House Democrats Applaud Another Huge Step Forward for Accessible Reproductive Health Care
Newly announced MDDHS initiative provides free contraceptives LANSING, Mich., Oct. 23, 2024 — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, alongside the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), announced the “Take Control of Your Birth Control” campaign today that will expand access to reproductive health care. This expansion ensures Michiganders can access free contraceptives while supplies last. “Michigan Democrats have stood on the side of reproductive freedom and individual choice about family planning for decades — not just when it's politically [...]
Dievendorf’s Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act Passes Senate
LANSING, Mich., Oct. 8, 2024 — State Rep. Emily Dievendorf’s (D-Lansing) House Bill 4924 passed the Senate today unanimously with bipartisan support. This legislation creates the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act, which will provide additional protections to heirs who inherit property as a tenant-in-common. “This legislation will keep family properties from being forcibly sold. Many low- to middle-income families have lost property and property-related wealth over these tenants in common agreements,” Dievendorf said. “This legislation helps family properties remain in the hands of relatives for [...]
Dievendorf to Deliver AED to Sexton High School Friday
State Rep. Emily Dievendorf (D-Lansing) delivers a speech on the House floor in the Capitol building in Lansing on March 6, 2024. LANSING, Mich., Sept. 5, 2024 — State Rep. Emily Dievendorf (D-Lansing) will present a new automated external defibrillator (AED) to Sexton High School at halftime during the school's football game against Lansing Catholic on Friday. Recently signed legislation ensures schools maintain AEDs and make them accessible within one to three minutes during a cardiac emergency. In celebration of [...]
LGBTQ+ Caucus Responds to New Title IX Regulations
Members of the LGBTQ+ Caucus at the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing, June 12, 2024 LANSING, Mich., Aug 2, 2024 — Earlier this week, new Title IX regulations were imposed by the U.S. District Court in Kansas. These regulations strip more than 100+ Michigan public schools of the expanded Title IX protections for LGBTQ+ and pregnant students. The court ruled that the Title IX protections cannot be enforced at schools attended by the children of certain conservative organization members, including [...]
RELEASE: Michigan Dems Stand with LGBTQ+ Michiganders
House Passes Pride Month Resolution Members of the LGBTQ+ Caucus at the Michigan Capitol Building in Lansing, June 12, 2024 LANSING, Mich., June 12, 2024 — Speaker Pro Tempore Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia) presented House Resolution 279 declares June 2024 as Pride Month in the state of Michigan, celebrating the contributions of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) people to Michigan Historically, Michigan Democrats have made passing a Pride resolution a priority to underscore support for LGBTQ+ communities across [...]
House Dems Ring in Women’s History Month
Former Michigan Gov. Albert E. Sleeper signs the states suffrage bill surrounded by suffragists on June 10, 1919. From left, state Sen. Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing), Senate staffer, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, House Speaker Pro Tempore Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia) and Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) look on as Whitmer signs the last Reproductive Health Act bill into law on Dec. 11, 2023, on the Senate floor at the Capitol in Lansing. Legislators honor past while signaling [...]
Dievendorf on State of the State Address
Lansing lawmaker shares priorities on housing, inequality State Rep. Emily Dievendorf (D-Lansing) was joined by advocate for the homeless, Mike Karl, at the Michigan Capitol on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024. LANSING, Mich., Jan. 24, 2024 — Before a joint legislative session today, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer delivered this year’s State of the State address. In her speech, the governor discussed her agenda for the new term, which includes lowering costs for Michiganders, expanding educational opportunities and strengthening the state’s economy. State Rep. [...]
Democratic Legislation Empowers Regulators to Better Protect Michigan Water
LANSING, Mich, Jan. 18, 2024 — House Democrats are addressing critical gaps in water protection regulations with a bill receiving a hearing today in the House Committee on Natural Resources, Environment, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation. House Bill 5205 would nix a rule that’s been crippling the ability of Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) to keep people safe from hazardous pollutants. The rule prevents EGLE from using any new scientific knowledge since 2006 to keep our environment and water [...]
Dievendorf Champions Protection of Heirs’ Property Rights
LANSING, Mich, Jan. 17, 2024 — Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee are addressing unfair property inheritance laws with House Bill 4924. This bill addresses real property laws that allow non-family members to acquire an interest in property. The legislation aims to solve this problem while preserving a co-tenant’s right to sell their share of property. It provides due process for tenants-in-common and ensures a fair sale supervised by the court for equitable distribution of proceeds. This initiative is designed to [...]
Michigan Democrats Make Elections More Accessible, Secure
LANSING, Mich., Nov. 30, 2023 — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer solidified Michigan’s commitment to ensuring accessible and secure elections with the signing of several key election and voter rights related bills today. The legislation focuses on enhancing Michigan’s democracy, such as increasing access to voting and safeguarding the integrity of state election campaigning rules. ”Among the legislation signed today was a bill package sponsored by state Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou (D-East Lansing), chair of the House Committee on Elections, along with state Reps. Phil Skaggs (D-East Grand Rapids), [...]
House Passes Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Juvenile Justice System
Bills improve children’s lives, maintain public safety LANSING, Mich., Oct. 17, 2023 — The Michigan House of Representatives passed bills to make the juvenile justice system in Michigan more effective and fair. These bills were informed by the recommendations from the bipartisan Juvenile Justice Task Force in 2021. The legislation within this package focuses on six issue areas: to enhance the Child Care Fund; to provide juveniles with legal counsel; to expand the Juvenile Diversion Act; to require each juvenile [...]
Dievendorf Responds to SCOTUS Decisions
LANSING, Mich., June 30, 2023 — The U.S. Supreme Court handed down the last of its decisions of the term this week, strengthening the rights of anti-LGBTQ+ businesses to discriminate, overturning affirmative action and blocking student loan forgiveness. State Rep. Emily Dievendorf (D-Lansing) issued the following statement on the court’s rulings: “Corrupt MAGA justices on the Supreme Court are taking our country backward. While legacy admissions for wealthy Ivy League graduates remain legal, affirmative action — an imperfect but invaluable [...]
Activists, Advocates Rally for Transgender Day of Visibility
From left to right: Grace Bacon, Susan Crocker, Rachel Crandall Crocker and state Rep. Emily Dievendorf (D-Lansing) celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility at the Avenue Café in Lansing on March 31, 2023. LANSING, Mich., April 6, 2023 — Activists and advocates rallied at the Capitol steps on March 31 to celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility. “Transgender Day of Visibility was founded in 2009 by my friend Rachel Crandall Crocker, a social worker, when she saw the need for [...]
House Democrats Secure Rights for LGBTQ+ Community
Legislation adds sexual orientation, gender identity to civil rights law LANSING, Mich., March 8, 2023 — The Michigan House of Representatives passed landmark legislation today adding protections for LGBTQ+ Michiganders to the state’s civil rights law. House Bill 4003 and its companion Senate Bill 4 expand the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act (ELCRA) as a response to overwhelming public support for protections for all citizens of the state to live freely as their full, authentic selves. “It is a new day [...]