Dear Neighbor,
The summer season is finally upon us! I hope you and your family are able to enjoy the sunshine and spend time taking advantage of all the fun, Pure Michigan summer activities our state offers. Even though summer break is here for our youngest Michiganders, the Legislature is still hard at work. From standing up to federal cuts to nutrition programs and advancing gun safety policies to holding polluters accountable, we’ve had a busy few weeks at the Capitol. Keep reading to learn more about these efforts and the steps we’re taking to build a healthier, safer, and more prosperous Michigan for all who call our state home.
As always, please feel free to reach out to share your thoughts or seek assistance with any challenges you may be facing with state departments. You can email me at SenJCherry@senate.michigan.gov or call 517-373-0142 (Lansing) or 810-233-9788 (District).
Sincerely,
John Cherry
State Senator
District 27
- In honor of Gun Violence Awareness Month, read on to learn how Senate Democrats are continuing to advance commonsense gun safety legislation to build a future free from gun violence.
- Michiganders are urged to be aware of the newest scam facing drivers. To stay safe, please remember that Michigan does not have toll roads and will never solicit payment via text or include threatening verbiage to avoid late fees or harsher penalties.
A Snapshot of Legislative Activity at the Capitol
Along with recently passing a bold budget plan for 2026, Senate Democrats have been working hard to advance critical pieces of legislation to break barriers for Michigan renters, safeguard our environment, and bolster protections for Michigan consumers.
Supporting Michigan Renters: Last week, Senate Democrats introduced a comprehensive bill package to strengthen protections and break barriers for Michiganders trying to access rental housing. This legislation works to lower costs for renters, hold landlords accountable, and allow for the expungement of eviction records.
Holding Polluters Accountable: Another large-scale legislative package introduced recently would protect public health and our environment by strengthening Michigan’s pollution clean up laws. This legislation would hold polluters accountable by requiring more thorough cleanups as well as empowering those harmed by pollution to seek justice.
Protecting Michigan Consumers: Long overdue legislation to restore power to the Michigan Consumer Protection Act by equipping the Attorney General with the authority to hold bad actors and businesses accountable passed the Senate floor last week. Senate Bill 134 would also enhance education efforts to reduce scams and strengthen penalties for violations against elderly and vulnerable adults. And, to protect Michigan consumers from disruptive, deceptive telephone solicitation tactics, the Telephone Solicitation Act was also introduced recently. This bipartisan bill package would prohibit telephone solicitors from engaging in misleading, exploitative business practices and grant the Attorney General the authority to act against violators.
Building a Future Free from Gun Violence
From big cities to small rural towns, gun violence hits communities in every corner of our state. To keep our communities safe from this senseless gun violence, my colleagues and I championed a slate of gun safety policies, including legislation to:
- Strengthen background checks to close the private sale loophole;
- Promote safe storage by creating child access protection laws to keep legal firearms safely and securely stored and out of the hands of children and teens;
- Allow courts to issue Extreme Risk Protection Orders to temporarily intervene and suspend a person’s access to firearms if they show clear warning signs of violence and pose an immediate threat to themselves or others;
- Protect survivors of domestic violence by preventing those convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence crimes from possessing, using, purchasing, or carrying a firearm in Michigan for eight years; and
- Safeguard the democratic process and protect voters by prohibiting an individual from possessing a firearm at or near a polling place, an early voting site, an absentee voter ballot drop box, and other spaces where election work is occurring.
Building on this progress, the Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety advanced additional policies through the legislative process this month that would:
- Prohibit bump stocks, a device that can convert semi-automatic firearms into deadly weapons that have a fire rate similar to that of a machine gun;
- Address ghost guns, which are fully functioning, untraceable firearms and the fastest-growing gun safety problem facing our country; and
- Keep the Michigan Capitol complex safe from gun violence to ensure a secure environment for students, teachers, parents, advocates, and lawmakers.
These actions come during National Gun Violence Awareness Month when communities across the nation come together to honor survivors of gun violence and build community with those working to address this pervasive issue. To learn more about how my colleagues and I are working to build a future free from gun violence, click here.
Senate Hearings Highlight Risks of Proposed Cuts to Families, Farms, and Food Access
As Washington Republicans’ sweeping and short-sighted budget bill currently makes its way through Congress, Michigan Senate Democrats held two committee hearings last week to examine how their plan threatens the health and well-being of Michigan families and farmers across the state.
In order to afford a massive $4 trillion tax break for the wealthiest Americans, Congressional Republicans are proposing a $300 billion cut in SNAP funding, in addition to adding unnecessary red tape for program participants and threatening the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). If signed into law, these cuts would directly disrupt and devastate millions of Michiganders who rely on these benefits to put food on their table and meet their nutritional needs. They would also further exacerbate economic instability for Michigan families, farmers, and communities by slashing resources for local food banks and the state’s agricultural industry. To read more about the impact of these cuts, click here.
These committee hearings build on Senate Democrats’ previous efforts to examine and uplift the impact of federal cuts and actions on families and communities around the state. Learn more here.
Recognizing Juneteenth
Happy Juneteenth! Observed on June 19 every year, Juneteenth commemorates the day that the last people who were enslaved in the U.S. learned of their freedom — June 19, 1865, over two years after President Abraham Lincoln presented the Emancipation Proclamation.
The significance of Juneteenth extends beyond its historical roots. It symbolizes triumph over the injustices of slavery and stands as a testament to the progress made and the work still needed to achieve true freedom and equality for all. As we celebrate this day, please know that I remain committed to fighting for equity and justice so that all people are not only free but can have access to opportunity here in Michigan.
There’s still time to celebrate the Juneteenth holiday close to home! Check out events still happening around Flint here, including Freedom March kicking off today at the Flint Cultural Center and the Traditional Flint Juneteenth Family Reunion happening tomorrow in Brennan Park.
Safe Firearm Storage Reminder
Each year in the United States, hundreds of children are accidentally injured or killed by firearms that are not properly secured.
With June being National Gun Violence Prevention Month, the Michigan State Police is reminding residents that Michigan gun owners are legally responsible for ensuring their firearms are stored in a safe manner. The state’s Secure Storage Law requires individuals to keep unattended firearms unloaded and locked with a locking device or stored in a locked box or container if it is reasonably known that a minor is likely to be present on the premises.
Safe storage can reduce the risk of both intentional and unintentional injuries and deaths, as well as lower the rates of firearm theft. Next time you store your firearm, ensure it’s unloaded, locked, and kept separate from ammunition. If you don’t have a gun lock but need one, free locks can be obtained through Project ChildSafe police partners across the state. To find one near you, click here.
Heads Up Michigan Drivers: Be Aware of Toll Road Scams
The Michigan Dept. of Transportation (MDOT) wants Michigan drivers to be aware of the newest toll road scam, which includes an imposter government website that mimics MDOT’s official site but carries a different URL address. MDOT reminds all drivers that Michigan does not have toll roads and will never solicit payment via text or include threatening verbiage to avoid late fees or harsher penalties.
To stay safe, please remember that government agencies:
- Will not request personal information through email, over the phone or text.
- Will never demand money through email, over the phone or text. They will mail you a notice and offer payment options.
- Do not ask for or take payment by prepaid gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or a payment app.