to allow eligible members to return ballots to their local clerks electronically. Eligible members include a member of a uniformed service on active duty or his or her spouse or member of the merchant marine or his or her spouse who, because of active duty or service, is absent from the U.S. and does not expect to return to the residence where the member or spouse is otherwise qualified to vote before an election. Currently, federal and state law require that ballots must be electronically transmitted or mailed to active duty members of the military at least 45 days before an election. The bill would require the SOS to promulgate rules that establish policies and procedures for the electronic return of voted ballots by eligible members of the military. SB 117 is sponsored by Sen. Adam Hollier (D-Detroit).
On September 30, Governor Whitmer joined 11 other governors in a joint statement regarding the recent threats to the democratic process and reports of efforts to circumvent the election results. Governors Gretchen Whitmer (MI), Jay Inslee (WA), Kate Brown (OR), Gavin Newsom (CA), Phil Murphy (NJ), J.B. Pritzker (IL), Tony Evers (WI), Tim Walz (MN), Ralph Northam (VA), John Carney (DE), Steve Sisolak (NV) and Michelle Lujan Grisham (NM) stated, “we affirm that all votes cast in the upcoming election will be counted and that democracy will be delivered in this election.”
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Governor Proclaims October as College Month
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 7, 2020 Contact: Press@michigan.gov
Governor Whitmer Proclaims October as College Month
LANSING, Mich. — Governor Whitmer proclaimed October as College Month to connect Michiganders with educational and financial resources and to help close the skills gap and move the state closer to reaching the governor’s goal of 60% postsecondary educational attainment by 2030.
“Since day one, I have been committed to ensuring all Michiganders have a path to opportunity, and have worked across the aisle to help provide pathways to a post-secondary education,” said Governor Whitmer. “I just signed the fiscal year 2021 budget, which includes funding for the Michigan Reconnect program, which provides a tuition-free pathway for adults looking to earn a postsecondary certificate or associate degree. And I announced the Futures for Frontliners program, which offers a tuition free pathway to a postsecondary degree or certificate for those frontline workers who worked on our behalf during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the program opened, more than 60,000 people have applied. During college month, I hope Michiganders everywhere explore these opportunities to see if they’re right for them.”
A month ago, Governor Whitmer announced the Futures for Frontliners program, the nation’s first-of-its’s-kind program offering tuition-free college to an estimated 625,000 Michiganders who served on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last year, the governor announced her Sixty by 30 goal, which aims to increase the number of working-age adults with a skills certificate or college degree to 60% by 2030. To advance her goal, Governor Whitmer signed into law the 2021 budget which included $30 million for the Michigan Reconnect program to provide a tuition-free pathway for adults looking to upskill and earn a postsecondary certificate or associate degree.
Additionally, the budget included a total of $28.7 million is provided for the Going PRO program to support job training grants to businesses to support training for current and new employees in high-demand, skilled trades industries. New funding of $3 million is provided for a statewide pre-apprenticeship program with the goal of developing qualified candidates for building trades apprenticeships in the construction industry.
According to the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce, 70 percent of all jobs in Michigan will require some postsecondary education or training beyond high school by 2020. To encourage Michiganders to apply for college, during the month of October, all Michigan colleges will accept the National Associated for College Admission Counseling application fee waiver for any student who has demonstrated financial need. |