Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Welcome to my latest e-newsletter! It is a privilege to represent Livonia, Redford Township and Detroit, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve our community in Lansing. I encourage you to stay up to date on what’s going on at the Capitol and continue to let me know about the issues that matter to you.
If there is anything I can do to help you and your family, please do not hesitate to call my office at (517) 373-1530 or email me at LauriePohutsky@house.mi.gov. You can also catch me on Facebook.
In this issue:
- Legislative Update
- Marital Rape Loophole Bill Passes the House
- Session Update
- Constituent Resources
- Sexual Assault Awareness Month
- Community Update
- Livonia Chipping Service
- Redford State of the Township 2023
- Events
- Upcoming Coffee Hours
Legislative Update
Marital Rape Loophole Bill Passes the House
House Bill 4202 — My bill to strike the “mentally incapacitated” exception to Michigan’s marital rape law has passed the House. It closes a glaring loophole in the Michigan Penal Code that permits marital rape when the perpetrator’s legal spouse is mentally incapacitated, defined in statute as being drugged without their consent. State law currently precludes charges or convictions for criminal sexual conduct in such cases, leaving Michigan as one of the few remaining states to expressly allow marital rape in law. I am grateful for my House colleagues’ support of this legislation, and I look forward to working together with my colleagues in the Senate to finally get it to the governor’s desk.
Session Update
Follow this link to see what we have been voting on over the last couple of weeks. As always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office at (517) 373-1530 or lauriepohutsky@house.mi.gov.
Constituent Resources
Sexual Assault Awareness Month
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Help is available for those who have experienced sexual assault or abuse, as well as friends and family members of survivors. For anonymous support from trained counselors, call (855) 864-2374 (855-VOICES) or send a text to (866) 238-1454.
Community Update
Livonia Chipping Service
The City of Livonia Chipper Crews are automatically circulating through each residential neighborhood about every 15 working days from now to Memorial Day. On the Tuesday following Memorial Day and through the first Friday of October, service is on a request-only basis. To request chipper service, please email Brush@Livonia.gov or call (734) 466-2655.
Branches or brush less than four feet in length should be disposed of as yard waste on your regular trash collection day to be picked up by GFL. The material should be tied into bundles of 50 pounds or less, and up to five bundles per week may be placed out for disposal. Branches or brush may also be cut up and disposed of in paper compost bags or trash cans marked with a yard waste sticker. It can also be dropped off at Mid-Michigan Recycling free of charge for residents.
Redford State of the Township 2023
For those that were unable to attend Redford’s State of the Township event earlier this month, you can find Supervisor Pat McRae’s full address online at RedfordTwp.com.
Events
Coffee Hours
I hope you can join me for one of my upcoming coffee hours! I look forward to having an informal conversation with you about the issues families face in our community. I host two coffee hours a month, one in-person and one virtual. The location for in-person coffee hours will rotate throughout the year between Livonia, Redford Township and Detroit. My in-person May coffee hour will be held at Biggby Coffee in Livonia (33443 West Seven Mile Road, Livonia, MI 48152). You can join the livestream for my virtual coffee hours on my Facebook page.
- In-Person: Sunday, May 7 from 2-3 p.m.
- Virtual: Monday, May 15 from 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Never hesitate to reach out to me or my staff if you have any questions or concerns!
Sincerely,
Laurie Pohutsky
Speaker Pro Tempore
17th House District