July 28 Capitol and Community Updates

Dear Neighbor,

Welcome to this month’s Capitol and Community Updates!

Please encourage your neighbors and friends in House District 56 — Troy, Clawson, Royal Oak, Birmingham, and Bloomfield Township — to sign up for these updates at RepMacDonell.com. Let us know if you have any thoughts on state-level issues or want to meet with me. Reach out to us by phone at (517) 373-2617 or by email at SharonMacDonell@house.mi.gov.

I can also be found on Facebook, Instagram, X and Bluesky. I would be happy to hear from you and work together to make our community a better place!

In Service,

Sharon MacDonell
State Representative
House District 56

In this newsletter, you will learn about:

• Upcoming community conversations
• How federal spending cuts will impact you and your loved ones
• House Republicans’ failure to pass a whole budget on time

I will be hosting a community conversation on Saturday, August 9 from 11:00 a.m. to noon at the Troy Community Center (3179 Livernois Rd). I hope you’ll stop by to share your ideas and concerns with me.

Residents of my district and across the state know the truth: the cuts or spending shifts to Medicaid and SNAP brought on by the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” could devastate thousands of Michigan families.

The following are highlights from my recent work in the Legislature. All the sponsored and cosponsored legislation I’ve worked on this term is now available. All my legislation from my first term is still viewable online. Additionally, you can see my press releases page for additional updates.

Earlier this month, I hosted a town hall with other legislators and leaders in education, mental health, and disability services to discuss the looming cuts to Medicaid and other essential services brought on by the current U.S. President’s so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Policy experts are still studying the total effect it will have, but what we do know is that Michigan is slated to lose billions of dollars in funding for Medicaid as a result of the law.

With that said, now is not the time to panic — now is the time to prepare. I held the town hall in part to ensure concerned residents get objective information about the federal cuts and the impact they will have. To access a recap of the town hall, click here. To watch the video of the town hall, click here or scroll down below.

If you or a loved one loses access to healthcare or other essential services as a result of this legislation, please contact my office at (517) -373-2617 or at SharonMacDonell@house.mi.gov. Even in scary, uncertain times like these, your voice is the most important tool you have.

As Chair of the Michigan Legislative Disability Caucus, I am lucky to hear from people with disabilities and their family members across the state about how lawmakers can help make their lives easier.

That is how I came across the story of Linda Van Wormer, a remarkable Dearborn Heights woman with an intellectual disability. Rather than being put under a court-appointed guardianship, where she would lose all of her rights, a probate judge in Wayne County assigned her to a less restrictive alternative called “supported decision making”. Since then, Linda and her family have been advocating for other Michiganders with intellectual disabilities to have the same option provided to them.

That is why late last month, representative Douglas Wozniak and I introduced legislation that would require courts to consider less restrictive means of support for developmentally disabled adults before appointing a guardian for them. While court-appointed guardianships are necessary in some cases, they are not for everyone. Disability is a spectrum, and everyone has different needs and strengths. I am hopeful that the legislature will recognize this and approve our important bipartisan legislation.

When Democrats last controlled both chambers of the legislature and the Governor’s office, we enacted state budgets that truly invested in our residents’ success. These budgets funded K-12 education (including special education) at record levels, provided free meals in all public K-12 schools, and put a cricket field in Troy.

But just as important, we passed these budgets on time. By getting the state budget signed into law by July 1st of every year, we ensure that our public school districts know how much funding they’ll have for their next fiscal year. This keeps teachers from getting pink slips and your children’s education from being jeopardized. This is the bare minimum required of us as legislators — it is even required in state law — but House Republicans evidently can’t deliver a budget on time.

I say this because it is July 28th as I write this, and House Republicans have not introduced all of their budget bills. Yes, they have introduced education funding bills — bills that would move funds away from special education, free school meals, afterschool programs for at-risk students, student mental health, school safety, and English as a Second Language programs — and would also massively cut funding to U of M and MSU. But that is less than half the battle.

They have yet to introduce their budget bills for the rest of the government, typically comprising nearly 75% of state spending, including the Departments of Transportation, Health and Human Services, and Military and Veterans’ Affairs.

Why exactly House Republicans are doing this, I cannot tell you. I wish I knew. But that will not stop me from decrying their approach to budgeting as wildly irresponsible. Senate Democrats introduced their budget bills months ago, but they can’t negotiate with House Republicans until they have something to negotiate over. Instead of passing a full budget, House Republicans have seen fit to travel to Washington, D.C. for a photo opportunity with the current U.S. President. If they keep this up, we will be at a real risk of a government shutdown on October 1st, when the state’s next fiscal year starts. Until then, I will keep sounding the alarm about this increasingly real possibility.

My most recent Nonprofit of the Month is Gilda’s Club in Royal Oak. They provide social and emotional support services for individuals battling cancer, so that they don’t have to face the disease alone. Thank you for your many years of service to our community!

Know a nonprofit in our community that’s doing great work? Nominate them to be my office’s Nonprofit of the Month! Click the link below to get started:

Congratulations to my latest Small Business of the Month: Four Seasons Cleaners in Troy!

Each month, I recognize a small business in the community as our Small Business of the Month. To nominate your favorite business for this recognition, please fill click on the link below:

I am also excited to recognize a Teacher of the Month! Teachers are the backbone of this nation, and our district has the BEST! Please fill out the following form to recognize a Teacher of the Month:

Do you know someone in the district who is retiring and would like a legislative tribute to celebrate their years of service? Has a local team or group reached a milestone that they would like to be acknowledged with an official certificate for each member? Our office can provide legislative tributes, letters and certificates on a wide range of recognitions for constituents.

If you would like to request any of these materials for yourself or others, please email my office at SharonMacDonell@house.mi.gov with as much information as possible on the requested recognition, and we will work with you to arrange delivery or presentation of the recognition!