Dear Neighbor,

Welcome to my latest e-newsletter! Included in this edition are some important legislative and community updates, along with a few resources I hope will prove helpful. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office by phone at (517) 373-0144 or email at AlabasFarhat@house.mi.gov for questions about these or any other state-level issues.

Sincerely,

Alabas A. Farhat

State Representative, 3rd House District

Upcoming Events

Coffee Hour

Our next Coffee Hour will be held on Friday, Sept. 15 at 11 a.m. at Family Bakery in Detroit. I look forward to seeing you there!

News Updates

UIA Offers Coaching Sessions for First-Time Filers

First-time applicants for unemployment benefits can now receive online guidance from trained instructors with the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA). These free sessions will walk users through the steps they need to follow to qualify for payments.

Coaching is available Tuesdays through Fridays with time for questions provided. Workers can sign up at Michigan.gov/UIA for the voluntary orientations. For more background and helpful information on these best practices, click here or visit the UIA site.

 

Putting People First Priorities

House Democrats are putting people first. The people of Michigan drive this state forward — that’s why we are going into overdrive to put you first, to prioritize your family and to advocate for the issues that matter most to Michiganders. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently delivered the What’s Next Address, outlining the following priorities for the fall:

  • Protecting reproductive rights.
  • Lowering prescription drug costs.
  • Upholding democracy.
  • Building a clean energy Michigan.
  • Strengthening the economy.

This agenda will build on previous work to lower costs, make Michigan more competitive, improve energy efficiency, expand opportunity and protect Michiganders’ fundamental rights. Democrats are ready to continue passing smart legislation that does just that.

 

Final Reminder: Applications Open for the Michigan Collegiate Student Advisory Task Force

The Michigan Department of State is accepting applications from students looking to engage voters on campus. Applications to serve on the 2023-24 Collegiate Student Advisory Task Force are due on Sept. 15. The task force is open to college and university students across the state and will work through the 2024 election cycle to improve youth voter engagement.

Appointed students will serve on the task force with optional enrollment in a paid Campus Vote Project Democracy Fellowship from Sept. 2023 – Dec. 2024. As a democracy fellow, students will be provided with the tools to turn their civic engagement ideas into action. Democracy fellows will work to remove on-campus voting barriers, educate their peers about elections and build a campus coalition to support student voter engagement.

Applicants must be enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student in a college or university in Michigan and demonstrate a commitment to voting and enthusiasm for voter engagement through their past experience. The selection process includes answering application questions and being interviewed. Between 20 and 30 students from around the state will be selected to serve with no more than two students representing a single school. Students set to graduate during the tenure of the task force will not be considered.