Dear Neighbor,
As we enter the holiday season and prepare to celebrate all things winter, I hope you are taking time to rest and gather with loved ones. The end of the year is a perfect opportunity to express gratitude in our lives — and I am incredibly grateful to serve and represent you in District 10.
In this legislative year alone, the Senate Majority has passed critical legislation to address the issues and challenges facing our state. I am pleased that our caucus accomplished this by listening and engaging in real conversations with constituents. I look forward to our continued progress in the new year.
As always, if you or someone you know, wants to provide any feedback about what’s happening in Lansing or needs assistance of any sort, please feel free to reach out to my office. You can email us at SenPWojno@senate.michigan.gov or call 517-373-3860.
Warmest regards,
Paul Wojno
State Senator
District 10
Included in this Newsletter
- Community Updates
- Legislative Updates
- Resources
Community Updates
Warren Swearing-In Ceremony
It was a pleasure to attend the unofficial swearing-in ceremony for our newly elected Warren City Council members and Mayor! I look forward to partnering with them as we work to move the city of Warren forward.
Food Security
In the state of Michigan, many communities are struggling to access food on a daily basis. In fact, according to the 2022 Food Security Council final report, food insecurity increased to approximately 1.9 million people in Michigan at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, including 552,000 children. Throughout the holiday season, the issue of food insecurity is often exacerbated, and many families go without a holiday dinner. However, local food banks and food centers serve as vital resources and aid in reducing the food insecurity gap during the holiday season and beyond. To learn more, click here.
EGLE Invites Public Input on Implementing MI Healthy Climate Plan
The Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is inviting Michigan residents to offer input on the implementation of the MI Healthy Climate Plan in preparation for federal funding.
The aim is to identify local needs and provide localized context for Michigan climate action while involving local governments and community organizations. Each meeting will educate attendees about the plan and the latest progress. However, the main purpose is to gather feedback on key strategies for climate action, particularly those with the most significant greenhouse gas reduction measures.
Upcoming meeting dates:
Comments or questions can also be submitted to EGLE’s Office of Climate and Energy (OCE) at EGLE-OCE@Michigan.gov.
Learn more online about the public input sessions and the MHCP and stay up to date by subscribing to Michigan Climate Action News and Updates.
MI Dept. of Agriculture and Rural Development Invites Feedback on Grant Programs Implementing MI Healthy Climate Plan
The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) launched a ‘2024 Industry Input Survey’ and is now asking for feedback for its upcoming grant programs next year. The results will help shape program priorities that better reflect the needs of Michigan’s food and agriculture industry.
In addition to the online survey, here are some upcoming industry stakeholder input meetings:
- Monday, December 11 via a virtual Microsoft Teams meeting at 2 p.m.
- Wednesday, December 13 at Eastern Market in Detroit in Shed 5 starting at 1:00 p.m.
The new grant programs launching next year include over $10 million in funding from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) program and $1.8 million in state dollars for supporting Michigan’s food and agriculture supply chains.
Additionally, MDARD received $2.9 million for a new program aimed at helping minority-owned food and agriculture ventures in the Governor’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget. The Department is working to build out this new program to support and expand minority food and agriculture businesses throughout Michigan. The survey closes on December 20, 2023. For more information, click here.
Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement and Potential Officially Launches
On December 1, Governor Gretchen Whitmer officially launched the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential, or MiLEAP. The new department, established by executive order in July, is tasked with improving outcomes from preschool through postsecondary so anyone can ‘make it in Michigan’ with a solid education and a path to a good-paying job.
The new department will take over several early learning, higher education, and education partnership responsibilities from other state departments. Over 300 staff members will join MiLEAP in the same roles they had in their previous department. For more information, click here.
Legislative Updates
The Reproductive Health Act
Nearly 2.5 million Michigan voters showed overwhelming support for Proposal 3 in November 2022 after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
On November 22, Michigan took another bold step forward to ensure Michigan laws reflect Michigan values when Gov. Whitmer signed into law the Reproductive Health Act, Senate Bills 474–477.
The Reproductive Health Act:
- Protects and expands access to reproductive healthcare for Michiganders statewide;
- Aligns Michigan’s laws with the new reproductive health protections in Michigan’s constitution;
- Repeals the 1931 abortion ban, as passed by Senate Democrats earlier this year; and
- Repeals medically unnecessary regulations and removes reporting requirements and administrative burdens that are not placed on any other healthcare providers.
This legislation was crafted with constituents and advocates in mind — taking into account their diverse lived experiences and perspectives.
Protecting Survivors of Domestic Violence from Further Abuse
Domestic violence is a crisis facing women and families across Michigan and the United States. The issue of domestic violence is also deeply interconnected with gun violence, as more abusers are choosing firearms as their weapon of choice.
For a long time under state law, individuals convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor were not barred from possessing or carrying a firearm for any amount of time. This dangerous loophole was closed on Nov. 21, when Senate Bills 471, 472, and 528 — sponsored by Sen. Stephanie Chang and Sen. Sue Shink — were signed into law.
Michigan has now joined the majority of states that have enhanced protections for survivors of domestic violence. Click here to read more about this legislation.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, visit the Michigan State Police webpage on domestic violence here for more information, or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.
Financial Disclosure, Improving Transparency
For a long time, Michigan was one of only two states where lawmakers did not have to file any type of public report about their personal finances. After extensive input from stakeholders and lawmakers, bipartisan financial disclosure Senate Bills 613–616, sponsored by Sen. Jeremy Moss and Sen. Sam Singh, passed the Senate nearly unanimously and are now one step closer to helping improve government transparency and codify Proposal 1 of 2022 — which was supported by 2.8 million Michigan voters just last year.
Per Proposal 1 of 2022, and going beyond it, the legislation passed would ensure that starting next year on April 15, each lawmaker must disclose:
- Every source of income;
- Assets held for investment or production of income;
- Significant liabilities;
- Positions held in organizations;
- Future employment agreements;
- Spouse’s occupation and more.
The Senate bills also extend this disclosure to candidates for office so that voters can vet these potential conflicts as they decide on who they want to represent them.
Resources
AG Nessel Launches New Consumer Protection Website, Holiday Scams Campaign
With the launch of Attorney General Nessel’s annual Holiday Scam Campaign, the Department is also launching a new Consumer Protection website and logo! The website now includes:
- A new search tool to make finding consumer alerts and charities faster and easier;
- A page dedicated to common scams;
- The Michigan Identity Theft Support page and resources to detect and report identity theft for consumers and businesses; and
- Educational videos from Attorney General Nessel, the Federal Trade Commission, and other trusted resources.
Michigan residents who follow the Department’s Instagram page and share at least five Instagram stories will qualify for the drawing to win a $25 gift card. There is no purchase or entry fee required to win, and residents are not required to be present at a state office or event. The winner must be a resident of the state, and their name will be randomly drawn from qualified users.
For more information, click here.
To file a complaint with the Attorney General, or get additional information, contact:
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
Your connection to consumer protection is just a click or phone call away. The Department provides a library of resources for consumers to review anytime on a variety of topics.
Student Tools for Emergency Planning — Deadline Extended for the 2023-24 School Year!
The Michigan State Police extended the registration deadline for the Student Tools for Emergency Planning program (STEP). This program equips teachers with free emergency preparedness materials, including guides, student handouts, and starter kits. The basic hour-long lesson can be expanded to eight hours. Teachers, officials, first responders, or volunteers can deliver the curriculum.
Complete and submit the registration survey by December 15, 2023. Both the new curriculum and old curriculum will be available for you to choose from.
If you have any questions about this free preparedness program, please contact Ms. Jane Troutman at msp-miready@michigan.gov.
Safe Snow Removal Practices and Snow Plowing Assistance for Seniors
With our first snowfall behind us and the start of winter, it is important to keep the sidewalk in front of your residence clear to ensure the safety of you and those around you. When plowing snow, it is also important to be cautious of not piling snow in places that obstruct the vision of drivers. Piling snow at the ends of driveways along highway shoulders may be convenient but can make it difficult for drivers to make sure it is safe to pull out onto highways and challenging for drivers to see other vehicles waiting to pull out. It is also vital to remember not to shovel or blow any snow into or across the roadways. Doing so can cause dangerous icy conditions on the roads.
For seniors needing assistance in snow shoveling, home chore programs may be able to help. For Macomb County residents please contact Macomb Community Action at (586) 469-6329. For Detroit residents please contact the Detroit Area Agency on Aging and inquire about the MI Choice Waiver Program at (313) 446-4444.