Dear Neighbor,
From tackling the child care crisis facing our parents to protecting Michiganders burdened by the cycle of medical debt, my Senate colleagues and I have been working hard to advance legislation that would deliver real relief for folks around the state. Learn more about these efforts below, including how we’ve been shining a light on ways the Trump administration’s energy policies are costing Michigan families and communities and promoting policies to protect community safety and our immigrant and refugee neighbors.
As the seasons for tax scams and severe weather are both in full swing, read on for helpful information and resources on how you can stay prepared.
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 emailing SenSChang@senate.michigan.gov or calling 313-922-6949.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Chang
State Senator
District 3
- From exploring the harmful impacts of Trump’s energy policies to advancing bills to lower the cost of child care and tackle medical debt facing Michiganders, my Senate Democratic colleagues and I have been working hard on your behalf in Lansing. Learn more below.
- Join me for my upcoming Coffee and Conversation event at The Commons (MACC Development) in Detroit, on Friday, April 10 at 2:30 p.m.
- Tax filing season is well underway, which unfortunately means that tax scam activity is too. Find more information below on how to protect yourself from scams and examples of different ways that residents are targeted by scammers.
Senate Committee Passes Commonsense Immigration Enforcement Legislation
This week, the Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary and Public Safety, which I chair, passed Senate Bills 508 and 510, in addition to Senate Resolution 86. Senate Bill 508, introduced by Sen. Cavanagh, will protect our immigrant neighbors by designating schools, hospitals, courthouses, and places of worship as protected spaces where federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents cannot conduct enforcement actions without a judicial warrant. Senate Bill 510, introduced by Sen. Moss, will ensure that federal immigration agents are identifiable in uniform and not masked, just like our other law enforcement professionals. It also requires the agents to wear body-worn cameras. Senate Resolution 86, which I sponsored, urges the U.S. Congress to pass federal legislation regarding protected areas and unmasking ICE agents.
For the past few months, we have heard from educators, law enforcement leaders, the medical community, domestic violence shelters, faith leaders, immigrants and their family members, and many others that overzealous unchecked ICE agents cause fear and anxiety and can make our communities less safe. The mass detention and deportation effort has been ripping hardworking community members from our neighborhoods, and the vast majority of those in detention have no criminal background whatsoever. Last month, polling released by the ACLU showed that Michiganders support these commonsense guardrails.
Senate Passes Bipartisan Legislation to Tackle Medical Debt Facing Michiganders
Medical debt is a burden that can follow someone around for the rest of their lives — hurting their ability to buy a home, forcing them to forgo essential expenses like groceries and rent, and oftentimes trapping them in a cycle of poverty that is nearly impossible to get out of. With about 700,000 Michiganders across the state burdened by this reality, my colleagues and I knew we had to take action.
That’s why the Michigan Senate passed a bipartisan set of bills to tackle this issue head-on. To provide support and safeguards for those struggling with medical expenses, the legislation would establish clear guidelines for hospitals to offer financial assistance programs and regulate how and when debt can be collected, such as by capping interest and late fees at 3% annually after a 90-day grace period. I was proud to vote yes on this legislation. Learn more about this legislation here.
Social Work Month Brings Licensure Package
During Social Work Month, we recognize the need for more social workers in Michigan and the importance of their work in our communities. Schools, criminal justice stakeholders, mental health organizations, and nonprofits around the state rely on the work social workers do every day. The Michigan Health Council estimated that for the state to address that demand, we must add more than 41,000 to the licensure roll by 2032. As we see an increase in demand for services that are provided by social workers, we must work to meet the demand while maintaining standards to ensure the quality of services is not compromised. That is why Sen. Bayer and I introduced two bills that would help Michigan meet its demand for social workers.
Currently, under Michigan law and regulations, all applicants must complete 4,000 supervised hours in the field of social work and pass the examination chosen by the Michigan Board of Social Workers. The test that is being used, however, has been an obstacle for many who have chosen this profession that our state is in desperate need for. Michigan’s passing rate during 2024 was 57% for Bachelors and 44.9% for Clinical. When looking further into these passing rates in the past decade, during 2011-2021, White test takers had a 73.4% first timer pass rate compared to 28.2% for Black test takers, 52.8% for Hispanic/Latino test takers, and 57.1% for Native American/Indigenous peoples. These rates do not change much during retesting. Not only are the passing rates dismal for certain populations, but the examination fee of $230 to $260 is also prohibitive for many — not to mention, the tools and resources needed to pass, like studying guides and other preparatory help.
To address these challenges, we worked with the Michigan Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers and Wayne State University’s School of Social Work to develop a two-bill package. My bill, Senate Bill 845, would provide an alternative pathway to licensure by allowing the Michigan Dept. of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) to waive this examination requirement if the applicant has first taken and failed to pass the examination. In addition, the applicant would be required to complete 2,000 additional supervised hours of practice in the social work field. Sen. Bayer’s bill, Senate Bill 846, would provide scholarships for those who have attempted to take the examination but did not pass and aim to retake the examination.
The bills have been referred to the Senate Committee on Housing and Human Services and await further consideration.
Senate Committee Passes Bills to Combat Michigan’s Child Care Crisis
Michigan’s child care system demands too much of our families while offering too little to our workers. Combine that with the mountain of red tape facing providers, and the result? A growing care crisis facing families and employers across the state — a reality that many of us know all too well.
To deliver much-needed relief for our families and support for our providers, Senate Dems are taking a comprehensive approach to cut high child care costs and break burdensome barriers in which providers are forced to operate. This week, the Senate Housing and Human Services Committee advanced legislation that would:
- Codify the innovative bipartisan program, Tri-Share, that splits the cost of child care equally among employers, the state, and employees;
- Tie the Child Care Reimbursement Rate to inflation to provide certainty and consistency to providers; and
- Update licensing requirements for child care centers and remove bureaucratic barriers to open and operate them.
Senate Dems Explore Consequences of Trump’s Harmful Energy Policies
Over the last couple of weeks, the Senate Committee on Energy and Environment has held hearings to examine the detrimental effects of the Trump administration’s actions to dismantle clean, efficient, and affordable energy plans. From dissolving clean energy projects under the so-called “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” to forcing the inefficient J.H. Campbell coal plant to stay open, the Trump administration is contributing to higher utility costs for ratepayers, environmental threats, and the loss of Michigan jobs and investments. We also passed Senate Resolution 104, calling on lawmakers in Washington, D.C. to reverse the Trump administration’s actions that have led to skyrocketing energy prices.
Senate Democrats will continue raising awareness and working hard to safeguard our state and residents from the harmful decisions coming out of Washington, D.C. Read more about the recent committee hearing here.
Gun Violence Prevention Legislation
Michigan legislators continue to introduce and advance robust gun violence prevention legislation, and I am proud to be part of the effort. Below are some of the bills that we have introduced to make Michigan safer:
- Gun Dealer License and Liability: House Bills 5065 (Hope) & 5066 (Carter); Senate Bills 853 (Chang) & 854 (Camilleri) — would create a state-level gun dealer license in the state of Michigan. This would hold gun dealers liable if they sold a firearm to someone who is prohibited from possessing one and would require gun dealers carry $1 million of liability insurance.
- Holding Firearm Manufacturers Accountable: House Bills 5758 (Morgan), 5759 (Price) & 5760 (Myers-Phillips); Senate Bill 843 (McMorrow) — would end gun industry immunity by allowing victims of gun violence to file civil lawsuits against firearm manufacturers should a crime be committed with their product.
- Banning High-Capacity Magazines: House Bill 5750 (Brixie); Senate Bill 851 (Moss) — would prohibit magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition. This would limit lethality by restricting a shooter’s ability to fire many rounds without pausing to reload.
- Empowering Local Government: House Bill 5749 (Wilson); Senate Bill 852 (Bayer) — would give cities, counties and townships the option to prohibit firearms from their government buildings.
I-375 Project Seeks Teens in Development Study
In order to further develop the community aspect of the I-375 Reconnecting Communities, the Michigan Dept. of Transportation (MDOT) is holding a four-week focus group for young people to contribute to the vision of the project. Topics discussed will include Detroit history and landmarks, design, and land use. MDOT is looking for participants between the ages of 14-24. Background information and registration can be found below. Although the first session was earlier this week, interested youth are still welcome to register and attend upcoming sessions!
The project plans to remove the sunken I-375 freeway and replace it with a safer, street-level boulevard that connects downtown Detroit to surrounding neighborhoods. The project will replace outdated infrastructure, improve safety and operations, enhance connectivity, and support future development in Detroit.
Currently, MDOT and its partners, the city of Detroit, Downtown Detroit Partnership, and the Kresge Foundation, are working with different groups in Detroit to develop the framework plan that will influence the look, feel, and experience of the roadway, with the intention of making it easier to walk, bike, and move around the city, along with creating new vibrant public spaces and opportunities for the community to grow!
This will be a four-part meeting series in which the group will help identify how arts, history, and culture will be represented through urban design in and around the I-375 corridor:
- Meeting 2: April 8 – Nodes and Typologies Workshop
- Meeting 3: End of April – Urban Design Diagrams
- Meeting 4: May – Report Out, Next Steps + Wrap Up
The second focus group will be on Wednesday, April 8, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Christ Church Detroit, 960 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit, MI 48207.
These focus groups are open to all but looking to engage specifically with residents of the project area (zip codes 48207 and 48201).
Register here. To learn more about the project, background information can be viewed here and on the project website.
Pingree Farms Holds 12th Annual Levi Wooten Easter Egg Hunt
Join Shriners as Mentors for their 12th annual Levi Wooten Easter Egg Hunt at Pingree Farms Detroit on Saturday, April 4! This family-friendly event is free. Some attractions include free food, petting farms, music, Easter basket giveaways, prizes, and more. This event will also include community resources for all ages.
Read more and reserve free tickets here.
WHEN: 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
WHERE: Pingree Farms, 500 E. Brentwood St., Highland Park, MI 48203
Community Conversation
WHEN: Friday, April 10 from 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
WHERE: The Commons (MACC Development), 7900 Mack Ave., Detroit, MI 48214
Community Conversation
WHEN: Friday, April 24 from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
WHERE: Mia’s Bakery, 1413 W. 14 Mile Rd., Madison Heights, MI 48071
Tax Credits Available to Help
Taxes are due in a few weeks on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. If you haven’t filed yet, make sure to take advantage of all the credits and deductions available to you. Here are a few that you may be able to use this tax season to lower your tax bill or receive a refund:
- The Earned Income Tax Credit is a benefit for qualified Michigan families to help put more money in their pockets to afford the necessities. Last session, my colleagues and I quintupled this credit to help Michiganders keep up with rising costs. Learn more here.
- The Homestead Property Tax Credit is a benefit for qualified Michigan homeowners and renters, helping to pay some of the property taxes billed. This credit can be filed up to four years from the year it could be claimed, and the maximum credit amount may be adjusted annually. Learn more here.
- The Home Heating Credit is a tax benefit for qualified Michigan homeowners and renters with low to moderate income, helping to pay some of their heating expenses. The maximum credit a taxpayer can claim may change each year. For qualifications and guidance, click here.
Watch Out for Tax Scams This Filing Season
With tax filing season well underway, so too is scam activity. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is urging residents to be on the lookout for tax scams, such as someone claiming to be from the IRS who contacts you by phone, email, text, or social media and may demand immediate payment, threaten arrest, or ask for personal or banking information. Please note: the IRS does not contact taxpayers this way to demand payment or request sensitive information. If you receive one of these messages, do not respond or share any information.
Another common scam to be on the watch for involves dishonest tax preparers who promise unusually large refunds, charge fees based on the amount of your refund, or ask you to sign a blank or incomplete tax return. For more information on how to identify tax scams, what to do if you’re a victim, and how to report a scam, visit the IRS website.