Dear Neighbor,
Welcome to my e-newsletter! I’m honored and humbled to serve as our community’s voice at the Capitol in Lansing. As we continue into the term, rest assured that the challenges families in our community and state are facing are at the top of my legislative priorities. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office by phone at (517) 373-0837 or email at AmosONeal@house.mi.gov if we can help.
Sincerely,
Amos O’Neal
State Representative, 94th House District
In this issue:
- Weatherization Grant Opportunity
- Legislation Introduced
- House Bill 4298: Breast Implant Consent
- House Bill 4311 and 4312: Revenue Sharing Trust Fund Package
- Events
- Pancake Breakfast: April 26 at 9 a.m.
Weatherization Grant Opportunity
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has a grant opportunity open for weatherization services.
The purpose of the program is to provide energy conservation and related health and safety services for eligible low-income households at no cost to the resident. This opportunity is open to any community action agency or public or nonprofit entities.
This application period closes at 5 p.m., Friday, April 25. For more information or to apply, visit the EGrAMS website and select “About EGrAMS” link in the left panel to access the “Competitive Application Instructions” training manual. The complete grant funding opportunity can be accessed under the “Current Grants” section under the “Community Action & Economic Opportunity” link and selecting the “WAPD2-2025” grant program.
House Bill 4298: Breast Implant Consent
Recently, I introduced House Bill 4298 that would require patients considering breast implant surgery to be informed of the potential risks.
This bill has been drafted with advocates across the state and is intended to empower our constituents with information about the potential health risks of breast implant surgery, including the risk of cancer and other illnesses ranging in severity that many women are unaware of. The patients seeking such surgery would sign an acknowledgement that they have been made fully aware of the risks before undergoing the procedure, and a mandatory patient/doctor checklist would be used with informed consent documentation to ensure a fully educated decision of the benefits and risks associated with the surgery.
This bill mirrors a relatively new law in Arizona, as well as pending legislation in Washington. The bill will create simple common-sense measures to help ensure Michiganders are fully educated on the risks of breast implant surgery before it’s too late.
House Bill 4311 and 4312: Revenue Sharing Trust Fund Package
Again this year, I introduced a bipartisan package of bills, House Bills 4311-12, alongside Rep. Mark Tisdel that will establish a “Revenue Sharing Trust Fund” in the Department of Treasury.
State revenue sharing began in the 1930s when Michigan started taxing enterprises that held licenses for alcoholic beverages. At that time, the state returned 85% of liquor license tax collections to the municipalities of origin. As time passed, however, Michigan’s revenue-sharing base changed.
These two bills aim to preserve resources used to fund revenue sharing. Through the concept of a “Revenue Sharing Trust Fund,” our localities can dedicate general sales tax revenue into a restricted fund to distribute those resources to cities, villages, townships and counties. This package received movement last term, but we could not get it across the finish line. I am hopeful that this year we will finalize this important package.
HB 4212 – Commercial Fishing Statute Updates
I am proud to re-introduce a bill to modernize the state’s commercial fishing industry, which has seen no major updates to the state’s commercial fishing statute since the 1970s.
The bill addresses a long-needed update that would set parameters surrounding commercial fishing, such as licensing fees, gear used and species for harvest. The legislation provides regulation clarity for both the commercial fishing industry and law enforcement. It protects game fish such as lake trout, walleye and yellow perch from commercial harvest and bycatch. These species are reared and managed through angler and hunter dollars, not commercial fishing monies.
This is a re-introduction of House Bills 4567-69 of 2019 that passed the House in 2020. These bills have been combined into one and have the support of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan United Conservation Clubs.
Pancake Breakfast – April 26, 9 a.m.
Please join me for a pancake breakfast at the Spaulding Township Community Center. I welcome the community for an open dialogue on state affairs. I will provide a legislative update and be available for discussion throughout the morning. Please feel free to bring family, friends and an appetite!
