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Senate Health Policy Committee Advances Legislation to Expand Contraception Access, Give Michiganders the Freedom to Plan
While other states work to restrict individuals’ reproductive rights, Michigan Senate Democrats are leading the fight to protect freedom of choice for all LANSING, Mich. (Dec. 4, 2024) — Sens. Mary Cavanagh (D-Redford Twp.) and Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) issued...
Sen. Cavanagh Champions Fair Chance Access to Housing Act to Establish Equitable Housing Practices, Ensure Basic Right to Housing
LANSING, Mich. (Nov. 27, 2024) — Yesterday, Sens. Mary Cavanagh (D-Redford Twp.) and Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) introduced Senate Bills 1154 and 1155 to prohibit landlords from requiring rental applicants to disclose their criminal histories during the initial housing...
Michigan Legislators Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Public Safety and Community Trust With Police
Comprehensive bill package supported by Michiganders, law enforcement officials would limit use of no-knock warrants, require de-escalation and crisis response training, prevent body cam tampering, and enforce other safeguards to protect residents and enhance the...
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This week in Lansing, Republicans voted to cut numerous programs midstream, declaring them all "waste, fraud, and abuse" before later admitting that they were cutting off funding for political leverage, as a "negotiating tactic." They also did this before determining whether there was actually any "waste" or "fraud" and before knowing whether charities, businesses, and local governments had already had spent state money promised to them.
So you can get an idea of what this is about, and why so many people are scrambling to react, here are some of the many specifics.
Republicans cut off funding for child advocacy centers which are places where child victims of sexual abuse are brought to so that they can get access to services and to forensic interviewing which gives them and their families the best chance for justice.
Republicans cut programs to help domestic violence survivors and veterans in shelters.
Republicans cut Wigs for Kids, providing wigs to kids fighting cancer.
Republicans cut funding to help parapros or others working in schools to become certified to teach.
And more.
It was indiscriminate and reckless politics that hurts Michigan. Pettiness and causing chaos to get headlines and leverage is wrong for our future. Let's go after waste, but we really need serious people making these decisions, not people who put partisanship before the public we are supposed to serve. ... See MoreSee Less
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Michigan Republicans cut funding for kids who are victims of sexual assault, domestic violence victims, and more in a move that pulls back funding from programs that were already approved by the legislature.
The good news is that they're saying this cruel and chaotic strategy is a "negotiating tactic." ... See MoreSee Less
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Today, the Senate passed SB 700 which will stop the Unemployment Insurance Agency from pursuing repayment from people that received pandemic unemployment assistance without any evidence of fraud.
Here's what happened: the UIA has erroneously pursued collections against thousands of residents who received UIA payments legally. UIA has lost time and time again in court because they can't back up their claims of fraud. Nonetheless, they continue to bully and harass residents who committed no fraud. This largely affects gig workers, independent contractors, and low-income workers who were not previously covered by UIA Insurance. Those people are still real people and workers in Michigan, who were sidelined by the pandemic. We need to stop wasting money harassing folks who did nothing wrong.
This bill does not stop the agency from pursuing repayment from people when there is evidence of fraud.
We need to stop this wasteful spending, trying to collect debts not owed; and, stop the ways that UIA is wasting our residents time and money.
www.legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-SB-0700 ... See MoreSee Less
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