Dear Neighbor,
Welcome to our May e-newsletter!
Included in this edition are some important legislative updates, community events and other resources I hope will be helpful to you. Please do not hesitate to reach out to my office by telephone at (517) 373-0820 or by email at FeliciaBrabec@house.mi.gov for questions about these or any other state-level issues.
In service,
Felicia A. Brabec
State Representative
Michigan’s 33rd House District
May Coffee Hour
Please join me for our next Coffee Hour! This is an opportunity to chat, ask me questions and share how I can best represent you in Lansing. I will be hosting my Coffee Hour in-person at Brewed Awakenings Cafe (7025 E. Michigan Ave.) this Saturday, May 25, from 1-2 p.m. We hope to see you there!
Legislative Updates
Emergency Services Authority Bill Passes in the Senate
I’m thrilled to share that last week, the Senate unanimously passed my bill (HB 4360) to allow cities and townships to determine the territory under an emergency service authority’s jurisdiction. While this legislation covers all emergency services, like police and EMS, this policy idea arose from issues with our district’s local fire department authority. I’ve worked very closely with Saline Mayor Brian Marl on this legislation and also with Saline Area Fire Department Chief Jason Sperle, who brought the following issue to my attention.
In our district, Saline is home to a multi-municipal fire department that serves Saline, Lodi and the northern end of York Township, while the southern end of York Township is served by the Milan Fire Department. This split in York’s coverage is simply due to having the fastest response times, which is incredibly important in the case of an emergency, especially in more rural areas like York. The issue comes about when we look at fire authorities and funding. Currently, under state law, the Saline Fire Department is not allowed to become a fire authority in York Township without serving that township in full. That means the fire department’s increased funding needs within the fire authority would be applied to the entirety of York township, even though they only serve half of it.
My bill will allow multi-municipal emergency services departments to become an authority of a township without serving that township in full, while only increasing funding from communities that they provide service to. I am so proud of all the work we’ve done on HB 4360 and the incredible bipartisan support it has received in both chambers of the Legislature.
Telehealth Bills Pass in the Senate
This month, the Michigan Senate passed House Bills 4131 (Liberati), 4213 (Morse), 4579 (Price) and 4580 (Brabec) nearly unanimously with only one senator voting against the bills. Also known as the telemedicine parity bill package, this bipartisan legislation would provide payment uniformity for telehealth services, as well as provide increased protections for telemedicine access.
In short, this legislation would require Medicaid and private insurers to reimburse providers for telemedicine visits at the same rate as traditional in-person visits. Under the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), Medicaid and private insurers were given more flexibility to expand telemedicine coverage. When the federal government ended the PHE last spring, it put access to telemedicine at risk.
The use of telemedicine has skyrocketed over the past few years, and it’s absolutely crucial that we maintain telehealth coverage for Michigan patients. In my experience using telemedicine in my own practice as a clinical psychologist, I know that these bills are a game-changer, not only for physicians and behavioral health workers, but for folks who rely on regular outpatient care to manage their chronic or mental health conditions. If Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signs it into law, this legislation will ensure that insurers will continue to cover telemedicine as an option to help maintain the best access possible for the people of Michigan.
House Passes Occupational and Physical Therapy Licensure Compacts
Earlier this month, the Physical Therapy Licensure Compact (PTLC) (HBs 4504 & 4505) and the Occupational Therapy Licensure Compact (OTLC) (HBs 4169 & 4170) passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in the Michigan House. Both bill packages, which I’m proud to co-sponsor with several of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, have now been referred to the Senate Health Policy Committee for consideration.
This legislation takes a huge step toward enhancing the practice and accessibility of physical and occupational therapy across state lines. If these bills become law, occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, physical therapists and physical therapist assistants licensed in one compact-member state will be allowed to practice in other member states without the need for multiple licenses. If I represented you in the House during the 2021-22 legislative session, you may remember my bipartisan Psychological Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT) legislation (PAs 254 & 255 of 2022) that similarly facilitates the practice of psychology across state lines by allowing for telepsychological communications from providers to patients in separate states.
The PTLC and OTLC facilitate the interstate practice of physical and occupational therapy with the goal of improving access, while ensuring that people continue to receive timely, effective and overall high-quality care. The compacts support military families by allowing military personnel and their spouses to retain their home state license when stationed in any state that is a member of either compact, while also helping to meet the growing workforce needs in these professions.
Community Resources & Events
African American Downtown Festival
Visit downtown Ann Arbor on Saturday, June 1, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. for the 27th annual Ann Arbor African American Festival! This FREE event will take place in the heart of Downtown Ann Arbor at East Ann Street and North Main Street.
Ann Arbor’s African American Festival was started nearly 30 years ago by Lucille Hall Porter, who was also the founder and director of the Community Leaning Post, a nonprofit organization that helped disadvantaged youth and families. The festival was organized to help remember the contributions of those black business leaders and is held in Ann Arbor’s Historic Black Business District.
This year’s event will feature live band performances in jazz, pop and dance music; mascot characters will also be present to keep spirits high. Everyone is welcome to come celebrate diversity and enjoy the Festival!
Juneteenth Freedom Day Celebrations
The Ann Arbor NAACP is hosting its 29th annual Juneteenth Celebration & Community Unity Walk on Saturday, June 15. The walk will begin at 10 a.m. at Fuller Park (1519 Fuller Road), and the celebration will be held from noon to 6 p.m. at Wheeler Park (200 Depot St.) The event will feature great food, entertainment, youth activities, cake walks and even FREE parking. For more information about the Ann Arbor NAACP’s Juneteenth celebration call (734) 761-9084.
Next, the Saline District Library is hosting an event to honor Juneteenth on Wednesday, June 19, from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Join Brandan Freeman (Founder of “Shades of the Outdoors: A BIPOC Outdoor Enthusiast Community”) as he discusses how the outdoors was structured to exclude people of color and presents the illustration of BIPOC engagement with the outdoors as a continuation of the march toward Civil Rights. Refreshments and lawn games will also be provided, and the event is open to all ages.
Finally, Downtown Ypsilanti will be celebrating Juneteenth with a three-day event on June 21 (6-10 p.m.), June 22 (11:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.) and June 23 (11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.) in the South Huron parking lot (107 Ferris St.) More information can be found on the event’s Facebook page.
Pride Festivities
Our neighbors in Milan and Ypsilanti are hosting two Pride celebrations this June. The 2024 Milan Pride Parade will be held on Saturday, June 8, from 4-5 p.m. beginning in the parking lot adjacent to Tolan Square, and Ypsi Pride 2024 will be held on Friday, June 7, from 5-10 p.m. in Depot Town.
Additionally, the city of Saline Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (“Saline Supports”) is hosting its 4th annual Pride Picnic at Mill Pond Park on Sunday, June 30, from 12:30-2:30 p.m. Each of these events offer great opportunities for the public, alongside local businesses and organizations, to support inclusion and the local LGBTQ+ community!
Blaze & Blue Camp for Young Women
The city of Ann Arbor has teamed up with the Ann Arbor Fire and Police departments to provide a FREE, hands-on program for teen girls ages 15-18 with the goal of exposing the next generation of women to careers in public safety. Participants of the Blaze & Blue Camp will experience the most challenging and exciting tasks in firefighting, first response and law enforcement in a supportive, educational and interactive environment. Joining the participants will be many of the women who work in these roles and are actively breaking down barriers and stereotypes in these non-traditional career fields.
This four-day camp will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. from June 24-27. Camp space is limited, and priority will be given to Ann Arbor residents. Lunch is provided daily, and participants will receive a complimentary Blaze & Blue t-shirt. Click here to register!
MI Money Matters Provides Michiganders with a Virtual Tutor for Financial Empowerment
Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II recently announced the launch of “MI Money Matters,” a free financial empowerment platform for all state residents and beyond.
Powered by Enrich — a personal finance program endorsed by the National Association of State Treasurers — MI Money Matters is a free virtual money tutor that features dynamic tools, courses, articles and videos that deliver a highly personalized and interactive experience, which also includes a financial behavior assessment that analyzes each user’s financial “personality.”
According to Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services Global Financial Literacy Survey, only 57% of adults in the U.S. are considered financially empowered. While 100% of Americans are making decisions with financial impact, only about half are equipped to do so. With participation in MI Money Matters, individuals will gain valuable personal finance insight on topics that include:
- Financial education courses with personalized action plans on topics including budgeting, mortgages, health care, college savings, student loan repayment, banking, credit, financial planning, long-term care and more.
- Retirement and home affordability analyzers.
- A suite of student loans and higher education tools.
- Personal finance calculators and a real-time budget tool.
To learn more and get started with the MI Money Matters, go to www.michigan.gov/mimoneymatters.
Saline Summer Kickoff Food Truck Festival
This year, the Saline Food Truck Festival has teamed up with Saline Area Social Service (SASS) to combine the Festival with the Saline Summer Kickoff and Saline Pop-Up Market into one huge community event on Saturday, June 15, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Washtenaw Farm Council Fairgrounds (5055 Ann Arbor-Saline Road).
In addition to 20+ food trucks that cater to a variety of dietary preferences and restrictions, the festival will also feature kids’ games and crafts, bounce houses, putt-putt, a pop-up market and more.
