District 14 News & Updates

Dear Neighbor,

It is an honor to represent you and the 14th Senate District. Please know that I am working hard on legislation that matters to you! My dedicated staff are here to help answer your questions, comments and concerns when working with our state government. Serving the residents of Jackson and Washtenaw counties is our top priority. Always feel free to reach out about issues such as unemployment assistance, delayed tax returns and other issues you may have.

Here are the best ways to connect with our office:

• Email: sensshink@senate.michigan.gov
• Phone: (517) 373-2426
• U.S. Mail: P.O. Box 30036, Lansing, MI 48909
• Website: https://senatedems.com/shink/ 

Please join me on Facebook to share your ideas and follow the latest news and updates from the Capitol. Upcoming newsletters will be filled with legislative updates and community news about our district.

I am honored to serve you, your families, our neighbors, and friends.

Sincerely, 

Sue Shink  
State Senator
District 14

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

Swearing-In Ceremony 

January 11, 2023, was the first day of the 2023-24 legislative session. I was proud to be sworn in as a member of Michigan’s 102nd Legislature by Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Elizabeth T. Clement.

I look forward to working with members from both sides of the aisle to enact meaningful change for our state. Together, I am confident that we are on our way to building healthier, more resilient communities that work for everyone.

Opening Day 

My Senate Democratic colleagues and I announced our priorities for the people of Michigan by introducing the first six bills of the new legislative term. I co-sponsored each of the six priorities introduced on the Legislature’s first day of business as part of the Michigan’s Working Families Agenda:

• Senate Bill 1 repeals the retirement tax on Michigan seniors.
• Senate Bill 2 repeals Michigan’s 1931 statute that criminalizes abortion care.
• Senate Bill 3 enables workers to keep more of their hard-earned dollars through an increased Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).
• Senate Bill 4 expands Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to include anti-discrimination protections for sexual and gender identity.
• Senate Bill 5 restores workers’ rights.
• Senate Bill 6 restores the state’s prevailing wage law.

Collectively, these bills demonstrate a commitment to expand rights and opportunities for the people of Michigan, and to make our state an even better place to call home.

Sen. Shink’s 2023-24 Senate Committee Assignments 

What does a senate committee do? Committees oversee, draft and consider bills and proposals and recommend them to the full Senate. These meetings are open to the public, and the schedules and locations of committee meetings can be found on the Michigan Legislature’s Committee Meetings page. Committee meetings are often streamed online, recorded, and posted to the Michigan Senate TV’s website.

Sen. Shink’s Committee Assignments:

• Natural Resources and Agriculture, Chair
• Corrections and Judiciary Appropriations Subcommittee, Chair
• Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety, Vice Chair
• Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee, Vice Chair
• Appropriations
• Housing and Human Services
• Energy and Environment
• Local Government
• Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy Appropriations Subcommittee

First Committee Hearing 

It was thrilling to participate in the first committee hearing of the 102nd Legislature!  Senate Bill 3, which would ultimately increase the state’s match of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) from 6% to 30%, was sent to the Senate Housing and Human Services Committee.

What does Senate Bill 3 do?

• Under SB 3, a family would see, on average, an increase of $750 in their tax return.
• SB3 delivers around $689 more annually to struggling Jackson and Washtenaw working families.
• SB 3 returns $9.7 million to our district’s local economies.

To find out if you qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or want more information, please visit the following websites: Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Michigan Taxes.  

State of the State Address 

It was inspiring to be a part of the Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s first State of the State address with a Democratic majority in both chambers in nearly 40 years. 

In her speech last week, Gov. Whitmer touched on several bread-and-butter issues that impact the people of the 14th District. I am excited to work alongside her and my colleagues to provide relief for working families, bring supply chains and manufacturing back to Michigan, and invest in tools to help students succeed inside and outside of the classroom.

For those that were unable to watch, a recorded version of the speech can be found on the State’s website.

IN THE COMMUNITY

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day