Senate District 6 Year in Review

2021 Legislative Year in Review

2021 was a year of turbulence and recovery for many residents and families across Michigan. Throughout the year, many of us came together to push back against the COVID-19 virus by masking up and getting our vaccines and booster shots. Record flooding around the state tried to break us but steeled our resolve. Flat Rock muscled through a toxic gas event. Despite the steep challenges we faced and still have ahead of us, we continue to work together to support and improve our state and our country. Here is a highlight of some of the ways we worked for you in 2021. 

Increased Investment in Michigan

The passage of the Fiscal Year 2022 budget saw a much-needed increase in the investment in Michigan residents and families. The budget provides additional funding to help people across our state who continue to struggle with daily necessities such as affordable childcare and health care. While the budget is only a first step in addressing these significant issues, I am proud of this great achievement for all Michiganders.

Among the appropriations in the budget, some key investments include:

• Hiring health care navigators to tackle racial health disparities and increase coverage.
• Expanding low- or no-cost childcare eligibility to 105,000 more kids, helping thousands of working parents return to work knowing that their children are safe and cared for.
• Increasing rates for childcare providers and boosting slots available for infants and toddlers, ensuring more Michiganders have the early, supportive interventions they need to succeed.
• Growing the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies in-home visitation program for infants born with substance exposure.

Totaling just under $70 billion through a combination of state and federal funds, this budget provides endless possibilities to renew and rebuild Michigan in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also provides revenue sharing increases to cities, villages and townships.

In 2021, we also appropriated funding for community projects in the that came from the American Rescue Plan. I was proud to push for and support these projects in our communities:

• $1 Million for Presbyterian Villages of Westland campus expansion
• $500,000 for Westland Community Center redevelopment
• $500,000 to purchase new Taylor Fire Department equipment
• $500,000 for Belleville Bridge repairs
• $350,000 for Rockwood Wastewater Treatment Plant repairs
• $31.5 Million for statewide literacy coaches
• $4.5 Million for statewide healthy school nutrition programs

Your Voice in Lansing

This year, I introduced 21 bills and 5 resolutions in the State Senate that will have a meaningful impact in our state and have a positive impact on our residents. Highlighted below are a few of the bills I introduced; I want to thank my fellow colleagues in both the House and Senate for their support on these bills.

• Senate Bill 62 and 63: I introduced two bills to combat the unseen number of false police reporting on racial and ethnic minorities. A first offense takes a unique, restorative justice approach to criminal justice, in that it requires community service in support of an organization that works to combat racism and discrimination.
• Senate Bill 479: I introduced Senate Bill 479, which would require warrants to ban the use of no-knock warrants. This bill would require police officers to be in a clearly recognizable uniform and to provide occupants notice of the officer’s authority and purpose before being permitted to execute a warrant. SB 479 would also prohibit the use of flash bangs and stun grenades. This bill was referred to the Committee on Judiciary & Public Safety and is part of a 12-bill, bipartisan package that would improve police accountability and improve community safety.
• Senate Bill 487: I introduced a bill to establish a 13-person advisory committee to oversee and report on conditions at Michigan’s only women’s prison. This committee would be made up of professional experts and community leaders who would have access to prison facilities and have the ability to report and make recommendations to officials and offer policy updates to improve the sanitation, nutrition, and access to medical care.
• Senate Bill 568: On June 24th, Senator Polehanki and I introduced a two-bill package to establish different tracks that paraprofessionals may utilize to become teachers. My bill, Senate Bill 568, would establish a fund for a financial aid program aimed at assisting K-12 paraprofessionals seeking college degrees in teaching related fields. If passed, this package of bills would help address the growing teacher shortage in Michigan, a problem that has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic wit
  h teachers retiring faster than they can be replaced. These bills would help streamline the process by which paraprofessionals earn their teaching certificate and bring more high-quality teachers into the classroom.
• Senate Bill 767: On December 2nd, I introduced Senate Bill 767, which would require any trains engaged in transporting freight to be operated by a minimum of two crew members. This is a matter of safety, for the engineers and conductors of the trains, as well as for the community members where trains pass through. This legislation would not apply to any train being moved within a trainyard or that is undergoing repairs.

I also joined my colleagues in the Senate by submitting a bill as a part of several packages to support residents and families in Michigan.

• Senate Bill 124: In response to the dock collapse in the Detroit River, I joined with my colleagues, Senators Chang and Bayer to introduce this package of bills that creates accountability and awareness when dangerous chemicals spill into our waterways due to a dock collapse.
• Senate Bill 175: My colleagues and I helped assist an unprecedented number of constituents with Unemployment Insurance in 2020 and again in 2021. As a result, I introduced SB 175 as part of a larger unemployment benefits package. This bill would waive the work-search requirements if the beneficiary is quarantining or isolating, or if a state of emergency or disaster is declared.
• Senate Bills 518 and 520: As education moves increasingly into an online world, we need to ensure that every student has access to high-speed internet at home. As part of a larger broadband package, I introduced two bills to support at-home, online learning. SB 518 establishes a $25 million grant for schools to buy mobile hotspots to loan to students. SB 520 establishes a model and guidelines for digital literacy.
• Senate Bill 751: As part of a larger climate resiliency and package, I introduced SB 751 to establish protocols for redundancy planning for water pumps and power grids. As we saw increasingly volatile weather events this past year, it is of the utmost importance we plan ahead to make sure we can reinforce our power grid and ensure access to clean water.

Expansion of Maternal and Postpartum Health Care for Prisoners

2021 saw major steps toward expanding and providing critical medical resources and support for pregnant and post-partum prisoners and their newborns. On October 19th, Governor Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) announced a new policy directive that would guarantee these resources and took effect on November 22nd. This announcement came after years of working with a coalition of stakeholders to take this important step forward and includes a significant portion of the legislation that we introduced in previous years. This new policy directive is just one important start in ensuring that healthy moms/healthy babies includes even those mothers who are serving time and their infants.

The new directive has several focuses on improving health outcomes for pregnant and postpartum prisoners and their newborns, including:

• Birth Plan & Doula: every pregnant individual in prison will have the opportunity to develop a birth plan in consultation with health care staff and can work with a doula. Birth plans will respect the autonomy of the prisoner and empower them to make their own health care decisions.
• Support Person: the policy ensures that every pregnant prisoner has the opportunity to designate a support person that may be present at the hospital and support the person giving birth and baby.
• Limits on Restraints: pregnant people in prison will only be restrained up to an hour maximum and only if the safety of other inmates, staff, or the public is at risk. As well, they may not be restrained during labor and delivery.
• Visitation: visitation between postpartum incarcerated individuals and their newborns will only be restricted in extreme circumstances and postpartum incarcerated individuals are allowed to breastfeed their newborns during visits.
• Medication: maintains the current practice of ensuring pregnant people in prison have access to perinatal and postpartum vitamins as determined by their birth plan and can participate in Medication Assisted Treatment, if appropriate based on substance use disorder history.
• Training: MDOC will develop new training for staff and ensure appropriate staff are trained annually in managing pregnant and postpartum people in their custody.

Recognition and Awards

I was honored to be recognized for my work throughout the year, and want to share with you some of the awards that I was humbled to receive:

• Legislator of the Year, MI Council on Maternal and Child Health
• Political Advocate of the Year, Kola Best of Both Worlds Awards
• MI Legislative Champion for Safety and Justice, Alliance for Safety & Justice
• Leadership and Service Award, Black Women’s Roundtable
• Legislator of the Year Award, Children’s Council

Unemployment Insurance Agency Update

As our office worked on more than 900 cases assisting constituents with their unemployment issues, we wanted to take some time to reiterate what to do if you receive a letter saying you were overpaid and owe money back.

You can contact 1-800-638-3994 to speak with the Unemployed Worker Advocacy Assistance program to see if you are eligible for consultation and representation.

As always, you can fill out this unemployment assistance form and our office will reach out to assist you with your issue as soon as possible. You can also visit the Michigan LEO FAQ page for answers to questions you may have regarding eligibility for unemployment or for issues you may have with your current claim. 

>> Click here to schedule an in-person appointment at a local UIA office.  

Looking Toward 2022

2021 was a year of turbulence and recovery for many and there is much hope to be had in the year 2022 as we continue to fight for justice and equity for all residents and communities in Michigan. I will continue to fight for our residents and communities across Michigan as we work towards economic justice. More information on these bills will be shared in the New Year.

It has been an honor working for Senate District 6 during the 101st Legislature, but there is still much work to be done for you and for our communities. If you have any questions or need assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office. We are available to assist you and can be reached by email at SenEGeiss@senate.michigan.gov or by phone at (517) 373-7800.

Best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year, 

Erika Geiss
State Senator 
6th District