LANSING, Mich. – Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed six bills from the state’s new COVID-19 legislation into law.
“Right now, Michigan is seeing a record number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, and these bills will help us protect each other as we continue to fight this virus,” Whitmer said. “COVID-19 is still a very real threat to our families, frontline workers, and small businesses, and I will continue to do everything in my power to save lives and will work with anyone who shares those goals.”
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House Bill 6137
House Bill 6137 requires the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs to publish publicly on the MDHHS website certain data regarding COVID-19 and nursing homes.
The bill requires updates from MDHHS on its website weekly regarding certain COVID-19 metrics and visitation policies.
It also requires the publishing of historic nursing home COVID-19 data. The historic data must be published by Nov. 15, and future data will be updated weekly, starting that day.
The bill was sponsored by Rep. Leslie Love (D-Detroit).
House Bill 6293
House Bill 6293 codifies in law certain expanded COVID-19 testing services that Whitmer provided for through executive orders.
This bill allows certain volunteers and workers to help with the COVID-19 testing process under the proper supervision of qualified licensees or local health departments until June 30, 2021.
The bill was sponsored by Rep. Graham Filler (R-DeWitt).
House Bills 6294-6297
House Bill 6294 through House Bill 6297 allow certain documents to be signed, witnessed and notarized electronically until Dec. 31.
The bills amend the Estates and Protected Individuals Code, the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Uniform Real Property Electronic Recording Act and the Michigan Law on Notarial Acts, respectively.
The bills have largely retroactive effect from April 30 and encourage the use of electronic signatures, witnesses and records, where available.
The bills were sponsored by Rep. Sarah Lightner (R-Springport).