Civic Conversations & Capitol Action: Updates from Rep. Julie Rogers

Dear Neighbor,

In this newsletter, you’ll find information about upcoming events in our district, including a July 18 coffee hour and a July 31 town hall focused on maternal health equity. You’ll also find legislative updates, including progress on several bipartisan bills I’ve helped champion, recognition of my environmental voting record and efforts to honor the LGBTQ+ community during Pride Month.

As always, if I or my office can be of service to you or your family, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can contact my office at (517) 373-1783, e-mail me at JulieRogers@house.mi.gov or visit my official website for the latest updates and resources.

In service,

Julie Rogers
State Representative
District 41

In this e-newsletter, you will find:

• Upcoming Coffee Hour on July 18
• Upcoming Maternal Health Equity Town Hall on July 31
• My bipartisan bill package
• 100% voting record score by Sierra Club
• Reading of Pride Month Resolution by LGBTQ Caucus and House Democrats

I’m hosting my next legislative coffee hour on Thursday, July 18, from 9 to 10 a.m. at Davis Street Park (901 Davis Street in Kalamazoo).

These coffee hours are a great opportunity to connect informally, ask questions and share what’s on your mind. I look forward to seeing you there!

Although registration is not required, you’re welcome to email any questions in advance to JulieRogers@house.mi.gov.

Please join me on Thursday, July 31, for a Maternal Health Equity Town Hall at the Kalamazoo Nonprofit Advocacy Coalition (315 W. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo).

Doors open at 5:30 p.m., when special guest community partners will be on hand to offer helpful resources and answer questions. At 6 p.m., I will moderate a panel of health and policy experts — including special guests Jeff Patton, CEO of Integrated Services of Kalamazoo, as well as Dr. Grace Lubwama, CEO of the Kalamazoo Community Foundation — to discuss tools and solutions to strengthen families, based on the maternal health bill package we passed last term.

You can RSVP by emailing JulieRogers@house.mi.gov. Light refreshments will be served!

Despite what you may have seen in the headlines lately, my commitment to working across the aisle hasn’t changed. I remain focused on delivering real solutions for the people of Michigan — regardless of party lines.

That’s why I’ve partnered with both Democratic and Republican colleagues on four bipartisan bill packages that have already passed out of committee. Three of those have been approved by the full House and are now under consideration in the Senate — a testament to what we can accomplish when we put people over politics.

Most recently, I testified before the Senate Health Policy Committee on June 25 in support of House Bills 4103–4104 — our Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact package. This bipartisan legislation will expand access to care, reduce red tape and make it easier for occupational therapists to practice across state lines.

I’ve also sponsored House Bill 4077 and co-sponsored House Bill 4078, which together modernize Michigan’s outdated death certificate process. These bills will require physicians to sign certificates electronically through a secure MDHHS online portal, helping streamline services for families and funeral homes while reducing administrative delays.

I’ll continue to work with anyone — Republican or Democrat — who is ready to get things done for Michiganders. That’s the kind of leadership our communities deserve.

I am honored to have received a 100% score on the Sierra Club’s 2023-2024 Michigan Legislative Scorecard. This score reflects my votes on key bills impacting our environment and public health, and I’m proud to be recognized for consistently standing up for clean air, safe drinking water and a healthy future for our state.

You can view the full scorecard here.

After Republican leadership refused to bring forward a resolution to recognize Pride Month, I stood proudly with my fellow House Democrats and members of the LGBTQ+ Caucus to read the resolution aloud on the Capitol steps.

Recognizing and uplifting the LGBTQ+ community should never be up for debate. I’ll continue fighting for a Michigan where everyone — no matter who they love or how they identify — is respected, valued and safe.

You can watch the reading of House Resolution 138 here.