Banning price gouging, a BWL resource fair, measles updates, and more

Banning price gouging, a BWL resource fair, measles updates, and more

E-Newsletter | Rep. Kara Hope | April 3, 2026

Dear Neighbor,

Here is some information that I hope you will find helpful, including news and resources from your state government.

The Michigan Supreme Court will hear arguments in May on whether the Michigan House of Representatives is required to send the nine outstanding bills passed last term to the governor. This is in response to the Republican-led Michigan House of Representatives’ December appeal of an October Court of Appeals ruling that the nine bills passed last term, but never sent to the governor, must be formally presented to her. The October decision affirmed a February 2025 Court of Claims ruling that the House must present the bills to the governor; however, the court did not order that the bills be presented.

The nine withheld bills would benefit Michigan’s working families. They include bills to lower health care costs for public employees; add corrections officers and other state employees to the Michigan State Police’s pension system; and protect certain assets — including the Earned Income Tax Credit — from garnishment. I sponsored the garnishment legislation to keep families in debt from facing extraordinary hardship (House Bill 4900 of 2024). HB 4900 takes on even greater urgency as Michiganders face greater uncertainty with rising costs and changes to SNAP benefit eligibility.

I co-sponsored a new bill (HB 5771) that would ban surveillance price gouging in Michigan. This occurs when companies selling digital goods or services use sensitive consumer data to calculate a unique price for a good, instead of charging a standard set price. This results in different individuals paying different amounts for the same item, often charged the highest price the company estimates a specific individual would be willing to pay.

To set surveillance pricing, companies currently utilize location data, education, occupation, race, religion, political affiliation, marital status, parental status, and medical conditions information. This legislation would prohibit this discriminatory practice, protecting consumers in Michigan from unfair price gouging.

The Lansing Board of Water & Light (BWL) has partnered with local organizations for a Community Resource Fair from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 15, at the Alfreda Schmidt Community Center, 5825 Wise Road, Lansing, MI 48911. This fair will be an opportunity for BWL residential customers and greater Lansing residents behind on bills to get connected to resources and financial assistance. This event is free and open to the public. More information is available here.

As of this morning, seven cases of measles have been reported in Michigan. According to public health officials, the most effective way to protect against the measles is to receive the MMR vaccine. Unvaccinated individuals or those with an unreported vaccine status make up ninety-two per cent of measles cases nationwide. Measles is highly contagious and can have serious consequences, including death.

Find a vaccine provider by ZIP code here, or contact the Ingham County Health Department Vaccine Clinic at (517) 887-4316. For updates on measles cases in our state, visit the Michigan Measles Dashboard.

Follow my official Facebook account for the most up-to-date information. E-news contains a lot of good information, but it takes several days – up to a week – to get it approved and sent.

Sincerely,

Kara Hope
State Representative
House District 74

Starting this tax season, the IRS will no longer send paper checks to taxpayers for their federal tax refunds. Refunds instead will be issued by direct deposit or other secure electronic methods. Having an account with a financial institution is necessary to receive your refund. To prepare for this, taxpayers should establish a relationship with a bank or credit union now if they have not already done so. The Michigan Open Account Coalition offers certified low or no-cost account options at nearly 40 financial institutions. For more information, visit Michigan.gov/DIFSOpenAccount.

United Way of South Central Michigan’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program will have mobile tax prep units at Capital Area District Library branches in Lansing through mid-April. Households earning up to $69,000 can get free tax preparation services from trained, IRS-certified tax preparers. Register for an appointment here.