Hello from Lansing!
With lame duck season upon us, my team and I have been working hard on nearly a dozen bills in hopes that they pass both legislative chambers before the end of the year. Most of these bills are complex, and only brief summaries are included below. If you’d like to learn more about legislative updates, I will be hosting a term-in-review town hall at the AADL: Westgate Branch on Sunday, Dec. 15, at 3 p.m. and a happy hour at Uplift Ann Arbor on Friday, Dec. 20, at 4 p.m. Please find details below.
As always, my team can be reached at CarrieRheingans@house.mi.gov or (517) 373-8835.
In Service,
Carrie Rheingans
State Representative
House District 47
Legislative Updates
Bills from Our Office
Establishing the Office of Tribal Legislative Liaison
The Senate Committee on Appropriations passed our bill (HB 5600) to establish the first-in-the-nation Office of Tribal Legislative Liaison with 17 yes to one no votes. Now, the bill goes to the full Senate for a vote, which is expected next week.
Expanding Health, Mental Health, and Addiction Services
- HB 5114 would add nurse practitioners, physician associates, and certified nurse specialists (Certified) to the state’s mental health code so these providers (many of whom may specialize in psychiatric care) may provide mental health services in a wider array of settings. We are hoping for a House floor vote on this bill in the coming weeks.
- HB 5078, part of a bipartisan two-bill package, would expand naloxone distribution to public institutions, and HB 5179, to legalize fentanyl test strips, are both awaiting action in the Senate Health Policy Committee.
- HB 5178 would define syringe access programs in state law and provide protections for those who participate in these programs and those who work or volunteer for these programs. Syringe access programs are a vital harm reduction method that has been proven to reduce opioid overdoses and deaths and increase addiction treatment. Regarding prescription drug costs for families, our bill, HB 4719, would make all co-pays count toward a patient’s deductible and annual out-of-pocket limit, whether provided by the patient themselves or a third-party entity providing a co-pay assistance program.
- To protect patient safety, our bill in the Safe Patient Care Act, HB 4552, would require transparency of hospitals to post the patient/nurse ratios for a specified preceding time period.
Other Bills I’ve Sponsored and are Working on in Lame Duck
- Adding Michigan to the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact to ensure that the Electoral College votes align with the will of the nation by ensuring the candidate that receives the most popular votes also wins the Electoral College (HB 4156 and HB 4440).
- Amending Michigan’s Good Samaritan law to include bleeding management and tourniquet application, known as “Stop the Bleed” (HB 5742), passed unanimously out of committee.
- A bill that would make theS. Supreme Court’s ruling in Lawernce v. Texas state law — which maintains the application of 14th Amendment protections of sexual acts between consenting adults in Michigan — should that case be overturned by a future U.S. Supreme Court (HB 4433).
- HB 5147 will keep a program that allows universities, colleges, community colleges, tribal colleges, and independent colleges to run distance learning courses and programs more easily across state lines.
Other Important House Bills
Historic Hate Crime Bills Pass the House
I am proud to have voted for historic legislation (HB 5400 and HB 5401) to expand protections under Michigan’s hate crime laws, which have not been updated since 1988. Both bills passed the chamber 57-52. They would revise the state’s hate crime provisions to add attributes, such as age, sex, sexual orientation, or disability. It would further classify violent or threatening behavior based on these characteristics to be classified as a hate crime. These bills now head to the Senate.
State Rep. Noah Arbit (D-Bloomfield Hills) speaks at a press conference on the Michigan Hate Crime Act on April 26, 2023. Also pictured, from left, are state Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou (D-East Lansing), Attorney General Dana Nessel, state Reps. Veronica Paiz (D-Harper Woods), Mike McFall (D-Hazel Park), Kristian Grant (D-Grand Rapids), Jenn Hill (D-Marquette), and Erin Byrnes (D-Dearborn).
Access to Birth Control
Access to birth control is essential, and I am proud to have voted for the Contraception Equity Package (HB 5013, HB 5435, and HB 5436)! These bills will require insurance companies to cover prescriptions for a 12-month supply of birth control. At least 24 other states currently allow birth control to be provided in larger quantities, compared to Michigan, where most people have to refill their prescriptions monthly. Michigan also joins the list of other states that allow pharmacists to prescribe birth control and require insurers to honor those prescriptions. These bills now head to the Senate.
Repealing Medicaid’s Work Requirements
First passed in 2018, the state required those receiving Medicaid through Michigan’s Healthy Michigan Plan to prove they are working to receive the benefits. There were intense fears that tens of thousands would lose their right to health care, as that had been the case in other states that enacted this requirement. Luckily, a federal judge previously ruled this requirement unenforceable. With how uncertain things are likely to be over the next few years, ensuring that this law does not go into effect has been a priority of mine. I believe health care is a human right, and should be accessible to all. I was proud to vote for HB 4224 to repeal this unenforceable law and protect people’s access to health care.
Expanding Election Protections
I am proud to have voted yes on HB 4127 and HB 4128 in the House to protect election officials and voters at the polls from intimidation and threats. These bills prohibit a firearm within 100 feet of a polling location, early voting sites, ballot drop boxes, a clerk’s office, and absentee voter counting places. Many election workers and clerks support these bills. Everyone should feel safe in exercising their freedom to vote.
Community Happenings
Being Winterwise
Power Outages
While power outages may occur at any time, they can be much worse during the winter. Here are some helpful hints on surviving a power outage and protecting yourself from downed wires.
Winterizing
Michigan winters often mean increased heating bills, which can be even higher due to wasted energy. The Michigan Public Service Commission and the U.S. Department of Energy have helpful guides, tips, and resources.
Warming Centers:
Upcoming Events
Term in Review Town Hall
On Sunday, Dec. 15, from 3-4 p.m., I will be hosting a Term in Review Town Hall in the West Side Room at the Ann Arbor District Library: Westgate Branch (2503 Jackson Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48103). Please join me for this family-friendly event that will include a free hot cocoa bar and cookies, winter crafts for kids, and a look back at the 102nd Legislature and what we’ve accomplished. You can learn more on my official Facebook event page, and I hope to see you there!
December’s Constituent Engagement Happy Hour
On Friday, Dec. 20, from 4-5:30 p.m., I will be hosting a constituent happy hour at the new Ann Arbor LGBTQ+ venue, Uplift Ann Arbor (210 S. 1st St., Suite 100N, Ann Arbor, MI 48104).
If you’d like to learn more about what is happening in the district and Lansing, please mark your interest on my official Facebook event page. To stay up to date on my actions in the Michigan House of Representatives, please consider following me on my official social media platforms: