Skip to content

Capitol Connection Newsletter: Dec. 22, 2020

In This Issue:

  • Federal Relief Legislation Approved
  • State Relief Legislation Approved
  • 501(c)(6) Not-For-Profit Organizations Eligible For Loans For The First Time In New Federal Stimulus Relief
  • 2021 Election Focus: Lansing and East Lansing

 

Federal Relief Legislation Approved

Congress has approved a $900 billion federal COVID-19 stimulus relief package. The stimulus relief package focuses on economic relief efforts for small businesses, jobless benefits, direct stimulus checks, continued COVID response, and more.

Below are highlights of the federal COVID stimulus relief package:

  • Aid for struggling small businesses, including more than $284 billion for forgivable Paycheck Protection Program loans and $15 billion "in dedicated funding for live venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions."
  • $300 per week for enhanced unemployment insurance benefits
  • $25 billion for rental assistance and an eviction moratorium extension
  • $82 billion for education providers like schools and colleges, including aid to help reopen classrooms safely
  • $10 billion to help with childcare assistance
  • Direct payment checks of up to $600 per adult and child
  • $13 billion in increased Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and child nutrition benefits
  • $7 billion to bolster broadband access to help Americans connect remotely during the pandemic
  • $69 billion for vaccines, testing, and tracing
  • A tax credit "to support employers offering paid sick leave."

Additional details on the federal stimulus relief package are available online.

 

State Relief Legislation Approved

The State Legislature approved Senate Bill (SB) 748 – COVID Relief Supplemental. The $465 million package focuses on economic relief efforts for small businesses, employee support, continued COVID response, unemployment funding, and more.

Below are highlights of the Senate Bill (SB) 748 – COVID Relief Supplemental:

Economic Relief for Businesses – $63.5 million

  • Michigan Small Business Survival Grants – $55 million
  • Michigan Stages Survival Grants – $3.5 million
  • Property Tax Deferral – $5 million

Employee Support – $47.5 million

  • Employee Assistance Fund – $45 million
  • GSRP and Head Start Hazard Pay – $2.5 million

Continued COVID Response – $122.3 million

  • Continued Testing and Rapid Response Teams – $22.5 million
  • Vaccine Strategy – $51.3 million
  • Hospital and CRC Needs – $15.3 million
  • Direct Care Worker Pay Increase – $26.7 million
  • Office of Accountability – $3.3 million
  • Medicaid Match for COVID Treatment – $4.1 million
  • National Guard and Veteran Homes Support – $2.9 million

Unemployment 6-week Extension – $222 million

For more information on SB 748, please click here and it will take you to the legislation.

 

501(c)(6) Not-For-Profit Organizations Eligible For Loans For The First Time In New Federal Stimulus Relief

In the first round of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), there were several 501(c)(6) not-for-profit organizations that were not added in the legislation. The LRCC, along with our partners at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE), have advocated to Congress to include the remaining 501(c)(6) not-for-profit organizations into the legislation.

With the passing of the new federal stimulus relief package, for the first time, 501(c)(6) not-for-profit organizations are now eligible for the PPP. Examples of these types of organizations that are now eligible are visitors’ bureau, chambers of commerce, business leagues and “destination marketing organizations,” provided they have 300 or fewer employees and do not receive more than 15% of receipts from lobbying.

View the section-by-section details of the ‘Continuing the Paycheck Protection Program and Other Small Business Support.'.

(Please note: LRCC staff will provide additional details and programming on the new provisions in the PPP as it becomes available.)

 

2021 Election Focus: Lansing and East Lansing

This past year, we have seen firsthand how government regulations can impact business operations and how important it is to have strong relationships with our elected officials. During the 2020 cycle, the Lansing Regional Chamber-PAC (LRC-PAC) still was engaged in ensuring that we endorsed and elected candidates running for local offices to the County Commission and Township Board of Trustees, and the State House of Representatives and Congress.

95% (39/41) of our endorsed candidates won in November, and we look forward to working with them as we navigate the ongoing pandemic. Heading into 2021, the LRC-PAC sets its sights on our region’s two largest municipalities: Lansing and East Lansing.

How can you help? Both city elections will be critical to our region, especially Lansing’s mayoral race. We know it has been challenging due to COVID-19, but we are asking you to chip in to provide any financial support to the LRC-PAC so we can hit the ground running in 2021.