Dear Neighbor,
Last Thursday marked the official start to summer — and with that came extreme temperatures that have fortunately tapered off this week. Now that cooler weather is here, it’s time to get outdoors and enjoy all that Michigan summers have to offer: our inviting freshwater coastline and beaches, diverse state parks, stunning Great Lakes, and so many other unbeatable Michigan summer classics!
This week, my colleagues and I passed a strong, bipartisan state budget for the 2025 Fiscal Year designed to build up Michigan and the communities we live, work, and grow in. I am so proud to say that I secured over $25 million for important, transformative local projects in District 11. More information can be found on those in this newsletter.
If you or someone you know would like to provide any feedback about what’s happening in Lansing, or needs assistance of any sort, please feel free to reach out to my office at SenVKlinefelt@senate.michigan.gov or call 517-373-7670.
Sincerely,
Veronica Klinefelt
State Senator
District 11
Featured in This Newsletter
- In Recent News
- Legislative Update
- In the Community
In Recent News
Recognizing the Second Anniversary of Roe v. Wade’s Overturning
On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case, eliminating the constitutional right to abortion and returning the right to abortion and reproductive freedom to the hands of each state. The anti-choice majority in the Supreme Court stripped millions of Americans of their right to bodily autonomy, abandoning nearly half a century of precedent and paving the way for states to outright ban abortion.
Following this unconscionable Supreme Court decision, many states took immediate action to outlaw abortion, forcing their residents to carry pregnancies against their will or travel out-of-state to receive necessary reproductive healthcare services. But here in Michigan, we quickly got to work to safeguard your basic human right to reproductive freedom by:
- Passing Senate Bill 2 (Sen. Erika Geiss), which repealed an antiquated 1931 law that criminalized abortion care in the state of Michigan.
- Championing Senate Bill 147 (Sen. Erika Geiss), which amended the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA) to prohibit employers from firing, demoting, or discriminating against employees for receiving abortion services.
- Enacting the Reproductive Health Act (Sens. Sarah Anthony, Erika Geiss, and Mary Cavanagh), which repealed medically unnecessary regulations and TRAP (Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers) laws that were specifically crafted to close and restrict abortion providers; ensures students at public universities have access to accurate information about all their reproductive health options; repealed the law that forced patients to buy a separate insurance rider for abortion; and much more.
- Eliminating unnecessary hurdles to surrogacy and assisted reproductive technology, including IVF, by passing House Bills 5207–5215, also known as the Michigan Family Protection Act.
I was proud to support this critical legislation that reaffirms every Michigander’s right to bodily autonomy, self-determination, and health privacy. On the second anniversary of the Dobbs decision, my colleagues and I remain dedicated to continuing our efforts to protect basic human rights and eliminate barriers to essential reproductive health care here in Michigan.
Legislative Updates
I Introduced Legislation to Enhance Protections for Vulnerable Adults
Elderly individuals and vulnerable adults are at high risk of being subject to abuse and exploitation at the hands of family members, friends, or other close associates. To keep Michiganders safe from harm, I, along with my colleagues Sens. Sarah Anthony, Kevin Hertel, and Jeff Irwin, introduced Senate Bills 922–925 last week to better protect those who are unable to protect themselves because of advanced age or a mental or physical impairment. This comprehensive legislative package would enhance protections for vulnerable adults by strengthening penalties for abuse and financial exploitation offenses and developing programs to bolster prevention efforts.
This package has been referred to the committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety.
Looking Out for Vulnerable Roadway Users
Led by Sen. Sean McCann (D-Kalamazoo), the Senate passed Senate Bills 617 and 618, which would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to prescribe a felony penalty for committing a moving violation against a vulnerable roadway user and as a result causes injury or death.
My bill, Senate Bill 618, defines vulnerable roadway users as a pedestrian, individual using a bicycle, roller skates, inline skates, a nonmotorized scooter or skateboard, a wheelchair, an individual riding equine, and a U.S. Postal Service employee or contractor, among others.
Working to Deliver Innovative FY 24-25 State Budget
Early Thursday morning, my colleagues and I passed a bipartisan budget that will bring over $25 million of investments into District 11. I am so excited for these wins in our community, and I look forward to seeing how they positively impact our residents and neighborhoods.
District 11 budget wins include:
- $8 million for the 38th District Court to construct a new courthouse and police station;
- $6.6 million for the Roseville pump station and local roadway rehabilitation;
- $4 million for road repairs in the Fraser Industrial Park;
- $3 million for Macomb Township to improve the safety of the intersection at 21 Mile Road and Heydenreich Road;
- $3 million for the reconstruction of 10 Mile Road in Eastpointe to improve road safety for motorists; and
- $700,000 for the Clintondale Community School District to bolster school security, ensuring a safe learning environment for all students.
In the Community
Welcoming Girl Scout Gold Awardee Sage from Troop 43550 to the Capitol
Welcoming Adyson, the Macomb County Regional Spelling Bee Winner, to the Capitol
Coffee Hour at Clinton-Macomb Library South Branch
Celebrating Librarian Sue Todd’s Retirement from the Eastpointe Memorial Library
