Capitol and Community Updates

Dear Neighbor,

Here is some information that I hope you will find helpful, including news and resources from your state government.

Hope to Introduce Gun Industry Accountability Legislation During Gun Violence Prevention Month

In observance of Gun Violence Awareness Month, I recently joined with my colleagues and gun violence prevention advocates to announce proposed legislation to keep guns out of the wrong hands. I spoke about my bill to create a state licensing system for gun dealers in Michigan. To hold a license, dealers would be required to perform employee background checks; complete two hours of annual training; report any sales they suspect are straw purchases to law enforcement within 48 hours; and increase security measures. Currently, none of these standards are required by federal law. And enforcement and inspections are far and few between in the U.S. Federally licensed firearms licensees are typically subjected to a federal inspection once every 10 years or even less frequently. This is unacceptable.

I have been working on addressing these gaps in federal firearms legislation since my first term. Basic safety and security measures for gun sellers seem noncontroversial and nonpartisan to me. I will keep working on this to ensure this legislation is practical and effective.

My House colleagues also discussed House Bills 4478 and 4479, which would ban “ghost guns” in Michigan. These untraceable firearms lack serial numbers and can be purchased over the internet with no background check. This allows minors or those with criminal records to purchase firearms that they are not legally permitted to own.

Legislation Introduced to Help Public Employees with Disabled Children

This week, I reintroduced legislation (HBs 4657 – 4660) that will help public employees ensure their disabled children are adequately cared for into the future. In Michigan, public employee pension systems allow retirees to take a reduction in their pension during the retiree’s lifetime and then designate a child as a survivor beneficiary. However, directly receiving pension benefits can pose challenges for both the retiree and the beneficiary when the beneficiary has a disability.

The drawbacks can include jeopardizing the dependent’s eligibility for essential public benefits (such as Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income); the potential need for cumbersome probate proceedings; and the creation of inconsistencies with other retirement plans that allow for special needs trusts as beneficiaries. These issues would be eliminated by this legislation, which allows retirees to designate special needs trusts as pension beneficiaries, ensuring that dependents remain supported without the complications that arise from their direct receipt of pension funds.

Lansing Area Legislators Awarded 2025 Housing Advocates of the Year

I am honored to be one of the recipients of the 2025 Housing Advocates of the Year Award from the Capital Area Housing Partnership. Senator Sarah Anthony, Representative Angela Witwer, and I were recognized for our work to ensure completion of the Walter French redevelopment project.

Over the past two years, the Capital Area Housing Partnership has renovated the historic Walter French school building into The Residences at Walter French. The first phase of this project opened earlier this year and includes 76 affordable apartment units for Lansing families. Future phases of this multi-use facility will add a childcare center and other social services.

CAHP Executive Director Emma Henry presenting the award at their well attended fundraising event. It was nice to see that so many community members support affordable home ownership and stable neighborhoods.

Photo credit: Capital Area Housing Partnership.

Proposed Federal Food Aid Cuts Could Cost Michiganders Nearly $900 Million

Michigan stands to lose $900 million in federal food aid. This loss will hurt the nearly 1.5 million people in Michigan who depend on food assistance for their survival. This is according to the State Budget Office’s recent report evaluating the impact that proposed cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (commonly referred to as “food stamps”), would have on our state.

The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed H.R. 1 (the One Big Beautiful Bill Act), which will cut nearly $300 billion from SNAP. If this legislation passes the U.S. Senate in its current form and if it gets signed into law, the state will lose $800 million of federal funding for food aid and $90 million to administer SNAP services. This means that services will be cut if the state cannot come up with state funding for these programs, a near certainty. Nearly 1.48 million Michigan residents currently receive SNAP benefits.

Upcoming Event: Coffee & Conversation with Rep. Hope

Mark your calendar! Join me for a Coffee & Conversation event on Monday, June 23, from 4 to 5 p.m. at the Residences at Walter French, 1900 S. Cedar St., in Lansing. You can register for the event and share any questions or topics you would like covered here. See you then!

Follow my official Facebook account for the most up-to-date information. E-news contains a lot of good information, but it takes several days to get it approved.

Sincerely,

Delhi Township is offering free brush drop-off on Saturday, June 21, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., at Delhi Publicly Owned Treatment Works, 5961 McCue Road, in Holt (enter through Recycle Center on Grovenburg Road). Waste will only be accepted in paper yard waste bags, and bags over 30 gallons will not be accepted. Brush and tree trimmings should be no longer than 4 feet and less than 4 inches in diameter and tied with string or twine into 12 inch bundles. Each bag or bundle should not exceed 30 pounds. Load sizes are restricted to no trailers larger than 5 foot x 8 foot or the back of a full-size pick-up truck. Tandem trailers or cube type vehicles will not be permitted.