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Michigan Senate approves $1.2B bill to combat COVID-19

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Posted at 11:37 AM, Feb 08, 2022
and last updated 2022-02-08 11:37:12-05

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan lawmakers on Tuesday passed a $1.2 billion spending bill to combat COVID-19, including $300 million to help hospitals, nursing homes and other health care facilities give recruitment and retention bonuses to workers.

The allocation would be the latest from funding that was enacted by Congress and President Joe Biden nearly a year ago. It would be funded evenly with discretionary and nondiscretionary federal pandemic dollars, leaving the state with $4.7 billion of the $6.5 billion in funding with which it has broad flexibility.

The Senate passed the legislation 36-2. The House, which passed an earlier version in December, may give it final approval later Tuesday.

The measure includes $150 million for school safety, including to buy coronavirus tests; $100 million for early treatment of patients with monoclonal antibodies and antiviral pills; and $70 million in grants to adult foster care facilities and homes for the aged.