Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I am most effective at my job when acting on your direct input. I encourage you to reach out to me and my staff with any questions, comments or concerns you may have regarding our community or state and with any policy ideas.
Please do not hesitate to reach out by phone at (517) 373-0822 or send an email to AngelaWitwer@house.mi.gov.
Sincerely,
Angela Witwer
State Representative, 76th House District
In This Issue:
- Weekly Wrap-ups
- In-District Update
- General Update
- Legislative Update
Weekly Wrap-Up with Witwer
Please keep an eye on my Facebook page for upcoming Weekly Wrap-Ups as we look to schedule in December and into the new year!
In-District Update
October Teacher of the Month: Miss Ryen Reynolds
Congratulations to our October Teacher of the Month, Ryen Reynolds, a teacher at Colt Early Childhood Education Center in Waverly.
Her nominator wanted us to know that “Miss Ryen pours her heart and soul into the students she works with. She is loyal, hardworking, and patient. She makes a difference in our community with her open mindedness, positive attitude, and kindness. Her position comes with its fair share of challenges, yet she continues to show up every day with a bright outlook and smile. Thank you for your service, Miss Ryen!”
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Tribute for Mary Clark: 2022 Victim Advocate of the Year Award
I recently presented a tribute to our constituent, Mary Clark, for her efforts as an Eaton County Victim Advocate Coordinator. This past year, Mary received the 2022 Victim Advocate of the Year award during the Michigan Sheriffs’ Association Victim Advocate Conference. It is an understatement to say that Mary has made a significant impact on the residents of Eaton County as a victim advocate. Mary, we appreciate your commitment to serving and for being a resource for so many in our community.
Tribute for Howard Pizzo-2023 Legacy Award Recipient
My office provided a tribute recognizing Howard Pizzo, a Delta Township resident, who was awarded the 2023 Legacy Award at the Delta Township Community Impact Awards last week.
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Judge for Ceiling Panel Art Contest at Village Ice Cream & Café in Dimondale
I was invited to be a judge for a ceiling panel art contest at the Village Ice Cream & Café in Dimondale last week. The theme was superheroes, and each artist had to incorporate ice cream into their design.
I was happy to be a part of this contest in our community with great pieces of art on display from our constituents of all ages and skill levels.
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Participated in the Sparrow Eaton Hospital’s Annual Women’s Health Experience Event
We were invited to participate in the Sparrow Eaton Hospital’s Annual Women’s Health Experience event this weekend. It was a great event where we met our constituents and were able to hand out information and resources.
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Capitol Tour with the Rotary Club of Eaton Rapids
I invited the Rotary Club of Eaton Rapids to the Capitol last week for a tour and talk. I enjoy showing constituents around this beautiful building and talking about our fascinating Michigan history.
General Update
Gov. Whitmer Announces Nearly 240,000 Michigan Households Are Receiving Additional Home Heating Credit Payment
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced that nearly 240,000 Michigan households that received Home Heating Credits for the 2022 tax year are receiving an additional one-time payment this month.
The additional payment is the result of $13 million in remaining fiscal 2022-23 federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) block grant dollars allocated to the Home Heating Credit program. The recipients of the additional credit are households that filed a 2022 MI-1040CR-7 Home Heating Credit Claim and qualified for the credit.
Eligible households with seniors, disabled individuals or children under 5 years old, among others, are receiving a $54 payment.
The Michigan Department of Treasury will mail checks to all households that are eligible for the supplemental Home Heating Credit. Recipients are expected to apply the LIHEAP payment to their household heating costs.
Home Heating Credit applications for next year may be filed in early 2024. Additional information can be found on the Home Heating Credit website.
For information regarding heating assistance and other forms of emergency relief, please visit the MDHHS website.
Gov. Whitmer Signs Bipartisan Bills to Support Crime Victims, Provide Services and Strengthen Privacy
Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed bipartisan legislation aimed at supporting the victims of crimes by boosting access to support services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, adding privacy protections, and allowing oral impact statements to be given virtually.
House Bill 4420 allows police officers or prosecuting attorneys to share victims’ contact information with domestic and sexual violence service providers for the purpose of offering supportive services to victims.
House Bill 4421 ensures that a crime victim’s image could be blurred in videos, photos, and sketches of court proceedings that are streamed on the internet.
House Bill 4422, amends the William Van Regenmorter Crime Victim’s Rights Act to expand the definition of serious misdemeanor to include additional misdemeanor offenses. The offenses include threatening a state health official with physical harm, embezzlement from a vulnerable adult and causing serious injury or death while driving.
House Bill 4423 allows a victim to provide an oral impact statement virtually at a disposition or sentencing.
Legislative Update
HB 4082 Passed the Senate!
The Senate voted out my bill, House Bill 4082, the bill to dedicate and memorialize a portion of highway I-96 in Ionia County beginning at mile marker 76 and extending East to mile marker 77, as “Barry Lyn Hause Memorial Highway.”
In 2020, Barry was an operating engineer on the job, cutting concrete, when a driver struck him leaving Barry critically injured, which soon after, sadly, led to his passing.
The bill now heads to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law!
HB 4337 Passed the Senate!
The Senate passed my bill, House Bill 4337, honoring Ensign Francis Flaherty.
This bill would amend a portion of M-50 in Eaton County currently named the “Ensign Francis Flaherty Memorial Highway” to be named the “Ensign Francis Flaherty Medal of Honor Recipient Memorial Highway.”
The bill now heads to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law!
HB 4197 Passed the Senate!
The Senate passed my bill, House Bill 4197. This bill would help prevent the financial exploitation of seniors and other vulnerable adults by allowing broker-dealers and investment advisors to place temporary holds on disbursements of funds or securities when there is reason to believe that financial exploitation of a customer has occurred.
I look forward to seeing this bill signed into law as this has been an issue I have worked on for many years.
Session
House Bill 4292 and SB 174: Supplemental Budget Bills
These two budget bills were carefully crafted to address various needs — such as access to clean drinking water in schools and child care centers, reducing public school debt and investing in talent development.
- Allocated $30 million to replace lead lines and water meters in Highland Park, marking the resolution of a 10-year dispute between communities in the Great Lakes Water Authority service area.
- Allocated $114 million to eliminate school debt in Inkster, Benton Harbor, Muskegon Heights, Pontiac and Ypsilanti, significantly boosting resources for classrooms and potentially bringing tax relief to local residents.
- Funding for investing in infrastructure improvements for Michigan’s universities and community colleges.
- $3 million for election equipment and improvements in Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids and Lansing.
- $4 million in additional funding to Michigan Department of Transportation for critical infrastructure projects.