Spring Updates from Sen. Polehanki for District 5

AG Nessel Warns Renters, Homebuyers of Fraudulent Real Estate Ads, Zillow Scams in New Alert 

Spurred by recent reports, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has issued a new consumer alert, Real Estate Scams – How to Avoid Being Taken in by Fake Listings, to educate renters and homebuyers on how to avoid property scams. Fraudulent real estate listings often advertise properties that don’t exist, are not for sale or rent, or are not what they appear to be. 

Nessel’s alert cites Zillow’s advice on the red flags homebuyers should look out for:  

• Requests to wire funds; 
• Long-distance solicitations;  
• Requests for verification codes; 
• Requests for personal or financial information; and 
• Grammar/spelling errors and sob stories. 

You can also file a complaint with the Department of Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Team:

Consumer Protection Team
P.O. Box 30213
Lansing, MI 48909
517-335-7599
Fax: 517-241-3771
Toll-free: 877-765-8388
Online complaint form

Legislative Updates 

Senate Democrats Pass the Fertility Health Care Act  

Just weeks after the shocking Alabama court ruling that declared that frozen embryos have equal legal rights as children, jeopardizing fertility treatments such as IVF, Michigan Senate Democrats voted on the final passage of House Bills 5207–5215, which eliminate barriers to parentage in fertility health care and allows Michiganders more ways to grow their families. Gov. Whitmer signed those bills into law on April 1. 

Before this legislation, children born in Michigan through assisted reproduction, such as IVF and surrogacy, had no clear legal link to their parents. Additionally, Michigan was the only state that criminalized paid surrogacy which left many children in Michigan born through assisted reproduction or surrogacy without clear legal protection and vulnerable uncertainty regarding their legal status. This legislation addresses these concerns to help keep families together, including same sex couples and those who choose IVF or surrogacy.  

While reproductive rights face threats across the country, Michigan Senate Democrats are committed to dismantling barriers to ensure that those who want to start a family can. 

Recapping Senate Democrats’ Work to Safeguard Michiganders’ Wellness During Public Health Week 

With the new opportunity to better address these needs, our Majority for the People has worked to pass comprehensive, evidence-based policies to expand access to healthcare and improve the health of Michigan residents. As we observe Michigan Public Health Week, Senate Democrats recognize the invaluable contributions of those who safeguard the health of our communities and recommit to supporting their efforts as we work collectively to promote the well-being of our state. 

During our first year-plus in office, we have wasted no time in enacting meaningful policies and securing investments to achieve a brighter, healthier Michigan for future generations. 

Some legislative highlights include: 

• Expanding access to care by codifying the Affordable Care Act into state law and passing legislation that would establish Prescription Drug Affordability Board to rein in the skyrocketing cost of medications. 
• Combatting our gun violence epidemic by closing dangerous loopholes to strengthen background checks, requiring the secure storage of firearms, disarming individuals convicted of domestic violence, and allowing for the temporary removal of firearms from people who pose a significant risk to themselves or others. 
• Protecting Michiganders’ reproductive freedom by repealing our state’s archaic 1931 abortion ban, passing the Reproductive Health Act, to repeal medically unnecessary regulations regarding health clinics that perform abortions, and championing the Family Protection Act to eliminate barriers to parentage in fertility healthcare to allow Michiganders more ways to grow their families. 
• Keeping Michigan’s air and water clean by passing the Clean Energy Future package which sets long-awaited clean energy and renewable energy standards and increases energy efficiency targets, in addition to passing Filter First legislation that will require Michigan schools and childcare centers to implement a drinking water management plan and install filtered faucets and bottle-filling stations, ensuring every student and educator can fill their water bottle or go to the water fountain knowing it is safe. 

In addition to passing a slate of legislation to safeguard Michigander’s wellbeing, Senate Democrats also made transformational investments in public health in our 2024 state budget. Some highlights include: 

• $280 million to address our mental health crisis through funding for community behavioral health services to expand access to care.  
• $76 million for local health departments to provide economic stability and ensure they have the necessary resources to supply residents with essential health services. 
• $63 million increase in funding for Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies, an initiative providing postpartum Medicaid coverage to mothers in an effort to reduce postpartum deaths.  
• $800,000 to create the Office of Community Violence Services and $6 million for the office to provide grants to community-based violence intervention programs that are working to reduce firearm-related injuries and fatalities. 

By expanding access to healthcare, investing in public health initiatives, and leading  on clean energy, Senate Democrats have laid a foundation for a healthier and more equitable future and will continue working towards further progress. To read more about the work our Majority for the People is doing to promote better health outcomes, click here. 

Resources 

Get Ready for Fishing Season! 

With spring upon us in the Great Lakes State, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is reminding anglers to purchase a new license for the 2024 fishing season. 

The new fishing license and regulation season kicked off on Monday, April 1. The new 2024 fishing licenses will be valid through March 31, 2025. Licenses can be purchased at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses or on the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app, which you can download on your smartphone. 

Here’s a rundown of key dates to remember this fishing season: 

• Saturday, April 27 – Statewide trout and Lower Peninsula inland walleye and northern pike seasons open. 
• Monday, May 15 – Upper Peninsula walleye and northern pike seasons open. 
• Saturday, May 25 – Season opens for largemouth and smallmouth bass possession, except for Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair and Detroit rivers, which open Saturday, June 15. (Note: Catch-and-immediate-release for bass is open all year on most waters. Check the 2024 Michigan Fishing Regulations for specifics.) 
• Saturday, June 1 – Season opens for muskellunge possession on all Great Lakes, inland waters, the St. Mary’s River, Lake St. Clair and the St. Clair and Detroit rivers. (Note: Catch-and-release fishing for muskellunge is open all year.) 

For additional information about 2024 fishing license, contact DNR eLicense at MDNR-E-License@Michigan.gov or call 517-284-6057. 

The DNR is also providing helpful tips for Michigan anglers to help combat the spread of invasive species. 

1. Start with a clean boat and clean gear. 
2. End by draining live wells and bilges. 
3. End by cleaning debris and plant material from boats. 
4. Decontaminate waders and gear with safe chemical disinfectants after each use. 
5. Dispose of leftover bait in the trash to prevent the spread of fish diseases. 

Financial Literacy Month 

Talking about all things money related can be nothing short of stressful, but with the right tools in your toolbox, it doesn’t have to be. And with the Senate passing Senate Resolution 102 recognizing April as Financial Literacy Month, there is no better time for us to share some important tips on things you can do to start building a brighter financial future. 

One piece of advice emphasized by the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) is just how important it is for Michiganders to establish a relationship with a financial institution. By having an account with a bank or credit union, you can save money by avoiding fees related to check cashing, money orders and more. Thanks to the Michigan Open Account Coalition formed in 2022, low- or no-cost accounts — with no surprise fees — are available at participating banks and credit unions. 

Attorney General Dana Nessel also offers up some additional financial education best practices this month by re-issuing her Overdraft Fee Rules alert. This is a great resource to help consumers become more informed on your bank’s overdraft policy, potentially avoiding the accumulation of large fees in your accounts without understanding how they get there. 

Virtual Resource Fair for Families of Children with Special Health Care Needs 

The Family Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs, Michigan Family to Family, and Michigan Family Voices are teaming up for a Virtual Resource Fair on May 7, 2024, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Microsoft Teams.  

This event is meant to inform individuals with disabilities and their families, caregivers, youth, providers, and community support about the variety of services and resources available in Michigan for children and youth with disabilities and special health care needs, and their families. 

Register here. 

New Website Available to Help Track Your Status of Benefits   

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has launched a brand new website MI Bridges to help Michiganders applying for assistance monitor their benefits status. The tool tracks five benefits programs: health care coverage, the food assistance program, cash assistance, child development and care, and state emergency relief.