Dear Neighbor,
Hi, I’m Jason. I have the privilege to serve as your state representative for Washtenaw, Wayne and Oakland counties. Here is some information that I hope you will find helpful, including some updates and news from your state government.
Upcoming Events
You are invited to join my upcoming coffee hours, where I will share a legislative update and answer your questions about the issues facing our state and community. Most importantly, I want to hear from you! Please join us in Ann Arbor for our next coffee hour to share your thoughts and ideas!
When: Friday, Oct. 18, from 10-11 a.m.
Where: Panera Bread, 3205 Washtenaw Ave., Ann Arbor, MI
Legislative Updates
This has been the most productive legislative term in years, if not in decades. The Legislature passed over 440 bills that have been signed into law so far, the vast majority with bipartisan support. It is my great honor to put the people of Michigan first by delivering on our promises, and I am ready to keep the momentum moving forward as this legislative term continues.
Michigan House Passes $150 Million School Safety and Mental Health Funding
Last week, I voted alongside my House Democratic colleagues to pass a total of $150 million in funding for our schools to ensure the well-being of our students. These dollars are going to make a huge difference by giving students better mental health support and giving parents peace of mind knowing their kids are supported and protected at school through increased gun violence prevention. Specifically, we approved $125 million in one-time funding in a School Aid supplemental in late September, $25 million in the state budget that we passed earlier this year and $1 million in additional funding for educational materials on the safe storage of firearms, as well as an anonymous tip line to report firearms that are improperly stored where a minor might have access.
Between this year’s School Aid budget and new legislation, we are also putting about $600 million back into classrooms on an ongoing basis by returning by local school districts into the school employees’ retirement fund. The measures we have taken will give hard-working teachers at least some of the relief they need and have earned while returning savings to our school districts that can go directly to classrooms to improve our kids’ education.
What does this mean for our schools? Uplifting students and educators in our community is one of my top priorities. I’m proud to share with you the estimated amount that our schools will receive the following in funding from House Bill 5503:
- Ann Arbor Public Schools: $1.9 million
- South Lyon Community Schools: $946,500
- Northville Public Schools: $793,818
- Plymouth-Canton Community Schools: $1.8 million
- Ypsilanti Community Schools: $424,000
BRITE Act: Transparency Matters!
As a lead sponsor on the Bringing Reforms in Integrity, Transparency and Ethics (BRITE) Act bill package, I was excited to see one of the bills in the package, HB 5583, pass the House last week. This bill would allow the Secretary of State to act in real time on campaign finance violations and abuses to stop and prevent violations of the Michigan Campaign Finance Act in real time.
Currently, candidates who violate state campaign finance laws to win an election are often not able to be held accountable until long after they have potentially won and taken office. By passing this bill, we are strengthening our state’s ethics and transparency standards. The BRITE Act is a seven-bill package that aims to close loopholes in Michigan’s transparency and oversight laws. There is much more work to do, and I will continue strongly advocating for the passage of the full BRITE Act, as we must continue to bring our state out of the shadows and into the light.
HB 5583 will allow the Bureau of Elections to seek an injunction in Ingham County Circuit Court to stop campaign finance violations in real time. Allowing our election officials to address violations as they happen, all while protecting due process rights in the judicial system, strengthens our democracy as voters are given a clear picture of a candidate before they cast their ballot. This is an important step in strengthening Michiganders’ trust in our public officials.
Bills Introduced to Ban Political Contributions from Companies Seeking State Government Contracts
I’m proud to co-sponsor two new bills — HB 5975, sponsored by state Rep. Donavan McKinney (D-Detroit) — and HB 5976, sponsored by state Rep. Dylan Wegela (D-Garden City). This package prohibits companies that have, or are seeking, state government contracts, from making political contributions.
These reforms ensure that first and foremost, Michigan’s government is serving the best interests of its citizens. By closing loopholes that can allow for favoritism and inappropriate financial influence, legislators will be able to work with these companies that provide critical jobs and services for our state at a level playing field with the constituents that we represent.
Additionally, Michigan voters across party lines favor these reforms to limit corporate contributions and are increasingly pushing for us as public officials to take action. A recent Michigan Advance article highlighted polling showing strong public support. I firmly believe that we can best serve our constituents when we are most accountable to them, and will continue pushing for common-sense reforms to make our state government more accountable to the people.
Apply for State Boards and Commissions
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer makes appointments to nearly 250 statewide boards and commissions. These appointments are opportunities for Michiganders to engage with their state government on the issues they care about and represent their expertise and communities at the state level. Vacancies can be viewed online. Each board listed includes the number of total members, number of vacant seats and specifications for each vacancy.
Yours in service,
Jason Morgan
State Representative
Michigan’s 23rd House District