Dear Neighbor,
Happy March is Reading Month! This month, I hope both you and your family take time to visit your local library and enjoy a few books together, celebrating the knowledge that you get from reading. To check out some of our talented Michigan authors, visit the Great Michigan Read program and find a list of yearly selections here!
As the year rapidly progresses, our work in Lansing does too. The governor recently delivered her final State of the State address and unveiled her recommendations for the 2027 state budget, officially setting the stage for the months ahead. In both presentations, she emphasized priorities I share including making life more affordable for Michiganders, investing in our students and schools, and lowering the cost of housing so more folks have the ability to build and raise their family here in Michigan.
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
- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer delivered her final State of the State address last week, outlining priorities for her last year in office, while also reflecting on the great progress we’ve made together over the last several years. Read more about this below.
- Please join me and Attorney General Nessel in Northville in a couple of weeks to learn more about data centers and their impact on our communities. Learn more and RSVP here.
- Get ready to set your clocks forward and lose a bit of sleep! Daylight Saving Time starts this Sunday, March 8.
New Bills I’m Backing in the Michigan Legislature
As my colleagues and I begin to craft another state budget that delivers solutions for Michiganders, I’m also excited to advance legislation for the year that strengthens support for people across the state and safeguards the places we call home. Specifically, last week, I introduced bills that would:
Protect Our Shorelines & Lake Ecosystems
While wake boats are an increasingly popular way to enjoy Michigan’s inland lakes, their misuse can have harmful consequences, including bottomland and vegetation degradation, the destruction of fisheries, and the growth of unhealthy algae blooms on the surface. To address these concerns and protect our shorelines and water wildlife, my legislation, Senate Bill 812, would establish recommended restrictions for the areas that boats with wake-enhancing equipment can operate.
Help Tackle Our State’s Mental Health Crisis
Along with Michigan facing a shortage of mental health providers, we also have individuals who require treatment that cannot be provided in the outpatient setting. While some residents require residential treatment to treat their underlying condition, our current licensure system for adult foster care residential facilities fails to adequately regulate adult psychiatric residential programs. The result is that current programs are subjected to inappropriate licensure, a lack of insurance reimbursement, and constraints on providing services to persons with severe and often co-occurring conditions. This causes a lack of access to appropriate care, recurrent hospitalizations, tragedies such as suicide, and expensive out‐of‐state placements by some insurance companies or families with the means to seek these placements out.
Recognizing a need for these programs, my legislation, Senate Bill 799, seeks to create a licensing program for adult psychiatric residential programs serving individuals with moderate to severe mental health conditions so they can better access the specialized treatment they deserve.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Delivers Her Final State of the State Address
Last week, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer delivered her final State of the State address where she outlined priorities for her last year in office, while also reflecting on the great progress we’ve made together over the last several years. From delivering a historic $1 billion tax cut for working families, guaranteeing all Michiganders a no-cost path towards a college degree or skills certificate, and making transformational investments in housing to lower the cost of purchasing a new home — we’ve been busy delivering results for Michigan communities.
But as the governor noted in her speech, our work is not done yet! There’s still more for us to do to lower costs, make housing more affordable, support students in their educational journeys, and ensure every Michigander has the opportunity to build a secure future for their family. As the legislative session continues, I look forward to working with the governor and my colleagues in the legislature to pass policies that advance these goals.
If you missed the address, you can watch the full recording here.
March is Reading Month! Ensuring Literacy for Michigan Students
As a state, we need to take additional steps and strategic investments to boost literacy rates and offer a quality education statewide. Senate Democrats have been long been leaders on this effort, prioritizing Michigan futures through investing in our kids and fighting for proven-effective educational programs and support. As we recognize March is Reading Month, I want to highlight some actions my colleagues and I have taken to help more young Michiganders learn to read, including:
- Spearheading Science of Reading literacy programming;
- Bringing phonics back to Michigan curriculum;
- Banning the use of cell phones in the classroom to keep kids engaged; and
- Passing legislation that will soon screen every student for dyslexia.
My colleagues and I are laser-focused on supporting public education and continuing critical investments in Michigan’s kids, both in and out of the classroom. Read more about some of our recent education wins here.
Happy Women’s History Month!
March has been nationally recognized as Women’s History Month since 1987, celebrating the struggles, triumphs, and resilience of women who have paved the way for progress and continue to inspire generations. I’m proud to be a part of Michigan’s first female-majority legislative caucus, where we’re not just breaking barriers from within, but working hard to ensure all women across the state have the resources and opportunities they need to shatter glass ceilings and secure successful futures. From safeguarding reproductive rights and freedoms to expanding the Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act to protect against discrimination, we will continue to do the work to stand up for Michigan women.
Data Center Town Hall in Northville
Please join me and Attorney General Nessel in Northville in a couple of weeks to learn more about data centers and their impact on our communities. RSVP today!
WHEN: Friday, March 20, from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.*
*Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Please arrive early for security measures.
WHERE: Northville, MI
Location details will be sent via email 24 hours prior. The venue is wheelchair accessible.
Seats are limited, so each registration is for one person only. If you want to bring a guest such as a friend or partner, please fill out a separate registration with their name and contact information.
If you have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at SenRBayer@senate.michigan.gov.
Connecting with Constituents in Novi
Last month, I was thrilled to connect with community members at the Novi Civic Center, where we discussed topics ranging from the current state of nurse practitioners’ scope of practice here in Michigan to data center projects in our communities. As always, these community conversations are opportunities to talk, listen, and learn with my constituents. They truly are one of the favorite parts of my job, helping drive my work at the Capitol and in the community. I hope to connect with you at the next one!
New Tool to Report Immigration Enforcement in Michigan
Attorney General Dana Nessel has recently launched a new reporting form for Michiganders to report alleged misconduct by federal immigration agents in their communities. Crafted in response to concerns from residents across the state on the uptick of harmful enforcement tactics happening in Michigan and nationwide, this new tool provides Michiganders an avenue to document any concerning behavior they are witnessing at the hands of federal officers. The form allows residents to submit specific incident details, including descriptions of the actions witnessed, the number of individuals involved and their group or agency affiliations, tools and weapons observed, and the time and location of the incident. Learn more here, and click here to access the form.
Michigan’s High School Graduation Rate Reaches Another Record High
The Michigan Dept. of Education recently announced that Michigan’s 2025 four-year graduation rate once again improved to the highest level since 2008! The graduation rate increased to just over 84%, up by 1.2 percentage points from the previous year, while the state’s four-year dropout rate decreased. This new data represents real progress toward increasing the number of students who graduate from high school.
These new findings are thanks to significant investments the state has been making in Career and Technical Education. Programs like these expand secondary learning opportunities to provide students with work-based learning in career paths such as skilled trades, agriculture, public safety, information technology, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, among many others.
To learn more about what CTE programs you or your children may be able to take advantage of, click here.
Resources for Tax Filing Season
The 2026 tax filing season is well underway, with the deadline to file next month on Wednesday, April 15, 2026!
Senate Democrats have been focused on cutting taxes and making it easier to raise families here in Michigan. That’s why we worked to deliver the biggest tax break for working families in Michigan history, which cut taxes by $1 billion. Click here for a few quick tips to help you maximize your return this year!
During the last legislative session, we quintupled Michigan’s match of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) from 6% to 30% to help families save an average of $3,800 when combined with the federal credit. Check if you qualify for the federal EITC here.
Remember, do not share your tax documents or earnings statements via phone or social media. The IRS will only contact you via official U.S. Postal Service mail. View the IRS’ guide to stay safe from scams, and find free tax-filing resources and preparation near you here.
Michigan Athletes Bring Home Hardware from 2026 Winter Olympics
As some of the best athletes in the world headed to Italy for the 2026 Winter Olympics, Michigan was proud to send more than a dozen to compete in activities such as figure skating, ice dancing, bobsledding, skiing, and hockey. Over the past few weeks, these athletes put their skills and talent to the test, and in the end, our Michigan competitors made our state proud — bringing home some serious hardware, including 11 gold medals.
Some of the most exciting moments from Milan came from the U.S. women’s and men’s hockey teams who put up a great fight against Canada to snag gold in each division, with Michigan players being the ones to score the game-winning goals! On the women’s team, it was Farmington Hills native Megan Keller who was the hero in sudden death overtime. And the men’s team had Canton Township’s Jack Hughes to thank for securing their gold medal as he also scored a sudden-death overtime goal.
To learn more about all of the Michiganders who competed — and won — in this year’s Olympics, click here.