|
Dear Friends and Neighbors, Welcome to my latest e-newsletter! It continues to be a privilege to represent Livonia, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve our community in Lansing. I encourage you to stay up to date on what’s going on in Lansing and continue to let me know about the issues that matter to you. If there is anything I can do to help you and your family, please do not hesitate to call my office at (517) 373-3920 or email me at LauriePohutsky@house.mi.gov. You can also catch me on Facebook. Legislative Update Banning the LGBTQ+ Panic Defense This week, I introduced House Bill 5590, which would ban the LGBTQ+ “panic” defense in the state of Michigan. The LGBTQ+ “panic” defense is a legal strategy that attempts to sway a jury to believe a victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity is responsible for a defendant’s violent or deadly crime. For years, violent defendants have used the “panic” defense to mitigate or be acquitted of their crimes — sending the message that the lives of the LGBTQ+ community are somehow less valuable than someone who is heterosexual or cisgender. Targeting a person solely because of their gender identity or sexual orientation is never defensible. It’s long past time for Michigan to follow the lead of other states and ban this defense from being used in a court of law.
Session To see what we’ve been voting on over the past couple of weeks, please click here. As always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office at (517) 373-3920 or lauriepohutsky@house.mi.gov. Community Update Livonia’s Merry & Bright Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting I am excited to announce that my staff and I will be walking in the annual Merry & Bright: Livonia’s Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting at 4 p.m. this Sunday, Dec. 5. The Holiday Parade, hosted by the Livonia Parks and Recreation Department, will once again be combined with the tree lighting ceremony, illuminating thousands of festive lights around the City Hall campus. The 1.2-mile parade route will end near Livonia City Hall and be followed by the tree-lighting ceremony on the steps of city hall. After the tree lighting, attendees are invited to head over to the Robert and Janet Bennett Civic Center Library for crafts, hot cocoa, cookies, entertainment, and a visit from Santa.
Constituent Resources Wayne County Emergency Rental Assistance The Wayne County Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) is available to all Wayne County residents outside the city of Detroit who need assistance with rent, utilities and other associated costs. To apply, please follow this link. Additionally, Wayne County’s ERAP Call Center is now up and running to field questions and concerns about the program. You can reach the call center at (833) 742-1513 during regular business hours. For those with hearing impairments, please email rentalassistance@waynecounty.com for support. Informational resources are available in Spanish, Arabic and Bangla. For residents or organizations that need these resources, they can be found here.
Community Events I hope you can join me for one of my upcoming in-person and virtual coffee hours! I look forward to having an informal conversation with you about the issues families face in our community. Our in-person coffee hour will be held at Coffee + Cream here in Livonia, and, for virtual coffee hours, you can join the livestream on my Facebook page here.
In-person: Sunday, Dec. 5 from 1 – 2 p.m. Virtual: Monday, Dec. 20 from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Never hesitate to reach out to me or my staff if you have any questions or concerns!
Sincerely, Laurie Pohutsky State Representative 19th House District |
