Tag Archives: State of Michigan

State Rep. John Fitzgerald says new legislation aims to save lives of children, provides consistent message to caregivers

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By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org

New care seat safety legislation developed by State Representatives John Fitzgerald (District 83) and Carrie Rheingans (District 47) works to increase child safety and educate caregivers.

On Sept. 27, bills titled HB 4511 and HB 4512 passed through the Michigan House of Representatives.

In a recent interview with WKTV Journal, Rep. Fitzgerald said these companion bills are “intended to work together to make sure that we not only have the law, but also the enforcement mechanism by which we can hold drivers, and parents, and guardians, and caregivers accountable to make sure children are traveling safely here in the state of Michigan.”

Constructed by Rep. Rheingans, HB 4511 builds a framework ensuring children are in properly fitting car seats. Enforcement guidelines and educational components are introduced by Fitzgerald in HB 4512.

Education vs. Punishment

Rep. John Fitzgerald is focused on saving children’s lives and educating caregivers. (Courtesy, Supplied)

“There is a lot that goes into safe travel, and now what we see is that there will be an educational component to this bill,” said Fitzgerald.

Previous Michigan law did not match federal law or manufacturer standards, creating confusion among parents and caregivers. This new legislation will provide one consistent message, eliminating that uncertainty.

A common area of confusion revolves around the age of a child versus height and weight. The most important factor in an accident is height and weight, not age.

“That’s where physics comes into play,” said Fitzgerald. “We want to make sure children are in the right position, meaning forward-facing or rear-facing, and that they are using the correct belts.”

Primary vs. Secondary enforcement mechanisms

An enforcement structure has been put into place with this new legislation. The legislation only allows police officers to check a child safety seat in a vehicle already pulled over for primary traffic violations such as speeding or broken taillights.

Fitzgerald tells Deborah Reed, WKTV Managing Editor, and our viewers that “The goal is to save lives, not punish caregivers.”(WKTV)

If a child is not in a proper car seat or position upon inspection, the caregiver can then be assigned a civil infraction fee. However, that fee can now be waived if the caregiver acquires the right seat and education provided by a car seat safety professional.

Child car seat safety professionals can be found locally at the Public Safety Department and Fire Department in Wyoming.

“We are not trying to punish someone for having the wrong information or the wrong seat,” said Fitzgerald. “We want to help you. We want to help guide you along this journey as your child ages.

“The most important part of that is getting educated on why the right seat was needed, and how that is going to help your child travel safely now.”

Strong bipartisan support

Rep. John Fitzgerald has seen strong bipartisan support for these bills. (WKTV)

Many voices were taken into consideration during the process of the new legislation. Firefighters, police officers, professionals versed in medicine, and community members were all consulted while developing bills 4511 and 4512.

“When you craft this legislation, you are taking into consideration expert testimony, expert input on the bill, and also those of your community,” said Fitzgerald.

“We saw strong bipartisan support on both of these bills in the House of Representatives,” Fitzgerald continued. “That was a great first test of the bills and whether or not we thought that this was something that could be deployed throughout the state and made law.” 

As the bills move into the Senate, Fitzgerald is confident they will continue to see bipartisan support.

A theme of safety

Driver, public and traffic safety are of high importance to the legislature in Lansing.

Fitzgerald noted that recent legislation “has really pushed Michigan forward to consider good traffic safety laws that, I think, are responding to the twenty-first century nature of technology and driver safety.”

Michigan legislature is looking to increase traffic safety in all areas (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

Among that legislation is the new Michigan hands-free law that took effect on June 30, 2023.

“This isn’t really new,” said Fitzgerald, stating that other states have had a hands-free law in effect for some time. “But it is something to cut down on distracted driver accidents.”

Michigan legislators are also looking to use traffic enforcement cameras throughout the state for the first time. 

The House recently passed a law allowing for use of traffic enforcement cameras in work safety zones.

That law, however, includes specific qualifiers. Barriers between traffic and workers and a speed of 10 miles per hour over the posted limit are required in order to cite a violation.

Fitzgerald is currently developing another bill allowing for that same enforcement in school zones.

Contact your representative

Rep. Fitzgerald has standing drop-in hours at City Hall in Wyoming for those wishing to speak with him in person. Those hours are 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of each month.

The representative can also be reached at johnfitzgerald@house.mi.gov and 517-373-0835.

Schools will soon have cleaner water, reduce risk of lead poisoning

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Thousands of Michigan children are at risk of lead poisoning (Courtesy, Midstory)

By WKTV Staff

deborah@wktv.org

Thousands of Michigan children are at risk of lead poisoning, but will soon be protected at schools and childcare centers.

On Oct. 19, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed into law “Filter First” legislation. This legislation consists of three bills that require the installation of lead water filters in all schools and childcare centers. Costs will be offset by $50 million dollars currently set aside in the state budget.

“Michigan lawmakers have just enacted the nation’s strongest measures protecting kids from lead in school and childcare centers,” said Cyndi Roper, Michigan senior policy advocate for NRDC. “These bills implement a solution that actually gets lead out of drinking water while also realizing dramatic cost savings over other approaches.”

“F” ranking prompts immediate action

The legislation’s passage comes after a nationwide Environment America report gave Michigan an F grade for its efforts to remove lead from school drinking water. With “Filter First” legislation becoming law, the ranking would be boosted to an A.

Lead levels are harmful in many locations (Courtesy, Midstory)

Research by Elin Betanzo, president and founder of Safe Water Engineering LLC, revealed that 89% of the 114 schools and childcare facilities that voluntarily submitted water samples to the state had dangerous amounts of lead in them.

Lead stunts mental, physical and social development. Young children, whose minds and bodies are growing most, are especially at risk. No amount of lead is safe.

“There has not been a bigger moment in the lead poisoning fight since lead paint was banned 45 years ago,” said Charlotte Jameson, chief policy officer for the Michigan Environmental Council. “Momentum is on our side. We can make lead poisoning history, not current reality.”

The filters schools and childcare centers will install prevent lead found in fountains and taps from leaching into the water children and staff drink. Lead leaching is possible in water fixtures new and old, and is especially prevalent in those left unused for long periods of time. That makes schools and childcare centers, with their many breaks and weekend closures, especially prone to lead contamination.

More about the “Filter First” method

The policy within the legislation, dubbed “Filter First,” is more effective than replacing water infrastructure outright because even new plumbing contains lead. It is also hundreds of millions of dollars cheaper and much faster to implement, according to an analysis prepared by NRDC for the Filter First Coalition.

“Michigan school water data shows that 89% of sampled buildings found detectable lead in their water,” said Betanzo of Safe Water Engineering. “Since Birmingham Public Schools switched its drinking water to all filter stations, there hasn’t been any lead in any of their filtered water samples.

“The Filter First law ensures that all drinking water in Michigan schools and childcare centers will be filtered, improving water quality at more than 3,000 schools statewide and achieving results just like Birmingham.”

State website offers COVID-19 crisis displaced Michigan workers online certification and training assistance

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The State of Michigan now has a one-stop shop for online support of workers seeking to advance their career in this time of COVID-19. (Public Domain)

By WKTV Staff

ken@wktv.org

The State of Michigan recently announced the launch a digital hub for Michigan workers displaced by the COVID-19 crisis to allow them to connect to online certification and degree programs including free training and work readiness tools.

According to the July 28 announcement. “the Coronavirus crisis has created record unemployment across the country and a complicated employment landscape in Michigan. Now more than ever, Michigan workers who possess advanced skills will be better positioned to get and keep higher-paying and more stable jobs.”

So, Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) has developed a digital hub to connect residents with online learning opportunities and other training resources.

“Whether one is looking to return to work, explore in-demand careers, learn new skills, or take the first step toward a degree or certificate, the hub has information to help Michigan workers expand their opportunities in an evolving economy,” according to the statement.

The digital hub, Michigan.gov/SkillstoWork features a range of online learning and career exploration options — including free opportunities — for Michigan residents to consider while “navigating the COVID-19 economy in the coming weeks and months, when in-person learning opportunities may be limited.”

The virtual resource is a collaborative effort between LEO, the Michigan Community College Association (MCCA), Michigan Works! Agencies and others aimed at increasing opportunities for all Michiganders to explore online degree and certificate programs that could lead to expanded employment opportunities.

“With the economic disruption caused by COVID-19, it’s more important than ever that we help Michiganders improve their skills, explore in-demand career opportunities and jumpstart educational opportunities,” LEO Director Jeff Donofrio said in supplied material. “These online resources continue to expand opportunities for residents to connect with and succeed in high-demand, high-wage careers of the future.”

“The new website connects Michiganders to online programs offered by Michigan’s 28 community colleges,” Michael Hansen, MCCA President, said in supplied material. “As we navigate the challenges presented by the Coronavirus pandemic, Michigan’s business leaders and employers statewide are asking: ‘How do we get people back to work?’ This new information hub is a tremendous start toward solving that challenge.”

In addition, the site provides a new “Return-to-Work Playbook” that assists those preparing to enter the workforce, finding their next job or discovering another one in a national economy that has seen the highest unemployment rates in 100 years To help workers adjust to changing employer needs and work environments, the Playbook outlines available career and job-readiness resources, including step-by-step instructions for developing resumes, preparing for interviews, exploring new career paths and finding free or inexpensive job training opportunities.

It also provides industry or occupational-specific resources for in-demand careers and additional resources to assist specific individuals including veterans, individuals with disabilities, migrant and seasonal farm workers and adult learners.

Other available resources at Michigan.gov/SkillsToWork include career exploration, job search assistance and professional development opportunities.

Secretary of State upgrading computer system during Presidents Day weekend closure

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By State of Michigan


During a Presidents Day weekend closure, the Michigan Department of State will replace the outdated vehicle records system Secretary of State offices have used for decades with a modern computer system to better serve customers.


The Customer and Automotive Records System (CARS) will add new online options, improve existing online and kiosk services, and give staff a more efficient tool to process transactions.


New online options will include ordering license plates, renewing snowmobile registrations and ordering a Recreation Passport and replacement tab for a plate. Many transactions for auto dealers, repair facilities, mechanics and driver education instructors and providers also will be possible online.


During the upgrade, Secretary of State branch offices, online services and auto business transactions will be offline and unavailable from 5pm Friday, Feb. 15, until 9am Tuesday, Feb. 19. Self-service kiosks will be taken offline in phases beginning Friday, Feb. 8. The seven Super Centers usually open Saturday will be closed Saturday, Feb. 16. All branches will be closed on Presidents Day (Monday, Feb. 18).


For a few weeks, as staff gets accustomed to the new computer system, service in offices may take longer. Customers are encouraged to use CARS e-Services at ExpressSOS.com or to complete their transactions outside this timeframe.


Late fees will be waived for transactions with expiration dates between Feb. 11 and March 2.


“This is a vital project for our department and its millions of customers and the first step in implementing our 30-minute guarantee,” Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said. “When fully implemented, the new system will transform our technology, making our work more efficient and our service to customers better than before.”


After the vehicle records phase, the driver records system will be replaced over the next two years.


For more information, visit Michigan.gov/SOS.

Michigan Selected as Finalist for First-of-its-kind Mental Health Initiative

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mental-healthU.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow today announced that Michigan will be awarded $982,373 to compete in a nation-wide program to improve and expand access to mental health care. This first-of-its-kind initiative is based on Senator Stabenow’s Excellence in Mental Health Act, which is one of the most significant steps forward in community mental health funding in decades.

Selected by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Michigan is one step closer to being chosen to be part of a new eight-state demonstration program to expand quality mental health care. This new program will offer patients increased services like 24-hour crisis psychiatric care, counseling, and integrated treatments for mental illness. Senator Stabenow’s bipartisan Excellence in Mental Health Act was cosponsored by Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) and signed into law by President Obama last year.

“Mental illness touches every family in some way,” Senator Stabenow said. “It is critically important that communities in Michigan have the resources they need to help everyone living with mental illness. We must continue to work together to make sure illnesses above the neck are treated the same as illnesses below the neck.”

Michigan is one of 24 states selected to work with interested community mental health centers, Federally-Qualified Health Centers, VA clinics, and other mental health organizations to design a state program that meets the new quality standards for Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers. The eight states chosen to participate in the demonstration program will increase funding for community mental health services and improve the quality of those services. This is the first step toward funding quality behavioral health services in communities nation-wide.

Debbie Stabenow
Senator Stabenow

“We are excited to receive a planning grant for the State of Michigan to design and implement a structure that will further integrate and coordinate behavioral health and primary care, improve outreach to consumers in the greatest need and provide needed and effective coordination of care among providers in multiple settings throughout the state,” said Jeff Patton, CEO of Kalamazoo Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.

Senator Stabenow has been a life-long advocate for quality mental health services. She authored the mental health parity provisions in the Affordable Care Act to stop discrimination in coverage between physical and behavioral health services. Senator Stabenow introduced the Excellence in Mental Health Act with Senator Blunt in 2013 to put mental health centers on a more equal footing with other health centers by improving quality standards and expanding access.

The law is supported by over 50 mental health organizations, veterans organizations and law enforcement organizations including: the National Association of Police Organizations, National Sheriffs’ Association, American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, National Alliance on Mental Illness, the National Council for Behavioral Healthcare, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Mental Health America, National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and Give An Hour, among many others.

A full list of the 24 states awarded funding can be found here.