District 10 Updates: Legislative and Community Highlights

Greetings, District 10 Neighbors!

It’s been quite a heated and humid summer. I hope you and yours are keeping cool and hydrated.

Today’s newsletter offers brief highlights of my first six months of my second term in office in Lansing.

I’ve been remiss, so please forgive me. In coming weeks, I will update you on this summer’s goings-on legislatively and otherwise (including the current state budget progress) as well as give you a heads-up on forthcoming events.

In the meantime, I can tell you that I will be hosting a town hall, probably in October, about health care with special guest fellow state Rep. Carrie Rheingans. Rep. Rheingans teaches Health Policy at the University of Michigan and has worked on some insightful, important legislation. Stay tuned for the location. I’ll also have virtual and in-person community conversations (coffee hours) and may be participating in a local resource fair.

You’re always welcome to reach out to my office for any assistance you may need or for more information. I’d appreciate hearing from you about town halls or events you would like for our district, or even places or times to have coffee hours. Check with your local library to find out when my next coffee hour there is scheduled; you can sometimes find me at neighborhood meetings in Morningside, EEV, CSV and Yorkshire Woods.

As always, it’s a pleasure to serve you.

Warm regards,

Veronica A. Paiz
State Representative

House District 10

● Committees and Caucuses

● Monthly Highlights

● Legislative Updates

• This legislative term, I’ve been appointed to two committees: Agriculture (I am Minority Vice Chair) and Finance. Generally, my committees meet weekly on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.

• I have joined a number of caucuses, including the Legislative Disability and Legislative Latino caucuses, the Detroit Caucus, the Progressive Women’s Caucus, and caucuses for Labor, Poverty and Homelessness and Progressive Agriculture.
• I am also a member of the Great Lakes Legislative Caucus (GLLC) and an executive committee member of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators (NHCSL).

Civics with fourth graders. At the beginning of every year, I visit Detroit’s Marquette Elementary School 4th grade civics class at the invitation of teacher Mr. Brashear. The students and I talk about state government — including a state rep’s  job and where we get ideas for legislation — and answer their questions, such as: have I ever met the governor or the president (yes and no) how far away is my job (100 miles from home to Capitol) and can I make laws for kids (yes!).

Agriculture and Finance Committees. In February, I was appointed as minority vice chair of the House Agriculture Committee. Last term, I served as majority vice chair, and I’m glad to be back! This committee is of particular importance to me because agriculture is the number two industry in Michigan — right behind the auto industry — and because of agriculture’s impact on a broad number of issues, including food, labor and housing. Also, this term, I was appointed to be a member of the House Finance Committee.

Governor’s address. On Feb. 26, my colleagues and I attended the governor’s annual State of the State address. The governor spoke about her priorities this year, which included affordable housing, education investments and funding for local roads.

Reading month. March is Reading Month! I love this month! Never having had children of my own, I was initially hesitant to read to children. But kids are fantastic and interested and make reading to them a joyful experience. This year, I read to District 10 kindergarten through third grade students at several elementary schools. Favorite books this year were Llama Llama Red Pajama and 100 Mighty Dragons All Named Broccoli. It was encouraging to see all the students have reading time in class and at home.

Financial Literacy Townhall. Also in March, I hosted a financial literacy town hall in Detroit with community partners including Christian Financial Credit Union, First State Bank, Detroit Financial Empowerment Center and Michigan Schools and Government Credit Union. Topics included the difference between credit unions and banks, understanding credit scores and how to build credit, loans and budgeting, debt and home ownership. This all sounds pretty dry, but it was highly informative with great presentations — and I hope to host another one next spring.

Lunch with our seniors. State Sen. Kevin Hertel and I hosted a lunch with senior residents at Park Place senior apartments in Harper Woods. We discussed serious issues and concerns related to possible and impending changes affecting seniors in this new presidential administration. Most worrisome were housing, Medicare and Social Security issues. I’ll share these concerns with my colleagues as we look to create legislation and review state budget appropriations.

Detroit’s Better Made tour. A really fun event for me was a tour of the Better Made potato chip factory in Detroit. State representatives from the Agriculture Committee and Detroit Caucus toured the Better Made production facilities in Detroit to learn about the importance of Michigan agriculture and the importance of diverse and historic local businesses. (Quick facts: Better Made uses 250,000-300,000 pounds of Michigan potatoes every day; it takes only 7 minutes from when the potatoes fall off the truck to the finished package of chips. Michigan is the “chipping potato” capital! One in four potato chip bags sold in the U.S. have Michigan potatoes. Now, consider all the Michigan jobs which enable a potato chip to work its way to your mouth! Seed growers, field labor, farmers, truck drivers, plant workers, equipment manufacturing and sales store owners and workers . . . )

Dinner with Québec’s Agriculture Minister. As the minority vice chair of the House Agriculture Committee, I had the privilege of joining colleagues for dinner with Québec’s Minister of Agriculture André Lamontagne, and the Quebecois and Canadian delegations. It was an evening of camaraderie and understanding of the mutual importance of Michigan and Canada’s agricultural interests and needs. I stand 100% with our Canadian and Quebecois neighbors and allies and look forward to continuing and supporting our work together in the best interest of all the citizens of Canada and the U.S.

Early Childhood Education Townhall. In mid-April, I hosted an early childhood education town hall, which also addressed a proposed bond in the Pointes. Panelists included Harper Woods residents Dr. Nolana Nobles, advocate/researcher and associate director of early childhood education for Capital Area Community Services; Juan Rodriguez, education consultant and out-of-school time coordinator for the Michigan Department of Education; and Grosse Pointe Woods resident Abby Jacobs, who is a co-founder of the southeast Michigan chapter of Chamber of Mothers. Jeff Greer served as moderator. Many thanks to Shannon Byrne for helping to coordinate.

Attending a water rates townhall. At the invitation of Grosse Pointe Shores residents, I attended a very informative townhall with GLWA (Great Lakes Water Authority) about the city’s water rates. Complex but informative!

Celebrating students for national documentary award. Also in April, I was fortunate to present, along with state Sen. Kevin Hertel, tributes to three University Liggett School students, congratulating them for winning the  21st annual C-SPAN student documentary competition, StudentCam. It’s encouraging to know House District 10 students are civically engaged while developing professional career skills.

Library Day. Libraries are dear to my heart, having served on a library board and worked in them. On April 30, Library Day, I joined librarians from throughout the state on the Capitol steps to rally for libraries and librarians.

Touring Grosse Pointe Woods City Hall. While dropping off some tenant/landlord pamphlets to Grosse Pointe Municipal Court, Court Clerk Marilyn Robbins gave me an impromptu tour of Grosse Pointe Woods City Hall and introduced me to administration including the city manager, parks and recreation director and public safety director. GPW is celebrating its 75th birthday this year, and the pride shows.

Connecting with Detroit constituents. And I had a blast meeting up with Detroit constituents at Bogartz for pizza and drinks and great conversation. Thanks, EEV and Morningside, for the invitation to connect!

Addressing PFAS and microplastics. As a member of the Great Lakes Legislative Caucus, I was fortunate to attend the Birkholz Institute conference in Milwaukee regarding PFAS and microplastics. I’m currently working with colleagues on a package of bills addressing microplastics and health.

Honoring Harper Woods’ Vietnam veterans. I attended the annual Memorial Day ceremony in Harper Woods and was honored to speak about the loss of Harper Woods residents who died while fighting in Vietnam. I was able to find their names on the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C., while there in the spring. It’s very moving and sobering.

Speaking out against hate. Perhaps most serious and disturbing was the presentation of House Joint Resolution B of 2025, regarding elections. While all legislation may be arguable, I and many of my colleagues – including some across the aisle  — including some across the aisle — found a singular representative’s speech in support of the resolution to be nothing short of reprehensible, racist anti-immigrant (he named Asia, Africa and Latin America), and worse. Consequently, many of us took part in a press conference in response.

Denouncing Hate press conference, May 2025. 

Representing all District 10 residents. I am a granddaughter of an immigrant from Mexico. The U.S. is built by immigrants, and Michigan is built by immigrants. Generation after generation, people have come from around the world to Michigan to set down roots, to build and enrich our communities, work to diversify our economies and our cultures. I believe state representatives are elected to represent everyone who lives in their district; it doesn’t matter how you got here, if you live in a house or a car or on the street. I don’t pick and choose who I represent, and you can count on me to represent everyone who lives in HD-10.

▸ HB 4250: Right to Read

▸ HB 4252: Labeling of blister packaged medicines

▸ HB 4253: Labor – accrued time payout

▸ HB 4294: Labor – fair paycheck workplace certificates for state contractors

▸ HB 4460: Environment – bond funding for water infrastructure and clean drinking water

To find a bill and its sponsor, check the Michigan Legislature website or visit my website, RepPaiz.com, to see bills and resolutions I’ve sponsored or co-sponsored.

I love to honor and celebrate the many people, organizations and businesses that make House District 10 unique. Official state tributes recognize local residents and businesses, commemorate important milestones such as anniversaries, grand openings, championships and more! Know someone deserving of a tribute?

Click the button below or visit my House website to complete a form and my staff will get back to you within the week.