Dear Friend,
Thank you for reading my e-newsletter. It’s an honor serving Kalamazoo County and Antwerp Township of Van Buren County as your Michigan State Senator.
Featured in this newsletter:
- Tax Relief Highlights
- Gun Safety Legislation
- Expansion of LGBTQ+ Rights
- “Overdose Fatality Review Teams” bill introduction
- In District Coffee Hour: April 21st in Galesburg
As always, please feel free to contact my office to let me know your thoughts, concerns and how I and my staff can be of service to you.
Sincerely,
Sean McCann
State Senator
19th District
TAX RELIEF FOR MICHIGAN FAMILIES
On February 16th, I joined my colleagues in the Michigan Senate to vote in favor of House Bill 4001, which is the largest tax cut for Michigan families in decades. The bill eliminated the unfair Retirement Tax which was implemented in 2011 and has plagued our seniors’ public and private pensions ever since. It also increased the Working Families Tax Credit from the current 6 percent to a record 30 percent which will help many struggling families in Michigan.
The expansion of the Working Families Tax Credit will save an estimated 700,000 families some $600 per year, and the elimination of the retirement tax will save 500,000 seniors an average of $1,000 per year.
GUN SAFETY LEGISLATION
Like so many across our state and country, I was devastated to learn of the tragic shooting at Michigan State University on the night of February 13th. My heart is broken for the families of the three lives lost, those fighting for their lives and the entire Spartan Community. Gun violence is a uniquely American problem, and it is well past time that Michigan Legislature took action to help prevent gun violence.
On March 16th, my colleagues and I voted in the Michigan Senate to enact universal background checks, safe storage laws and extreme risk protection orders. These actions will help keep firearms out of the hands of individuals determined to be dangerous to themselves or others and children. I was proud to support this legislation which will assist in keeping our schools and our communities safer.
EXPANSION OF LGBTQ+ RIGHTS
I was proud to join my Senate colleagues in voting in favor of Senate Bill 4 on March 1st, which expanded Michigan’s Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act to include protections for sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. This bill will prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ+ people in employment, public accommodations, public services, educational facilities, and housing and real estate.
This is a historic moment that is long overdue to deliver on the promise of equality that our country was founded upon. On March 16th, Governor Whitmer signed this legislation into law – ensuring equal protection under the law regardless of who you love or how you identify.
RESTORING WORKERS RIGHTS
On March 14th, I was proud to cast my vote in favor of restoring workers’ rights in Michigan. In 2012, while I was serving as a State Representative, working people were locked out of the Capitol as an initiative to weaken collective bargaining power was rushed through during Lame Duck without a committee hearing. The Michigan legislature has now righted that wrong by approving measures to repeal these laws and restore fair wages in our state.
“OVERDOSE FATALITY REVIEW TEAMS” LEGISLATION”
Many communities across the country are grappling with the opioid epidemic which has had a devastating impact on families. It has become abundantly clear that Michigan needs tools to help combat this epidemic. That is why I re-introduced legislation suggested by the Western Michigan University Homer Stryker School of Medicine that would allow county medical examiners or health officers to establish an Overdose Fatality Review Team (OFRT) in an effort to investigate overdose related deaths.
An OFRT is a collaborative effort of community stakeholders, including the county medical examiner, county health officer, first responders, law enforcement, health care professionals and others. My bill would provide the legal authority to establish this team and conduct its work to better understand risk factors, trends and share recommendations with the public, local health department and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).
UPCOMING COFFEE HOUR EVENT
I’m inviting you to meet me at Galesburg Charleston Memorial District Library for an in-person coffee hour on Friday, April 21. Come learn about what is going on in Lansing and share your thoughts and opinions with me.
WHEN: Friday, April 21, 2023, from 3 – 4 PM
WHERE: Galesburg Charleston Memorial District Library, 188 East Michigan Avenue Galesburg MI, 49053
For more information, visit my Facebook page.
STAY IN TOUCH
Visiting the Michigan Capitol? If you plan to visit Lansing for a conference or to advocate for an issue important to you, please contact my office so we can set up a time to meet you.
Paying tribute? It is my pleasure to produce official legislative tributes honoring Kalamazoo County residents for milestone birthdays, anniversaries, retirements, and special accomplishments. If you would like a tribute from state officials, please let me know and we would be glad to assist.
HELPFUL LINKS