Dear Neighbor,
I want to make sure you’re informed about what has been going on in our state government and update you on what I’ve been working on.
In this e-news, you can find information about:
- Coffee Hour and District Events
- Legislative Update
- Resources
As always, you can reach my office at (517) 373-2406 or by replying to this email.
Don’t forget to click on “Going” on the Facebook event page to get a reminder the day before and the day of.
District Events
- Tecumseh Event Calendar
- Ann Arbor Event Calendar
- SALINE Event Calendar
- Open Art and Anime for Teens
Date/Time: Wednesdays, Weekly 3 – 4 p.m.
Location: Saline District Library – 555 N Maple Rd, Saline, MI 48176
Cost: Free
- Ypsilanti Event Calendar
- Holiday Art Fair
Date/Time: Saturday November 18, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. & Sunday November 19, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Location: Riverside Arts Center – 76 N Huron St, Ypsilanti, MI 48197
Cost: Free
- History Walking Tours
Date/Time: Sunday November 26, 10 a.m.
Location: Various
Cost: Free
Legislative Update
Huge Wins for Ypsilanti
Along with State Representative Jimmie Wilson, we secured $42.2 million to pay off debt and invest in Ypsilanti Community School’s students. Due to the merger between Ypsilanti and Willow Run schools about a decade ago, YCS has been burdened by debt— spending about $2 million a year just to service debt taken out to support operations. Like all districts, YCS has a variety of debts. But, because of the merger, YCS had additional debt that pulled money out of the classroom to pay interest. That money should be allocated to the hardworking YCS staff and to YCS student success in the classroom, instead of going to pay off debt. At the direction of YCS leadership, these new funds will put almost $2 million back into the classroom every year, reduce taxes for former Willow Run residents, and provide YCS additional funds to invest in student success. You can read more here.
Separately, Representative Wilson and I secured $30 million to renovate Eastern Michigan University’s Roosevelt Hall. It has been decades since EMU won a project like this, and I am super excited to see this historic building put into better use for students. You can read more here.
Bills on Their Way to the Governor’s Desk:
Ending Drug Manufacturer Immunity in Michigan
Michigan has a law that no other state has, granting immunity to drug makers and sellers if the drug is approved by the FDA. My bill, SB 410, repealing this immunity, passed both chambers this month, and is on the Governor’s desk to be signed into law. This bill will repeal the pharmaceutical company immunity in the Product Liability Act, a law that Michigan adopted in 1995, that provides immunity for drug manufacturers and has prevented countless Michiganians from holding companies accountable. By increasing accountability, this bill will improve the safety of drugs. You can read more about the impact of this legislation here.
Legalizing Nontoxic Tents
SB 262 has passed both chambers, and if signed it would amend Michigan’s Fire Prevention Code to eliminate the chemical flame-retardant requirement for recreational camping tents sold in our state. In 1975, when tents were made from waxed or oiled cotton, Michigan adopted the Canvas Products Association International (CPAI) flammability standard, or CPAI-84, which in effect requires the use of toxic and bioaccumulative flame retardant chemicals. Tents are now made of completely different materials than they were almost 50 years ago, making these flame-retardant requirements counterproductive. This bill modernizes our standards and ensures an equivalent level of safety, while eliminating unnecessary exposures of recreational campers to hazardous and carcinogenic flame retardants in these products. You can read more here.
A Win for Graduate Research Assistants
Also, on the Governor’s desk to be signed is my SB 185, a bill that would categorize graduate student research assistants at public universities as public employees entitled to collective bargaining rights. This legislation would repeal a law that stipulates that Graduate Research Assistants are not employees and therefore prohibits them from organizing their voices in their workplace. GRA’s do the work that is crucial to the mission of our research universities. They are essential employees who should not be singled out to be stripped of their rights in the workplace. I look forward to seeing this legislation become law.
Ending Fees for Kids in Juvenile Justice
This package of bills aims to increase the use of community-based programs and to reduce fees on juveniles and their families. My bill SB 429 removes the DNA collection fee for juveniles who are found responsible for an offense. These court fees further burden juveniles and their families. You can read more about the package here.
More Bill Movement:
Auto No-fault Insurance Reform Passes the Senate
More than long awaited, there has finally been progress towards fixing the 2019 Auto No-Fault tragedy. This reform package has been voted out of the Senate, and heads to the House. This legislation would restore proper reimbursement to the providers who care for catastrophic auto crash survivors. You can read more about the bills here.
Polluter Pay
Long awaited, last month the polluter pay package was re-introduced with substantial new policy proposals. This 7-bill package would mandate accountability for polluters by setting more stringent cleanup standards, increasing transparency, preventing polluted sites from becoming “orphaned,” and making it easier for those harmed by polluters to seek justice. Michigan has more than 24,000 known contaminated sites. The corporate polluters who cause this damage have evaded responsibility for cleanup costs at about half of these sites, leaving the financial burden of these abandoned sites to fall on taxpayers. You can learn more about the package here, and catch me on the Water Wednesday podcast.
Water Affordability
Last month, the Senate Committee on Housing and Human Services held the first hearings on the Water Affordability Package. My bill in the package, SB 552, decriminalizes restoring water connection after shutoff due to an inability to pay, changing the penalty from a five-year felony to a civil infraction. Access to clean, safe drinking water is a fundamental human right, and I look forward to seeing these bills be voted out of committee and hope to vote for them on the Senate floor.
Resources
2024 Health Insurance Open Enrollment
Do you need health insurance for 2024? Now is the time to take action. Open enrollment for 2024 health insurance runs from November 1, 2023, through January 15, 2024, on HealthCare.gov or by calling 800-318-2596. 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.
DIFS will host online town halls throughout open enrollment at noon on November 14, December 11, and January 8; further details will be posted at Michigan.gov/HealthInsurance.
The DIFS call center is also available to answer your questions, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 877-999-6442 or online at Michigan.gov/HealthInsurance.
Flying Solo- Mapping Your Course for Solo Aging
WHEN: Friday, November 17, 2023, 11 a.m. – 12 a.m. AND Tuesday, November 21, 10 – 11 a.m.
WHERE: Virtual, Register Here
Cost: Free
Brought to you by LifeChoices and EHM Senior Solutions
Getting Your Seasonal Vaccines
It is not too late to get your vaccines for this winter’s respiratory virus season. The CDC recommends adults get updated flu and covid vaccines this fall. Older adults and those who are pregnant should also get the new RSV vaccine. You can find covid and flu vaccine providers near you at www.vaccines.gov.
Children ages 6 months and older are also recommended to get updated flu and covid shots, and infants under 19 months should get the new RSV vaccine. If your pediatrician does not have the vaccines in stock, it can be difficult to find a vaccination provider for an infant or toddler because most pharmacies cannot vaccinate children under age 3. Locally, the Washtenaw Health Department and The Corner Health Center vaccinate children and infants 6 months and up.
Grant Opportunity: Dam Risk Reduction
EGLE has announced its Dam Risk Reduction Grant Program Request for Pre-Proposals. The goal of the Dam Risk Reduction Grant Program is to provide grant funds to dam owners for repair, alteration, or removal activities necessary to address risk associated with publicly or privately owned dams.
Pre-proposals are to be submitted in PDF form to Mason Manuszak with the Dam Safety Unit (DSU) at ManuszakM@Michigan.gov and must be received no later than December 4, 2023. Learn more here.
Michigan Achievement Scholarship
The Michigan Achievement Scholarship application remains open for all high school seniors! This scholarship will provide:
- Up to $2,750 if you attend a community college per year
- Up to $5,500 if you attend a public university, per year
- Up to $4,000 if you attend a private college or university, per year
There is no deadline for this scholarship. Students have 15 months from either their high school graduation or high school equivalency completion to enter college and use the funds they are awarded.
High school seniors can get started by following these steps:
- File your FAFSA
- Create a MiSSG Student Portal account three to five business days after filing your FAFSA
