Dear Friend,
Welcome to my monthly newsletter! To unsubscribe, please email me back.
This letter serves as a legislative update regarding my work, new legislation, and important news from the Capitol.
At the beginning of the year, my colleagues and I publicly laid out a two-year plan to let the people of Michigan know how we were going to lead because you deserve a government that's transparent and accountable. Now that we’re officially at the end of our first year, I believe it's important to report to you how we’re doing so far.
Within, you will find an overview of the progress we've made over the last year. This includes producing a sound bipartisan budget, increasing government transparency, lowering the cost of car insurance, increasing school safety, expanding access to broadband internet to rural residents, making road and bridge improvements possible, lowering the cost of health care, instituting sweeping criminal justice reforms, protecting life in the womb, and more.
In addition, you will find the details of my upcoming monthly office hours listed at the end of this update. I must be accountable to you, and that starts by being accessible, listening to your concerns, and answering your questions. I look forward to meeting you!
Please contact me if you ever have any questions or concerns, or if I can assist you in any way.
Sincerely,
Andrea Schroeder
State Representative
43rd House District
A responsible, bipartisan state budget
I worked with my colleagues to develop a responsible budget plan that funds the priorities of Michigan families without raising taxes.
The governor vetoed several budget items – including additional funding for roads and bridges – but we fought for a solution and ultimately approved a supplemental plan. The final budget has record funding levels for our roads, bridges and schools, and maintains funding for critical services our local governments and local families rely on every day. I also was able to include funding for support services to families and individuals that suffer from dementia and Alzheimer’s.
We’re not far off from starting the next budget cycle, so I am pleased to report that we are moving in a positive direction, and I am optimistic that all parties will be on the same page going forward.
Increasing government transparency
People are fed up with Michigan’s inadequate ethics laws. We live in one of two states that exempt the governor and Legislature from open records laws – making our state dead last when it comes to transparency.
That’s why I introduced one bill that is part of a larger, bipartisan plan to subject the governor’s office to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and hold state representatives and senators to the same high standard through the Legislative Open Records Act (LORA).
This plan will give people access to critical information about how their government operates, how their tax dollars are spent, and whether their elected officials are acting in their best interests.
A separate transparency plan currently in the House Oversight Committee would require the salary and benefit information of state employees to be posted on the internet.
The Michigan House has already been voluntarily providing this information because we believe Michigan taxpayers deserve to know where their hard-earned money is going. This is a common-sense, good government measure that will strengthen transparency and trust between our state government and the people who help fund it.
Guaranteeing relief from high car insurance rates
The high cost of insurance is the most common complaint I’ve heard from people in our district. I’m proud to have cast a vote in support of a historic, bipartisan solution that will soon bring more coverage options – as well as guaranteed rate relief – to every Michigan driver.
The first sign our reforms are paying off came when the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA) recently announced it will cut its annual per-vehicle assessment by more than half for the year-long period beginning July 2, 2020. That means Michigan drivers will pay $100 per vehicle, down from the current $220 per vehicle – a 55 percent savings.
The great news is the lower MCCA fee is just the first of many reductions that drivers can expect to take effect as these reforms progress. The new law will continue to provide relief for years to come by offering drivers more choices, combating fraud, and lower the cost of medical services for crash survivors.
Assisting schools to enhance safety measures
There's nothing more precious in Michigan than our children. That's why we must invest in increased measures to protect our students from school violence.
I voted in support of a plan to allow schools to provide additional safety measures. For schools interested in exploring these measures, the plan clears the way for the installation of temporary locking barricades on classroom and hallway doors.
Current state law is silent regarding the installation of these safety devices and it has turned some Michigan school districts away from upping security at their schools. That would change if this plan becomes law.
No school district in Michigan should be deterred from seeking additional, inexpensive ways to keep students and faculty out of harm’s way. This is a small, but necessary step in the right direction to ensure there are no restrictions in law acting as a barrier to prevent schools from enhancing security on their premises.
Expanding broadband
Broadband expansion is essential to Michigan’s economic future. Rural areas depend on this service to remain competitive and the latest technological advancements position the state to attract residents and businesses.
Electric cooperatives know how to provide cost-effective services to rural members, and a plan recently advanced by the House Communications and Technology Committee removes barriers as cooperatives look to invest in broadband for these locations. The legislation streamlines private investment in rural broadband while protecting land owners, all without the use of taxpayer funds.
Cutting red tape to improve roads and bridges
Bipartisan House legislators are working on a wide-ranging series of proposals giving local governments more flexibility to fund important road repairs.
The bills maintain a commitment to repair Michigan’s infrastructure and will alter state regulations in key areas to give communities a better opportunity to work on roads from driveways to highways. Some of these proposals, including the bill I introduced, have already been approved in votes by the House Transportation Committee, and hearings will continue in the new year.
Lowering the cost of health care
My colleagues and I are committed to doing all we can to make health care more accessible. That's why I supported a plan to eliminate the practice of surprise medical billing. This bipartisan plan ensures that patients are informed about how much they will pay out of pocket for a procedure or treatment before it happens, and locks in that number so health care providers cannot charge more after the fact. There's no other industry that charges customers more after the service is completed, and the health care industry should be no different.
Making responsible criminal justice reforms
I was proud to help approve civil asset forfeiture reforms, signed into law in May, that ensure law enforcement agencies can no longer keep personal property from citizens who aren’t charged with a crime. The new law protects Michigan residents while still allowing law enforcement to crack down on convicted criminals.
I also voted for the bipartisan “Raise the Age” plan, signed into law in October, which ended the practice of automatically trying all 17-year-olds as adults in court. Trying 17-year-olds in juvenile court will allow troubled teens to receive the age-appropriate services they need, making them less likely to become repeat offenders, which is something I learned firsthand as a board member of ACE Academy, a school where the student population was solely juvenile offenders up to age 20. Prosecutors and judges will continue to have discretion, allowing them to try minors who commit violent crimes in the adult system when appropriate.
In November, I supported a plan to expand Michigan’s expungement laws and give hundreds of thousands of residents with old, low-level convictions a new opportunity to start fresh. A steady, good-paying job is one of the best ways to ensure people lead productive, crime-free lives.
Protecting our farming families
One of the first executive orders issued by the governor this year would have abolished review committees put into law in 2018 to give farmers and other citizens a voice in the rule-making process of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). I fought against the governor’s actions and worked with my colleagues in the Legislature to reject the executive order.
In June, I backed a plan to help farmers whose crops were delayed or damaged by this spring’s record-setting rain. The measure provided $15 million to help private lenders provide low-interest loans to qualified farmers at no financial risk to the state.
I’m also fighting against extreme permitting rules recently drafted by EGLE that will negatively impact our larger family farms. As written, the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations rules will further burden Michigan’s agriculture producers by increasing regulations of nutrients and storage, increasing paperwork, and threatening the viability of farmers who have complied with past permits.
Putting an end to elder abuse
Elder abuse is a serious problem in Michigan, and it’s not just limited to physical abuse. Elder abuse can mean verbal or psychological abuse, neglect, and financial abuse as well. We’ve heard about family members who exploit an aging loved one for money, or caregivers in assisted living facilities who take out their aggression on patients. These heinous acts must be stopped.
A plan introduced in the House this year will add legal protections for adults age 65 and older and increase criminal penalties for individuals who financially or physically abuse elder adults, ensuring people think twice before targeting or taking advantage of our seniors.
Protecting life in the womb
The dismemberment of an unborn baby is grotesque and gruesome. Children in the womb can feel pain and should be treated with respect and dignity like any other human being.
Twelve states already have signed into law legislation banning the brutal practice of dismemberment abortion. We must add Michigan to the list. I supported a plan to protect the unborn who cannot speak for themselves during this callous procedure.
Monthly office hours
Listening to your thoughts and concerns and helping find solutions are the most important parts of my job as your representative. Please join me at my next local meeting on Monday, January 13th from 12 – 2:00pm at the Independence Township Hall (6483 Waldon Center Dr., Clarkston, MI 48346). No appointment is necessary. If you’re not able to meet during my scheduled office hours, please contact my office by phone at (517) 373-0615 or by email at AndreaSchroeder@House.mi.gov.
Contact information
Serving the people of the 43rd District, which encompasses Waterford Township, the city of Lake Angelus, the village of Clarkston, and Independence Township, is very important to me. I encourage residents to contact my office with any state or local issues by calling (517) 373-0615, emailing, messaging me on Facebook, or visiting my website.
As always, it is an honor to serve you. Please contact me if I can assist you in any way, or if you have a great idea to help move our state forward.
Andy's All-stars!
Rep. Schroeder on a tour of Marelli Tech and Racing of Clarkston.
Rep. Schroeder at the Clarkston Family Farm.
Rep. Schroeder with Chelsea O’Brien, Executive Director of the Clarkston Family Farm.
Rep. Schroeder at the Clarkston Family Farm.
Rep. Schroeder with Lucy Cornwell, Legislative Fellow, on the House Floor to celebrate Lucy’s last day working in Rep. Schroeder’s office.
Rep. Schroeder touring Downey’s Potato Chips facility in Waterford Township.
Rep. Schroeder touring Downey’s Potato Chips facility in Waterford Township.
Rep. Schroeder attending the Oakland County Youth Assistance Annual Breakfast.
Rep. Schroeder attending the Oakland County Youth Assistance Annual Breakfast.
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