Dear Neighbor,
As the leaves continue to fall, our legislative schedule is ramping up. In Lansing, our team has been hard at work delivering solutions to the everyday issues facing families across our state. In recent weeks, we have advanced legislation to protect consumers from price gouging, improve literacy rates among students, increase access to quality health care, and more.
As the Senate continues to work through a robust agenda, I hope to provide you with a legislative update, as well as share some helpful resources and provide information on upcoming events we have planned.
If you or someone you know would like to provide any feedback about what’s happening in Lansing, or needs assistance of any sort, please feel free to reach out to my office. You can contact me by sending an email to SenRBayer@senate.michigan.gov or calling (517) 373-2417.
Sincerely,
Rosemary Bayer
State Senator
District 13
- I sponsored Legislation to protect Michigan consumers and prevent housing discrimination based on source of income advances in the Senate.
- Last month, we celebrated several community developments in Walled Lake and Plymouth! Walled Lake Western held an event to acknowledge their new academic wing, and Manno Clothing & Tailoring in Plymouth had a ribbon-cutting ceremony that I was honored to attend.
- Election day is next Tuesday, Nov. 5. Learn what’s on your ballot, where to find your polling place, and more at mi.gov/vote.
Senate Democrats Push for Stronger Consumer Protections in Michigan
Sen. Bayer testifying before the Senate Finance, Insurance, and Consumer Protection Committee on Oct. 9 on behalf of her bill package, Senate Bills 888-892.
Michigan Senate Democrats are taking action to protect consumers and build a safer, fairer state. Earlier this month, the Senate Finance, Insurance, and Consumer Protection Committee heard testimony on a series of bills aimed at strengthening consumer protections — from cracking down on price gouging to securing your personal data to better protecting our seniors.
Led by Senators Sam Singh, Jeremy Moss, Mary Cavanagh, and myself, the bills hold businesses accountable for unfair and predatory practices. These efforts are part of a larger push by Senate Democrats to ensure Michigan families are protected and businesses play by the rules.
My bills, Senate Bills 888–892, would enhance the protection of consumer information in Michigan by expanding the definition of “personal data” to include health and biometric information, such as fingerprints and facial recognition. If a data breach has, or may have, occurred, this legislation would require that entities investigate and notify affected consumers as well as the Attorney General’s office if the number of affected consumers exceeds 100. And, if a consumer’s Social Security number or taxpayer ID is compromised, the company must provide affected consumers with free identify theft protection and mitigation services for two years.
Learn more about what Senate Democrats are doing to protect Michigan consumers here.
Legislation to Prevent Housing Discrimination Based on Source of Income Headed to Governor’s Desk
I’m proud to have worked alongside my colleagues Sens. Mary Cavanagh and Jeff Irwin to advance Senate Bills 205–207, legislation we’ve sponsored to ensure greater access to housing for veterans, people living with disabilities and those receiving other forms of assistance by eliminating source-of-income discrimination in Michigan.
These bills, alongside the second half of the package, House Bills 4062 and 4063, would prohibit landlords from discriminating against a tenant or prospective tenant based on the source of their income — in other words, a landlord would not be able to deny someone an apartment simply because they receive government assistance. Source of income includes child support as well as benefits or subsidy programs, including housing assistance, public assistance, emergency rental assistance, veterans’ benefits, Social Security, Supplemental Security Income or other retirement programs, and other programs administered by any federal, state, local or nonprofit entity.
House Bills 4062 and 4063 were reported out of committee to the Senate floor a couple of weeks ago. Senate Bills 205-207 passed the Senate last month with changes adopted from the House and now head to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.
Slate of Legislation Championed by Senate Democrats Signed into Law
From increasing access to vital health services and putting more money back in Michiganders’ pockets to protecting our natural resources and celebrating our state’s automotive legacy — my colleagues and I have been busy working to pass legislation to build a stronger, more prosperous future for our state.
In recent weeks, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a slate of these bills into law, including legislation to:
- Strengthen Michigan’s home health care system by allowing individual home help caregivers to unionize. More specifically, these bills will support workforce development, expand training, and restore bargaining rights for 35,000 home care workers in Michigan.
- Improve health outcomes in rural communities by ensuring rural hospitals are equipped with the resources necessary to provide quality care services. Read more here.
- Lower costs for Michiganders by extending families’ access to cash assistance from the Family Independence Program (FIP) from 48 months to 60 months, helping put money back into the pockets of hard-working Michiganders so they can care for their children.
- Preserve Michigan’s unmatched natural resources by providing supplemental funding for outdoor recreation opportunities.
- Support breastfeeding moms and their babies by strengthening protections against discrimination for individuals who are currently breastfeeding.
- Bolster treatment services for addiction by providing $4 million more per year in funding towards expanding Michigan’s gaming and gambling prevention programming.
- Expand access to health care by repurposing Medicaid funding to allow low-income Michiganders access to a broader range of care centers.
- Celebrate Michigan’s proud automotive history by providing historical vehicle owners the opportunity to obtain personalized license plates.
Read more about these bills and more here.
Bipartisan Bills to Implement Dyslexia Screening, Improve Literacy Signed into Law
Affecting up to one in five children in each classroom, dyslexia is a language-based learning disability that can impact the ability to read, write, spell, and pronounce words. Data suggests that students with dyslexia who receive high-quality, phonics-based instruction early on can go on to become successful readers.
That’s why Sens. Jeff Irwin and Dayna Polehanki have fought for the better part of a decade to implement comprehensive dyslexia screening for Michigan students. Senate Bills 567 and 568, which passed out of the Michigan Senate in September with nearly unanimous support, will require schools to screen students for characteristics of dyslexia and provide evidence-based interventions to help students achieve literacy. And just a couple of weeks ago, this bipartisan legislation was officially signed into law by Gov. Whitmer!
Learn more about these bills here.
Supplemental Budget to Bolster School Safety and Mental Health Signed into Law
Building up the future of our state begins with investing in our students. From providing funding for new textbooks and classroom supplies to paying our teachers a wage they deserve — my colleagues and I have been working to ensure our youngest Michiganders have the resources they need to learn, grow, and succeed. A critical component of ensuring Michigan students thrive both inside and outside of the classroom is their physical and mental well-being.
Expanding on our 2025 State Budget, Senate Democrats passed a budget supplemental in September to allocate an additional $125 million to bolster school safety and mental health supports. Whether it be more school resource officers, counselors, therapists, or infrastructure upgrades, these flexible dollars provide school districts with the ability to make lasting improvements to ensure classrooms are safe, supportive environments that are properly equipped to meet the needs of every student.
Gov. Whitmer recently signed this budget supplemental into law, helping keep our kids safer and make our communities stronger. Read more here.
Grand Opening at Walled Lake Western
I was thrilled to join Walled Lake Western in Commerce Township to celebrate the grand opening of their new academic wing late last month! The event brought together students, teachers, and community members to commemorate this incredible investment, and it was so pleasant to share this moment with them. Rep. Ann Bolin and I also presented a tribute to Superintendent Lonze and Walled Lake Western President Amy Pashak. Congratulations, Walled Lake Western!
Manno Clothing & Tailoring Ribbon Cutting Event in Plymouth
I also had the pleasure of attending Manno Clothing & Tailoring’s ribbon cutting event in Plymouth last month. It was great to see the enthusiasm for this small business and learn about its long history in Michigan! I had good conversations with the family and friends in attendance, and everyone looked very sharp — naturally, for this established haberdashery!
Voting is BOO-tiful! What You Need to Know
It’s not just spooky season; it’s election season! In addition to fighting for your rights at the ballot box, Senate Democrats want to make sure you have all the information you need to elevate your voice in our democracy. Election Day is next Tuesday, Nov. 5, but early in-person voting is already underway — avoid the lines by voting early in-person at your designated early voting site indicated by your municipality. I was excited to cast my vote early along with my husband John!
To learn more about early in-person voting, voting on Election Day, where to find your clerk’s office or polling place, what’s on the ballot, and more, visit mi.gov/vote.
Need to register? If you’ve recently moved or changed your name since the last election, you’ll need to update your voter registration. Now that we’re within 14 days of the election, you may only register in person at your local clerk’s office with documentation showing proof of residency. You can register to vote and vote in person up until and on Election Day. You must be in your city or township clerk’s office by 8 p.m. on Election Day in order to register and vote in the general election.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Domestic violence is a crisis facing women and families across Michigan and the United States. On a typical day, more than 20,000 phone calls are placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide. Here in Michigan, an average of one in three families are impacted by domestic violence every year.
The issue of domestic violence is also deeply interconnected with gun violence, as more abusers are choosing firearms as their weapon of choice. That’s why my colleagues and I voted last year to advance legislation to keep weapons out of the hands of convicted abusers. Click here to read more about how Senate Bills 471 and 528 are helping to enhance protections for survivors of domestic violence.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please visit the Michigan State Police webpage on domestic violence here for more information or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. Additional resources can be found here.