NEGAUNEE, Mich., Jan. 13, 2023 — State Rep. Jenn Hill (D-Marquette) held a press conference, with over 60 guests, at the United Carpenters and Millwrights Skilled Training Center in Negaunee to highlight the significance of Michigan House Democrats’ priorities for the Upper Peninsula.
“We are delivering on the issues people care about,” Hill said. “Democrats, independents and Republicans want to see our freedoms preserved, workers protected and taxes cut. These are the common-sense issues we will address this term.”
Legislation in the Democratic package would:
- Repeal the retirement tax (House Bill 4001).
- Enable workers to keep more of their hard-earned dollars through an increased working families tax credit (HB 4002).
- Expand Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to include anti-discrimination protections for sexual orientation and gender identity (HB 4003).
- Restore workers’ rights by repealing the so-called “right-to-work” policy (HB 4004 and 4005).
- Repeal Michigan’s 1931 statute that criminalizes abortion care (4006).
- Restore the state’s prevailing wage law (HB 4007).
Hill made the case for several policies’ special relevance to the U.P. The repeal of the retirement tax will especially benefit the aging population of some towns in the Upper Peninsula. Union workers will benefit from stronger worker protections. LGBTQ+ yoopers will be guaranteed the right to live as their full and authentic selves under an expanded Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act. The repeal of the abortion ban will guarantee that women have the right to make critical health decisions with their medical providers. Hill noted that the 109th House District, which she now represents, voted overwhelmingly to repeal Michigan’s outdated abortion ban.
“These policies work for our entire state, from the Keweenaw Peninsula down to metro Detroit,” Hill said. “As the new state representative for the 109th House District, I will make sure that the U.P. always has a seat at the table.”