Senate District 29 Update

May 14, 2021 | Email

State Senator Winnie Brinks

May 14, 2021

Hello Neighbors, 

Great news! Michigan reached its first milestone of the “MI Vacc to Normal” plan in that 55% of Michiganders have received their first dose of the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine, enabling in-person work to resume across all employment sectors on May 24. 

In other good news, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has been approved for adolescents aged 12-15! An independent federal advisory committee on Wednesday voted to recommend the vaccine be quickly approved for this age group. Allowing younger people to be eligible could open a new front in the fight against COVID-19 and help get kids back in school safely while reducing the spread of the virus. 

These are two exciting developments and should serve as a sign that we can be hopeful about the trajectory of the pandemic. Please continue to look out for your friends and neighbors and be patient with one another. 

For the latest updates, I’d encourage you to follow me on Facebook and Twitter. 

Warm regards, 

Winnie Brinks
State Senator
29th District

In This Issue


May 9-15 is Women’s Health Week 

Improving the health of Michigan women and girls has the potential to drive health improvements for all communities across the state. To reaffirm the state’s commitment to improving the health of all Michigan women, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is joining the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Michigan Alliance for Innovation on Maternal Health in proclaiming May as Women’s Health Month. Additionally, May 9-15 has been designated as “Women’s Health Week.” 

Despite advances in medical science and technology and statewide efforts to combat maternal deaths, women are still dying from pregnancy-related causes. About 44% of maternal deaths in Michigan are preventable, and Black women are more than two times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. The Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies plan provides actionable policy change, like my bill to expand Pregnancy-Related Medicaid to one year postpartum. Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies also creates partnerships with providers and universities, expands access to home visiting programs and aids in family planning access and education. 

This week I got a chance to speak about the importance of postpartum health care on the floor:

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Get Outdoors This Spring! 

Warmer weather brings new opportunities to get outside. There are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the bounty of natural resources Michigan has to offer, including: 

Take the Michigan trails. 
Hike or bike beautiful trails across the Lower and Upper peninsulas. Michigan’s trails twist and turn over 13,000 miles across the state. 

Ride the waves. 
Whether you’re interested in boating, swimming, floating or fishing, Michigan’s Great Lakes bring great fun on its rivers, streams and shoreline. 

Pursue something new. 
Pitch a tent, kayak pristine blue waters, horseback ride, try an ORV trip … no state has more in store than Michigan. 

Find ways to explore Michigan’s outdoors here. 

May Recognized as Asian American and Pacific Islander Month 

On Tuesday, May 11, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued a proclamation marking May as Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Month. The month commemorates the immigration of the first Japanese people to the U.S. on May 7, 1843 and marks the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869, where many of the workers who laid tracks were Chinese immigrants. 
Asian Americans are the fastest growing population, making up 3.7% of the state’s total population, and have made many significant cultural and economic contributions in Michigan and across the U.S. 

Vaccine Milestone Achieved — What’s Next? 

On Monday, May 10, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that 55% of Michiganders have received their first dose of the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine. The announcement marks the first milestone of the “MI Vacc to Normal” plan outlined below. This milestone enables in-person work to resume across all employment sectors on May 24. 

The Vacc to Normal plan will use four vaccination-based milestones that, once achieved, will enable Michigan to take a step toward normalcy. Here’s the next phases: 

 60% of Michiganders (4,858,150 residents), plus two weeks

  • Increases indoor capacity at sports stadiums to 25%.  
  • Increases indoor capacity at conference centers/banquet halls/funeral homes to 25%.   
  • Increases capacity at exercise facilities and gyms to 50%.  
  • Lifts the curfew on restaurants and bars.    

65% of Michiganders (5,262,996 residents), plus two weeks 

  • Lifts all indoor % capacity limits, requiring only social distancing between parties.  
  • Further relaxes limits on residential social gatherings.    

70% of Michiganders (5,667,842 residents), plus two weeks 

  • Lifts the Gatherings and Face Masks Order such that MDHHS will no longer employ broad mitigation measures unless unanticipated circumstances arise, such as the spread of vaccine-resistant variants.   

To learn more about the MI Vacc to Normal Plan and vaccine rollout, visit Michigan.gov/COVIDVaccine to view the COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard.    

Treasury: State Individual Income Tax Deadline is Monday, May 17 

The Michigan Department of Treasury is reminding taxpayers that state individual income tax returns are due next week. State individual income tax returns must be submitted electronically or sent through the U.S. Postal Service before midnight on Monday, May 17. For the convenience of taxpayers, the state’s individual income tax deadline is the same date set by the Internal Revenue Service. 

Choosing electronic filing and direct deposit is convenient, safe and secure. Last year, more than 4.4 million Michigan taxpayers e-filed, which is 86% of state income tax filers. For more information about e-filing, go to MIFastFile.org. 

Taxpayers with questions about their state income taxes are encouraged to use Treasury eServices. The online platform enables taxpayers to ask state income tax-related questions when convenient and avoids the extended wait times for calls this time of year.      

Upcoming Virtual Coffee Hour 

I hope you can join me for a Virtual Coffee Hour on Friday, May 21, from 1 to 2 p.m. on Zoom. This is a great opportunity to discuss important issues in our district from the comfort and safety of your own home. 

Please click here to register and feel free to include any questions you may have for me. I’ll do my best to address everyone’s question during the coffee hour, and we’ll send you the link to the meeting before the start of the event. 

I look forward to chatting with you and hope to see you online! 

Contact Us 

I have other questions. Are you and your office still available? 

To keep you and my staff healthy and safe, we are working remotely until further notice. Please call our office at (517) 373-1801 or send me an email at SenWBrinks@senate.michigan.gov, as you normally would, and we will do our best to avoid any interruption of service. 

I am still working diligently and engaging with folks in our community, but all in-person events have been canceled for the time being. You can follow me on Facebook or check my website at SenatorBrinks.com for more information on any future events. 

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