June 1 marked the beginning of Pride Month, a time to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and recognize their strength and ability to live as their authentic selves. This has not always been afforded to them in this country and their access to equal standing under the law is something we must continue to fight for.
TIPS ON STAYING SAFE IN THE WATER THIS SUMMER The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is encouraging residents to maximize the health benefits of swimming while practicing safe and healthy habits. Each of us has a role in preventing illnesses and injuries when we swim, play, and relax in the water — during the summer and year-round. Here’s what you can do to keep your family safe and healthy this swimming season:
Keep germs out of the water and out of your body.
- Be careful not to swallow the water. Stay out of the water if you are sick. Shower before you get in the water. Be courteous by using the restroom when needed. Take children on bathroom breaks or check diapers every hour. Change diapers away from the water to keep germs from getting in.
Keep swimmers and boaters safe in the water.
- Make sure everyone has basic swimming and water safety skills. Use U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets appropriately. Choose a responsible adult to provide continuous, attentive supervision close to swimmers. Know how to recognize and respond to a swimmer in distress and how to perform CPR. Prevent access to backyard pools when not supervised. Get your boating safety certificate (required for boaters born after June 30, 1996, and most personal watercraft operators). Click on “Boating Safety Certificate” at Michigan.gov/Boating.
Use chemicals safely in your pools.
- Read and follow directions on product labels. Open chemical containers safely, using proper protective equipment, in a well-ventilated area. NEVER mix different pool chemicals with each other, especially chlorine products with acid. Add the pool chemical to water, never add water to pool chemical. Store pool chemicals securely.
For more information and safety tips on preventing swimming illness and injury, visit CDC.gov/HealthyWater/Swimming.
PROTECTING REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOMS Last month, POLITICO published a draft SCOTUS opinion by Justice Alito indicating that the U.S. Supreme Court intends to overturn Roe v. Wade, bucking nearly 50 years of precedent and gutting women’s rights to their own bodies and self-determination to control if, and when, to get pregnant. Even more damning, the draft opinion indicates that the conservative majority may be open to reversing other landmark decisions, such as Obergfell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage, and supports the theory from Justice Amy Coney Barrett that “safe haven” laws diminish the need for abortion by allowing parents to relinquish their child lawfully.
What This Means Right Now in Michigan As of right now, abortion in this country and in Michigan is still legal. Nonetheless, the current Supreme Court draft is an assault on the rights of women to make decisions about their own bodies. While the ruling has not yet officially been handed down by the Supreme Court, many experts believe this document is authentic. What This Will Mean in Michigan Should the Supreme Court move forward in issuing this ruling to overturn Roe, abortion access will immediately become illegal in Michigan because of a 1931 law. When Roe was decided in 1973, the federal ruling superseded state law. But if Roe falls, the determination comes back to the states. Nancy Kaffer at the Detroit Free Press offers a thorough explanation of what this means for Michigan. What’s Happening to Protect Reproductive Rights in Michigan Efforts are underway to protect reproductive rights on multiple fronts. In the legislature, bills have been introduced to repeal the 1931 law and codify reproductive rights into law. In the Senate, I’m a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 732, the Reproductive Health Act, that was introduced by my colleague, Sen. Mallory McMorrow from Royal Oak. The bill seeks to codify reproductive rights and access to abortion into state law. Similar legislation has also been introduced in the House. At the state level, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has filed a lawsuit leveraging her executive authority to ask the Michigan Supreme Court to immediately resolve whether the state constitution can, and should, protect access to abortion and reproductive rights. On Friday, May 20, the court unanimously granted the motion for immediate consideration regarding the governor’s legal fight to uphold abortion access in Michigan if Roe v. Wade falls as expected and requested that she file a brief with them within 14 days. An executive message with a motion to intervene and motion to dismiss remains pending. While the fight to protect reproductive freedoms continues at all levels of gover nment, trust that I will continue my advocacy to protect and preserve every Michigander’s right to choose.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: BUDGET 2023 Senate Moves Budget Bills Along Party Lines
Last month, on Tuesday, May 3 and Wednesday, May 4, the Senate passed 17 budget bills targeting key state priorities, continuing our work on the Fiscal Year 2023 state budget. Several Democratic amendments were proposed but most failed, largely along party lines. While there were some areas in which the Senate agreed with the Governor’s proposal, I simply could not vote for a budget that didn’t solve some of our most pertinent problems for Michiganders. The budget bills that the Senate passed do not solve the lack of investments made in education and do little to support our local communities, both of which are areas I know are of importance to Macomb County residents. Many of the remaining federal dollars that were appropriated to Michigan are still unallocated and should not continue to sit in the state’s bank account. Although the Senate fell short this time, planning the state budget is a lengthy process and negotiations are currently underway, on both sides of the aisle in the Senate and in the House. I remain hopeful that we can work together in a bipartisan way to reconcile our differences so that we can successfully address the most critical issues facing Michigan – and fund them appropriately. Michigan Projects $6B Surplus to End 2022 On Friday, May 20, the Michigan Department of Treasury, House Fiscal Agency, and Senate Fiscal Agency met for their Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference during which they projected the state will end 2022 with a $6 billion surplus. Approximately $1.7 billion was added to the General Fund revenue forecast from January and $1.26 billion was added to the School Aid Fund forecast for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, which ends Sept. 30. Negotiations between legislative leadership and the State Budget Office on the FY 2023 budget have begun.
TAXPAYERS URGED TO BE WARY OF POTENTIAL SCAMMERS The Michigan Department of Treasury is urging Michigan taxpayers with past-due tax debts to be aware of an aggressive scam making the rounds through the U.S. Postal Service. In the scheme, taxpayers receive a letter about an overdue tax bill that requests individuals to immediately contact a toll-free number to resolve an outstanding state tax debt. The letter aggressively threatens to seize a taxpayer’s property — including bank accounts, wages, business assets, cars, real estate, refunds, and cash — if the debt is not settled.
The piece of correspondence appears credible to the taxpayer because it uses specific personal facts pulled directly from publicly available information. The scammer’s letter attempts to lure the taxpayer into a situation where they could make a payment to a criminal.
The state Treasury Department corresponds with taxpayers through official letters that use State of Michigan letterhead that embody both the names of the governor and state treasurer. These official letters are sent through the U.S. Postal Service, provide several options to resolve an outstanding debt, and outline taxpayer rights.
Taxpayers who receive a letter from a scammer or have questions about their state debts should call Treasury’s Collections Service Center at 517-636-5265. A customer service representative can log the scam, verify outstanding state debts and provide flexible payment options.
To learn more about Michigan’s taxes and the collections process, go to Michigan.gov/taxes or follow the state Treasury Department on Twitter at @MITreasury.
