IN THIS EDITION
Why I Wear Orange
June is for Pride
New in the Legislature
Committee Updates
In-District Office Opens Today
Other News and Notes
Coming Up
Why I Wear Orange
Friday was National Gun Violence Awareness Day. In 2013, a group of 15-year-old girls wore orange after the loss of their friend, Hadiya Pendleton. This started a national movement for gun violence awareness. On Thursday, I joined many of my colleagues in wearing orange to recognize the victims lost to this epidemic and the work we have to do to prevent future tragedies.
Additionally, I introduced Senate Resolution 38, which recognized June 7, 2019, as National Gun Violence Awareness Day. I was proud to speak on the Senate floor to share my personal experience with this issue, and I was disappointed to see that SR 38 was not adopted by my colleagues in the Senate.
The reality is this: we have to do better. We have to do better for our kids in classrooms, for partners in abusive relationships, for neighbors walking home from school or work, for persons struggling with mental health conditions, and for anyone who chooses to attend a place of worship, go to a shopping mall, or visit a movie theater or a bank. To do better, we have to see past our own differences to talk to one another in a real and effective way. The annual observance is a reminder that we must join together to do this work.
June is for Pride
Happy Pride! Throughout the month of June, we join our LGBTQ neighbors and allies in celebrating the right to be true to our identities and love who we love. As much as this month is dedicated to recognizing the progress we have made for marriage equality and LGBTQ civil rights, it is also a reminder of the work we still have to do to ensure our communities and our state are protecting all residents, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
My friend and colleague, Sen. Jeremy Moss, introduced legislation to protect all residents by explicitly including sexual orientation and gender identity in the Elliott Larsen Civil Rights Act. I was proud to stand with Sen. Moss, Gov. Whitmer and several of my colleagues in support of this legislation. It’s time we take this step as a state and guarantee that you cannot be discriminated against because of who you love or how you identify.
Not only is it vital we make sure all Michiganders are protected from discrimination, but it is also time we stand firm against practices that permit forcibly trying to manipulate LGBTQ persons into someone they are not.
I submitted a letter to the chair of the Senate Health Policy and Human Services Committee, urging him to hold a hearing for Senate Bill 284, the bill I introduced to ban conversion therapy practices in Michigan.
New in the Legislature
Here is the latest on some of the bills making their way through the legislature:
- Senate Bill 239 would allow for mortuary science students actively enrolled at a college or university to practice the embalming process under the supervision of a licensed mortuary. I was pleased to support SB 239 when it first came before the Senate in early May, and again this week. I voted in favor of the House’s amended version, which now allows for the bill to go into immediate effect. SB 239 passed with unanimous support in the Senate and has been sent to the governor’s desk for approval, where it is expected the bill will be signed into law.
- House Bill 4055 works to reduce administrative inefficiency and help stimulate local government tax revenue by requiring anyone seeking to divide their property into smaller parcels to pay any outstanding property taxes before the municipality approves the change in property lines. The bill passed with unanimous support.
- House Bill 4397 is a continuation of Senate Bill 1, the no-fault auto insurance overhaul, and addresses technical issues that were not covered in the original signing of SB 1. I voted against this bill as written because I feel what was outlined is not a true solution. Shifting costs from auto insurance to health insurance does not reduce the overall cost for drivers. This bill was passed on to Gov. Whitmer, where it is anticipated to be signed into law.
- Senate Bill 294 came before the Senate for a vote on Wednesday. I voted in support of this bill, which passed through the Senate with the support of 32 other senators. This bill works to reduce costs to schools by eliminating the requirement of a heating system that follows the International Mechanical Code in school press boxes, ticket booths and concessions stands, as school districts only use them on a few occasions in a given year.
- I co-sponsored Senate Resolution 56 to recognize June 2019 as Aphasia Awareness Month. Aphasia is a neurological disorder that causes speech impairment and at times difficulty with word and phrase recall for those who struggle with the disorder. Most commonly, aphasia is brought on by a stroke, but can also be caused by other traumas to the brain. By choosing to recognize June 2019 as Aphasia Awareness Month, we work towards bringing attention to a disorder that is often misunderstood.
Committee Updates
Senate Energy and Technology Committee
The Senate Committee on Energy and Technology took up House Bill 4249 on Tuesday. HB 4249 would allow for multiline telephones at businesses, places of worship and some farms to be exempt from state guidelines requiring updates for advanced 9-1-1 system compatibility. Currently, multiline telephones only ring out by one line, which keeps 9-1-1 operators from identifying the exact location of the caller. While having the most accurate information is necessary for 9-1-1 operators, implementing multiline systems in accordance with the previous law has shown to be prohibitively expensive for such organizations, and many haven’t updated their systems at all. I voted in support of HB 4249 in committee because the organizations worked closely with the 9-1-1 operators on a compromise that allows for the best response capability possible, while not placing undue burden on such organizations. For example, while places of worship are exempt, parochial schools are not exempt. Parochial schools would still be required to update their systems to allow for accurate location detection, which is critical in a school environment for the protection of our children. This bill will move now from committee to its first reading on the Senate floor.
Senate Small Business and Economic Development Committee
I joined my colleagues on the Senate Small Business and Economic Development Committee in supporting the favorable recommendation of Senate Bill 306. The bill, which would expand state law on special tax assessable properties in shopping or business improvement districts to allow local governments to include residential properties as part of these zones, now moves to the Senate floor.
In-District Office Opens Today
We are excited to share that Team McMorrow opened our pop-up office in the district today, June 10, in Troy. A member of our team will be available at our office space every Monday to meet with residents and community groups. If you are interested in setting up a meeting at our in-district space in Troy, please contact our Lansing office at 517-373-2523 or SenMMcMorrow@senate.michigan.gov.
Other News and Notes
1. Wednesday, May 29: Talked with Pat Johnson about fixing the roads, auto insurance and talent investment on the Left of Lansing Podcast.
2. Thursday, May 30: Received a warm welcome during my tour at the Troy Boys and Girls Club.
| 3. Thursday, May 30: Had the pleasure of taking Ms. Goetz’s 4th grade class from Bemis Elementary School in Troy on the Senate floor during their Capitol tour. |
4. Monday, June 3: Stopped by Oakland Schools Technical Campus to celebrate the end of the school year with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, students and Dr. Wanda Cook-Robinson, superintendent of Oakland Schools. Then, I joined Rep. Jim Ellison in receiving our very own white coats for Michigan Hospital Appreciation Day at Beaumont Royal Oak.
I wrapped up the day with a visit to the 4th grade classes at Barnard Elementary School in Troy where Rep. Padma Kuppa and I answered questions on clean energy, water security and green transportation.
5. Thursday, June 6: Joined my colleagues in celebrating the first-ever Indian American Legislative Day hosted by Rep. Padma Kuppa.
I spent part of the evening meeting with the Jewish Community Relations Coalition of the American Jewish Committee of Metro Detroit. I ended my day speaking at the Hadassah House of Greater Detroit with Reps. Robert Wittenberg, Chris Greig, Kyra Harris Bolden and Ryan Berman, in addition to Sen. Jeremy Moss.
Coming Up
Meet up with Mallory
The next Meet up with Mallory will take place June 17, from 6 to 7 p.m. The event will be held at the Hunter Community Center, located at 509 Fisher Ct. in Clawson.
Starting July 8, my office will host Meet up with Mallory coffee hours every second Monday of the month in the Garage at The Office Coffee Shop, from 8 to 8:50 a.m. The Office Coffee Shop is located at 402 S. Lafayette Ave. in Royal Oak.