Local public health departments would be stripped of state funding if they have an emergency order in effect as of Oct. 1 without the passage of a non-binding resolution of support from their county board of commissioners, under a provision included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 budget that passed the Senate Tuesday.
The provision is one of several potentially sticky political issues the Governor may need to address when she receives SB 0082, the main omnibus spending bill that cleared the Senate unanimously Tuesday afternoon.
The $50.7 billion document is the bulk of the state’s close to $70 billion spending document for FY 2022 that also includes the previously adopted $17 billion School Aid budget and the $2 billion Higher Education budget.
Another section of the budget prohibits state officials from requiring COVID-19 vaccine disclosure as a condition of receiving state services. It also bans the spending of money to develop a vaccine passport.
Also, the director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, or a local health officer, shall not enforce any orders or other directives that require an individual in this state who is under 18 to wear a face mask or face covering.
Universities or community colleges that implement a mandatory vaccination policy for COVID-19 are being required under HB 4400 to provide exemptions for certain students or risk losing state funding.
The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs is prohibited from enforcing mask mandates for children under 5 and prohibits regulators from fining day care providers if the young kids aren’t wearing masks.
