Good afternoon, .

Another week has dawned as our state and nation continues to combat the global COVID-19 pandemic. MMA remains vigilant in our dedicated efforts to keep Michigan manufacturers well-informed and well-represented as we weather this crisis together.

Talent Funding Vetoed; Reprioritized for COVID-19

Citing the need for all available resources to be dedicated to state efforts related to the pandemic, Governor Gretchen Whitmer today vetoed almost $80 million included in the supplemental budget bill passed on 3/12/20, including $15 million that was intended for the Going Pro Talent Fund and $35 million for the proposed Michigan Reconnect program. The funding will be reprioritized for COVID-19.

Federal Economic Stabilization Bill Signed into Law

On Friday, 3/27/20, President Donald J. Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a $2.2 trillion bill intended to stabilize the economy as the nation reels from COVID-19. In the coming days, MMA will be connecting members to resources to help navigate the provisions of the new law. In the meantime, the US Senate and MMA Premium Associate Members have shared helpful summaries, guides and analyses to help manufacturers better understand the many provisions of the law and take advantage of programs that can help support your business at this challenging time.

• Honigman CARES Act Quick Reference Guide
• Maner Costerisan CARES Act Tax Briefing
• Miller Canfield Detailed Analyses
• US Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship “Small Business Guide to the CARES Act”

Additionally, the CARES Act includes a number of provisions that expand unemployment programs, effectively providing greater benefits to more individuals for longer periods of time. Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance Agency is working to finalize an agreement with the US Department of Labor and will be issuing guidance on the expanded unemployment benefits provided by the CARES Act, including:

• A federally funded benefit of an additional $600 per week on top of the state weekly benefit amount through 7/31/20
• An additional 13 weeks of unemployment benefits funded with federal dollars, which will bring total duration in Michigan to 39 weeks through the end of 2020
• Federal funding for the first week of regular unemployment

Michigan Counties Issuing COVID-19 Restrictions

Several Michigan counties have issued emergency orders imposing additional restrictions on essential businesses that continue to operate under Governor Whitmer’s “Stay home. Stay Safe.” Executive Order. We have communicated our concerns with such local ordinances to the Whitmer Administration, believing that an additional layer of rules and regulations could cause greater confusion and result in enforcement practices that are above and beyond those intended under the Executive Order. Please let us know if you have dealt with any local enforcement issues and we will provide updates to the Administration. Some local rules include:

• Ingham County Emergency Order for Control of Pandemic
• Oakland County Emergency Order for Control of Pandemic
• Washtenaw County Public Health Emergency Order in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Wayne County Public Health Orders for Essential Businesses and Child Care Facilities

Support for Manufacturers

While MMA is working to keep you informed of the latest developments and advocating for your needs with state policymakers, your fellow members are working to support your manufacturing operations. Find these and other resources on MMA’s COVID-19 Resources:

• Maner Costerisan is hosting a series of virtual panel discussions to help manufacturers with tax, business and technology issues during the COVID-19 pandemic (learn more)
• Prometis Partners is extending an offer to MMA members for a free monthly “Cash Burn Report” to help owners have a clear vision of how long their cash will last and what steps they can take to extend their position (contact contact Vincent Mastrovito, at vincent@prometispartners.com, to learn more)
• Heritage Crystal Clean offers FDA and EPA-approved decontamination and disinfectant services for industrial and office facilities of all sizes (learn more)

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out if I or my team can be of assistance.