This column appeared in The Alpena News on December 23, 2020.
On Monday, the Michigan Legislature wrapped up the 2019-20 session by delivering some major gifts to Michigan residents in the Alpena area and around the state.
That included the bipartisan passage of $465 million in supplemental budget funding to provide immediate help to Michigan workers, families, and businesses struggling because of the COVID-19 health crisis.
That money was desperately needed to address the various impacts of COVID-19 on our families, our workers, our businesses, our public health, and our economy.
But the politics of lame duck — the time between elections and the start of a new legislative term — can always be tricky, sometimes resulting in sound compromises, other times in disappointing stalemates.
Luckily, lawmakers kept negotiating and never lost sight of their responsibility to tackle this crisis and provide support to those hit hardest by the pandemic.
The end result was widespread, bipartisan support in both the state House and state Senate and a number of wins for Michigan residents.
It’s is a huge amount of funding and supports an extensive list of important priorities that needed to be addressed now. The supplemental bill includes funding for COVID-19 vaccines as shipments start coming in and being administered, as well as money for additional testing and personal protection equipment.
The legislation also addressed a number of needs for workers and their families.
Money was included for child care funding for providers to school-aged children as kids’ and parents’ schedules continue to change. Funding for hazard pay and other raises were included to acknowledge the importance of direct-care workers and educators of kids of all ages right now, and the additional challenges and health risks that their jobs come with right now. The budget bill also created and funded grant programs for certain businesses and workers who have been hit hardest by the pandemic.
Perhaps the most urgent need addressed by the supplemental bill and companion legislation, Senate Bill 604, is funding to provide six more weeks of emergency unemployment for thousands of struggling workers who were about to have their benefits run out.
That is a need for workers and their kids. A new national KIDS COUNT report released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation last week showed that an average of 62% of Michigan households with children have lost income since the pandemic began. As of Nov. 9, that percentage is still hovering at 56%.
There are still other COVID-related struggles kids and residents are facing right now that still need to be addressed by the Michigan Legislature, and are now the responsibility of the next legislative class and its more than two dozen new lawmakers.
We hope the COVID-related needs of our state are a top priority in the next budget supplemental that is expected as early as January. That includes state funding to address eviction assistance and other housing needs and allocating more federal funding for expanded food assistance benefits for school children who would have received free/reduced-price meals through school if it wasn’t for the COVID-19 emergency and move to virtual schools.
While the budget supplemental was the most pleasant surprise of lame duck, there were a number of big positive policies to come out of the final days of the legislative session. That includes Senate Bill 241, which will establish a moratorium on water shutoffs for the more than 300,000 households around the state who are behind on their water bills.
The Legislature also passed several key criminal justice reforms that the Michigan League for Public Policy and a number of our partners have been working on for years. That includes making more occupational licenses available to individuals with a criminal record, eliminating unnecessary driver’s license suspensions for a number of offenses, and ending a lifetime ban on food assistance for individuals with certain drug convictions.
This is one of the toughest times in our state’s and our Legislature’s history.
But, from tackling the state’s most pressing COVID-related needs to helping justice-involved individuals move on from their past mistakes, the members of the 100th Legislature have left a legacy they can be proud of.
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
