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Hi District 37!
I have officially spent 100 days in Lansing. I am proud of the work we have done, and we are only getting started.
BUDGET SEASON It’s budget season! That means this month, I’ll be working with my Democratic colleagues and across the aisle to fix our roads, fund our schools and help the state reopen safely. As Democratic Vice-Chair of the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, it’s my goal to push for sustainable infrastructure, environmentally friendly construction methods in a fiscally responsible manner that helps strengthen the finances of local communities.
MAKING OUR STATE MORE ETHICAL Speaker Wentworth and Democratic Leader Lasinski announced that both parties would be pursuing ethics reform in the Michigan House of Representatives. These reforms include new penalties for illegal gifts, creating penalties for legislators who act unethically, financial disclosures for lawmakers and state officers, closing the “revolving door” for legislators becoming lobbyists and creating a permanent bipartisan ethics committee to ensure compliance.
BUSINESS OF THE MONTH INITIATIVE My staff and I have begun searching for innovative and impactful businesses in the greater Farmington area. This will highlight entrepreneurs and organizations making a difference in our community. If you know of a business that deserves to be nominated, fill out this form.
YOUTH GOVERNMENT COUNCIL I was elected to represent everyone, which is why my office has created a Government Youth Council to help amplify the voices of young people. We will have regular meetings to hear from a select group of students on what they feel needs to be done to improve our state.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
What have we introduced? This month, I introduced two bills aimed at increasing access to mammograms and pap smears in order to lower cancer rates and improve survival rates.
The first bill lowers the age threshold for mammogram coverage from 40 years old to 35 years old. As someone diagnosed with cancer at 31 years old, I understand firsthand the impact of breast cancer. Early detection is crucial, as breast cancer is being diagnosed at younger and younger ages. It’s important to have a baseline to be compared against as people age in order to track changes in breast tissue. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, breast cancer detected early has a 99% survival rate in the first five years. This legislation is a critical step to increasing early detection.
The second bill removes the age cap on pap smears. Right now, pap smears are only required to be covered up to age 65. However, 20% of diagnoses for cervical cancer occur over the age of 65. According to the American Cancer Society, 4,290 women will die from cervical cancer in 2021, and 14,480 new cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed. Pap smears help detect changes in the cervix before cancer develops, and increasing access will help us tackle this issue.
What’s next?
UPCOMING EVENTS May Coffee Hours (Virtual) – Join me and my special guest, state Sen. Moss, for a community conversation on May 8 at 10:30 a.m. We will be going live on Facebook to answer all of your questions.
John Burns Memorial Conference – I am presenting at the John Burns Memorial Conference on May 15. I will be leading a conversation about youth involvement in government.
CONTACT ME! If you need assistance or a question answered, please reach out to us at (517) 373-1793 or SamanthaSteckloff@house.mi.gov. We are here to serve you, and it is a pleasure to represent District 37 in Lansing every day!
Sincerely, Rep. Samantha Steckloff |
