Dear Neighbor,
Hi, I’m Jason. I have the privilege of serving as your state representative for Washtenaw, Wayne and Oakland Counties.
As we begin a new legislative session, my focus remains the same — fighting for working people, making government more transparent and ensuring everyone has the opportunity to build a good life. My staff and I are hard at work crafting legislation to lower costs for families, protect your privacy and access to information and combat landfill expansions that threaten our communities, among other things.
Here’s what’s happened so far this term:
Appointed to the House Appropriations Committee
I’m excited to share that I’ve been appointed to serve on the House Appropriations Committee again this term, one of the most important committees in the Legislature. This committee is responsible for deciding how Michigan invests your tax dollars and it is my job to ensure that our budget reflects the needs of working families.
Just like our household budgets, we need to support our most important needs first — increasing funding for public schools and fixing our local roads, building a whole lot more housing and investing in the health of our people through mental health, environmental protection and water infrastructure.
I am also pleased to have been appointed minority vice chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Local Transportation where I will continue pushing for smart investments in our communities through local roads and public transportation. Additionally, I will continue serving as a member of the Subcommittee on Military and Veterans where I will continue to prioritize ensuring that no veteran goes without a roof over their head in our state, and maintaining our national defense infrastructure.
Fighting for Budget Transparency
Government should work for you, and that means being honest about how your tax dollars are spent. That’s why I cosponsored a House resolution to bring more transparency to the state budget.
This resolution will make sure the public can see exactly where their money is going — ensuring your hard-earned dollars aren’t being spent on pet projects for big donors and protecting against conflicts of interest with elected officials. In addition, it requires detailed reports on state spending, ensuring every dollar is accounted for and spent wisely. It was introduced by one of my Republican colleagues, and I was happy to support it. Good ideas shouldn’t be partisan. No matter who’s in charge, the government should be open and accountable to the people.
Standing Up for Tipped Workers and Small Businesses
In July 2024, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that the 2018 Republican Legislature unconstitutionally circumvented and subverted the rights of citizens by taking up ballot initiatives and amending them significantly, in what has become known as adopt-and-amend. These initiatives aimed to increase our state’s minimum wage and expand earned sick time for workers. This decision has significant changes for tipped workers, and there’s a lot of confusion about what happens next. Here’s what you should know:
- House Republicans just pushed a bill that cut wages and benefits for restaurant workers. Right now, people need more money in their pockets – not less.
- Small business owners are worried too. My colleagues and I have been listening to restaurants and workers across the state, and we’re working to find solutions that support workers and employers.
- Parts of the ruling need fixing. For example, it could allow workers to miss shifts without notice, creating problems for businesses. I strongly support earned sick leave — but it’s also important that workers let their employer know if they can’t make it to work.
- I want to see real solutions to this issue. We need a common-sense plan that protects workers and small businesses, not one that leaves them struggling. I will continue to work with my colleagues in the House and Senate to deliver for our workers and small businesses.
Services Available to You
As your elected official, the task for myself and my staff is to serve you — from making legislation that helps your families to assisting you with constituent inquiries. Please reach out to my office at any time if you have issues with Medicaid, Medicare, unemployment insurance or other state agency problems.
Yours in service,
Jason Morgan
State Representative
Michigan’s 23rd House District