- Legislative Update: This week, the Senate passed the Justice for Survivors bill package, legislation to protect survivors of sexual assault while holding their abusers accountable. Sponsored by Sen. McMorrow and others, the bills would extend the state’s civil statute of limitations for criminal sexual misconduct, allowing more time for victims of assault to take legal action.
- Legislative Update: Sen. McMorrow and her Senate Democratic colleagues officially introduced their “Building Blocks” legislation last week, which seeks to lower the cost of parenting in Michigan. The plan would support families by tackling the rising cost of child care, establishing a Working Parents Tax Credit, and expanding the widely successful RxKids program for new and expectant parents statewide.
- District Update: Medicaid provides a lifeline for 2.6 million Michiganders around the state, ensuring seniors, children, folks with disabilities, and others can access the essential health care they need, when they need it. Congress’ threats to gut this crucial program would hold serious, harmful consequences on Michigan’s people, communities, and economy. Learn more below.
- Good News from the District: RxKids has launched in Pontiac, offering new and expectant moms extra support to afford baby supplies, groceries, child care, and more. To celebrate, Sen. McMorrow joined Pontiac community members at their “Baby Parade” earlier this month, where she spoke to Senate Democrats’ work to expand RxKids statewide.
A Snapshot of Recent Legislative Activity
Along with their work to wrap up the state budget plans for the next year, Sen. McMorrow and her Senate Democratic colleagues have also been advancing critical pieces of legislation at the Capitol to protect Michigan workers, support parents, give survivors of sexual assault greater access to the criminal justice system, and more.
Protecting workers from wage theft — Last week, the Senate Labor Committee passed legislation to protect Michigan workers and taxpayers by ensuring bad actors cannot continue to game the system and shrink workers’ paychecks. Sponsored by Sens. Kevin Hertel and Darrin Camilleri, Senate Bills 6 and 7 would:
- Enhance wage transparency for workers.
- Allow workers to file anonymous complaints against employers.
- Strengthen civil and criminal penalties for wage theft.
- Prohibit employers from misclassifying workers as “independent contractors,” which allows them to pay a wage lower than the legal minimum.
These bills now head to the Senate floor for consideration.
Lowering the cost of parenting — Senate Democrats have introduced bills to implement the recently-unveiled “Building Blocks” plan that seeks to provide economic relief for Michigan parents. Sponsored by Sen. McMorrow and her colleagues, Sens. Hertel and Santana, this legislative package would support families by:
- Establishing a new Working Parents Tax Credit, providing an income boost for families struggling to make ends meet.
- Expanding the widely popular RxKids program statewide, ensuring new and expectant parents can better afford rent, groceries, child care, and more.
- Tackling the cost of child care by codifying and expanding the TriShare program, which splits the cost of child care three-ways between an employer, employee, and the state of Michigan.
These bills now head to the Senate Committee on Housing and Human Services.
Show your support for this legislation by signing on as a Citizen Co-sponsor! Add your name at the bottom of this webpage, where you can also share your story about accessing child care or how greater financial assistance will better support you and your family.
Ensuring justice for survivors of sexual assault — The Senate passed legislation to support and protect survivors of sexual assault while ensuring abusers — and the institutions that shield them — are held accountable. Sponsored by Sen. McMorrow alongside her colleagues, Sens. Hertel and Singh, these bills would fix Michigan’s broken statute of limitations for civil claims and repeal immunity for educational institutions that conceal systemic abuse. This package will now advance to the House for deliberation. Learn more here.
Protecting Michiganders exercising their reproductive rights — Building on a mountain of work Sen. McMorrow and her colleagues have done to expand Michiganders’ right to manage their own reproductive health, the Senate Judiciary Committee passed legislation this week to enhance protections for those exercising their reproductive rights. More specifically, Sen. McMorrow’s legislation would prohibit an individual from intentionally attempting to injure, intimidate, or interfere with someone because they are obtaining or providing reproductive health services. These bills now head to the Senate floor.
Michigan Senate Passes 2026 Budget to Support All Michiganders
Efforts to finalize the state budget for next year are moving swiftly! Last week, the Senate passed their proposal for the 2026 State Budget. Crafted through months of collaboration with constituents, community leaders, and key stakeholders, this budget proposal stands up for all Michiganders by delivering high-impact, targeted investments that will deliver real solutions to the challenges facing our communities.
Specifically, Senate Democrats’ budget plan for next year:
- Lowers costs and invests in people by prioritizing higher access to health care, workforce development, affordable housing, and economic opportunity.
- Puts students, teachers & parents first by investing in free breakfast and lunch, literacy support, smaller class sizes, and school infrastructure upgrades.
- Makes government work for you by cutting red-tape and investing in government efficiency so you can get the services you need and keep more of your tax dollars.
- Builds stronger local and state infrastructure through resources to repair and maintain our aging roads and bridges, conserve our precious natural resources, and ensure access to safe water infrastructure.
- Creates safer communities and backs our first responders by investing in our public safety officers, safer prisons and nursing homes, and mental health care for veterans.
This proposal now heads to the House for further consideration. Learn more here.
Michigan Working Families, Seniors See Benefits of Senate’s Tax Cuts
Back in 2023, Senate Democrats delivered a historic $1 billion in tax cuts for Michiganders who need relief most. Our Lowering MI Costs plan repealed the unfair retirement tax and expanded tax credits for working families. As folks begin to receive refunds, more Michiganders can see more money being put back in their pockets with the average individual income tax refund hitting $843 — a 50% increase from 2022!
This filing season, 207,000 retiree tax returns saw an average jump of $600 because of the retirement tax changes, and our quintupling of the Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit has also provided an average refund of $900 for working families. This means Michiganders have extra money to pay their bills, put food on the table, and grow their savings. To learn more about how Sen. McMorrow and her colleagues are working to lower costs for you and your family, click here.
Medicaid Matters to Michiganders — Impact of Proposed Cuts
Recently, Republicans in Congress announced their plan to slash $880 billion from Medicaid so they can hand over $4 trillion in tax cuts for the country’s wealthiest individuals. If passed, this would be the largest cut to Medicaid in its 60-year history. Medicaid is a lifeline for Michiganders around the state, including seniors, folks with disabilities, children, veterans, and expectant parents. If approved, 750,000 Michiganders are at risk of losing their health insurance, hospitals will close, and it will be harder for everyone to access care. It would also cost us thousands of jobs, and our state economy would take a huge hit by potentially losing hundreds of millions — and even billions — in federal funding.
Long story short: Congress’ threats to gut this crucial program don’t just impact the millions of people state- and nationwide who rely on the program — they threaten all of us. To stand up to these cuts, this week, Senate Democrats passed a resolution calling on Congress to protect Medicaid and ensure those who need assistance with affording health care can receive it without worry or extra burdensome red tape. Learn more here.
To learn more about how cuts to Medicaid would impact Michigan’s people and communities, take a look at this interactive webpage from the Michigan League for Public Policy and this recently released report by the Michigan Dept. of Health and Human Services.
Celebrating the Start of RxKids in Pontiac
Sen. McMorrow was excited to join Pontiac for their “Baby Parade” to celebrate the launch of RxKids in their community earlier this month. Originally beginning in Flint in Jan. 2023, the RxKids program works to combat childhood poverty and improve health outcomes for new moms and babies by providing cash assistance to moms during their pregnancy and in the months following birth. After speaking at the event, Sen. McMorrow joined Pontiac parents, advocates, and community members for a celebratory walk, where she spoke with local moms on how this new program would impact them.
The program has proven so successful since it first began that Sen. McMorrow and her Senate Democratic colleagues worked to expand it to reach more areas of the state using the 2025 state budget. Because of that, parents in Kalamazoo and counties in the Eastern Upper Peninsula can also access these no-strings-attached dollars, helping them pay for rent, groceries, diapers, and more. Through their Building Blocks legislation, Senate Democrats are now seeking to expand RxKids statewide, ensuring all Michiganders, no matter their zip code, can experience the impact of this life-changing program.
Coleman A. Young Rec Center Reopens
The Coleman A. Young Recreation Center has officially reopened after an $11 million renovation. The upgrades were made possible through funding from the American Rescue Plan Act and an unlimited Tax General Obligation bond.
The center opened in 1980 and due to the pandemic, it was closed in March of 2020. Some of the improvements include:
- Updated HVAC systems and electrical upgrades
- Parking lot repairs and electric vehicle charging stations
- Exterior windows, a new entrance, and gym floor refinishing
- A new elevator, replacement of the boiler, and pool enhancements
Ferndale Fire Station #1 Tour
Sen. McMorrow joined Ferndale Mayor, Raylon Leaks-May, City Manager, Colleen O’Toole, state Representative Helena Scott, and Fire Chief, Theresa Robinson, this week for a tour of Fire Station #1 to hear about the challenges they face with the 1956 building. Chief Robinson detailed their many specialized needs to keep equipment and firefighters at their peak condition for the betterment and safety of the community.
Thank you for staying connected with Sen. McMorrow’s office through our biweekly e-newsletter. We’re committed to keeping you informed on our work in Lansing and the progress we’re making in our district. Whether it’s legislative updates or community initiatives, we want to ensure you’re engaged and aware of the ways we’re advocating for you.
Reach out with any questions, concerns, or ideas that you may have. Our office is here to assist you with any state-related matters, and we value your feedback. Feel free to contact us at (517) 373-2523 or by email at SenMMcMorrow@senate.michigan.gov.