Dear Neighbor,
Happy New Year! One year ago today, I was sworn into the Michigan Senate. It’s been a whirlwind of a year, and we’ve made great strides to find solutions and deliver results for District 12 — from empowering workers and supporting small businesses to lowering costs and protecting access to healthcare. Every day, it is an honor to serve our lakeshore community in Lansing, and I look forward to continuing this work with you.
As much as there is to look back on, there is a lot to look forward to as well. On February 13, more than sixty laws we passed last year will take effect, and as legislators returned to session this week, we’re gearing up for another productive year.
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
- Laws Taking Effect in 2024
- Your Guide to Session: Take Part in the Legislative Process
- Tune In: Michigan State of the State on January 24
- Upcoming Events
- Contact Us
Laws Taking Effect in 2024
After being sworn into office in January 2023, the Michigan Senate hit the ground running to deliver results on a host of issues facing Michiganders. Starting off strong in the first 100 days, we provided tax relief for seniors and working families, restored workers’ rights to collectively bargain, protected reproductive freedom and enacted a slate of gun safety legislation.
After hitting the 100-day mark, we kept on going to deliver a fiscally responsible, yet transformational state budget, pass legislation to safeguard our elections, secure a clean energy future for Michigan, increase transparency in state government and so much more.
Many of these policies are set to take effect on February 13, 2024. Here’s a look at some of the highlights:
Tax Relief for Seniors and Working Families
With rising costs and stagnant wages — the American Dream is out of reach for far too many Michiganders. To help change this reality, we passed the Lowering MI Costs plan which includes $1 billion of much-needed tax relieffor Michigan residents who have the hardest time affording the basics. This economic relief package quintuples Michigan’s match of the Earned Income Tax Credit to thirty percent, and it rolls back the retirement tax which was unfairly placed on seniors over a decade ago.
To learn more about how you can take advantage of these new policies when filing your 2023 tax return, visit Michigan.gov/taxes.
Restoring Workers’ Rights
Michigan workers are the lifeblood of our state — yet for too long, their rights have been weakened through anti-union policies. To protect workers’ rights and restart the growth of Michigan’s middle class, the Senate restored provisions to help workers collectively bargain for fair pay, safe working conditions and better job security. We also reinstated prevailing wages on state construction projects to uplift workers and ensure Michigan has high-quality infrastructure to get us where we need to go.
Keeping Communities Safe from Gun Violence
Firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens in Michigan. After horrific mass shootings at Oxford High School and Michigan State University, as well as the daily gun violence we see all too often in our communities — the Michigan Senate passed legislation to expand background checks, require the secure storage of firearms in homes where children are present, and allow for the temporary removal of firearms from people who pose a significant risk to themselves or others.
If you are a gun owner who has young children, please remember to safely secure your firearms — unloaded, locked, and if possible, separate from ammunition when not in use. For more information, please visit BeSMARTforKids.org.
Protecting Reproductive Rights
After the Supreme Court overruled Roe v. Wade in 2022 — a decision that threatened Americans’ ability to safely access reproductive healthcare — Michigan voters turned out in droves to support Proposal 3 and enshrine reproductive rights into our state constitution. One of our priorities during our first year in office was repealing Michigan’s archaic 1931 abortion ban to bring state law up to date with the new constitutional amendment and guarantee freedom of choice for residents.
Strengthening Our Democracy
Every election is an opportunity to have a say in who represents you and your values at the local, state and federal level. In 2023, we passed legislation to provide Michiganders with greater access to lawfully cast their ballot without unnecessary barriers and ensure Michigan elections remain fair, safe and secure. As a result, voters will be able to enjoy at least nine days of early voting before each statewide and federal election and a simplified absentee ballot application process, among other things. Click here to learn more.
Your Guide to Session: Take Part in the Legislative Process
After a historic year full of legislative progress in 2023, my colleagues and I returned to Lansing this week for another promising session. This winter, I’m looking forward to building upon what we accomplished last year to lower costs for Michiganders, promote better health outcomes, invest in our community and more.
As committees begin to meet and more votes are scheduled, I hope that you will follow along and reach out to me with your thoughts and ideas. For me to effectively be your voice in Lansing, I need to hear from you! Learn more about the ins and outs of session and how you can participate in the legislative process here.
Tune In: Michigan State of the State on January 24
Mark your calendars! Governor Gretchen Whitmer will be delivering the 2024 State of the State Address at 7:00 p.m. on January 24.
In the address, the Governor will lay out plans for the year ahead, covering topics such as education, expanding affordable housing, the state’s economy and protecting Michigan seniors.
You can watch the address on your local TV channel, online here, on Facebook and YouTube.
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:
Coffee and Conversation
WHEN: Friday, January 19 from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
WHERE: District Office, 28800 Harper, Saint Clair Shores, MI 48081
Small Business Town Hall
WHEN: Monday, January 29 from 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (doors open at 10:00 a.m.)
WHERE: Clay Township Municipal Building, 4710 Pointe Tremble, Clay Township, MI 48001
Join us in Clay Township 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 Michigan Economic Development Corporation, U.S. Small Business Administration and Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses. Please RSVP for the event here.
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.
For more frequent updates, I also encourage you to follow our team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.