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Dear Neighbor, Happy New Year! Here is some information that I hope you will find helpful, including news and resources from your state government. |
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💡Upcoming Event: Our Energy Bills Are Too High Town Hall
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Please join me Wednesday, Jan. 28, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. for Our Energy Bills Are Too High Town Hall at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lansing, 5509 S. Pennsylvania Ave., in Lansing. I will be joined by special guests who are advocates and experts on energy costs. We want to hear how you’ve been impacted by rising utility costs, and will discuss how House Democrats are working to lower these costs for Michiganders, including a discussion of the Ratepayer Bill of Rights. Please register for the event here. |
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🏛️ House Returns for First Session Days of 2026
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The Michigan House of Representatives held their first session day of 2026 on Wednesday, Jan. 14. This year, I look forward to continuing to work on legislation that helps working families, promotes ethics and transparency, and increases access to opportunity. A list of the legislation I have sponsored so far this term can be viewed here. If you are interested in tracking specific legislation, create an account on legislature.mi.gov. Once you have an account, you can search specific legislation and select “notify of changes” to receive email updates when the legislation moves. |
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⚖️ House Republicans Sue to Block MI Attorney General’s Opinion Finding $645 Million Clawback Unconstitutional
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The Michigan Attorney General issued an opinion last week that the Republican-controlled House Appropriations Committee’s decision to claw back $645 million in previously approved projects was unconstitutional. Following this opinion, the State Budget Office told state department heads to continue funding the projects. The Speaker of the House responded by quickly filing a lawsuit, extending the dispute and adding legal costs for the state. House Democrats have been fighting to restore this funding since these unexpected cuts were made last month. In my opinion, stripping away approved funds undermined the stability of nonprofits, local governments, and school districts, who built their own budgets based on funding promised to them from the state. |
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⚕️ Preventable Diseases Surge as State’s Vaccination Rate Drops
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that Michigan is experiencing “very high” flu-like activity, with a 40% increase in hospitalizations compared to the same time last year. Only 24% of Michiganders have received their flu vaccine this year, which is nearly a 10% drop from the flu vaccination rate for the 2020-2021 season. Public health officials are urging unvaccinated Michiganders that it’s not too late to protect themself from the influenza virus by getting their annual flu shot. Visit vaccinefinder.org to find a flu vaccination location and schedule an appointment. |
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Follow my official Facebook account for the most up-to-date information. E-news contains a lot of good information, but it takes several days – up to a week – to get it approved and sent by the House Business Office. Sincerely, |
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Kara Hope |