Legislative Updates, Community Connections & Investments

Oct 10, 2023 | Email

Friends and Neighbors,   

It’s October already! I admit our team has almost been too busy to notice, but it’s all for great reasons. Before I highlight our latest legislative work and the substantial investments coming to our Great Lakes Bay Region, please consider joining me at our coffee hour tonight: 

WHAT: Coffee & Conversation  
WHEN: Monday, October 9, 2023, from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. 
WHERE: Greater Midland Community Center
2205 Jefferson Ave, Midland, MI 48604 

We rotate our constituent conversation locations monthly among our district’s three counties (Bay, Midland and Saginaw). If you can’t attend this evening, we always announce these events on our website and Facebook when we finalize logistics. I also encourage you to explore the links provided at the end of each eNews edition. They include gateways to watch Senate sessions and hearings, get up to speed or share your thoughts on issues, request assistance on state government matters and more. 

Kristen McDonald Rivet
State Senator
District 35
(517) 373-1725
PO Box 30036
Lansing, MI. 48909
SenKMcDonaldRivet@senate.michigan.gov

 

 

In This Edition

  • Legislative Updates
  • In the Community
  • Community Investments
  • Helpful Resources and Links 
  • Contact Us 

Legislative Updates


Senate Passes McDonald Rivet Bill to Protect Heritage Farmland, Promote Solar Energy
With bipartisan and local support, the Michigan Senate passed SB 277, my bill giving heritage farmland owners the option to rent land for solar operations. It pauses the tax breaks while solar is active on the property but still maintains its enrollment in the PA 116 Farmland Preservation program.

This legislation is pro-farm, pro-environment and — most importantly — it respects owners’ property rights. I believe farm owners looking to solar as an income source should have that option without being forced to lose their heritage farmland status. For many, the additional revenue from solar makes it financially possible to keep land in their families.

This option to install small scale solar arrays will also help our state’s clean energy transition. SB 277 heads to the House Committee on Energy, Communications and Technology with strong, widespread support. The agricultural, economic and environmental organizations backing my bill are listed in this full news release.

Senate Passes Prescription Drug Affordability Board Legislation

In our last enews, I announced steps Senators Darrin Camilleri, Veronica Klinefelt and I were taking to lower prescription drug costs for Michiganders and improve accountability, transparency and responsiveness of pharmaceutical companies.

Since then, the Senate passed our legislation to create an independent, nonpartisan Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB). Senate Bills 483, 484and 485 would authorize a 5-member PDAB to evaluate prescription drug costs and related impacts on Michiganders, as well as establish upper payment limits on prescription drugs sold in our state. Our legislation has safeguards against external influence and financial bias in decision-making, ensuring a data-driven, nonpartisan approach.

The Michigan Prescription Drug Task Force found nearly a third of residents aged 19 to 64 stopped taking their prescriptions because of cost. Almost everyone has personal or family stories of facing co-pays exceeding thousands of dollars a month. I’m proud to help lead this effort to bring extreme costs down, improve health and save lives. Our legislation has been referred to the House Insurance and Financial Services Committee. Read our October 4 news release to learn more.


Making Sure Michigan Kids Get Recess
Kids need recess. Parents and teachers know this instinctively, but research also shows it’s critical for young students’ development. That’s why I introduced bipartisan legislation ensuring all Michigan kids can benefit from recess.

Currently, because Michigan doesn’t require it, 20 percent of our K-5 students don’t get daily recommended recess time. And because it isn’t considered instruction time, recess is often under-resourced or a missed opportunity for the valuable learning that only happens through child-directed play.

Sen. Joseph Bellino (R-Monroe) has joined this effort to get recess to count as instruction time when it meets common sense, specified criteria. We introduced Senate Bills 534–535 in late September and look forward to the Education Committee considering them.

Additional Legislative Updates

  • Middle Income Housing — Senate Bill 293 passed out of the House Economic Development & Small Business Committee. I’m hopeful it will get bipartisan support in the House as it did in the Senate. The sooner we can provide the Michigan State Housing Development Authority with this flexibility to help local housing, the better.
  • Universal Lead Testing for Michigan Toddlers — Governor Whitmer signed legislation championed by Sen. John Cherry to ensure access to lead testing for all children between 12-24 months, regardless of their insurance coverage. The Senate has also passed bills requiring Michigan schools and childcare facilities to install water filtration systems and test them to prevent lead exposure.

 

In the Community  

Joining Governor Whitmer at Bay City State Park

It was an exceptionally beautiful day to welcome Gov. Whitmer to Bay City State Park to highlight “Nature Awaits,” a new MI Department of Natural Resources program aiming to give every fourth-grade class in the state a free field trip to a Michigan State Park. I appreciate the DNR and BCSP staff who made this outing educational and fun for the fourth graders from McAlear-Sawden Elementary, Bay City Public Schools.

Bay City State Park’s substantial upgrades to its visitor center and campground are made possible through American Rescue Plan Act funds. I was also thrilled to secure $10 million for reconstruction of the State Park Drive corridor leading to this park in the recently passed state budget. These major renovations will deliver safer, more inviting visitor experiences and encourage interest in the outdoors in kids of all ages.

Autism Therapy Center Ribbon Cutting

Thanks to Acorn Health for inviting me to join them and the Saginaw County Chamber of Commerce for the grand opening and tour of their new autism therapy center. This larger center has better functioning spaces and private treatment rooms. It also allows more children and families in our region to access the critical services they need. It was a pleasure to be part of their exciting move.

Foster Families Navigation and Resource Center

Making sure kids can thrive starts with the basics and belonging — something that is not always easy for foster kids and families. That’s where Foster Familes Navigation and Resource Center aims to fill gaps. They offer necessities, training, mentoring and networking supports and provide more home-like spaces for parent visits and children waiting on foster placements. I’m grateful for their tour and what their staff, interns and volunteers do to uplift foster families and our entire community.

Arnold Center Tour 

Our entire community benefits when every member can meaningfully contribute to it and be a valued part of it. The Arnold Center excels in providing services increasing self-sufficiency and vocational development for people experiencing significant barriers to economic opportunity and community inclusion. I appreciated the opportunity to tour their Midland location and discuss care workforce challenges along with policy changes impacting the individuals they serve.


Additional Events, Meetings in District 
Senator McDonald Rivet’s other events and meetings included the Michigan Center for Rural Health board meeting; Saginaw Housing Commission meeting; Bay City Mayor quarterly meeting; and a conversation with parents and guardians of children with disabilities hosted in Midland.

Director of District and Constituent Services Kevin Hayes attended the Bay County Supervisors monthly breakfast meeting; Saginaw County Youth Protection Council’s Annual Meeting; Saginaw Valley Nursery and Landscape Association’s Town Hall Meeting; and several of the Senator’s events referenced above.

Legislative Director Stephen Prince attended the Lafayette Bridge closure discussion with Bay City Commissioners and impacted businesses.

Community Investments  

$8 Million in Revitalization Grants Will Fund Three Key Local Projects
Since our first session day in January, the Michigan Legislature has worked diligently to invest in our state, creating and maximizing economic opportunities. Revitalization and Placemaking (RAP) grants administered by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) are a main avenue for these investments. I’m thrilled to share three projects in our district are receiving grants totaling $8 million out of the $99.2 million in RAP 2.0 statewide funding detailed here.

  • Adams Street Development in Saginaw ($4,312,642)
  • Eastlawn Development in Midland ($3,000,000)
  • The Jefferson Project in Bay City ($687,358)

These revitalization projects promote population growth and drive business development — both needed to enhance our future. We win when more families and businesses see our Great Lakes Bay Region as the place where they want to live, work and play. I will always put in the time to build the relationships needed to secure and support investments like these for our region.

$480,000 Awarded for Bay County Infrastructure Upgrades, Supporting $40M Investment and 93 Local Jobs
The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) recently announced its approval of nearly a half million dollars for road improvements that will support 93 local jobs and a private investment of $40 million in Bangor Township.

This is a big budget win for our community. I’m glad the work we’ve done so far with our partners at MDOT and the Bay County Road Commission officials will support these good-paying jobs and the economic development coming with Vantage Plastics opening a new site here. This is a fantastic example of public-private collaboration, and I’m excited for what this means for our Bay County businesses and residents.

Vantage Plastics is a Standish-based company investing $40 million to transform a shuttered manufacturing site in Bangor into an expansive plastics processing facility. MDOT’s Transportation Economic Development Fund grant awards are making it possible for the Bay County Road Commission to upgrade a section of Wilder Road to enable safe, all-season trucking and improve traffic flow — essential to Vantage Plastics’ operational success here. Other improvements on Wilder Road west of the Vantage Plastics site will yield additional benefits for Bay County businesses and residents. To learn more, click here.


Community Communications, Interviews 

SEP 26 MICHIGAN RADIO: “Farm solar bill passes state Senate”

SEP 26 CRAINS: “Senate moves to lock in policy that lets farmers have solar arrays”

SEP 28 MIDLAND DAILY NEWS “Senate passes McDonald Rivet bill to protect farmland, promote solar energy”

SEP 28 BROWNFIELD AG NEWS RADIO: “Michigan Senate Supports Solar As Part of Ag Preservation”

OCT 4 CRAINS: “Michigan Senate votes to create board to limit prices on high-cost prescription drugs”

OCT 4 WNEM TV: “Michigan Senate passes bills for creation of Prescription Drug Affordability Board”

OCT 5 WJR 760 AM RADIO: The JR Morning with Guy Gordon Show, 10 min interview on Prescription Drug Affordability Board legislation Oct 5 Podcast #E4176

Upcoming Events

WHAT: Constituent Conversation Happy Hour 
WHEN: Monday, November 20, 2023, from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. 
WHERE: Heidelberg Inn, 411 S. Franklin Street, Saginaw, MI 48607

 

Helpful Resources and Links   

Child Care Survey Opportunities
The best approach to tackling our child care crisis brings all voices to the table. If you’re a parent of a young child, employer, childcare staff or provider — our East-Central Michigan Child Care Coalition has a valuable opportunity to share your perspective and experiences. Click the link that pertains to your role to take their survey. Please forward these links to young parents and childcare providers you might know.

 


Resources for Michiganders Potentially Affected by the UAW Strike

For those who may be potentially impacted by the UAW strike, it is important to be prepared as negotiations continue. The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) is offering assistance to all affected business owners and workers in Michigan — including the following resources:

To connect with your local Michigan Works! service center for career services, call (800) 285-WORKS (9675) or visit Michigan.gov/MichiganWorks. For additional assistance, workers may schedule appointments at Michigan.gov/UIA or call Customer Service at (866) 500-0017.

LEO Grants Available to Reduce Barriers to Employment for At-Risk Michiganders
Applications for funding from the $14.6 million Barrier Removal and Employment Success Expansion Grant Program are now available. Eligible applicants include, but are not limited to, community-based organizations, educational institutions, Michigan Works! agencies, private for-profit agencies, private non-profit agencies and other established, experienced providers of supportive services. Application deadline is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 20, 2023. 

Neighborhood Enhancement Program Grants Available
Through grants to local nonprofits, government agencies, churches and more, Michigan State Housing and Development Authority’s Neighborhood Enhancement Program (NEP) paves the way for high-impact neighborhood projects in community spaces and parks. See their website for program details and current application instructions (Round 9). Application deadline is Monday, October 30, 2023. 

Additional resources you may find helpful:  

 

 

Contact Us

  • Website Contact Form:  This is the best, fastest way to reach us.  
  • Website News Page:  This page archives our official press releases and statements.  
  • Past ENewsletters: This page archives our prior enewsletter editions.
  • Social Media: Social media sites are neither official government websites nor are they well suited for constituent correspondence. However, since we post frequently, social media can be a very timely way to access news and information. Visit Senator Kristen McDonald Rivet’s Facebook page here.