Capitol and Community Updates

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Welcome to my latest e-newsletter! It is and continues to be a privilege to represent Livonia, Redford Township and Detroit, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve our community in Lansing. I encourage you to stay up to date on what is going on in Lansing and continue to let me know about the issues that matter to you.

If there is anything I can do to help you and your family, please do not hesitate to call my office at (517) 373-1530, or email me at [email protected]. You can also catch me on Facebook.

This month, I testified in support of House Bill 4669, my legislation that will increase oversight and transparency in our state correctional facilities. In December 2022, the Michigan Department of Corrections reversed an internal policy that allowed legislators from the Michigan House and Senate to enter its facilities without notice. Currently, we are required to give a 72-hour advance notice and acquire permission from the warden before we can enter and tour an MDOC facility, which prohibits us as legislators and appropriators from conducting unvarnished oversight of these facilities.

House Bill 4669 would codify the previous no-notice policy into state statute.

As elected members of the Legislature, we have an obligation to conduct proper oversight of executive branch departments. This is particularly critical for correctional facilities which are prone to issues of abuse and civil rights violations.

Follow this link to see what we have been voting on. As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office at (517) 373-1530.

With the weather getting colder, we are reminded again of the importance of access to utilities like heat, power, and water. If you or anyone you know are struggling to afford utility bills, you can contact 2-1-1 to find information and referrals to any available public or private assistance for which you are eligible. 2-1-1 is available and free for all Michiganders 24/7 any day of the year. To find help, you can:

• Call 2-1-1.
• Text your zip code to 898-211.
• Visit mi211.org.
• For utility-specific needs, visit mi211.org/utility-assistance-programs.

As a result of the passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” changes were made to the Time Limited Food Assistance waiver related to work requirements, and some counties in Michigan are now required to implement SNAP work requirements effective Monday, Dec. 1. There are 15 counties and six cities that are exempt from these requirements. In our district, recipients in the city of Detroit are exempt.

For the remainder of SNAP recipients in our area, able-bodied adults without dependents who are ages 18-64 and have children ages 14 and older will now be subject to work requirements to access SNAP benefits.

Letters and text messages will be sent to recipients and notifications posted on the MDHHS website. The Department is encouraging impacted SNAP recipients to make sure their case information is up-to-date and to report if they are unable to meet the work requirement or if they are currently working.

For more information about how to meet the monthly work requirements, and other frequently asked questions, visit MDHHS’s Food Assistance webpage here.