January Capitol and Community Updates

Dear Neighbor,

Welcome to this month’s Capitol and Community Updates!

Please encourage your neighbors and friends in House District 56 — Troy, Clawson, Royal Oak, Birmingham and Bloomfield Township — to sign up for these updates at RepMacDonell.com. Let us know if you have any thoughts on state-level issues or want to meet with me. Reach out to us by phone at (517) 373-2617 or by email at [email protected].

I can also be found on Facebook, Instagram, X and Bluesky. I would be happy to hear from and work with you to make our community a better place!

In service,

In this newsletter, you will learn about:

• My upcoming Community Conversation in Troy – Feb. 9
• The status of grants canceled by the House Appropriations Committee
• My bill to support parents of children with autism
• Submissions for my Small Business and Nonprofit of the Month awards

Please join me early next month for a Community Conversation at the Troy Community Center. Events like these are a great way for you to learn about your state government and share your thoughts with me. I’m excited to take your questions and update you on the legislature’s plans for 2026.

When: Monday, Feb. 9, from 6-7 p.m. 

Where: Troy Community Center, 3178 Livernois Road, Troy, MI 48083

Last month, I was proud to attend the Troy City Council meeting for a presentation by the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) announcing the award of a transportation infrastructure grant of approximately $1.3 million to the City of Troy. This funding will support the construction of a new bike and pedestrian route connecting Wattles and Long Lake Roads.

The following are highlights from my recent work in the Legislature. All the sponsored and cosponsored legislation I work on this term will be available online later. All my legislation from my first term is still available online. Additionally, you can see my press releases page for additional updates.

For over ten years, the Autism Alliance of Michigan ran a program that helped parents of children with autism find appropriate services for their kids. Called the Navigator Program, it received a modest yearly grant from the state to help them assist thousands of parents a year. But as part of this fiscal year’s budget negotiations, for reasons unknown to me, the Navigator Program’s funding was eliminated. As a result, this program is now subject to lengthier delays, effectively being gutted. This decision will only make it more difficult for parents to enroll their children in the services they need and are entitled to.

Legislators in both parties were outraged by this decision, and I am proud to help lead the charge for the full restoration of the Navigator Program’s funds. I am the sponsor of House Bill 5429 which would restore the program’s funding without having to wait until the signing of next fiscal year’s budget. The bill was sponsored by members of both parties, and I am confident that the Legislature and Governor will do the right thing and resume state support for this vital service.

While electricity prices are rising across the country, Michigan’s utilities continue to charge their consumers exorbitant prices in exchange for the lowest quality of service compared to similar states. I believe that this is because our utilities are not truly incentivized, under current law, to invest in reliability and improve their performance.

But earlier this year, fellow House Democrats and I introduced legislation to change this. Our legislation would prevent ratepayer dollars from paying for CEO bonuses and private jets, increase homeowners’ compensation for power outages, ban political contributions from energy utilities and more. The time is long overdue for ratepayers to get their money’s worth and for the Legislature to hold our utilities accountable.

As you may know, last month all but one Republican member of the House Appropriations Committee voted to cut $645 million in funding for ongoing, multiyear state projects, also called “work projects.” Programs affected by this cut included services for child survivors of sexual assault, funding for Wigs 4 Kids to pay for wigs for children battling cancer and cash aid for low-income expectant and new mothers.

And in our community, the cuts may have included a grant of roughly $400,000 for the Troy Historic Village and $1 million I’d secured for water main repair in Clawson.

It can be hard to follow the many developments in this case, so I’ve provided a brief timeline here:

• Dec. 10, 2025: Republican members of the House Appropriations Committee reject $645 million in proposed work projects for Fiscal Year 2025-26
• Dec. 16, 2025: Senate Democrats pass legislation that would restore most of the cuts. Senator Sarah Anthony requests the Michigan Attorney General’s opinion on the constitutionality of the cuts
• Jan. 7, 2026: Attorney General Dana Nessel issued a legal opinion concluding that the disapproval mechanism used by the House Republicans to claw back the funding was unconstitutional
• Jan. 9, 2026: The Republican-led House of Representatives appeals the Attorney General’s opinion, suing 31 state departments, agencies and agency heads in the Michigan Court of Claims to stop them from spending the $645 million
• Jan. 16, 2026: Judge Michael Gadola of the Court of Claims issues a preliminary injunction in favor of the House, instructing the state not to spend any of the $645 million that was not encumbered by Sept. 15, 2025.

I am currently seeking clarity on whether the funds dedicated for the Troy Historic Village and Clawson water infrastructure are among the funds that the state has been barred from spending. If I learn that they are, then I will make re-securing these grants my top priority for the remainder of this legislative term.

Late last year, I had the honor of celebrating the Michigan Cricket Association USA’s 25th anniversary. Thank you for promoting this wonderful sport that so many members of our community enjoy, and here’s to another 25 years! 

Congratulations to my most recent Small Business of the Month: Lukich’s Family Dining in Troy!

Each month, I recognize a small business in the community as our Small Business of the Month. To nominate your favorite business for this recognition, please fill click on the button below:

Know a nonprofit in our community that’s doing great work? Nominate them to be my office’s Nonprofit of the Month! Click the button below to get started:

I am also excited to recognize a Teacher of the Month! Teachers are the backbone of this nation, and our district has the BEST! Please fill out the following form to recognize a Teacher of the Month:

Do you know someone in the district who is retiring and would like a legislative tribute to celebrate their years of service? Has a local team or group reached a milestone that they would like to be acknowledged with an official certificate for each member? Our office can provide legislative tributes, letters and certificates on a wide range of recognitions for constituents.

If you would like to request any of these materials for yourself or others, please email my office at [email protected] with as much information as possible on the requested recognition, and we will work with you to arrange delivery or presentation of the recognition!