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Dear Neighbor, I hope this finds you well! Spring is in full swing here in the 18th District, and I know I’m happy to be able to get outside with my kids and enjoy the sunshine and warm weather. As we celebrate Earth Day together, students in your life may enjoy this virtual field trip on renewable energy from DTE. In this newsletter, you’ll find information on my newly introduced legislation, details on my upcoming coffee hours, and resources from the county and state you may find helpful. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office if we can be helpful in navigating state systems, and if you or a loved one are in immediate need of food, water or other necessities, please call 2-1-1. Additionally, I want to take a moment and recognize that April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. To all the survivors reading this: I see you, I hear you, and you are not alone. If you need assistance, please call the Michigan Division of Victim Services hotline at (855) 864-2374 or text (866) 238-1454 to be connected with an advocate. Thank you again for taking the time to read this. I hope you and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy!
Best, Kevin Hertel State Representative District 18 Coffee and Conversation Hours
New Legislation House Bill 4547: This month, I joined in a bipartisan bill package to help address our state’s crumbling infrastructure by updating the way our road funding works. My bill in this package would differentiate between “miles” and “lane miles” of road. This allows for other sections of the law to provide when the state gives money based on how long a road is and when both length and width are taken into account. This is a good first step to fix our roads here in metro Detroit, and I look forward to working with my colleagues on its passage.
House Bill 4579: Equal Pay Day recognizes that on average, women make $.78 for every dollar a man earns. This adds up. It is not until late March of 2021 that women in the workplace earn what their male colleagues made in total the year prior. Each year, the Progressive Women’s Caucus fights to right this in the state of Michigan, and I was proud to join them by introducing House Bill 4579, which would require the state to only enter into contracts with companies who have a certificate from the state documenting their pay equity practices. Government work should set the standard for fair and equal treatment and compensation in the workplace, and I look forward to a future where the wage gap no longer exists. Resources and Events
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