Dear Neighbor,
Hi, I’m Jason. I have the privilege of serving as your state representative for Washtenaw, Wayne and Oakland Counties.
From protecting the right to marry to making sure polluters are held accountable for the messes they make, my team and I have been hard at work on legislation that is focused on making government work for you.
Here are some highlights on the last few weeks:
Standing Up for Marriage Equality
June is Pride Month! Alongside my House Democratic colleagues, I introduced legislation (over 28 bills!) to remove outdated, discriminatory language from Michigan’s laws and align our statutes with the rights same-sex couples already have under federal law. Right now, federal protections under the U.S. Supreme Court ruling Obergefell v. Hodges give same-sex couples the right to marriage. Michigan not only has an inactive constitutional ban on this, but also uses gendered language (“Man and Woman”, “Husband and Wife”) that would create legal difficulties for married couples trying to file taxes, navigate family law issues like adoption and inheritance, and so much more.
This is about proactively protecting families and making sure state law reflects the reality of people’s lives. Families shouldn’t have to wonder whether their rights are protected because of state or federal uncertainty.
And earlier this term, I introduced House Joint Resolution F to repeal Michigan’s unconstitutional ban on same-sex marriage — an unpopular relic that sits in our state constitution despite being unenforceable follwoing the Supreme Court ruling Obergefelle v. Hodges. In state legislatures across the country — including Michigan — Republican representatives are introducing resolutions urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn marriage equality. It’s a dangerous reminder that the rights we have today are not guaranteed tomorrow. That’s why action matters: we’re not just defending the progress we’ve made — we’re working to continue the fight for equality.
Making Polluters Pay
For too long, corporations have polluted our land and water — and taxpayers have had to clean it up. That’s wrong. That’s why I joined a number of my colleagues and state Sen. Jeff Irwin in introducing the Polluter Pay package, which puts the burden of environmental cleanup back where it belongs: on the polluters.
The legislation strengthens state cleanup standards, increases transparency and provides necessary resources to improve how our communities are cleaned up. It also requires polluters to provide medical monitoring when they endanger public health. Michiganders deserve to know their water, air and soil are safe — and that if you make a mess, you’re paying to fix it.
Safer, Smarter Communications with Crime Victims
After experiencing a crime, the last thing a person should feel is confusion about what happens next. But right now, under Michigan’s outdated system, too many victims are stuck waiting for paper notifications or faxes — systems that don’t meet the needs of the modern world.
I introduced the Crime Victim Communication Modernization Act — a bipartisan package that brings our notification system into the 21st century. With this legislation, victims, their families, and those interacting with first responders and law enforcement would receive timely updates through emails and text messages — keeping them informed and empowered every step of the way.
Not only does this support our communities, but it also alleviates the strain on 911 dispatch centers by reducing repeat calls for status updates, streamlines processes for law enforcement, and makes government more effective and within reach. This is about building a system that’s more personable, modern, and responsive to the people it’s responsible for serving and protecting.
Defending Higher Education
I believe the budget introduced by the members of the House Republican caucus last week was one of the most extreme higher education budgets Michigan has ever seen. It proposed removing funding from our universities and community colleges in staggered amounts. As originally introduced, the bill would cut 92% from the University of Michigan, 73% from Michigan State University, and 50% or more from many others across the state.
Cuts like this wouldn’t just affect college campuses. They would hit working and middle-class families, who have worked their whole lives to send their kids to college. They hit the small towns that rely on the incredible talent these universities cultivate, who return to their homes and create businesses and jobs. They hit the students looking to discover their passions and dreams, who transfer from community college to a four-year school to continue their education at an affordable price.
These cuts would hit everyone, no matter where they live; urban or rural, Republicans and Democrats alike.
I got involved in government as a student at Northern Michigan when the legislature passed major education cuts in the late 2000s. I grew up in a working-class family and was the first in my family to attend college. NMU gave me opportunities beyond dreams. It breaks my heart that we would pass a budget that would deny future generations the same opportunities.
Many of the large cuts in this budget for other universities were reversed after strong pushback from legislators and the public, but cuts to the University of Michigan and Michigan State University largely remained: 65% reduction to U of M and 18% to MSU. I believe these proposals are out of touch with the needs of the people of Michigan and are incredibly harmful for the future of our state.
We should be investing in opportunity. I’ll continue to fight for a higher education system that’s affordable, accessible and world-class — because our kids deserve nothing less.
Yours in service,
Jason Morgan
State Representative
Michigan’s 23rd House District