Hello District 26,
Things are as busy as ever in Lansing this spring! I had the opportunity to welcome two new colleagues to the house, take important votes on legislation and uplift the priorities of Inkster, Garden City, Romulus and Westland in Lansing and beyond.
I want to take a moment to celebrate the working people of our district and the world. In Michigan’s first Democratic trifecta in decades, I have cast proud votes to strengthen unions in repealing “right-to-work” and to restore prevailing wage. Bills like these are why I could not be more grateful to wish everyone a happy May Day.
May Day was first established to support workers and honor those who lost their lives in the 1886 Haymarket massacre. Workers in Chicago participating in a general strike in support of an eight-hour workday were senselessly murdered, and we remember their lost lives in the struggle for better conditions, better wages and more dignity in work.
Remembering those who came before us is how we can best meet the moment now. I am proud to represent diverse, resilient communities in the Legislature. I hope this newsletter shines a spotlight on what goes on in Lansing and in District 26, as well as a reminder that I am here to represent you.
In Solidarity,
Dylan Wegela
State Representative
The 26th District
Included in this Newsletter
- District Events
- Legislative Updates
- Helpful Information
- Contact
District Events
May Coffee Hours
As your state representative, I want to be as accessible to you as I can. Here are some upcoming coffee hours I have scheduled in the district where you can share your opinions, concerns, and needs with me and my staff.
Thursday, May 9
5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Radcliffe Center in Garden City
Saturday, May 18
11 a.m. to noon at the Jefferson Barnes Community Vitality Center in Westland
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Celebrating History
I am happy to share that the rehabilitation and preservation of the Malcolm X House in Inkster has received the Governor’s Award for Historic Preservation!
A little about the historic preservation awards:
The awards recognize homeowners who rehabilitate their homes, developers who transform underutilized historic structures into vital economic assets, and academic institutions, archaeologists, nonprofits and units of government — among other partners — who strive to preserve Michigan’s important historic and cultural resources.
I commend Aaron Sims; Arthur Edge; Project We Hope, Dream, and Believe; and Wayne State University for their work on this project.
City Updates
Over the past few weeks, I was able to attend Westland Mayor Kevin Coleman’s Earth Day event, Romulus Mayor Robert McCraight’s State of the City address, and even joined in to help clean up Romulus in the 26th annual Romulus City-Wide Clean Sweep.
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Legislative Updates
A priority of mine will be to always explain my votes in the Legislature. Here are some highlights of recent votes on Senate Bills (SBs) and House Bills (HBs):
Final vote: Passed 101-6
My vote: No
HB 5392 extends the sunset on a court’s authority to impose reasonable costs on criminal defendants from May 1, 2024, to December 31, 2026. I voted no because this bill continues to fund our state courts on the backs of criminal defendants, even though the courts have had ten years to discover and implement alternative funding. We need to find another way to fund our courts. We cannot keep kicking the can down the road without solutions.
Final vote: Passed 83-22
My vote: Yes
HB 4842 amends Public Act 183 of 1964, which governs the State Building Authority. It removes the requirement that interim financing by pools of obligations issued by the State Building Authority must mature in five years. I voted yes because this change will give more flexibility in the issuing of commercial paper and has the potential to reduce costs for the state.
Final vote: Passed 77-30
My vote: No
HB 5527 requires schools to develop a cardiac emergency response plan, which is defined as a written document that establishes specific steps to reduce the chance of death from “sudden cardiac arrest” or another similar life-threatening emergency. The plan must include the placement of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in accessible locations throughout the school’s campus and athletic facilities that are easily retrievable. I voted in favor of this bill before it was amended to include non-public schools. I approve mandating non-public schools to develop these plans, but “no” because the amendment’s language suggests state appropriated funds would be used to implement these plans. I do not support the allocation of public school dollars to private schools.
Passed 77-30
My vote: Yes
HB 5528 is the companion bill to 5527. The bill would amend the Revised School Code to require anyone who serves as a coach at a high school operated by a school district, intermediate school district, public school academy, or the governing body of a nonpublic school to maintain a valid certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and use of an AED issued by the American Red Cross, American Heart Association, or a comparable organization or institution approved by the Department of Education. I voted yes because this training has the potential to save lives.
Passed 83-24
My vote: Yes
HB 4618 amends the Publicly Funded Health Insurance Contribution Act to add certain airport authorities to the definition of local unit of government. I voted yes because this change allows regional airport authorities to operate in the same fashion as other airports across the state. I also voted yes because being defined as a local unit of government will allow regional airport authorities the flexibility to pay more than the 80% cap in health care benefits, if they so choose.
Passed 104-3
My vote: Yes
HB 4519 would declare that May 2 of each year is to be known as Negro Leagues Day. I voted yes because this bill honors an important aspect of not just Black History, but American History.
Passed 96-11
My votes: Yes
This bill package changes the Public Health Code to expand the ability of certain agencies to distribute medicine that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, such as Narcan. I voted yes because these bills provide clarity in statute around an agency obtaining and distributing an opioid antagonist.
Contact Us
Comment on Legislation: You can stay updated on legislative advancements through my e-newsletters or by clicking here.
If You Need Help: If you have a problem dealing with any department of state government, such as accessing unemployment benefits, my office is available to help resolve it. While we usually cannot assist with local or federal issues, we will always do our best to help direct you to the appropriate person or organization for help.
You may always feel free to call my office at (517) 373-3818 or email me at DylanWegela@house.mi.gov.
Helpful Links
