State Representative
Julie Brixie
Okemos | 73rd House District
Serving 91,543 constituents in Locke Township, Leroy Township, White Oak Township, Stockbridge Township, Bunker Hill Township, Ingham Township, Wheatfield Township, Williamston, south Meridian Township, south East Lansing, Alaiedon Township, Mason, Vevay Township, Leslie, Leslie Township, Onondaga Township, Aurelius Township
juliebrixie@house.mi.gov
(517) 373-0218
Office: N-1092 House Office Building
Stay Connected with
Julie Brixie
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Stay Connected with
Julie Brixie
Some highlights of the week:
- Showing MSU AGEP students around the Capitol.
- Visiting with my co-chair of the Bipartisan Women's Caucus, Rep. Nancy DeBoer.
- Mascot Day at the Capitol, one of my favorite events, during which we are visited by mascots of community colleges across our state.
Today in the Economic Competitiveness Committee, we heard from Dawn Crandall with the Michigan Homebuilders Association about the rising cost of building a home in Michigan. I asked whether the tariffs will make costs go up even higher. Her response should have us all concerned as we struggle to increase our access to affordable housing in our state and across the nation.
Yesterday, I participated in a press conference with Physician's Assistants across our state in support of Rep. Prestin's bipartisan bill to enter Michigan into the PA Licensure Compact which allows PAs to cross state lines without additional fees and licensure burden.
Our state and nation are facing a care shortage - by 2028, it’s estimated we’ll be short some 100,000 critical health care workers.
These bills help mitigate that shortage by allowing PAs to cross state lines to deliver care and easing access to telehealth.
Just last week, I met with members of the Ingham County Health Department. They warned me that they're concerned about federal funding grant freezes on their work, particularly the Trump Administration's recent decision to pull back $11.4 billion in Covid-19 related funds for state and local health departments.
This money was mostly used to provide immunizations and infection relief. While we may no longer be living in an active pandemic, Covid-19 continues to infect and kill Americans. There is no reason to take away tools that were already granted to help us fight infectious disease.
And this is just one more example of why. Many in my community are now fearful for their vulnerable family members over the measles outbreak in Ingham County.
Measles confirmed in Ingham County baby
www.wilx.com
It’s the first case in the county in over 30 years.
For two years, I chaired the House Appropriations Committee for Agriculture. I was able to advocate for programs that benefitted both farmers and out communities - ensuring that people had access to healthy, locally grown food.
Today, I learned that the Greater Lansing Food Bank has realized a loss of $235,000 from federal funding cuts and that the Trump Administration ended the Local Food Purchasing Agreement, which purchases food directly from local farmers for food banks and school. The program feeds approximately 10,000 people in our region alone.
This is horribly detrimental to Michigan. Keeping families fed means ensuring Michiganders can work, learn and pursue opportunities that will help them thrive, instead of just survive.
Since Democrats no longer have control of the Michigan House, I no longer Chair the Agriculture budget, but please be assured that I will do everything I can to advocate for anti-hunger programs anyway. Michigan Republicans have already passed a budget that cut 92% of our state budget and eliminated the Free Breakfast and Lunch program for every student, but there's still plenty of time for them to return to the table and work with us on a budget that gives support to Michigan families now that they need it more than ever.
USDA cancels $1B in local food purchasing for schools, food banks
www.politico.com
States have been notified that they will not receive 2025 funding for schools to buy food from nearby farms.
Tax Day is April 15! Here's a throwback to my days as Treasurer riding around on the Tax Taxi.
Things are a little different from those days thanks to some important policies the Democrats passed. We repealed the pension tax over a four-year phase-in. This year, most eligible taxpayers will deduct 75% and next year the full amount.
We also quintupled the Earned Income Tax Credit for working families. This ensures that we can give struggling families trying their hardest to get ahead a necessary boost during challenging times.
File before April 15th to avoid late penalties and interest!
Here are two FREE training programs that provide Michiganders with skill training and apprenticeship placement in Building and Construction Trades through the Michigan Workforce Development Institute.
Program eligibility requirements include:
• Must be 18 years or older
• Must be a Michigan resident
• Valid driver’s license* and reliable transportation
• High school diploma/GED
• Social security card
• Birth certificate
• Updated Resume
*Reinstatement assistance available
Training components include:
Certifications:
• OSHA – 30
• First Aid / CPR / AED
• Lead, Asbestos, Silica
• Multi-Craft Curriculum (MC3)
In addition to:
• Essential employment skills
• Construction math
• Construction-site work experience and networking opportunities
• Blueprint reading
• Computers & the trades
• Financial literacy
• Industry awareness
• Labor history
• Diversity & cultural awareness
Access for All:
Runs for 9 weeks. Starting May 5th, there are 11 different training locations throughout the State. It will be from 8:30am to 3pm Monday through Friday, online and in person. Students will receive a stipend of $200 per week and $50 per week for gas while in the program.
WIST:
Runs for 16 weeks, and the next cohort will start in September 2025. It takes place from 6pm to 9pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays and Saturdays from 8am to 2pm. Students will receive a stipend of $100 per week and $25 per week for gas while in the program. Child care payments are available.
Link in comments for more info!
I'm hosting a happy hour at Boss Cider on Friday, April 25th. Kick off your weekend with an update from me about everything going on in Lansing and nationally. Bring any questions or concerns you have and we'll discuss over delicious cider!
As always, if you can't make this event, look out for additional opportunities coming soon.
This content isn't available right now
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.
Some of the Democratic legislation we passed last year goes into effect today! I'm proud of the work we did to enact these laws and make lives better for Michiganders.
We:
- Extended unemployment benefits from 26 weeks, up from 20. This makes our unemployment benefits comparable to other states and ensures that our workers in seasonal jobs that have frequent temporary layoffs, like construction, continue to live and work in our state instead of moving to neighboring states with more forgiving unemployment.
- Decriminalized IVF and surrogacy in Michigan law to ensure parents have legal protections while growing their families.
-Prohibited renters from turning away tenants based on their income source to ensure more Michiganders can access affordable housing.
- Extended the statute of limitations for criminal sexual conduct and made sextortion a crime to better protect children from sexual crimes and ensure they have pathways to access legal recourse.
- Required all kids be secured in appropriate car seats while on the road. Vehicle crashes are the #1 cause of death for young children and this law is expected to reduce the risk of death in a crash by 50%. You can learn more about the new requirements at Michigan.gov/CarSeats.
Our bills providing better benefits for corrections workers, teachers and other crucial public servants should have gone into effect today as well, but they're being held hostage by House Republicans, who refuse to let our clerks transmit the bills to the Governor.
The Courts have already weighed in and affirmed that the House has a constitutional duty to hand the bills over to the Governor to be signed into law, but House Republicans have appealed. I remain hopeful that the Court of Appeals will force them to do the right thing and pass these important protections for Michigan workers into law.
FOLLOW FOR MORE
Julie Brixie IN THE NEWS
House Dems Re-Introduce Government Transparency Bills, Hold Press Conference on BRITE Package
Democratic legislators advocate for greater government accountability standards LANSING, Mich., March 19, 2025 — Democratic sponsors of the Bringing [...]
Brixie on State of the State Address
LANSING, Mich., Feb. 26, 2025 — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer delivered her seventh State of the State Address before a joint [...]
Brixie Honors MSU Community on Anniversary of Campus Shooting
LANSING, Mich., Feb. 13, 2025 — Today marks two years since the tragic shooting on Michigan State University’s campus that [...]
Some highlights of the week:
- Showing MSU AGEP students around the Capitol.
- Visiting with my co-chair of the Bipartisan Women's Caucus, Rep. Nancy DeBoer.
- Mascot Day at the Capitol, one of my favorite events, during which we are visited by mascots of community colleges across our state. ... See MoreSee Less
Today in the Economic Competitiveness Committee, we heard from Dawn Crandall with the Michigan Homebuilders Association about the rising cost of building a home in Michigan. I asked whether the tariffs will make costs go up even higher. Her response should have us all concerned as we struggle to increase our access to affordable housing in our state and across the nation. ... See MoreSee Less
Yesterday, I participated in a press conference with Physician's Assistants across our state in support of Rep. Prestin's bipartisan bill to enter Michigan into the PA Licensure Compact which allows PAs to cross state lines without additional fees and licensure burden.
Our state and nation are facing a care shortage - by 2028, it’s estimated we’ll be short some 100,000 critical health care workers.
These bills help mitigate that shortage by allowing PAs to cross state lines to deliver care and easing access to telehealth. ... See MoreSee Less
Just last week, I met with members of the Ingham County Health Department. They warned me that they're concerned about federal funding grant freezes on their work, particularly the Trump Administration's recent decision to pull back $11.4 billion in Covid-19 related funds for state and local health departments.
This money was mostly used to provide immunizations and infection relief. While we may no longer be living in an active pandemic, Covid-19 continues to infect and kill Americans. There is no reason to take away tools that were already granted to help us fight infectious disease.
And this is just one more example of why. Many in my community are now fearful for their vulnerable family members over the measles outbreak in Ingham County. ... See MoreSee Less
Measles confirmed in Ingham County baby
www.wilx.com
It’s the first case in the county in over 30 years.For two years, I chaired the House Appropriations Committee for Agriculture. I was able to advocate for programs that benefitted both farmers and out communities - ensuring that people had access to healthy, locally grown food.
Today, I learned that the Greater Lansing Food Bank has realized a loss of $235,000 from federal funding cuts and that the Trump Administration ended the Local Food Purchasing Agreement, which purchases food directly from local farmers for food banks and school. The program feeds approximately 10,000 people in our region alone.
This is horribly detrimental to Michigan. Keeping families fed means ensuring Michiganders can work, learn and pursue opportunities that will help them thrive, instead of just survive.
Since Democrats no longer have control of the Michigan House, I no longer Chair the Agriculture budget, but please be assured that I will do everything I can to advocate for anti-hunger programs anyway. Michigan Republicans have already passed a budget that cut 92% of our state budget and eliminated the Free Breakfast and Lunch program for every student, but there's still plenty of time for them to return to the table and work with us on a budget that gives support to Michigan families now that they need it more than ever. ... See MoreSee Less
USDA cancels $1B in local food purchasing for schools, food banks
www.politico.com
States have been notified that they will not receive 2025 funding for schools to buy food from nearby farms.Tax Day is April 15! Here's a throwback to my days as Treasurer riding around on the Tax Taxi.
Things are a little different from those days thanks to some important policies the Democrats passed. We repealed the pension tax over a four-year phase-in. This year, most eligible taxpayers will deduct 75% and next year the full amount.
We also quintupled the Earned Income Tax Credit for working families. This ensures that we can give struggling families trying their hardest to get ahead a necessary boost during challenging times.
File before April 15th to avoid late penalties and interest! ... See MoreSee Less
Here are two FREE training programs that provide Michiganders with skill training and apprenticeship placement in Building and Construction Trades through the Michigan Workforce Development Institute.
Program eligibility requirements include:
• Must be 18 years or older
• Must be a Michigan resident
• Valid driver’s license* and reliable transportation
• High school diploma/GED
• Social security card
• Birth certificate
• Updated Resume
*Reinstatement assistance available
Training components include:
Certifications:
• OSHA – 30
• First Aid / CPR / AED
• Lead, Asbestos, Silica
• Multi-Craft Curriculum (MC3)
In addition to:
• Essential employment skills
• Construction math
• Construction-site work experience and networking opportunities
• Blueprint reading
• Computers & the trades
• Financial literacy
• Industry awareness
• Labor history
• Diversity & cultural awareness
Access for All:
Runs for 9 weeks. Starting May 5th, there are 11 different training locations throughout the State. It will be from 8:30am to 3pm Monday through Friday, online and in person. Students will receive a stipend of $200 per week and $50 per week for gas while in the program.
WIST:
Runs for 16 weeks, and the next cohort will start in September 2025. It takes place from 6pm to 9pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays and Saturdays from 8am to 2pm. Students will receive a stipend of $100 per week and $25 per week for gas while in the program. Child care payments are available.
Link in comments for more info! ... See MoreSee Less
I'm hosting a happy hour at Boss Cider on Friday, April 25th. Kick off your weekend with an update from me about everything going on in Lansing and nationally. Bring any questions or concerns you have and we'll discuss over delicious cider!
As always, if you can't make this event, look out for additional opportunities coming soon. ... See MoreSee Less
This content isn't available right now
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.Some of the Democratic legislation we passed last year goes into effect today! I'm proud of the work we did to enact these laws and make lives better for Michiganders.
We:
- Extended unemployment benefits from 26 weeks, up from 20. This makes our unemployment benefits comparable to other states and ensures that our workers in seasonal jobs that have frequent temporary layoffs, like construction, continue to live and work in our state instead of moving to neighboring states with more forgiving unemployment.
- Decriminalized IVF and surrogacy in Michigan law to ensure parents have legal protections while growing their families.
-Prohibited renters from turning away tenants based on their income source to ensure more Michiganders can access affordable housing.
- Extended the statute of limitations for criminal sexual conduct and made sextortion a crime to better protect children from sexual crimes and ensure they have pathways to access legal recourse.
- Required all kids be secured in appropriate car seats while on the road. Vehicle crashes are the #1 cause of death for young children and this law is expected to reduce the risk of death in a crash by 50%. You can learn more about the new requirements at Michigan.gov/CarSeats.
Our bills providing better benefits for corrections workers, teachers and other crucial public servants should have gone into effect today as well, but they're being held hostage by House Republicans, who refuse to let our clerks transmit the bills to the Governor.
The Courts have already weighed in and affirmed that the House has a constitutional duty to hand the bills over to the Governor to be signed into law, but House Republicans have appealed. I remain hopeful that the Court of Appeals will force them to do the right thing and pass these important protections for Michigan workers into law. ... See MoreSee Less