Dear Neighbor,
Spring is well underway now, and I hope you’ve taken some time to enjoy Michigan’s warmer weather and brighter blue skies.
And while spring is certainly bringing some much-needed joy after a long winter, just know that you are not alone if you’re feeling confused or anxious about the chaos that continues to unfold in our federal government. We’re all in this together, and we’ll continue to support one another and speak out for our values, for our communities, and for our Constitution in these unprecedented times.
As always, please feel free to reach out to share your thoughts or seek assistance with any challenges you may be facing with state departments. You can email me at senschang@senate.michigan.gov or call 517-373-7346 or 313-922-6949.
Sincerely
Stephanie Chang
State Senator
District 3
- The Senate recently passed legislation to create a Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) with bipartisan support. These bills work to lower the high cost of medications, protect Michigan consumers, and increase accountability and transparency in the prescription drug industry. Read on to learn more.
- Join me for my Coffee Hour with Detroit Councilmember Latisha Johnson at 12:00 p.m. today, May 5, at Legends Grill, 11123 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit, MI 48214.
- We reintroduced revised bipartisan water affordability legislation in the Senate to lower water bills for low-income customers, protect public health, and enhance the stability of our water systems.
- With gun violence devastating schools, families, and communities across the state and country, Senate Democrats took action to pass gun safety legislation and prevent further tragedy. Now over a year since these changes went into effect, I’m grateful to highlight that recent data demonstrates this legislation is fulfilling its intended purpose — saving lives.
Water Affordability Program Legislation Introduced
Recently, I was proud to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to introduce revamped bipartisan legislation to address the increasingly unaffordable water bills in Michigan. There are approximately 300,000 Michigan households that would benefit from a state water affordability program, according to Public Sector Consultants. These bills are a reintroduction of legislation we worked on last session, but with some important changes to make water affordability a reality for every Michigander and allow local water providers the option to create and fund their own program. The water affordability program bill will:
- Establish a statewide income-based water affordability program;
- Create two tiers of payment based on income — up to 135% of the federal poverty level and 200% of the federal poverty level;
- Customer payments would not exceed two percent of the average household income in the first tier and three percent in the second tier;
- Provide arrearages forgiveness of $1,500 for year one and, if needed, $1,500 in year two;
- Make hardship waivers available for households between 201 and 250% of the federal poverty level;
- Pay for plumbing repairs up to $2,500 to conserve water and lower bills, while a discounted water cap on households would encourage reasonable usage; and
- Offer wraparound services through a triage program created for people who fall behind in payments.
The monthly fee is the same as the longtime Michigan Energy Assistance Program (MEAP) fee on heating and cooling utility bills and is a reduction from the previous legislation. Money would transfer to the Michigan Dept. of Treasury where funds would be dispersed to the four Michigan Dept. of Health and Human Services regions. Fees collected in each region will stay in each region. The proposed bills provide additional protections, including:
- Shut-off protection and establishment of requirements for the number and content of notices prior to service interruption for non-payment;
- Shut-off protections for medically documented critical-care customers, regardless of income; and
- Shut-off protections for tenants whose landlords have not paid the water bill.
The legislation also creates a Low-Income Water Residential Affordability Program Task Force, which will:
- Review and make recommendations regarding program rules, administration, and funding;
- Include representatives from different sized communities (urban, suburban, and rural); and
- Oversee the development of educational outreach materials and explore ways to expand the program.
To learn more about the legislation and the issue of water affordability in Michigan, go to miwaterplan.com.
Displaced Federal Workers Speak to Reckless DOGE Firings & Impact on Michiganders
From disrupting care for veterans to interfering with the monitoring of severe weather on our Great Lakes, the effects of recent mass federal workforce terminations carried out by the Dept. of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are rash, reckless, and demand attention, as highlighted by testifiers in a recent Senate Labor Committee hearing.
Andrew, a Marine who works at a VA hospital in Ann Arbor, spoke to the impact these cuts would have on the quality of care veterans would receive from their VA hospital. Nicole, a former employee of the U.S. Dept. of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), highlighted NOAA’s vital role in protecting public health and safety in the Great Lakes region and discussed how the haphazard downsizing of her agency would interrupt life-saving weather predictions and notifications among other vital work. And, as someone whose role was instrumental in identifying fraud and misuse of government funding within the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Leslie emphasized how the chaotic firings carried out by DOGE were anything but fiscally responsible and effective at serving Michiganders.
Federal workers are public servants tasked with ensuring that the critical programs of our federal government operate efficiently and effectively, safeguarding the wellbeing of the people and places we call home. Like Andrew, Nicole, and Leslie, they ensure our neighbors are housed, our water ways are clean, and veterans receive the health care they need. While our nation’s top officials shamelessly mischaracterize their work as “wasteful” to justify tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest Americans, my Senate Democratic colleagues and I are committed to highlighting these stories and addressing the impacts of these actions on workers, families, and communities across the state. To watch the hearing and listen to the full testimonies of the brave Michiganders who shared, click here.
If you or someone you know is a federal worker who has been impacted by these terminations, be sure to take a look at these helpful resources from the Michigan Dept. of Labor and Economic Opportunity.
Commemorating the Fall of Saigon 50 Years Later
This past week, I was honored to cohost the Vietnamese American Association of Michigan at the State Capitol to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon. The Michigan Senate passed Senate Resolution 38, sponsored by Sen. John Damoose, in recognition of this anniversary, the loss of thousands of Americans and Vietnamese lives during the Vietnam War, and the strength and resilience of the Vietnamese people.
Reaffirming the Michigan-Taiwan Relationship
I was also honored to cohost Dennis Lei, the Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Chicago. The Michigan Senate passed Senate Resolution 39, sponsored by Sen. Rosemary Bayer, to reaffirm our close ties between Michigan and Taiwan, including the Michigan Taiwan Office, strong trade relations, and several memorandums of understanding.
Coffee & Conversation with Special Guest Councilmember Latisha Johnson
WHEN: Today, Monday, May 5, from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
WHERE: Legends Grill, 11123 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit, MI 48214
Coffee & Conversation
WHEN: Friday, May 23, from 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
WHERE: Nandi’s Knowledge Cafe, 71 Oakman Blvd., Highland Park, MI 48203
Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month Film & Panel Discussion: Big Fight in Little Chinatown
WHEN: Saturday, May 24, from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
WHERE: University of Michigan Detroit Center, 3663 Woodward Ave. #150, Detroit, MI 48201
Community Baby Shower
WHEN: Saturday, June 28, from 12:00 – 4:00 p.m.
WHERE: Horatio Williams Foundation, 1010 Antietam Ave., Detroit, MI 48207
Preventing Gun Violence in Michigan
Michiganders take a stand against gun violence on Gun Violence Prevention Advocacy Day at the Capitol on Tuesday, April 22.
Gun violence has devastated far too many lives across our state and country. Here in Michigan, death due to gun violence has increased by 25% from 2014, leaving behind an irrevocable toll on families and communities.
That’s why my Senate Democratic colleagues and I acted quickly to secure budget investments and pass commonsense gun safety legislation to address this growing crisis. We passed new laws to strengthen background checks for firearm purchases, require the safe storage of firearms around kids, allow courts to issue extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs) to temporarily intervene and suspend a person’s access to firearms if they show clear warning signs of violence, and protect domestic violence survivors from their abusers As chair of the Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary and Public Safety, I was proud to help get these important laws passed and thrilled that our domestic violence protections bills passed after many years of efforts.
In recognition of the recent Gun Violence Prevention Advocacy Day (April 22), I want to highlight that data released earlier this year points not only to the need for the ERPO law here in Michigan, but also its effectiveness in intervening before tragedy occurs. In the first year since the law went into effect, 391 ERPO complaints were filed. Among those ERPOs filed, 30% mentioned current or past threats of self-harm or suicide. What this report demonstrates is that Michigan’s new gun safety legislation is fulfilling its intended purpose — saving lives.
- For more information on Michigan’s safe storage law, click here.
- For information about the ERPO petition process in Michigan, click here.
- To obtain a free gun lock, visit a Michigan Dept. of Health and Human Services office to request one, or you can check with your local health department or Project ChildSafe police partner.
Prepare for Upcoming Road Closures
Over 55 road projects across the state kicked off last weekend, requiring closures on several major roadways, according to the Michigan Dept. of Transportation (MDOT).
MDOT encourages drivers to remain vigilant, minimize distractions, slow down, and follow posted signage in work zones. For more information on work zone safety, click here. To view an online map of ongoing road projects, click here.
New Sweepstakes Opportunity for First-Time FAFSA Filers
To encourage Michiganders who are enrolling in college for the first time to take advantage of financial aid opportunities available through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid — commonly known as the FAFSA — Gov. Whitmer recently announced the Ticket to Tuition FAFSA sweepstakes. This new statewide contest offers a chance for forty first-time FAFSA filers to win $10,000 and ten winners to receive $50,000.
The FAFSA is an important tool for students to lower the cost of college, helping them take advantage of valuable tuition savings opportunities like the Michigan Achievement Scholarship and Community College Guarantee, programs that my Senate Democratic colleagues and I have proudly supported in recent years.
Contest details:
- To enter the sweepstakes, complete the FAFSA online or by submitting a paper form and text CASH to 855-50K-TICKET by 11:59 p.m. Friday, May 16, 2025. To be eligible, participants must be Michigan residents who completed the FAFSA for the first-time to use during the 2025-26 academic year.
- Prizes will be awarded in Michigan Education Savings Program accounts, which can be used for a variety of qualified educational expenses such as tuition and fees, living expenses, and computers and textbooks.
- For full contest details, visit TicketToTuition.com.