Dear Neighbor,
In my last Capitol & Community Update e-newsletter as the state representative of Michigan’s 41st House District, I want to express my deepest appreciation for all the engagement my office has had with you all during my four years of service. I have learned so much about advocacy from your engagement. Together, we were able to deliver essential funding for our district and local economy, help lower costs for hardworking Michiganders, support our Great Lakes and natural resources, and protect our rights to democracy and health care. Thank you for your collaboration and support, and I look forward to applying these important lessons, in advocacy and service, as I leave office to start a new chapter.
Please read on for information on my last office hour, final legislative updates, as well as my farewell speech, which I delivered on the House floor during our last session day.
In Service,
Padma Kuppa
State Representative
House District 41
Upcoming Events
Monthly Community Conversations
Please join me for my final in-person office hour, where I will be giving one last legislative update. Our December meeting will be moved up from our regular schedule to avoid conflicts with holiday festivities. My final office hour information is as follows:
When: Friday, Dec. 16, from 4:30-6 p.m.
Where: Troy Community Center (3179 Livernois Road in Troy)
Legislative Update
To see all of the legislation I have sponsored or co-sponsored this term, please follow the provided hyperlink, choose “primary sponsorship” or “primary and secondary sponsorship,” then select my name and press “Show Sponsored Items.” I have co-sponsored over 300 pieces of bipartisan legislation that have since been adopted or signed into law during my time in office, and I voted in favor of numerous other pieces of legislation that support the needs of Michiganders and help them thrive. You can also see my press releases page for additional updates and information.
Final Bills
On our last days of session, I introduced my final bills as a state representative. House Bill (HB) 6553 will allow sexual assault survivors to seek justice by removing legal loopholes that protect sexual predators. This bill is based on an idea from several University of Michigan students. More information on this bill can be found here and background on the students’ project can be found here. Furthermore, I also introduced HB 6554, which would require nursing home employees to be notified when a resident tests positive for a communicable disease. This is a re-introduction of a bill that I sponsored last term and is a reflection of my tenure as co-chair of the Michigan Legislative Care Caucus; we must understand and address the need to support both those who provide and receive long-term care. The press release for this bill can be found here. Both of these bills received bipartisan co-sponsorships.
Final Policy Resolution
This week, I introduced my final policy resolution. House Resolution (HR) 396 recognizes the Bangladesh Genocide of 1971. The idea for this resolution was brought to me by several constituents, and it is based on the federal resolution, H.Res. 1430, which was sponsored by U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) and a fellow South Asian, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA). Since I was unable to deliver remarks on the resolution while on the House floor, as we do with a commemorative resolution, I have prepared a video with remarks that you can view here.
What’s Next?
At the end of the term on Dec. 31, all unpassed legislation will “die” and will need to be re-introduced in the new term to move forward. It has been an honor serving as your state representative, and I hope that you will continue to be engaged in Michigan’s state legislative processes. In the new term, Reps.-elect Sharon MacDonell of the 56th District and Thomas Kuhn of the 57th District will represent Troy and Clawson. Please reach out to them as you continue to advocate on policy issues and initiatives!
Farewell Speech
My farewell remarks were submitted to the official House Journal. This is also an extended version of the speech that I delivered on the House floor on Dec. 7. We were asked to keep our speeches short to allot time for everyone giving their farewell speeches but were able to submit longer remarks for the official House journal, which you will find here. A video of my remarks on the House floor is also available here.
