Senate Democrats Champion Legislation to Protect Michiganders of All Ages
In the first month of 2026, Senate Democrats have been busy working to deliver solutions to the challenges facing Michiganders and keep them safe from a growing number of safety concerns, including human trafficking and telephone scammers. Included in the bills advanced is legislation to:
- Reduce cell phone usage in schools: To address the growing issue of cell phone use in schools and protect kids’ uninterrupted learning environment, the Michigan Senate recently passed bipartisan legislation to ban cell phones during instruction time in Michigan’s K-12 public schools. These bills would help ensure our educators can teach, and our students can learn without distraction.
- Prevent human trafficking: In 2024, the National Human Trafficking Hotline received over 750 tips of human trafficking in Michigan, with 340 of them being confirmed cases. As Michigan shares an international border, Michiganders, especially children, are uniquely vulnerable to falling victim to this heinous crime. To help us protect our most vulnerable, my colleagues and I recently passed bipartisan legislation to increase criminal penalties, particularly for those who traffic minors.
- Crack down on scam calls and texts: As folks navigate the stressors of everyday life, the last thing you need is a constant stream of phone calls and texts harassing you and attempting to deceive you out of your hard-earned money. That’s why, last week, the Senate unanimously passed bipartisan legislation to tackle this issue head-on, ensuring both our residents and the Attorney General’s office have the tools they need to hold scammers accountable.
New Year, New Legislation! Senate Dems Introduce Legislation to Keep Kids Safe Online, Tackle Rising Energy Costs
With the new year well underway, my colleagues and I have hit the ground running to introduce several new pieces of legislation to safeguard Michigan kids and consumers, including bills to:
- Keep kids safe online: As we rapidly accelerate into the age of digital and AI advancements, our youth are bearing the brunt of the harmful consequences of Big Tech’s exploitive algorithms. That’s why we introduced legislation that would implement stronger safety measures to prevent social media companies and AI platforms from targeting and exploiting minors. Introduced in December and highlighted in a press conference a few weeks ago, this “Kids Over Clicks” package would protect kids from the dangers of unfettered online activity by holding Big Tech accountable.
- Tackle rising energy costs: While the costs of everything from gas and groceries continue to put a squeeze on Michiganders, utility costs are only adding to the burden. To combat outrageous energy rates — which have gone up 11% since Jan. 2025 —legislation introduced by Senate Democrats last month would establish a multiyear rate plan to set utility prices for multiple years, preventing surprise spikes in monthly bills and improving financial planning and stability for families in the state.
Michigan Senate Dems Urge Congress to Rein in ICE, DHS Brutality
In response to a disturbing uptick in unchecked, violent tactics used by federal immigration enforcement officers in Minnesota and across the nation, Michigan Senate Democrats passed Senate Resolution 92 last week to urge Congress to restore and strengthen accountability in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency and Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS). The brutality and corruption of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown is anti-American, and our nation’s leaders must demand greater transparency and oversight in ICE and DHS operations — because no one is above the law.
Virtual Community Conversation
WHEN: Monday, Feb. 9, from 8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
WHERE: Virtual — RSVP here
Community Conversation in Corunna
WHEN: Thursday, Feb. 19, from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: Corunna Public Library, 210 E. Corunna Ave., Corunna, MI 48817
To stay up to date on all of my upcoming events, check out the event page on my website.
Stay Warm During Winter Storms & Utilize 211 to Find Shelter Near You
With historic winter conditions hitting our communities, if you or anyone you know needs help finding a place to stay warm and stay safe, you can contact 211 to find information on local warming centers as well as available resources to help with housing and utility bills. 211 is available for free for all Michiganders 24/7 any day of the year. To find help for winter utilities, you can:
📞 Call 2-1-1
💬 Text your zip code to 898-211
🖥️ Visit mi211.org
For more winter preparedness tips, click here.
Utility Assistance Programs
Winter can become stressful with high utility costs. Depending on your household income, you may qualify for assistance:
- State Emergency Relief: State Emergency Relief is a crisis intervention program that provides assistance for energy-related expenses like heating fuel, electricity, and home repairs. Those who can demonstrate need are encouraged to apply online through MI Bridges.
- Michigan Energy Assistance Program (MEAP): The Michigan Public Service Commission administers the MEAP, helping establish and administer statewide programs that provide energy assistance and self-sufficiency services to eligible low-income households. To seek help, contact 2-1-1 or your utility company to find programs in your are
- Weatherization Assistance Program: The Weatherization Assistance Program provides free home energy-conservation services to low-income Michigan homeowners and renters. These services can reduce energy use and lower utility bills. Some of the services include insulation, air leakage reduction, smoke detectors, and dryer venting. You can contact your local Community Action Agency to start the application process.
Michiganders Continue to Feel Relief from Senate Dems’ EITC Expansion
While the costs of housing, utilities, and everyday essentials remain sky-high, legislation that my Senate Democratic colleagues and I championed back in 2023 continues to deliver relief for Michiganders across the state today. As part of the largest tax relief initiative in Michigan history, we quintupled Michigan’s match of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) from 6% to 30% to help families who need it most.
With EITC Awareness Day just last month, we’re uplifting the power of fair tax policy to help residents make ends meet. For the 2025 tax filing season, an average state EITC of $890 was delivered to approximately 665,000 recipients. When combined with the average federal EITC of $2,966, eligible families received a total average credit of $3,856. These are real dollars we are putting back in the pockets of hard-working Michiganders.
To learn more about this historic tax break and other ways we are lowering costs for you and your family, click here. To check if you qualify for the EITC, click here.
Scholarship Opportunity for Students Now Available
Whether you are pursuing a traditional college degree apprenticeship, a technical certification, or other educational pathway, be sure to check out an exciting scholarship opportunity with Chime Scholars Foundation. Applications for scholarships of up to $20,000 are now open for the 2026-2027 academic year for students of all backgrounds. You must apply by Tuesday, March 31, 2026. Learn more here.
Financial Support for Michigan Dentists & Dental Students
With more than 1.5 million Michiganders living in areas with limited access to dental care, Delta Dental of Michigan and the Delta Dental Foundation are aiming to help fill the gap by offering scholarship and loan repayment programs to support dentists and dental hygienists committed to serving underserved communities. If you work in or are pursuing a career in this field, take a look at the programs they have available:
- Loan repayment to support private practice dentists in underserved communities (up to $40,000 per year for up to five years). At least 15% of the dentist’s patients must be covered by Medicaid each year
- Loan repayment for dentists who commit to working in nonprofit clinics (up to $25,000 per year for up to three years)
- Loan repayment for dental hygienists who commit to working in nonprofit clinics (up to $5,000 per year for up to three years)
- Scholarships for dental hygiene students to cover the cost of attendance (up to $15,000 per year for up to two years)
Applications will close on Tuesday, March 31. For more information and to apply, visit Delta Dental’s website.
Grant Opportunity for Ingham County Multifamily/Rental Housing Development & Rehabilitation Projects
Ingham County has announced a new funding opportunity for private businesses, governmental agencies, and non-profit organizations with a proposed affordable multifamily (rental) housing development/rehabilitation project within the county. A total of $4 million in Ingham County Housing and Homeless Millage funds will be awarded to “shovel-ready” multifamily housing development and rehabilitation projects that seek to increase the supply of affordable and high-quality living units and/or aid in the purchase, acquisition, construction, maintenance, operation, improvement, extension, or repair of housing facilities, and the elimination of detrimental housing conditions.
Eligible applicants are encouraged to submit requests for projects that include:
- New construction and/or restoration, rehabilitation, or adaptive reuse of existing structures to create or improve at least 5 and no more than 24 units of rental housing at a maximum award amount of $500,000 per project.
- New construction and/or restoration, rehabilitation, or adaptive reuse of existing structures to create or improve 25 or more units of rental housing at a maximum award amount of $1,500,000 per project.
- Eligible projects must commit to maintaining affordability of at least 5 units for households with an income at or below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) for a minimum of 20 years, and all housing units must be affordable for residents at or below 120% of AMI for a minimum of 20 years.
The RFP and grant application will be posted here on Wednesday, Feb. 11. To be considered for funding, a completed application must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, April 10. The announcement of awards is anticipated by July 2026.
To learn more, all are welcome to join a Grant Application Webinar/Q&A on Wednesday, Feb. 18 at 11:00 a.m via Teams Meeting (Meeting ID: 277 022 044 432 75) or you can watch a recording afterwards on the HTF website. Please contact ICHTF@ingham.org or call 517-483-6155 with questions.
As always, if you or someone you know would like to provide feedback about what’s happening in Lansing or needs assistance, feel free to contact my office. You can email us at SenSSingh@senate.michigan.gov or call (517) 373-3447.
Sincerely,
Sam Singh
State Senator
District 28