Rep. Howrylak proposes Michigan Youth Advisory Council

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Ashley Chapman
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Youth Advisory Council Perfect voting record in 2015 Howrylak votes for taxpayers Deaf bills Midwife bills EpiPen legislation signed Good Samaritan bill Retired teachers in classroom Winter road

With that in mind, I d like to spend a few minutes providing you with a brief update as to what is happening in your state capital.

1 Youth Advisory Council Perfect voting record in 2015 Howrylak votes for taxpayers Deaf bills Midwife bills EpiPen legislation signed Good Samaritan bill Retired teachers in classroom Winter road conditions Dear Friends, Hello and welcome to my e-newsletter for January 2016! Another year has greeted us and much work lies ahead. With that in mind, I d like to spend a few minutes providing you with a brief update as to what is happening in your state capital. Please keep in mind that this newsletter is not exhaustive and is only meant to be a summary. For more information, please do not hesitate to call the office toll-free at or MartinHowrylak@house.mi.gov. Rep. Howrylak proposes Michigan Youth Advisory Council A bill to create the Michigan Youth Advisory Council was December at the Capitol introduced earlier this month in the state House. House Bill 5202 State of the State was introduced by me, along with 34 co-sponsors, and has been assigned to the Committee on Workforce and Talent Development. Office hours The goal of the initiative is to create a commission which would represent Michigan s youth and young adults between the ages of 16 and 28. This council would provide lawmakers input from the future generation of Michigan. These young people will be the next leaders for our state. This gives them a chance to learn firsthand while also giving us an ear to the issues they feel are important and need to be discussed. The council would act as a representative body of Michigan s youth to the governor and the legislature. The council would be a body of individuals, from the demographic appointed, to advocate for issues important to youth and young adults. The appointees would all serve voluntarily and without compensation. There would be no cost to establish and maintain the council. Michigan s continued economic recovery and growth are tied to how competitive the state is in retention and attraction of young people. Working with a core group of advocates, including Michael Soviak, a graduate law student at the University of Detroit-Michigan, I crafted the bill and obtained 34 bi-partisan co-sponsors in an effort to more fully engage youth and young adults in the governance of Michigan.

2 The council will give a voice to a group that is largely disconnected from state government. We value the talents and ideas that the young adults can bring into leading Michigan. We need more smart and talented people, and this is a way to show how much they mean to the future. There are several comparable commissions already operating to help voice the issues and concerns of different groups, such as the Hispanic and Latino Commission, the Michigan Women s Commission, and the Asian and Pacific American Affairs Commission. Rep. Howrylak finishes 2015 with perfect voting record I am pleased to report that I finished 2015 with a perfect voting record, taking part in all 504 roll calls of the year. I want to make sure the people of the 41 st district are best represented in Lansing. I take that commitment very seriously. In order to best represent our communities, it is important that I be in attendance. In 2015, I submitted 20 bills for consideration, dealing with issues such as juvenile justice reform, firework safety and updates to language concerning the deaf community. I also introduced two House joint resolutions, including one calling for open meetings for state university governing boards. Additionally, I continued with my commitment to the people of the 41 st district, conducting monthly office hours and meeting with constituents throughout the district. Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions, comments or concerns about legislation or if you need any assistance with any matters. My staff and I are at your service and ready to assist. Howrylak supports taxpayers by opposing bills that pick winners and losers Last month I voted against Senate Bills 616 and 617. These bills provide for sales and use tax exemptions for data center equipment, or the storage, use, or consumption of data center equipment sold to the owner or operator of a qualified data center or a co-located business for use or consumption in the operations of the data center. The sales and use tax exemptions would apply from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2021, and then would continue to apply through December 31, 2035, if certain job creation criteria were met. These bills resulted from a proposal to create a $5 billion data center in the old Steelcase headquarters in Grand Rapids. Legislation that is crafted solely for the benefit of one prospective taxpayer puts the rest of Michigan s taxpayers on the hook for carrying the burden of state and local government operations. It effectively picks as a winner the company that has lobbied for such legislation while deciding that all other taxpayers must carry a greater burden. It is unfair and inequitable and something that I wholeheartedly oppose. Legislators introduce bills to modernize and update language in statutes Last month I was joined by a number of other legislators in the House and Senate when we introduced a package of bills to eliminate offensive terms referring to members of the Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard of Hearing community found in state law. House Bills 5182 to 5188 and Senate Bills 690 to 694 will remove outdated terms including dumb and impaired, as well as update terminology. Everyone in Michigan deserves to be treated with respect. Removing these terms from our laws is a great step for the Deaf community, and it will hopefully be the beginning of a push to bring this level of understanding across the state.

3 Last year I teamed with Rep. Phil Phelps, D-Flushing, to form the Deaf, Deafblind, and Hard of Hearing Legislative Caucus, a first of its kind in Michigan. We are joined in the caucus by Senators Marty Knollenberg, Dave Robertson and Rebekah Warren. This new bill package is a first step for the caucus which hopes to bring many more deaf issues to our colleagues later this year. Working with Rep. Phelps showcases the importance of humanity over politics in issues such as those facing the deaf community. I m proud to be working across the aisle and with the Senate on this package of bills, and I look forward to ushering Michigan into the future by correcting past injustices. Bill licensing midwives advances in House The Michigan House voted in favor of House Bill 4598, which creates a new license for Michigan midwives that is centered on nationally accepted standards to promote flexibility and safety for mothers and newborns. Currently, Michigan does not require any certification or licensure process when it comes to those individuals who assist with at-home births. To renew a license, practicing midwives would have to complete continuing education, establishing a standard that will continue to protect mothers and newborns statewide. If passed by the Senate and signed into law by Gov. Snyder, Michigan would join a nationwide movement of 28 states that have already enacted a similar type of legislation. Governor signs EpiPen legislation into law Legislation passed by the House and Senate and signed by Gov. Snyder in December makes EpiPens and other auto-injectables of epinephrine available in more public venues to address life-threatening allergic reactions. House Bill 4438 now Public Act 221 of 2015 allows pharmacists to dispense EpiPens to authorized businesses and entities such as youth sports leagues, amusement parks and recreation camps. Good Samaritan exemption becomes law A bill that shields a minor or friend from criminal prosecution if they seek treatment for a prescription drug overdose was signed into law in December. House Bill 4843, now Public Act 220 of 2015, creates a Good Samaritan exemption in Michigan law for minors who seek medical attention for themselves or others believed to have overdosed. The exemption does not protect drug dealers from prosecution, only those who possess prescription drugs in an amount sufficient only for personal use. The legislation was inspired after Mason Mizwicki, 16, died of a methadone overdose while ingesting the prescription drug during a New Year s Eve party in Watervliet. Retired teachers can return to classroom Teachers who have retired from the profession can return to work without sacrificing pension and health care benefits if they are teaching in a critical shortage area, under legislation recently signed by Gov. Rick Snyder. House Bill 4059 directs the state superintendent to publish a list of critical shortage disciplines and post the information on the Michigan Department of Education website. The bill reflects a state law that expired due to a sunset provision. The new law is Public Act 219 of Stay informed on winter road conditions Michigan weather can change in a minute especially in winter! So take a few moments to be prepared before heading out on the road. Motorists can check the Michigan State Police Winter Travel Advisory website for information on road conditions for the state s freeways and trunk lines, which are the first to be cleared during

winter weather. The site is updated twice a day or as information concerning travel conditions is received. Visit www.michigan.gov/roadconditions or call the hotline at 1-800-381-8477.

4 winter weather. The site is updated twice a day or as information concerning travel conditions is received. Visit or call the hotline at Also keep in mind that if weather conditions appear to be too severe to travel, they most likely are. December at the Capitol Even though the House was not in session at the end of December and the beginning of January, there was much work to be done. For example, I am on four policy committees (Tax Policy, Criminal Justice, Judiciary and Oversight and Ethics). These committees each have a number of bills that are more complicated, require research, analytics, substitutes and amendments. I take legislation seriously. It is important that I am fully informed and knowledgeable about the consequences of bills, how they will affect the people of our state, and must ensure the constitutionality of bills. Additionally, I am always working on responding to correspondence and assisting with constituent case work. A cool and brisk day at our state Capitol in December

5 State of the State Address This year s State of the State Address by Governor Rick Snyder to the joint session of the legislature was on Tuesday, January 19. I was joined by my parents that evening as my special guests. On the floor of the Michigan House of Representatives, prior to the State of the State Address, with my parents. District office hours As an elected representative, it is important for me to be accessible to the public and to be available to listen to the ideas, concerns and suggestions of our neighbors. This is why I place such a large emphasis on office hours, community outreach and events. Talking to friends and neighbors face to face is the best way to gather ideas, answer questions or listen to suggestions. I rely on the perspective of people like you to guide me as I work to make state government more responsive, responsible and effective. Upcoming office hours are as follows: Saturday, February 6 3:00 pm 4:30 pm Troy Public Library 510 W. Big Beaver Road Monday, February 8 3:30 pm 5:00 pm Clawson Blair Memorial Library 416 N. Main Street

6 No appointment is necessary for district office hours. Residents unable to meet with me during these scheduled times may contact my office at (517) , or via at Please stop by and say hello! District office hours Staff In addition to my office hours, my Constituent Affairs Assistant will be available for office hours in the main concourse of the Troy Community Center; 3179 Livernois Road in Troy, as follows: Friday, February 5 11:00 am until 1:00 pm Friday, February 19 11:00 am until 1:00 pm As always, no appointment is necessary. My staff will be seated near the swimming pool and will be able to assist you with your issues. He will have numerous booklets and publications available as well. Rep. Howrylak's Lansing Office Mailing Address: Website: N-890 House Office Building P.O. Box Lansing, MI Phone: (517) Toll Free: (877) MartinHowrylak@house.mi.gov As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office if you have any questions or concerns. I will continue to work on removing barriers to job creation, retaining our valuable businesses, growing our economy, and getting Michigan back to work again. If you have any suggestions, comments, or questions please let me know. Warm regards, Martin Howrylak State Representative District 41 *If you wish to unsubscribe from this mailing list, respond to this and type the word "unsubscribe."*

Rep. Howrylak introduced 36 bills, missed no votes in 2017

Rep. Howrylak introduced 36 bills, missed no votes in 2017 Dear Friends, Hello and welcome to my January e-newsletter. I would like to take this opportunity to share a few updates from our state Capitol. Please keep in mind that this e- newsletter is not exhaustive