Dear Neighbor,
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving surrounded by family and friends. As the snow begins to fall and we usher in a new season, I hope you are taking time to rest and spend time with loved ones. The end of the year is a perfect opportunity to express gratitude in our lives — and I am incredibly grateful to serve and represent you in the State Senate.
This month, the Michigan Legislature adjourned for the year — allowing more than sixty bills to take effect by February 13, 2024. While I am not heading up to Lansing every day, I am getting to enjoy my favorite aspect of this job — connecting with constituents throughout District 12. In this newsletter, I’m excited to catch you up on the many things happening across our community, as well as provide some helpful resources and information about our upcoming events.
As always, I’d love to hear from you about the topics you’re interested in. Please feel free to reach out to my office to share your perspective or seek assistance with any challenges you may be facing with state departments — we are here to serve you. You can reach my office by calling (517) 373-7315 or emailing SenKHertel@senate.michigan.gov.
Thank you again for taking the time to read this newsletter — I hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Kevin Hertel
State Senator
District 12
Included in This Newsletter
- Community Update
- Helpful Resources
- Upcoming Events
- Contact Us
Community Update
Meeting with Seniors at the Park Place of Harper Woods
After the first snowfall of the year, State Representative Veronica Paiz and I stopped by Park Place of Harper Woods to serve residents some warm soup to help combat the chilly weather. It was great getting to meet with everyone, listen to their concerns and talk about the work we’ve done in Lansing to support Michigan seniors.
In our first year alone, we’ve eliminated the retirement tax, and the Senate has passed legislation to rein in skyrocketing prescription drug costs and allow Michiganders to hold pharmaceutical companies accountable. I look forward to continuing this work in the New Year!
Celebrating Small Business Saturday
Michigan’s economy is fueled by our vibrant array of small businesses. From local retailers and restaurants to health care providers and innovative startups — each of these enterprises help to create jobs and promote economic prosperity.
Recognizing and supporting small businesses is crucial to fostering thriving communities here in District 12 and throughout Michigan.
This year, I’ve had the pleasure of traveling across our district to welcome over 20 small businesses to the area, tour local establishments and connect budding entrepreneurs with available resources to help them start or expand their small business. Read more about our team’s work to support local businesses here.
And as you’re shopping this holiday season, I encourage you to shop small and support the many wonderful businesses that call Michigan home. Pure Michigan has a helpful website to assist you in locating local shops in your area at Michigan.org/support-local.
Talking About the Issues Over Coffee
The Senate had a robust legislative agenda this session — working to combat rising prescription drug costs, strengthen workers’ rights, invest in water infrastructure and more.
I was grateful for the opportunity to discuss these policies with District 12 residents, hear their feedback and learn more about what issues they would like to see tackled next year.
Celebrating the Holiday Season at the Harper Woods Tree Lighting
With the sun setting earlier and earlier — tree lightings are always a bright spot. It was wonderful to gather together with the Harper Woods community as they lit their city tree. Plus, the students from Beacon Elementary helped us all get in the holiday spirit!
Distributing Turkeys in Harper Woods Ahead of Thanksgiving
Ahead of Thanksgiving, I had the pleasure of helping distribute turkeys to community members in Harper Woods. Thank you to those who donated the turkeys and all the volunteers that came out — it was the perfect opportunity to enjoy a sunny November morning, while connecting with District 12 residents!
Honoring Our Michigan Veterans
On Veterans Day, we pay tribute to the brave men and women who have answered the call to serve — sacrificing their time, comfort and potentially their lives to defend our ideals of liberty and democracy. Nearly 14,000 veterans call District 12 home, and this past Veterans Day, I was humbled to spend time in St. Clair Shores, Clinton Township and Chesterfield to celebrate and honor our selfless vets.
Our veterans deserve recognition — not just on Veterans Day — but every day of the year. This term, I have the honor of chairing the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military, Veterans, and State Police, where I’ve fought to ensure our service members receive the attention and resources they deserve. Among the investments secured in the 2024 state budget is $1.2 million for suicide prevention programs to help military veterans and their families.
Read more about the Senate’s work to support Michigan veterans and service members here.
Ribbon Cutting with ASK Psychological Services
Team Hertel was thrilled to welcome ASK Psychological Services to Mount Clemens this month! Access to mental healthcare is critical to the wellbeing of our families and communities, and their addition to our community will help expand access to quality care here in District 12.
Helpful Resources
Community Tree Lightings Around District 12
Throughout our lakeshore district, several communities are hosting tree lighting events to help kick-off the holiday season and foster a sense of connectedness during this joyous time. I know I’m looking forward to attending some of these events, and I encourage you to come join in on the festivities!
- Harrison Township | Thursday, November 30 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. at Rosso Hall, 38151 L’Anse Creuse
- St. Clair Shores | Friday, December 1 from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at City Hall, 26700 Jefferson Ave
- Harsens Island | Sunday, December 3 at 5:00 p.m. in Downtown Sans Souci
New Consumer Protection Website, Holiday Scams Campaign
- A new search tool to make finding consumer alerts and charities faster and easier;
- A page dedicated to common scams;
- The Michigan Identity Theft Support page and resources to detect and report identity theft for consumers and businesses;
- Educational videos from Attorney General Nessel, the Federal Trade Commission and other trusted sources.
Access these resources at Michigan.gov/consumerprotection. For more information, click here.
Health Insurance Marketplace Enrollment is Open
Open enrollment for 2024 health insurance is now open! During this open enrollment period, Michiganders can take advantage of subsidies that can help make health insurance more affordable. Last year, more than 85% of enrollees qualified for a subsidy, saving an average of more than $400 per month, with many consumers able to get health insurance for less than $10 per month.
For coverage to start on January 1, 2024, consumers who need health insurance must select a plan on HealthCare.gov no later than December 15, 2023.
During open enrollment for 2024 coverage, consumers can choose from 169 health plans on the marketplace. For the overall individual market, which includes off-marketplace plans, 228 plans will be available.
Upcoming Events
It is one of my top goals as your State Senator to have myself and my office be as accessible to you as possible. To share your thoughts on legislation or seek assistance with an issue, please join me at one of our upcoming district events:
WHEN: Thursday, December 7 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
WHERE: Mount Clemens Public Library, 150 Cass Ave, Mt Clemens, MI 48043
Join us for a Senior Issues Town Hall hosted by Attorney General Dana Nessel, State Senator Kevin Hertel and State Representative Denise Mentzer! The event will include a presentation on scams that target seniors. Learn how to spot the telltale signs of scams through phone calls, mail, email and texts and how to minimize your risk of being scammed.
Contact Us
If You Need Help: If you have a problem dealing with any department of state government, such as accessing unemployment benefits, my office is available to help resolve it. While we usually cannot assist with local or federal issues, we will always do our best to help direct you to the appropriate person or organization for help.
You may always feel free to call my office at (517) 373-7315 or email me at SenKHertel@senate.michigan.gov.
Keep Up to Date: Our bi-weekly newsletters are full of updates on what Team Hertel has been working on both in Lansing and District 12 to deliver results for Michiganders. To keep up to date with what we’ve been up to — sign up here to receive my bi-weekly newsletter, or access previous editions online here.