- Legislative Update: Crafting and negotiating a state budget isn’t the only thing House Speaker Matt Hall and his Republican colleagues have stalled on — they’re also delaying consideration of nearly 50 bills that Sen. McMorrow and her colleagues passed with unanimous and bipartisan support. Learn more below.
- District Update: The Home Heating Tax Credit is a way the state of Michigan helps low-income families pay some of their heating expenses. See if you qualify before September 30.
- Good News from the District: The reconstruction of the historic State Fairgrounds Bandshell is now complete, and Palmer Park welcomed this piece of history to Detroit’s District 2! Team McMorrow was there for the grand opening last weekend.
- Good News from the District: The Michigan Council of Teachers of English (MCTE) announced that Desiree’ Y. Fuller of Oak Park High School has been named the 2025–2026 High School English Teacher of the Year!
- Good News from the District: The Arts, Beats & Eats festival is happening in Royal Oak this weekend from August 29 to September 1, featuring live music, local food vendors, and art all in one place! The festival will include music from around 200 performers, dozens of food vendors, and artists showcasing and selling their work.
Senate Democrats Advance Bipartisan Bills Only for Them to Stall in the House
In addition to keeping the Michigan Legislature from getting a state budget done on time, Speaker Matt Hall and House Republicans are stalling action on 49 bills that Sen. McMorrow and her colleagues passed with unanimous and bipartisan support. Through extensive conversations with community members, stakeholders, and subject-matter experts, they crafted these bills to deliver real progress for Michigan families. Among these bills that are stacking up is legislation that would:
- Address Michigan’s opioid crisis by expanding access to support services and treatment options;
- Strengthen protections for Michigan’s retired service members and their families, while also improving veterans’ access to the benefits they’ve earned; and,
- Allow survivors of sexual assault the opportunity to get the justice they deserve by fixing Michigan’s broken statute of limitations for civil claims and repealing immunity for educational institutions that conceal systemic abuse.
Here in the Senate, Sen. McMorrow will keep doing the work she was sent here to do — working together with anyone who’s serious about tackling the challenges facing our state. And she’ll continue to try and engage with our House counterparts to get them to do the same. In the meantime, you can learn more about these bills here.
How to Save With the Home Heating Tax Credit
The Home Heating Tax Credit is a way the state of Michigan helps low-income families pay some of their heating expenses. This year, the average qualifying household received $180 in assistance, which is most often applied directly to residents’ utility bills. Some energy providers automatically provide claimants with a residential income assistance credit worth up to $20 monthly. With these savings, more Michiganders can have additional money in their pockets to put food on the table, afford medication, pay bills, and more.
Residents can apply for the Home Heating Tax Credit until the September 30 deadline. To qualify, residents must be a renter with a contracted lease or a homeowner and meet income requirements. You can apply for the Home Heating Tax Credit here.
New State Website to Help Michiganders Stay Protected from Wildfire Smoke
From the Upper Peninsula to the west side of the state and the east, many of us have seen and felt the far-reaching impacts of Canadian wildfires across Michigan this summer and the summers before. Just this month, Detroit was ranked third worst worldwide for major city air quality. As exposure to wildfire smoke increasingly becomes the norm here in Michigan and across the country — in large part due to the effects of climate change — it’s important for people to understand the health hazards associated with it, such as coughing, difficulty breathing, irregular heartbeats, asthma attacks, and even heart failure. While wildfire smoke can affect anyone, some people are more sensitive to particle pollution, including children, older adults, people with lung or heart disease, and those who are pregnant or working outdoors.
To help Michiganders prepare for, understand, and protect themselves from the effects of wildfire smoke, the Michigan Dept. of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) developed a new webpage with resources and an interactive map that shows air quality readings at state air monitors. Residents are also encouraged to sign-up to receive air quality notifications via email or text. When the air quality is in the unhealthy range for you, EGLE suggests doing the following:
- Stay indoors, keep time outdoors short, and avoid strenuous activities.
- Wear an N-95 mask for the best protection if you must be outdoors.
- Set your air system, running forced air systems on “fan” or “cooling” and window air conditioning on “recirculate.”
- Limit indoor activities that create indoor air pollution, like frying foods and using gas-powered appliances.
- Limit outdoor activities like campfires, residential wood boilers, and gas-powered vehicles.
Learn more and stay safe by visiting their webpage: Michigan.gov/EGLEWildfireSmoke.
Palmer Park Bandshell Grand Opening
The reconstruction of the historic State Fairgrounds Bandshell is now complete, and Palmer Park welcomed this piece of history to Detroit’s District 2! Team McMorrow was there for the grand opening last weekend.
Originally located at the Michigan State Fairgrounds, the 1938 bandshell was saved from demolition thanks to the gathering of 60,000 petition signatures, highlighting the strong community support. This ensured that the landmark would be preserved after the State Fair closed in 2008 and Amazon purchased the fairgrounds in 2020. Thanks to American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding in 2021, the stage was able to be meticulously taken apart, moved across Woodward Avenue, and re-envisioned as the Palmer Park Bandshell. Parts of the original structure trusses are incorporated into the rebuild, which gives new life to this historic venue. The first concert in the new bandshell was “Sounds From The Park” with jazz saxophonist Marcus Elliot, featuring compositions inspired by and performed in Detroit parks.
Congratulations Oak Park English Teacher of the Year
The Michigan Council of Teachers of English (MCTE) announced that Desiree’ Y. Fuller of Oak Park High School has been named the 2025–2026 High School English Teacher of the Year.
Ms. Fuller is a nationally recognized master teacher, instructional coach, and youth advocate, and has dedicated more than two decades to Michigan schools. She currently serves as the English Department Chair and Oakland County Literacy Leader and will be celebrated at the spring MCTE conference in March 2026. Congratulations, Ms. Fuller!
Arts, Beats & Eats
The Arts, Beats & Eats festival is happening in Royal Oak this weekend from August 29 to September 1, featuring live music, local food vendors, and art all in one place! The festival will include music from around 200 performers, dozens of food vendors, and artists showcasing and selling their work.
Music headliners include Hoobastank, Neon Trees, Highly Suspect, Joe Nichols, Randy Houser, Sugar Ray, and I Love the 90s Tour, featuring Vanilla Ice, Rob Base, Young MC, and C + C Music Factory.
The festival runs from 11:00 a.m .to 11:00 p.m., Friday-Sunday and from 11:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. on Monday, September 1. Admission is free before 5:00 p.m., with a $12 fee afterwards. The rest of the weekend, admission is $10 before 3:00 p.m. and $12 after. Tickets can be purchased at the gate with cash or credit card. Entry is free for military members, veterans, and children under 3.
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.
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. You can also fill out a contact form on our website and we’ll get back to you as soon as we’re able.