Dec. 12 Capitol and Community Updates

Dear Neighbor,

Here is some information that I hope you will find helpful, including news and resources from your state government.

The Senior Scam Town Hall originally slated for the spring has been rescheduled by popular demand. Please join me on Monday, Dec. 15, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., at the Sam Corey Senior Center, 2108 Cedar St., in Holt, to learn more about scams that target senior citizens.

I will be joined by special guests from the Department of Attorney General, state Sen. Sarah Anthony and Ingham County Sheriff Scott Wriggelsworth. Presenters will go over the common warning signs of phone, mail, email and text scams, and provide tips to help seniors protect themselves.

My legislation (House Bill 4045) to prevent or mitigate strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) passed in the Senate Judiciary Committee. In October, this legislation unanimously passed the Michigan House of Representatives.

SLAPP suits are retaliatory lawsuits intended to silence or intimidate an individual who speaks out on an issue of public interest. These lawsuits have been used against environmentalists, scientists, citizen activists and sexual assault survivors. Michigan is one of only 12 states that has not enacted an anti-SLAPP law. It is important that individuals are able to exercise their First Amendment rights without fear of being sued and buried in legal fees.

The Republican-led Michigan House of Representatives has appealed the October Court of Appeal’s ruling that the nine bills passed last term, but never sent to the governor, must now be formally presented to her. The October decision affirmed a February Court of Claims ruling that the House must present the bills to the governor; however, the court did not order that the bills be presented. The Michigan Supreme Court will decide if it will hear this case.

The nine withheld bills would benefit Michigan’s working families. They include bills to lower healthcare costs for public employees; add corrections officers and other state employees to the Michigan State Police’s pension system; and protect certain assets — including the Earned Income Tax Credit — from garnishment.  I sponsored the garnishment legislation to keep families in debt from facing extraordinary hardship (House Bill 4900 of 2024). HB 4900 takes on even greater urgency as Michiganders face greater uncertainty with rising costs and changes to SNAP benefit eligibility.

This week, House Democrats introduced the Empowering Parents, Protecting Communities Package. This 11-bill package would make immunization rate data publicly available, allowing families to make informed choices when enrolling their children in a school or child care center. This legislation would also require insurers to cover currently-recommended immunizations.

Michigan House Democrats are working on a vision for the future of Michigan that reflects the needs and aspirations of all Michiganders. Please fill out our brief Vision Project Survey to share your concerns and ideas about the future of our state.

Anyone who lives anywhere in Michigan is welcome to participate, so please forward the survey to friends and family members who you think might want to weigh in. The survey can be found here.

Complete it by the end of December to make it count!

Follow my official Facebook account for the most up-to-date information. E-news contains a lot of good information, but it takes several days – up to a week – to get it approved and sent by the House Business Office.

Sincerely,

Kara Hope
State Representative
House District 74

Due to federal changes in the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility requirements have changed in Michigan. As of Dec. 1, the majority of “able-bodied” adults ages 18-64 without dependents under age 14 are required to show proof of work to receive benefits. More information about these changes can be found here.

More than 15 per cent of Ingham County residents rely on SNAP. These changes will make it more difficult, if not impossible, for Michiganders to receive food assistance.

As new SNAP eligibility requirements are implemented, I want to make sure you are aware of some food resources in our community.

• The Greater Lansing Food Bank collects and distributes food to a network of 140 community partners. They can be reached at (517) 853-7800 or [email protected].
• The Holt Food Bank is open by appointment only on Monday from 9 ato 11 a.m. and Tuesday through Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at 2021 Aurelius Road, Holt, MI 48842. Call (517) 694-9307 or email [email protected] to schedule an appointment.
• South Lansing Ministries is open by appointment only on Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1905 W. Mount Hope Ave., Lansing, MI 48910. Call (517) 853-8073 to schedule a food pick-up.
• The Cristo Rey Community Kitchen serves hot breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday at 1717 N. High St., Lansing, MI 48906. Breakfast is served from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• The Cristo Rey Food Pantry (at the same location) is open by appointment only Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call (517) 372-4700 to schedule an appointment.
• The Southside Community Kitchen offers hot meals Monday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. On Monday and Wednesday, they serve lunch at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lansing, 5509 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Lansing, MI 48911. On Tuesday and Thursday, lunch is served at Galilee Baptist Church, 2511 Reo Road, Lansing, MI 48911.
• The Holt United Methodist Church offers free community dinners on the third Wednesday of every month from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at 2321 N. Aurelius Road, Holt, MI 48842.
• The Lansing City Rescue Mission offers daily dinner service at 415 W. Kalamazoo St., Lansing, MI 48933. Attendees must sign-in before 6 p.m. and bring an ID.
• The Tri-County Office on Aging’s Meals on Wheels offers home-delivered meals to residents eligible for this program in Ingham, Eaton and Clinton County.