Dear Neighbor,
Happy spring, District 12! I hope you and your family are able to enjoy the extra sunshine and warm weather that is heading our way.
Team Hertel has been making good use of the longer days, as we have been busy both in Lansing and throughout our community. On the legislative side, we’ve been hard at work advancing legislation that would expand access to healthcare, invite new economic opportunities to Michigan, bring increased transparency to our state government and more.
In this newsletter, I wanted to take a moment to provide an update on these important bills and share a few helpful resources as we approach the end of tax season.
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 appreciate you staying connected with our work, and I hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Kevin Hertel
State Senator
District 12
Included in This Newsletter
- Legislative Updates
- Celebrating 14 years of the Affordable Care Act
- Helpful Resources
- Upcoming Events
- Contact Us
Legislative Updates
Expanding Access to Health Care Through a State-Based Exchange
Since I was sworn into the Michigan Senate, increasing access to quality healthcare has been a priority of mine. Throughout last year, my team and I spent countless hours meeting with healthcare professionals, insurance providers and patients to craft legislation that would help us achieve this goal through establishing a state-based health exchange here in Michigan. Just last week, this legislative package — Senate Bills 633–638 — hit an important milestone when it passed through the Senate Health Policy Committee.
By shifting our healthcare exchange from the federal platform to a state-based one, we’ll be able tailor the marketplace to better fit local healthcare needs. More specifically, under this plan, the revenue generated by the exchange would stay in our state, rather than be returned to the federal government, allowing us to reduce costs, improve efficiency and boost access to care.
This action is an important move towards our goal of getting more Michiganders covered by insurance, and I look forward to getting these bills through the Legislature and to the Governor’s desk for signature.
Attracting Data Centers and Unlocking Economic Opportunities
As we see increased investments in AI and the need for more high-speed data computation, Michigan has the unique ability to tap into the rapidly growing tech industry. Together with Senator Roger Victory and Representatives Alabas Farhat and Joey Andrews, we introduced Senate Bills 237–238 and House Bills 4905 and 4906 which would position our state to better compete for large-scale data centers. By creating a welcoming environment for these types of job-creating investments, we are able to open the door to the knowledge-based economy and unlock unlimited economic opportunities for communities across our state.
Recently, the Senate Committee on Finance, Insurance, and Consumer Protection heard testimony on this bipartisan bill package and reported it favorably to the Senate floor for passage.
Cracking Down on Predatory Payday Lending Practices
Here in Michigan, there are currently no restrictions on the interest rates payday lenders are allowed to charge residents. Currently, many lenders impose rates as high as 370 percent, trapping people who are already struggling into a deeper cycle of debt. In our state, a concerning 70 percent of payday borrowers immediately take out new loans after repaying their previous ones.
To help rectify this issue, my colleagues and I in the Senate passed a bipartisan bill last week that would cap interest rates on payday loans in Michigan at 36 percent.
During discussion of the legislation in the Senate Committee on Finance, Insurance, and Consumer Protection, testimony showed how financially and emotionally devastating predatory payday loan practices are to Michiganders. More than 100 organizations from around the state also indicated their support for the bill.
The bill now moves to the House for further consideration. If the bill passes in the House and the governor signs the legislation into law, Michigan will join 20 other states and the District of Columbia in implementing similar measures.
Shining Light on State Government Through FOIA Expansion
For decades, Michigan has had some of the weakest government transparency laws in the nation. In a 2015 report, the Center for Public Integrity gave Michigan an F scorecard, and the state ranked dead last — failing 10 out of 13 categories, including public access to information, executive accountability and legislative accountability.
Last year, my colleagues and I began to shine some light on our state government by requiring elected officials and political candidates to publicly disclose their financial assets. While this legislative package marked a significant milestone in the years-long struggle for increased transparency among its elected officials, it is only our first step to ensuring Michiganders have the access to their representatives that they deserve.
Last week marked Sunshine Week, a bipartisan effort dedicated to promoting the importance of public records and transparency in government. During that time, the Senate advanced legislation through the committee process that would subject the legislature and governor’s office to Freedom of Information Act requests.
Celebrating 14 Years of the Affordable Care Act
Since it was signed into law fourteen years ago, the Affordable Care Act has been a game-changer for our nation’s health — providing 40 million Americans with access to health care, expanding Medicaid to cover 21 million low-income adults under 65 and protecting as many as 133 million individuals with pre-existing conditions from losing their health insurance.
Despite the progress the ACA has made in expanding access, improving quality and enhancing the affordability of care, some have tried to repeal and weaken the law through various means, including an endless string of court challenges. To ensure Michiganders can continue to enjoy the protections the ACA provides for years to come, I led the effort last year to enshrine the Affordable Care Act’s most popular provisions into state law to:
- Prohibit insurers from denying coverage because of pre-existing conditions;
- Require insurance coverage for dependents under age 26;
- Prohibit insurers from instituting annual and lifetime dollar limits;
- Require insurers to provide coverage for specified services such as hospitalization, pregnancy, and emergency services;
- Require insurers to provide a summary of a health insurance policy and coverage to consumers;
- Prohibit insurers from rescinding coverage; and more.
Here in Michigan, the Affordable Care Act remains increasingly popular, as we saw 418,000 Michiganders purchase coverage on the federal Health Insurance Marketplace during the 2024 open enrollment period. This was a 30% increase from the previous year and the highest enrollment rate in our state’s history!
Like President Obama said in the final months of his presidency, however, the ACA is only “a first step.” The next step in creating a brighter, healthier future for Michigan is transitioning to a state-based exchange, and as I mentioned earlier in my newsletter, I look forward to getting this legislative package across the finish line in the coming months.
Helpful Resources
Tax Filing Deadline of April 15 is Fast Approaching
The national tax filing deadline is fast approaching. If you haven’t done so already, it’s time to get out your tax documents and file with the state and federal government before Monday, April 15, 2024. Here are a few quick tips to help you maximize your return this year:
- Avoid scams | For federal returns, the IRS will only initiate contact with you through regular mail delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. Make sure you do not share your personal tax information via phone, email or social media.
- Utilize free resources | Michigan Free Tax Help connects Michiganders with free, high-quality income tax preparation assistance. Visit MichiganFreeTaxHelp.org to find local help. For veterans and low-income residents in Macomb County, the Macomb County Veterans Services is also offering free tax preparation assistance through April 15. For more information on how to take advantage of this service, click here.
- Take advantage of available deductions | You can deduct charitable contributions, property taxes, medical expenses and more from your federal 2023 taxes. Visit IRS.gov/credits-deductions for a full list.
FEMA Disaster Assistance Deadline is April 8, 2024
Macomb and Wayne County resident effected by the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that hit our communities last August have until Monday, April 8, 2024, to apply for federal assistance with FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration.
More than 43,800 Michigan households have been approved for FEMA grant funding, totaling more than $40.7 million. Assistance can include temporary housing and home repair grants, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help you recover.
To receive help, you can:
- Visit the in-person recovery center located at the Chesterfield Township Fire Department Central Station (33991 23 Mile Road) from 8 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday.
- Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 between 7 a.m. – 11 p.m.
- Visit DisasterAssistance.gov.
For more information, please click here.
Upcoming Events
WHEN: Monday, April 15 from 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (Doors open at 10:00 a.m.)
WHERE: Chesterfield Community Center, 48400 Sugarbush Road, Chesterfield Township 48047
Join us in Chesterfield for a Small Business Town Hall to learn about opportunities for small business owners and budding entrepreneurs in our area. Guest speakers include representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, and the Anchor Bay and Macomb County Chambers of Commerce. Please RSVP here.
Coffee and Conversation
WHEN: Friday, April 19 from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
WHERE: District Office, 28800 Harper, Saint Clair Shores, MI 48081
Voting and Elections Town Hall with State Rep. Veronica Paiz
WHEN: Monday, April 22 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
WHERE: Grosse Pointe Public Library, Woods Branch, 20680 Mack Ave, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI 48236
Please join me, State Rep. Veronica Paiz and representatives from the Michigan Secretary of State Department for a Voting and Elections Town Hall on Monday, April 22. During the event, we’ll break down some of the recent changes to our state’s election laws — including new options for early voting and a simplified absentee ballot application process — and discuss how they’ll impact Michigan voters during the 2024 elections.
Coffee and Conversation
WHEN: Monday, May 6 from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
WHERE: Saint Clair Shores Senior Center, 20100 Stephens Street, Saint Clair Shores, MI 48080
District Office Hours with Staff
WHEN: Every Thursday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and by appointment.
WHERE: District Office, 28800 Harper, Saint Clair Shores, MI 48081
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.