Dear Neighbor,
I hope this e-newsletter finds you well! I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the things I was able to accomplish during my first term in office and update you on the work I look forward to doing in the 103rd Legislature, as well as upcoming events in the district.
Should you need any assistance, would like to discuss legislation, or have feedback to provide, my office is at your disposal and happy to help! Please do not hesitate to contact my office at PenelopeTsernoglou@house.mi.gov or (517) 373-2668.
Sincerely,
Upcoming Events
Please join me at my next joint community conversation hour! We are working to go across the 75th House District to update constituents on the exciting things happening in Lansing, as well as answer any questions you may have regarding the Michigan Legislature. We look forward to seeing you at a conversation hour soon! Please be on the lookout for future community events.
Please call or email my office at (517) 373-2668 or PenelopeTsernoglou@house.mi.gov to RSVP or for more information. RSVPs are not required but are appreciated in order to anticipate the number of attendees.
Joint Community Conversation Hours with special guest State Senator Sam Singh:
- Monday, March 10, from 6–7 p.m. at the Bath Township Public Library
o 14051 Webster Road, Bath Twp., MI 48808
- Monday, April 7, from 6 –7 p.m. at the Briggs District Library
o 108 E. Railroad St., St. Johns, MI 48879
Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou Community Conversation Hour:
- Friday, April 18, from 12–1 p.m. at the Hannah Community Center
o 819 Abbot Road, East Lansing, MI 48823
Capitol Updates
2024 was another great year serving as your state representative in Lansing. While we were able to accomplish a lot, there is still so much more work to be done. Last year, I sponsored four bills that were passed by the Michigan Legislature, bringing my total number of bills signed into law to 13 for the 2023-2024 legislative term. I was honored to work with my colleagues, as well as community members and advocacy groups, to pass legislation that will protect our election workers, continue to expand access to the ballot box and ensure Michiganders seeking assisted reproduction and surrogacy are able to access care without undue burdens.
House Bill 4127 passed the Michigan Legislature and was signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Dec. 3, 2024. House Bills 4127-4128, now Public Acts 157 and 158, will prohibit the open carry of firearms at polling locations and election counting boards. These laws will protect our invaluable election workers while also ensuring that firearms are not being used to intimidate voters who are casting their ballots. No one should ever feel unsafe when exercising their right to vote, and this legislation will ensure our elections remain free from threats and intimidation. After the measures were signed into law, Michigan joined 21 other states and Washington D.C. in having prohibitions against guns in polling places. States that already limit guns at polling locations include Florida, Texas, Georgia, Louisiana and several others. I was honored to have worked with state Rep. Stephanie Young on this package to protect Michiganders at polling locations.
During my time as Chair of the House Elections Committee, I worked on countless bills to strengthen and expand Michigan’s elections. House Bills 6052-6053, now Public Acts 221 and 222, were passed by the Michigan Legislature and signed by Gov. Whitmer on Dec. 31, 2024. This legislation will work to streamline the election process for clerks and election officials by allowing on-demand ballot printing. On-demand ballots were a huge success during the nine days of early voting in the 2024 election, and these changes will help to ensure that every Michigander’s voice is heard, regardless of whether they vote early or on election day.
Finally, I was honored to be a sponsor of House Bill 5213, now Public Act 30 , which is part of the Assisted Reproduction and Surrogacy Parentage Act. House Bills 5207-5215, all now law, were essential in removing barriers to Michigan families seeking reproductive assistance through surrogacy and IVF. The bill package takes commonsense and long-overdue action to repeal Michigan’s ban on surrogacy and protect families formed by IVF. As someone who has personally sought reproductive care through IVF, I know the importance of putting protections in place that will ensure families are able to seek surrogacy and reproductive assistance without unnecessary burdens.
As I enter my second term as your state representative, I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for the people of Michigan. On Jan. 29, 2025, Republican state Rep. Matthew Bierlein and I re-introduced legislation, House Bills 4047 and 4048, that will ban the nonconsensual creation and dissemination of intimate deepfake images or videos. Fake and nonconsensual pornographic images produced by artificial intelligence continue to spread across the internet. The victims of these images have suffered serious emotional and physical harm, and we must work to protect Michiganders from the repercussions of AI. Once again, I am honored to be working with Rep. Bierlein on this bipartisan package.
During the 2025-2026 legislative term, I look forward to introducing legislation that will better our communities. My priorities will include ensuring Michiganders have access to critical reproductive health care, protecting our environment from the harmful affects of PFAS, advocating for animal welfare legislation and making sure that every citizen can safely and securely express their right to vote. Our work is far from finished, and I look forward to continuing to pass legislation for our community and the people of Michigan.
Recognition Programs
Teacher of the Month
I continue recognizing the dedicated educators of the 75th District and asking community members to nominate their favorite teacher for my Teacher of the Month recognition program. Please click the link below to nominate a terrific 75th District teacher! If you need to confirm the teacher is at a school in the district, check the linked map.
Business of the Month
I love the opportunity to recognize the hard work that small businesses do for our community. I invite all community members to submit their favorite 75th District small business for our monthly recognition program by clicking the link below. If you need to confirm the small business is in the district, check the linked map.
Tribute Request
If you know of any individuals or organizations that deserve special recognition for the tremendous work they do to serve the people of our communities and our state, I would love the chance to recognize them with a tribute. Please submit a tribute request at the link below for any individual or organization that you feel has truly gone above and beyond for their neighbors.
Contact Information
PenelopeTsernoglou@house.mi.gov
Phone: (517) 373-2668
N-1094 House Office Building
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