Dear Neighbor,
While the year is rapidly coming to a close, my Senate Democratic colleagues and I are using every moment we have to deliver solutions to the issues facing our state. From permanently expanding the bipartisan Michigan Reconnect program to preventing firearm suicide deaths, I’m laser-focused on continuing meaningful progress for the people of Michigan.
Read on to learn more about not only our current legislation we’re working on, but also how earlier this week, Speaker Matt Hall and the House Republicans unilaterally made devastating budget cuts slated for Michigan kids, families, and communities.
As always, if you need assistance of any sort, or have any questions or concerns you’d like to share, please feel free to reach out to my office. You can reach me and my team by calling (517) 373-2417 or emailing SenRBayer@senate.michigan.gov.
Sincerely,
Rosemary Bayer
State Senator
District 13
- From funding to provide wigs for kids undergoing cancer treatment to critical resources to support new moms and their babies during their most vulnerable stage of life, earlier this week, House Republicans decimated over half a billion dollars promised to people and programs around the state. Learn more below.
- As temperatures continue to drop into frigid temperatures, many community organizations across Michigan open their doors to ensure everyone can stay warm. To learn more and find warming centers near you, visit mi211.org.
In Twisted Political Maneuver, House Republicans Axe Crucial Funding for Michigan Kids & Communities
Earlier this week, in a deliberately cruel and reckless political stunt lacking any ounce of transparency, Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall and his Republican colleagues exploited a rarely used provision in state law to unilaterally slash over a half billion dollars in funding for Michigan’s kids, families, small businesses, and communities. Among the unilateral cuts in bipartisan passed, already agreed upon funding promised to programs around the state were resources to:
- Uplift new moms and their babies at the most vulnerable stage of life;
- Support critical community organizations and food pantries;
- Bolster education and workforce development projects to prepare our students for today’s economy;
- Tackle our state’s opioid epidemic;
- Finance improvements to aging roads and infrastructure;
- Expand access to mental health services;
- Invest in affordable housing solutions;
- Promote economic development in our communities;
- Ensure our state’s Holocaust museum can continue offering education on a piece of world history we must never forget;
- And so much more.
In the middle of the holiday season, at a time when Michiganders are already feeling the financial stress from the whiplash of federal policies, and rather than support and protect the people they are entrusted to serve, Matt Hall and his Republican colleagues pull the rug out from under them.
Let me be clear: House Republicans can play any childish games they want in their spare time, but the lives of Michiganders are not on the table to be played with.
While we work to understand the full impact of this action on people and programs around the state, you can rest assured that Senate Democrats will continue serving with actual integrity and actual leadership, doing everything we can to hold House Republicans accountable and ensure every Michigander knows what they did.
Preventing Firearm Suicide Deaths in Michigan
Each year, about 742 people in Michigan die by firearm-related suicide and 34 are wounded by these attempts — clearly a public health crisis that must be acted on.
To prevent these tragedies from occurring and protect families from the devastation that follows, I’m spearheading legislation at the Capitol to establish both temporary and indefinite do-not-sell lists for firearms, known in other states as Donna’s Law. These do-not-sell lists would allow individuals to voluntarily add their names to the state’s background check system to prevent them from impulsively purchasing a gun — the most deadly method of suicide.
I’m proud to report that this legislation, Senate Bill 539, advanced out of the Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety this past week and now heads to the full Senate floor for consideration. To learn more, click the video below to watch my committee testimony on this crucial bill.
Fighting Food Insecurity This Holiday Season and Beyond
Everyone deserves access to quality, nutritious food, full stop — but this year, the demand for food assistance is higher than ever as grocery costs soar and federal Republicans have disrupted Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and restricted eligibility. Approximately 1.5 million Michiganders face food insecurity, including over 402,000 children.
My Senate Democratic colleagues and I have worked hard to ensure that every Michigan family has access to food not only during the holidays, but year-round. From proposing $71 million in relief funding to support food banks and continue SNAP benefits during the federal shutdown to delivering another year of free school meals for every Michigan student, we’ve made significant groundwork in combating food insecurity here in our state. Learn more about our efforts to tackle food insecurity here, and explore food assistance resources below.
- The Michigan Dept. of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) offers various food assistance resources and programs.
- Michigan 211 helps locate local programs to meet food and nutrition needs, from prepared meal programs to emergency formula and baby food assistance.
- Locate food banks in our local community, explore volunteer opportunities, and more at Feeding America – Michigan.
- Explore the Food Bank Council of Michigan’s website to find local food bank information, find assistance with SNAP benefits, and more.
Senate Unanimously Acts to Deliver Relief for Michiganders Facing UIA Benefit Recovery
During the chaos of the pandemic, thousands of our neighbors, family members, and friends from across the state turned to their government for help, tapping into the unemployment system to put food on the table, pay their bills, and ensure their families could weather a once-in-a-lifetime global health crisis. Since then, the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) has been attempting to claw back alleged overpayments they mistakenly made to these same individuals — causing stress for many around the state at an already financially tough time. And time and time again, the UIA has been losing these claw back cases, refuting their claims of widespread fraud and abuse!
Let’s be clear: these families did nothing wrong. That’s why, earlier this week, alongside every single Senator, across partisan lines, I voted to pass legislation that would provide a clean slate for these folks by waiving any overpayments the UIA is currently attempting to collect from this pandemic-era timeframe. Senate Bill 700 now heads to the Michigan House, where I’m hopeful they will act quickly so we can deliver relief to those who need it most.
Northville Coffee Hour
We had a great community conversation at the wonderful Northville Community Center recently. From proposed MDOT rules to firearm safety and violence prevention to landfill setbacks and tipping fees — we covered so many interesting topics that matter to our community. Thanks for coming, lending an ear, and for making your voice heard. I can’t wait to see you at my next event!
Farmington Hills Tree Lighting Ceremony
Oh, what fun! John and I had a blast at the Farmington Hills tree lighting ceremony last week! It was great to see Farmington Hills Mayor Theresa Rich, newly-elected City Council Member Charlie Starkman, State Reps. Kelly Breen and Samantha Steckloff, County Commissioner William Miller, and of course — Santa. We brought in the holiday season with carols, hot chocolate, and cookies in the beautiful fire station!
Update: MDOT’s New Proposed Rules & the Rulemaking Process Explained
Announced earlier this year, the Michigan Dept. of Transportation (MDOT) is proposing new administrative rules on properties it maintains throughout the state. Since then, my office has heard from many constituents who have expressed their concerns about how these new rules would infringe their First Amendment rights and criminalize people experiencing homelessness. Thank you to those who have reached out. Because the rulemaking process differs considerably from a typical legislative process, I wanted to provide some resources on what the former looks like here in Michigan.
Please reference this flowchart from the Michigan Office of Administrative Hearings and Rules (MOAHR), which thoroughly outlines the rulemaking process. Currently, the status of the proposed MDOT ruleset is between the “Public Hearing” and “JCAR” stages. During this time, the department proposing the rules — in this case, MDOT — reviews the public comments they have received and can make edits to their proposed rules, pull the ruleset entirely, or elect to keep the rules unchanged. This presentation also contains helpful information on this process.
I have been made aware by MDOT that, at this moment, they are reviewing public comments and potentially planning to make changes. I will do my best to keep you updated as this process moves along. You can also keep an eye on the MOAHR webpage for this ruleset.
While this ruleset is still in the drafting stage, and since the public comment period has passed, the best avenue for sharing your concerns is by contacting Governor Whitmer’s office. You can do so using this form or by calling her office at 517-335-7858.