- Legislative Update: Senate Democrats have been busy at the Capitol, recently advancing legislation to support Michigan renters, strengthen consumer protections, and a bill sponsored by Sen. McMorrow to hold polluters accountable. Read on to learn more.
- Legislative Update: In honor of Gun Violence Awareness Month, read on to learn how Sen. McMorrow and her colleagues are continuing to advance commonsense gun safety legislation to build a future free from gun violence.
- District Update: Michiganders are urged to be aware of the newest scam facing drivers, which includes an imposter government website that mimics the Michigan Dept. of Transportation’s official site but carries a different URL address. Please remember that Michigan does not have toll roads and will never solicit payment via text or include threatening verbiage to avoid late fees or harsher penalties.
- Good News from the District: Senator McMorrow was a proud participant in the official groundbreaking Phase 1 of Elevate Oak Park — a four-season event hub and band shell to host markets, concerts, and events.
- Good News from the District: Team McMorrow attended the Royal Oak Township Juneteenth Celebration at Mack Rowe Park, where the first Spirit of Royal Oak Township award was presented to Ryan Shipp, a 2024 USA Boxing Junior National Champion.
- Stay in Touch: With the legislative session wrapping up, we want to let you know that we are temporarily pausing these bi-weekly newsletters for the summer season. We’ll continue to provide updates on upcoming events in the community throughout the summer — hope to see you there!
A Snapshot of Legislative Activity at the Capitol
Along with recently passing a bold budget plan for 2026, Senate Democrats have been working hard to advance critical pieces of legislation to break barriers for Michigan renters, safeguard the environment, and bolster protections for Michigan consumers.
Supporting Michigan Renters — Last week, Senate Democrats introduced a comprehensive bill package to strengthen protections and break barriers for Michiganders trying to access rental housing. This legislation works to lower costs for renters, hold landlords accountable, and allow for the expungement of eviction records.
Holding Polluters Accountable — Another large-scale legislative package recently introduced would protect public health and our environment by strengthening Michigan’s pollution clean up laws. Sponsored by Sen. McMorrow along with her colleagues Sens. Irwin, Chang, Moss, Shink, and McCann, this legislation would hold polluters accountable by requiring more thorough cleanups as well as empowering those harmed by pollution to seek justice.
Protecting Michigan Consumers — Long overdue legislation to restore power to the Michigan Consumer Protection Act by equipping the Attorney General to hold bad actors and businesses accountable passed the Senate floor last week. Senate Bill 134 would also enhance education efforts to reduce scams and strengthen penalties for violations against elderly and vulnerable adults. And, to protect Michigan consumers from disruptive, deceptive telephone solicitation tactics, the Telephone Solicitation Act was also introduced recently. This bipartisan bill package would prohibit telephone solicitors from engaging in misleading, exploitative business practices and grant the Attorney General the authority to act against violators.
Building a Future Free from Gun Violence
From big cities to small rural towns, gun violence hits communities in every corner of our state. To keep our communities safe from this senseless gun violence, Sen. McMorrow and her colleagues championed a slate of gun safety policies, including legislation to:
- Strengthen background checks to close the private sale loophole;
- Promote safe storage by creating child access protection laws to keep legal firearms safely and securely stored and out of the hands of children and teens;
- Allow courts to issue Extreme Risk Protection Orders to temporarily intervene and suspend a person’s access to firearms if they show clear warning signs of violence and pose an immediate threat to themselves or others;
- Protect survivors of domestic violence by preventing those convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence crimes from possessing, using, purchasing, or carrying a firearm in Michigan for eight years; and
- Safeguard the democratic process and protect voters by prohibiting an individual from possessing a firearm at or near a polling place, an early voting site, an absentee voter ballot drop box, and other spaces where election work is occurring.
Building on this progress, the Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety advanced additional policies through the legislative process this month that would:
- Prohibit bump stocks, a device that can convert semi-automatic firearms into deadly weapons that have a fire rate similar to that of a machine gun;
- Address ghost guns, which are fully functioning, untraceable firearms and the fastest-growing gun safety problem facing our country — legislation sponsored by Sen. McMorrow; and
- Keep the Michigan Capitol complex safe from gun violence to ensure a secure environment for students, teachers, parents, advocates, and lawmakers.
These actions come during National Gun Violence Awareness Month, when communities across the nation come together to honor survivors of gun violence and build community with those working to address this pervasive issue. To learn more about how Sen. McMorrow and her colleagues are working to build a future free from gun violence, click here.
Senate Hearings Highlight Risks of Proposed Cuts to Families, Farms, and Food Access
As Washington Republicans’ sweeping and short-sighted budget bill currently makes its way through Congress, Michigan Senate Democrats held two committee hearings last week to examine how their plan threatens the health and well-being of Michigan families and farmers across the state.
In order to afford a massive $4 trillion tax break for the wealthiest Americans, Congressional Republicans are proposing a $300 billion cut in SNAP funding, in addition to adding unnecessary red tape for program participants and threatening the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). If signed into law, these cuts would directly disrupt and devastate millions of Michiganders who rely on these benefits to put food on their table and meet their nutritional needs. They would also further exacerbate economic instability for Michigan families, farmers, and communities by slashing resources for local food banks and the state’s agricultural industry. To read more about the impact of these cuts, click here.
These committee hearings build on Senate Democrats’ previous efforts to examine and uplift the impact of federal cuts and actions on families and communities around the state. Learn more here.
Safe Firearm Storage Reminder
Each year in the United States, hundreds of children are accidentally injured or killed by firearms that are not properly secured.
With June being National Gun Violence Prevention Month, the Michigan State Police is reminding residents that Michigan gun owners are legally responsible for ensuring their firearms are stored in a safe manner. The state’s Secure Storage Law requires individuals to keep unattended firearms unloaded and locked with a locking device or stored in a locked box or container if it is reasonably known that a minor is likely to be present on the premises.
Safe storage can reduce the risk of both intentional and unintentional injuries and deaths, as well as lower the rates of firearm theft. Next time you store your firearm, ensure it’s unloaded, locked, and kept separate from ammunition. If you don’t have a gun lock but need one, free locks can be obtained through Project ChildSafe police partners across the state. To find one near you, click here.
Recognizing Juneteenth
Happy Juneteenth! Observed on June 19 every year, Juneteenth commemorates the day that the last people who were enslaved in the U.S. learned of their freedom — June 19, 1865, over two years after President Abraham Lincoln presented the Emancipation Proclamation.
The significance of Juneteenth extends beyond its historical roots. It symbolizes triumph over the injustices of slavery and stands as a testament to the progress made and the work still needed to achieve true freedom and equality for all. Sen. McMorrow and her Senate colleagues remain committed to that work — fighting for equity and justice for all Michiganders.
Make MI Home Launches in Michigan
The Michigan Growth Office recently announced the launch of Make MI Home, a first-in-the-nation statewide talent retention and attraction program. As part of the program, the office is awarding $769,000 in grant funding to five new consortiums across the state to support locally tailored strategies and help kick-start population growth.
The City of Detroit received $210,000 to launch the Detroit Tech Fellowship Program to elevate startup talent in Detroit and help drive the Michigan innovation ecosystem forward. The program will target recent graduates from Michigan universities to scale their startups in Michigan, strengthening Detroit as a hub for AI, biotech, clean energy, smart manufacturing, mobility, and other emerging industries. Participants will benefit from:
- Access to coworking space;
- Housing support; and
- Community and cohort events to network and collaborate with peers and local entrepreneurs
As another award recipient, Michigan Women Forward will support Michigan’s innovation economy by leading the Founder Forward program, targeting both talent recruitment and retention. Founder Forward will engage founders already based in Michigan who are poised to scale, including entrepreneurs operating in emerging ecosystems, founders ready to expand into growth-stage operations, or innovators who have not yet had access to structured mentorship, funding networks, or ecosystem connectivity.
And, as part of Make MI Home’s statewide launch, the Growth Office also announced a Welcome Program, designed to help recent graduates already located in Michigan and new residents settle into their communities faster. The program includes access to Michigan state parks, connections to Michigan programs that enhance the state’s quality of life — including free pre-K for every 4-year-old and free community college — as well as discounts to participating Michigan destinations and small businesses.
Learn more about Make MI Home and the award recipients here.
Heads Up Michigan Drivers — Be Aware of Toll Road Scams
The Michigan Dept. of Transportation (MDOT) wants Michigan drivers to be aware of the newest toll road scam, which includes an imposter government website that mimics MDOT’s official site but carries a different URL address. MDOT reminds all drivers that Michigan does not have toll roads and will never solicit payment via text or include threatening verbiage to avoid late fees or harsher penalties.
To stay safe, please remember that government agencies:
- Will not request personal information through email, over the phone or text.
- Will never demand money through email, over the phone or text. They will mail you a notice and offer payment options.
- Do not ask for or take payment by prepaid gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or a payment app.
New Facebook Page for Sen. McMorrow — Be Sure to Follow!
Please follow the new official legislative Facebook page for the Office of Senator McMorrow!
This page will serve as a space for updates on upcoming events, district updates, and Senator McMorrow’s work in the Michigan Senate. From key votes and legislation to community events, you’ll find it all right here. Please like and share!
Oak Park Bandshell Groundbreaking
Last week, Senator McMorrow was a proud participant in the official groundbreaking Phase 1 of Elevate Oak Park — a four-season event hub and band shell to host markets, concerts, and events. During the 2023-24 budget cycle, Senator McMorrow worked with Representatives Weiss and Price to secure $2 million for this project. Although it takes time for resources to reach our communities, their impact will be well worth the wait!
Special thanks to the Oak Park Police Department, who had plenty of ice cream on hand, ensuring that the summer is off to a sweet start!
Royal Oak Township Juneteenth Celebration
Happy Juneteenth! Team McMorrow attended the Royal Oak Township Juneteenth Celebration at Mack Rowe Park to celebrate the day that marks the official end of slavery in our country. We joined so many, including Oakland County Executive David Coulter, Rep. Regina Weiss, Ferndale Public Schools Superintendent Camille Hibbler, Trustee Wanda Allen, Dir. of Parks and Recreation, Donovan Jackson, and a wonderful crowd! It was inspiring to see the first Spirit of Royal Oak Township award presented to Ryan Shipp, a 2024 USA Boxing Junior National Champion with a bright future ahead of him.
This holiday takes on importance, especially this year, as we see activism and protests taking place here and in every state across the country, renewing the call for all our voices to come together for freedom and equity.
Thank you for staying connected with Sen. McMorrow’s office through the biweekly e-newsletter. We’re committed to keeping you informed on our work in Lansing and the progress we’re making in the district. Whether it’s legislative updates or community initiatives, we want to ensure you’re engaged and aware of the ways we’re advocating for you.
With the legislative session wrapping up, we want to let you know that we are temporarily pausing these bi-weekly newsletters for the summer season. Until then, we’ll still provide updates on upcoming events in the community — hope to see you there!
Reach out with any questions, concerns, or ideas that you may have. Our office is here to assist you with any state-related matters, and we value your feedback. Feel free to contact us at (517) 373-2523 or by email at SenMMcMorrow@senate.michigan.gov.