Dear Friends,

 

Hello and welcome to my e-newsletter. I would like to take this moment to thank you for allowing me to serve you in the 95th House District and to act as your voice in Lansing. This issue of my e-newsletter will provide an update on what’s going on at the Capitol this month, upcoming times to meet with me and other relevant information for our community.

 

As your representative, I am most effective at my job when acting on your input. I encourage you to reach out to me and my staff with any questions, comments or concerns you may have about issues in the district or legislation that will impact our state. You can contact me toll-free at (855) 347-8095, by email or through my website. Thank you for your commitment to the community we both call home; I look forward to hearing from you!

 

In this Edition:

  • Legislative Update
  • Upcoming Events
  • REAL ID Update

 

Legislative Update

 

Air Quality Reform Package

 

Last week I introduced House Bill 4841, which is part of a broad plan to expand air quality protections in Michigan. This package of bills would improve public health by expanding air quality criteria, strengthening standards and local control for the emissions permitting process, and ensuring greater transparency and accountability between polluters and the communities they impact.

HB 4841 will require the Department of Environmental Quality to notify legislators in the district where a permit is requested to increase emissions.

 

I have a responsibility to protect the health and wellbeing of those I represent, so myself and other elected officials must be made aware of major decisions affecting where members of our community work, send their kids to school and call home.

 

State Budget

 

While I have enjoyed spending time in our community this summer learning about the issues that matter most to you, I am pleased that the House has reconvened session in Lansing. As budget negotiations between legislative leadership and Gov. Whitmer continue and the Oct. 1 deadline quickly approaches, rest assured I will always fight for a budget that reflects our values and ensures funding for vital programs many working families rely on. Michigan will face serious problems in the years ahead unless we implement serious solutions now. We need a responsible and fair budget that invests in the future of our state. 

 

This begins with:

 

  •     Supporting education
  •     Building strong infrastructure
  •     Protecting our water and environment
  •     Fostering an inclusive economy
  •     Protecting and expanding health care

 

Early this summer, the idea was floated to fund fixing our roads at the expense of our teacher’s pensions. I want to make it clear that, as much as I understand that fixing the roads must be one of the top priorities in the budget, we cannot do it at the expense of our educators. It’s time for us to stop the shell games and get to work on real solutions to fix our roads.

 

 

Upcoming Events

 

Elder Abuse Town Hall

 

Special guest Attorney General Dana Nessel will be joining me for an upcoming Elder Abuse Town Hall to provide information about her recently announced Elder Abuse Task Force, share available resources and discuss legislative issues impacting seniors in our community.

 

 

 

Latino Legislative Day

 

I’m pleased to invite members of the Latin/Hispanic community across the state to come to Lansing and engage with the policy process and meet members of the Latino Legislative Caucus. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with their legislators, hear and learn from statewide leaders during the luncheon ceremony and connect with Latino organizations from across the state. Please register for the event here.

 

When: Wednesday, Oct. 2, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: State Capitol, 100 N. Capitol Ave. in Lansing

 

 

REAL ID Update

 

Beginning October 1, 2020, new federal REAL ID guidelines will go into effect regarding state drivers’ licenses and other forms of state identification. These new IDs have stronger security measures and will be necessary for future plane travel and entrance to some federal facilities. In anticipation of this, the Secretary of State’s office has asked us to spread the word about this change. If you are renewing your license this year, or want to know what to expect early next year, please visit the REAL ID website to understand what documents you may need to bring with you to get a compliant license.

 

Never hesitate to reach out to me or my staff if you have any questions or concerns!

 

Sincerely,

 

Vanessa Guerra

State Representative

95th House District