Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Welcome to my latest e-newsletter! It is a privilege to represent Livonia, Redford Township and Detroit, 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 at the Capitol 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) 373-1530 or email me at LauriePohutsky@house.mi.gov. You can also catch me on Facebook.
Legislative Update
Safe Storage Bills Pass the House
Continuing our commitment to protecting Michiganders — especially children — from senseless acts of gun violence, my colleagues and I voted to pass legislation to require the safe storage of firearms.
House Bills 4144 and 4139 require unattended firearms to be safely stored if accessible by a minor and update the sentencing guidelines, respectively, while House Bills 4141 and 4140 would remove sales and use taxes from firearm safety device purchases, such as safes, lock boxes, and trigger and barrel locks, through the end of 2024.
Unsecured firearms fuel gun violence outside the home. In incidents of gun violence on school grounds, 75% of shooters under the age of 18 obtained their guns from their own home, a relative’s home or from friends, according to data collected by gun violence prevention group Everytown.
Firearms are the leading cause of death for children ages 1-17 in the U.S., with American children three times more likely to be shot and killed than die by drowning, yet safety regulations for pools are more restrictive than those for guns. Michigan law requires private pool owners to use fences or locked gates around pools to prevent drownings or other accidents yet does not have a law requiring firearms to be stored securely.
Twenty-four states have already passed firearm storage laws known as child access prevention (CAP) laws, which state that if a minor accesses a firearm, the person who failed to adequately secure the firearm is liable. Additionally, research conducted by Everytown reveals that states with CAP laws saw an 8% decrease in overall suicide rates, and an 11% decrease in firearm suicide rates, among adolescents aged 14 through 17.
I was proud to support these commonsense pieces of legislation, and I look forward to continuing our work to address the epidemic of gun violence.
Session Update
Follow this link to see what we have been voting on over the last couple of weeks. As always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office at (517) 373-1530 or LauriePohutsky@house.mi.gov.
Constituent Resources
Wrongful Unemployment Class-Action Settlement Deadline
Michigan residents who believe they were wrongfully accused of falsely receiving unemployment insurance benefits during the years from 2013-15 should be aware of two upcoming deadlines to join a $20 million class-action settlement with the State of Michigan.
The important deadlines to submit forms are:
- April 5: The registration form that determines eligibility for an award from the Compensation Fund.
- April 14: Claim forms, opt outs and objections to the settlement.
Links to key case deadlines and additional background information in the Bauserman v. Unemployment Insurance Agency class-action lawsuit are posted to the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency’s (UIA) website at Michigan.gov/UIA.
In January, the Michigan Court of Claims approved a $20 million class-action settlement and also established dates for participation in the settlement process.
The settlement is the result of a 2015 lawsuit filed on behalf of unemployment benefit claimants who experienced wrongful collection activities by the State of Michigan after being erroneously found to have committed fraud through an auto-adjudication process in connection with receiving unemployment benefits from Oct. 1, 2013 to Aug. 31, 2015.
Those seeking further information or wishing to submit a claim can go to UIAClassAction.com, call (833) 438-5028, or email info@UIAClassAction.com.
State Individual Income Tax Returns Due in Less Than a Month
The Michigan Department of Treasury is reminding taxpayers that state individual income tax returns are due in less than a month.
State individual income tax returns must be filed electronically or postmarked through the U.S. Postal Service by 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18.
Choosing electronic filing and direct deposit is convenient, safe and secure. Last year, more than 4.8 million Michigan taxpayers e-filed, which is 89% of state income tax filers. For more information about e-filing, go to MIFastFile.org.
Printed tax forms are available at public libraries, Department of Health and Human Services county offices and Treasury field offices.
For the benefit and convenience of taxpayers, both federal and state of Michigan individual income tax returns are due April 18.
City of Detroit individual income tax returns are also due on April 18.
Michigan taxpayers who have questions about their individual income tax returns or refunds can use the Treasury eServices platform to find answers.
The state Treasury Department portal enables taxpayers to ask state individual income tax-related questions when convenient and avoids waiting for a customer service representative to answer your call. Taxpayers typically get answers to questions through Treasury eServices within 24 to 48 hours.
Real-time tax refund status information is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Treasury eServices platform also enables taxpayers to change addresses, view estimated tax payments, calculate penalty and interest, and view and respond to letters.
Individuals with low income, disabilities or who are 60 years of age or older may qualify for free tax preparation with help from IRS-certified volunteers. For information about free tax help, go to irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep or dial 2-1-1.
To learn more about Michigan’s individual income tax or to download forms, go to Michigan.gov/Taxes. Information about the city of Detroit’s individual income tax can be found at Michigan.gov/Taxes/CityTax.
Community Update
March is Reading Month
Our celebration of March is Reading Month has almost come to an end, and, as always, it’s been one of my favorite times. Thank you to all of the House District 17 schools that let me be a guest reader and to all of the students for their excellent questions!
D1 Resource Fair
The Detroit Economic Growth Corp. is hosting a resource fair for small business owners on Monday, April 3 from 1-4 p.m. at the Crowell Recreation Center (16630 Lahser Road, Detroit, MI 48219). The fair will connect business owners with important resources and contacts to sustain and grow their businesses. For more information, please go to detroitmeansbusiness.org/events.
Events
Behavioral Health Town Hall
Special guest and state Rep. Stephanie Young and I will be hosting a Behavioral Health Town Hall event tonight at the Redford Charter Township District Library from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
We will facilitate a panel discussion with folks who have utilized different services related to behavioral health. Additionally, we will hear from the director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness and a representative from the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network, to discuss services and resources available for behavioral health. There will also be light refreshments served. If you have any questions about the event, please feel free to reach out to my office.
Coffee Hours
I hope you can join me for one of my upcoming coffee hours! I look forward to having an informal conversation with you about the issues families face in our community. I host two coffee hours a month, one in-person and one virtual. The location for in-person coffee hours will rotate throughout the year between Livonia, Redford Township and Detroit.
My in-person April coffee hour will be held at the Redford Township District Library (25320 Six Mile Road, Redford Charter Township, MI 48240). We will also be joined by a special guest, state Sen. Mary Cavanagh. You can join the livestream for my virtual coffee hours on my Facebook page.
- In-Person: Saturday, April 1 from 2-3 p.m.
- Virtual: Monday, April 17 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
Speaker Pro Tempore
17th House District