Dear Neighbor,
Happy 2026! I truly hope that you all had a wonderful holiday season, and that 2026 brings continued happiness and success. As we enter a new year, my commitment to fighting for your priorities remains strong. The House held its first session day of 2026 on Jan. 14, and I am so excited and hopeful about what we can accomplish this year to improve the lives of Michiganders.
Please know that I am always happy to hear from constituents about their legislative priorities and concerns, as your voice is key to our legislative decisions here in Lansing. Additionally, If I can ever be of assistance regarding state issues, please don’t hesitate to contact my office at (517) 373-7557 or [email protected].
WATER AFFORDABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES:
I started off the year speaking with David Fair, the News Director at WEMU, and Lisa Wozniak, the CEO and President of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, for an interview for their First Friday Focus on the Environment series. We discussed several hot-button issues for our state relating to the rise of data centers and how we can better protect ratepayers and the environment, as well as current legislation that seeks to make clean water more accessible and affordable.
You can learn more about the interview by clicking here.
WORK PROJECTS UPDATE:
Like so many of you, I was incredibly frustrated and saddened by the House Republicans’ decision to cut critical previously approved funding for projects across Michigan last month — including here in our community. In my opinion, these projects were in no way “waste, fraud and abuse,” but rather crucial investments that have had measurably positive impacts on the health and well-being of Michiganders.
Please know that I, alongside my Democratic colleagues in the House and Senate, are using every legislative tool at our disposal to restore the funding, and we were extremely relieved to get an official opinion from the Attorney General on this situation which asserted that the disapproval mechanism used by House Republicans to claw back the funding was unconstitutional. In her opinion, AG Nessel found that the action amounted to a legislative committee veto. The maneuver used by House Republicans disrupts the traditional process in Lansing.
You can watch AG Nessel’s statement on the opinion at the link below. Additionally, I have included a link to my statement on this as well.
AG Nessel’s Opinion: www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4rWote_7Wg
Please know that I will continue to fight for every Michigander, and work to ensure that actions like this do not continue to cause uncertainty or chaos for House District 48.
RECENT EVENTS:
To see ALL the events I have attended, take a look at my Facebook page at the link below:
Here are a few particularly special highlights:
It was great to see everyone who joined us on Dec. 15 for Cocktails with Conlin! It was wonderful spending time with constituents from across House District 48, catching up, sharing ideas and talking about the work ahead.
Thank you to everyone who came out, asked thoughtful questions and took the time to connect. These conversations help shape the work I do every day, and I’m grateful for such an engaged and supportive community and look forward to many more opportunities to gather and listen.
Last month, I also attended Christmas in the Village in Hamburg Township’s Historical District. First, we lit the Christmas tree, then we sang carols and visited with Santa at the Hamburg Township Historical Museum. It was a great way to really get in the holiday spirit!
Sincerely,
Jennifer Conlin
State Representative
House District 48