Hello Neighbor,
Between the Detroit Lions’ two playoff wins and trip to the NFC title game, and the Governor’s State of the State address last Wednesday, there was a lot of excitement at the Capitol this past week. With that said, I hope this newsletter informs you of other important things happening in the Legislature.
As always, 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. You can email us at SenMMcMorrow@senate.michigan.gov or call (517) 373-2523.
Sincerely,
Mallory McMorrow
State Senator
District 8
Featured in this Newsletter
- Kicking Off the 2024 Legislative Session
- State of the State Address Recap
- Legislative Updates
- In the Community
- In Recent News
- Resources
Kicking Off the 2024 Legislative Session
Did you know Michigan is one of ten full-time state legislatures in the nation? That not only means that we meet for session and committees throughout the year, but also that our constituent services staff is available to you year-round.
The Michigan Constitution dictates that the new session shall begin on the second Wednesday in January at noon, so as of January 10, the 2024 session is in full swing.
The full Senate and committees convene in Lansing on Tuesday, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and we work in our districts on Mondays and Fridays. Keep this in mind if you ever come to visit us at the state Capitol. We’d love to see you.
2024 State of the State Address
The Governor delivered her sixth annual State of the State address on Wednesday, January 24. This address is where Governor Whitmer shares her vision for the state and her major priorities that she is going to work for in 2024. Some of the ideas proposed include:
- Investing $1.4 Billion to rehab 10,000 housing units statewide;
- Guaranteed education from Pre-K through 2 years of Community College for every Michigander;
- Creating an innovation fund for startups and entrepreneurs;
- A $5,000 family caregiver tax credit for Michiganders caring for an aging parent;
- Rebates on new car purchases
It is important to point out that what was presented are simply ideas. This gives the legislature our first opportunity to respond and get to work.
Governor Whitmer’s budget proposal follows this speech – she will present her budget to the joint House and Senate Appropriations committees – of which I am a member – in early February.
Legislative Updates
Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference (CREC)
On January 12, the Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference in Lansing began the annual budget process for the state of Michigan. During CREC, our state’s budget leaders join and present the revenue forecast for MI for the rest of the year; CREC also marks the starting point for the Governor’s executive budget recommendation and the Legislature’s budget reports that follow. There will be a second conference in May that provides an update to the January forecast prior to final budget enactment, which is due by July 1 annually, according to the Michigan Constitution.
This month’s CREC reflected that our state’s economy is “strong and stable,” with revenue even projected to be nearly half a billion dollars higher than expected, based on the 2023 May CREC report. Because of this, MI has a slight surplus of funds for this year and next, meaning we’re able to spend an extra $418 million this year in the state budget and likely over $100 million extra next year. Wages and salaries were also projected to slightly increase annually, between now and 2026 at least, across the state.
After years of struggling through the pandemic and nationwide economic highs and lows, we can see via this month’s CREC report that Michigan’s economy is close to, if not already, pre-pandemic numbers. There is still work to be done, but we’re heading in the right direction and CREC is proof of that. Now, it’s time to continue the work that was begun last year, as we put together the 2025 budget and invest in what makes Michigan so special: the people that live here.
2024 Laws Going into Effect
After a historic year, there were major pieces of legislation that passed. These are some of the laws taking effect on February 13th, 2024:
Restoring Workers’ Rights. Legislation repealing Michigan’s anti-worker law (House Bills 4004 and 4007 and Senate Bill 34) — which allowed union workers to opt out of paying union dues and fees — is set to go into effect.
Gun Safety. This year, gun safety-related legislation (Senate Bills 79, 80, 81 and 82 and House Bills 4138 and 4142) will take effect , including the following: expansion of background checks, safe gun storage requirements and laws permitting courts to temporarily remove guns from those a judge deems pose an imminent threat to themselves or others, as well as temporarily banning those with domestic violence convictions from possessing and purchasing firearms and ammunition in Michigan.
Please remember: Starting February 13th, if you are a gun owner who has young children, make sure to safely secure your firearms — unloaded, locked, and if possible, separate from ammunition when not in use. For more information on secure storage, please visit BeSMARTforKids.org.
Reproductive Health Act. The Reproductive Health Act (Senate Bills 474, 476 and 477and House Bills 4949, 4951, 4953–4956) will remove medically-unnecessary regulations for clinics, repeal a state law requiring the purchase of a special insurance rider for private health plans to cover abortion and remove a law banning higher education institutions’ pregnant and parenting services offices from providing referrals for abortion services.
In the Community
On the morning of January 16, I joined Royal Oak, Clawson and Berkley Public Schools for the seventh annual “A Day on Not a Day Off” to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with service to the community. Alongside administrators, elected officials, parents, kids and community members, we spent the morning at Royal Oak Middle School making blankets, sorting donated clothing, food, household items and children’s essentials, and assembling hygiene kits. All these efforts benefited community organizations striving to close the gaps to ensure everyone is supported with equal opportunity.
Closing out the day that would have been Dr. King’s 95th birthday, I had the opportunity to speak at the 34th Annual MLK Jr. Day of Celebration hosted by Royal Oak Township, alongside Oak Park and Ferndale Public Schools. This year’s theme was “Living the Dream, It Starts with Me: Spreading Hope, Courage and Unity.” In my remarks, I mentioned that it is on us to heed the words and actions of Dr. King and to recognize that it is on all of us to stand up in our own lives against injustice when we see it. That doing nothing does nothing to stop those hateful voices, the embedded racism and systemic injustices that have held our country back from its full potential — a place where everyone, regardless of the color of their skin, has an equal opportunity to thrive. It was a celebration of a man and his legacy, and it was a moment for each of us to reflect on what we must do next to bring us closer to that Dream.
In Recent News
Clean-Energy School Buses Coming to Michigan Courtesy of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
Michigan’s transition to clean- and electric-energy school bus fleets has shifted into a higher gear with the announcement of millions of dollars coming to the state from President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Clean School Bus Program (CSBP) grants.
Detroit, Lansing and Pontiac public school systems will each receive $5,925,000 in federal funding to buy 15 clean-powered school buses apiece.
Michigan Seeks Input on Advancing Clean Energy Economy
The state of Michigan is inviting input on a historic opportunity to leverage significant federal financing for clean energy generation and infrastructure, economic development, supplier retooling and diversification and other related projects in Michigan.
Billions of dollars in federal loans and loan guarantees are available to invest in climate- and energy-related projects through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office. Michigan is committed to fully decarbonize the state’s economy by 2050 and generate 100% of the state’s power from clean sources by 2040.
Responses must be received by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024. Submit written responses via one of the following:
- Online form.
- Email to EGLE-OCE@Michigan.gov with subject line “SEFI R”
- Regular U.S. mail to:
Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
Executive Office, Office of Climate and Energy
P.O. Box 30473 Lansing, MI 48909-7973
Call for Nominations for Hometown Health Hero Awards
The Michigan Public Health Week Partnership, a collaboration of 12 organizations working to increase the visibility of significant accomplishments in public health, is seeking nominations of individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions to preserve and improve their community’s health for its annual Hometown Health Hero awards.
Hometown Health Hero awards are presented every spring as part of Michigan Public Health Week, April 8-14. Award recipients will be honored at a reception Wednesday, April 10 in the Atrium of Heritage Hall in the State Capitol Building.
Nomination forms can be downloaded from Michigan.gov/mphw. Completed nominations should be sent to Jim Koval via email at kovalj@michigan.gov or faxed to 517-335-8392 by Wednesday, Jan. 31.
Resources
Take Care of Yourself, Combat Winter Blues
The winter season can bring joy and happiness but can also have an adverse impact on mental health. It is important to consistently check in with your mental health and ensure you are getting the support you need. If you find yourself emotionally struggling or experiencing a mental health crisis, please be sure to utilize the following resources:
- Call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and administered by Vibrant Emotional Health (Vibrant). To learn more, click here.
- If you need mental health care, go to the MDHHS website for more information.
Statewide Warming Centers
As the temperatures drop and power outages are apt to occur, Michiganders must know which warming centers are available and accessible in their area. If you or someone you know needs to get warm, here are some warming centers in our district:
Be sure to travel only if the conditions permit. If possible, call ahead to ensure the warming center has space and capacity.