Dear Neighbor,
I hope this newsletter finds you and your family safe and healthy. Below are some updates on what my colleagues and I have been working on in Lansing, as well as information regarding my upcoming events.
My office is always here to assist you! If you have questions or need assistance you can email my office at SenSSingh@senate.michigan.gov or call (517) 373-3447.
Sincerely,
Sen. Sam Singh
Majority Floor Leader
District 28
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
LOWERING MI COSTS PLAN SIGNED INTO LAW, CUTTING TAXES BY $1 BILLION FOR WORKING FAMILIES AND SENIORS
Last week, the Governor signed the Lowering MI Costs plan, one of the biggest tax relief initiatives Michigan has seen in decades. The plan will overhaul the unfair and unpopular retirement tax, expand the Working Families Tax Credit, and make significant investments in housing and community development.
By expanding the Working Families Tax Credit to 30 percent of the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, 700,000 Michiganders—those who have the hardest time affording the basics—will see an average of $3,150 dollars back in their pockets. Phasing out the unfair and unpopular retirement tax over four years will ultimately put an average of $1,000 back in the pockets of 500,000 households. The Lowering MI Costs plan also invests $50 million of surplus tax revenue in the state’s Housing and Community Development Fund, which prioritizes projects offering veterans, seniors, people with disabilities, and working families safe, affordable places to call home. This is significant, sustainable and ongoing dedicated funding to affordable housing.
SENATE REPEALS ARCHAIC 1931 ABORTION BAN, ENSURE ABORTION IS KEPT SAFE
On International Women’s Day, the Michigan Senate Democrats passed much-needed legislation to repeal Michigan’s 1931 statute that criminalizes abortion care and related acts.
The Senate bills passed last week are:
- Senate Bill 2 (Geiss), which repeals the 1931 ban on contraception and other information about reproductive health (by repealing section 40 of 1931 PA 328);
- Senate Bill 37 (Bayer), which would update the code of criminal procedure;
- Senate Bill 39 (Geiss), which repeals Section 14 of 1931 PA 328 that criminalizes providing an abortion.
- Senate Bill 93 (Anthony), which repeals penalties for the sale of drugs or medicine to procure a miscarriage.
PROTECTING MICHIGANDERS FROM GUN VIOLENCE
Last week Michigan Democrats passed widely embraced common-sense gun legislation that will save lives from being lost to mass shootings, homicides, suicides, and accidents. These proposals have been developed with input from state and national experts, public safety officials, parent advocacy groups and responsible gun owners.
This common-sense gun legislation has been proven effective at saving lives and is supported by Michiganders across the state:
- Universal background checks save lives by ensuring people convicted of violent crimes like domestic violence cannot purchase guns and cause more harm.
- Extreme Risk Protection Order laws, also known as “red flag” laws, will save lives by giving families and law enforcement the tools needed to temporarily remove guns from the hands of people who have threatened to hurt themselves or others.
- Safe storage laws will save lives by ensuring responsible gun owners keep their firearms secure from children and prevent their firearms from falling into the wrong hands and being used to commit a crime.
WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY TO ANNOUNCE NEW INITIATIVE, LOWERING THE COST OF COLLEGE
Wayne State University announced the Wayne State Guarantee, a new initiative offering incoming Michigan students with family incomes of $70,000 or less a tuition-free degree with zero out-of-pocket expenses. The program will begin in the fall of 2023 and cover the full cost of tuition and standard fees. This is made possible thanks to the bipartisan Michigan Achievement Scholarship program, which Governor Whitmer signed into law in 2022, saving students up to $8,250 on their associate degree at a community college, up to $20,000 at a private college, or up to $27,500 at a public university.
Who’s Eligible for the Wayne State Guarantee
- Incoming first-year undergraduates who are Michigan residents admitted for fall 2023 as a first-time undergraduate in a degree-program.
- Household income of $70,000 or less and assets of $50,000 or less as confirmed on the 2023-24 FAFSA.
- Michigan residents eligible for the Pell grant in 2023-24 are also eligible.
- Must be enrolled full time (12 or more credit hours per semester) each semester. Funding is for the fall and winter semesters.
- WSU must receive your 2023-24 FAFSA by April 1, 2023, and be eligible to receive federal student aid.
- Must be admitted to WSU by April 1, 2023.
The Wayne State Guarantee covers the full cost of tuition and standard fees (matriculation, registration, and student service fees) with a combination of federal, state, and other WSU scholarships and grants. The award is renewable for up to four years, with the option to apply for a fifth year if the student is on track to graduate in that year.
SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET INVESTMENTS IN MICHIGAN
This month, my colleagues and I passed a $1.34 billion supplemental appropriations package that contains funding for a number of important priorities, including: water affordability, hospital staffing retention, nursing home rate increases, health workforce stabilization, community violence intervention, housing, and community and neighborhood grants.
>>You can read more about this supplemental spending bill here.
DISTRICT UPDATES
Curwood Castle’s 100 Year Anniversary
Last week, Owosso celebrated Curwood Castle’s 100-year anniversary. Curwood Castle was the writing studio for James Oliver Curwood, a native of Owosso whose novels inspired over 180 motion pictures.
It is a pillar of our district and a must see attraction for visitors from around the state. You can find more information of the history of Curwood Castle and information on visiting here: http://owossohistory.org/
COFFEE HOURS
WHEN: Monday, April 24, 2023, at 8am
WHERE: Virtual, Register here