Tag Archives: legislature

State Rep. John Fitzgerald delivers a direct message of transparency to residents and recaps 2023

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Rep. John Fitzgerald sat down with WKTV Managing Editor Deborah Reed to deliver a 2023 wrap-up for residents (Courtesy, WKTV)


By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org

Rep. John Fitzgerald (Courtesy, Supplied)

State Representative John Fitzgerald sat down with WKTV Journal Soundbites to recap “an exciting year in the legislature” and deliver a direct message to his constituents in District 83.

“I am a representative for this community, of this community, and I’m a conduit for information both from Wyoming, southwest Grand Rapids, and Byron Township to Lansing, but also the other way,” said Rep. Fitzgerald.

Bringing transparency to local legislature

Driven by a “listen first” mentality, Fitzgerald is also committed to transparency. And that means keeping his constituents “in the know” about legislative happenings that affect their communities.

One of the bills passed and signed into law under Fitzgerald’s guidance made the Affordable Care Act state law. This ensures that if federal law requirements to receive health insurance were ever preempted or withdrawn, quality healthcare would still be available to Michigan residents.

Fitzgerald’s bill was specifically aimed toward extending dependent care, allowing dependents to remain on their primary caregivers’ insurance until age 26.

“We also passed significant energy law reform that is going to put us on a track to 100% clean energy by 2040,” said Fitzgerald. “This legislation is going to really put us as the leader in the Midwest when it comes to clean energy.”

Included in the bill is language specifying a Kent County incinerator facility shutdown by 2040 due to health concerns surrounding that facility.

Looking ahead

Fitzgerald said he is currently working on increasing transparency and ease of understanding to the public via the Open Meetings Act.

Rep. Fitzgerald aims to increase transparency in legislature (Courtesy, WKTV)

“If you’ve ever seen the Open Meetings Act language, it can be kind of gray,” Fitzgerald said. “We don’t want gray. We want to make sure that there is adherence to the Open Meetings Act.”

Supporting families via family leave under the Affordable Care Act is also on Fitzgerald’s agenda.

“As somebody who has a young child in daycare, it’s a very expensive cost to Michigan families, and we want to make sure that we’re creating that environment to support [them],” said Fitzgerald. “My mission is that Michigan could be the best place to raise a family in the country.”

Education

With seven school districts in the City of Wyoming alone, and several more compiling District 83, education is also on Fitzgerald’s mind.

A new budget is a milestone for local schools (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

With so many public school districts with varying needs, a budget was passed in 2023 that Fitzgerald said is a milestone for the City of Wyoming and southwest Grand Rapids. 

“One of those things that we passed [is] free school lunch and breakfast for all public schools,” said Fitzgerald, adding that they have already seen great implementation by local school districts.

Tax relief

Thousands of seniors, Fitzgerald said, are receiving an average of $1,000 back due to a pension tax return repeal and retirement tax repeal.

On the flip side, working families are receiving a tax credit.

“There were 8,400 (District 83) households who qualified for that last year,” said Fitzgerald. “We are now putting more money back in those 8,400 households.”

“Show me the money” – Tax dollars coming home

“We brought home almost $70 million into services and infrastructure and goods that are going to impact [and] amplify the lives of Wyoming residents,” said Fitzgerald.

$20 million will facilitate the Wyoming City Center project.

“When polled,” Fitzgerald said, “Wyoming residents say, We want a place to call home, that we can identify as: that is Wyoming. We don’t have that.

“But the City has taken this on to say, we’re going to build a downtown multi-use walkable area, and we’re going to do that on 28th Street.”

(Courtesy, pxhere.com)

$35 million is allocated to the Grand Rapids Fire Department to build a new station and training center on South Division Avenue.

“That is helping to support services that actually directly impact southwest GR and Wyoming,” said Fitzgerald. “When we need mutual aid, they’re coming into Wyoming as well.”

The West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will receive $5 million to assist in moving to a new district location.

$5 million will help Special Olympics Michigan to continue their services and renovation of the former South Christian High School.

“It’s going to be the world’s largest Special Olympics training facility, right here in Kent County,” said Fitzgerald. “We want to make sure that those athletes are getting exactly what they need to help cut down on health disparities, to help cut down on mental health challenges.”

And finally, $4 million will help Godfrey Lee schools with a much-needed roof renovation.

“That is real money that went to Lansing, or went to Washington, and is coming home now to enrich the lives of Wyoming residents. That’s exciting, and that doesn’t happen without your input coming to me,” said Fitzgerald.

Serving at home: “I want to hear from you.”

Rep. Fitzgerald spoke with community members during a recent Wyoming Senior Resource Fair (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Being attuned to his duties in Lansing is important, Fitzgerald said. But he believes connecting to his community is equally essential.

“My duty is to the people here at home,” said Fitzgerald.

Offering opportunities for communication is a top priority for Fitzgerald.

“I hope that any and all of you join me when we have office hours on the second and fourth Mondays at Wyoming City Hall, from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. I’m there, I want to hear from you, it’s an open door,” said Fitzgerald in a direct message to the community. 

“Please come and engage, because you are what drives me. Your interests, your concerns, help to drive the work that we’ve discussed here today, and more.”

Recharging with family time

When asked what he does to recharge so he can continue his work in the legislature, Fitzgerald replied: “Right now, it is playing with my daughter.”

Fitzgerald went on to say that his perspective has changed since becoming a parent.

“Your priorities change, your mindset changes, you’re more empathetic, you’re more understanding of other people’s situations as well,” said Fitzgerald. “Really being with my daughter charges me up. Hearing her laugh now, and seeing her start to walk, that’s just incredible to me.

“So quite frankly, it’s quality family time that has really kind of helped to recharge me to go to those long days in Lansing, to make that commute day in and day out.”

A conduit and facilitator for residents

Fitzgerald urges residents to contact him with questions and concerns.

Rep. Fitzgerald wants to hear from residents (Courtesy, WKTV)

“I am your representative…a conduit for you to Lansing, and for the information in Lansing to come home to you. That’s what we do best, connecting people with local resources, state resources, or even federal resources, to make sure that your life is enriched and your government is providing you with what you need,” said Fitzgerald.

“We have a lot to be proud of, we have a lot to look forward to. I think that the future is very bright here in Michigan.”

More kids in child care homes could help employment but some fear quality of care will suffer

Citizen Journalism, Local Business, Our Cities, ,
Should home child care programs be allowed to go from six to seven with one caregiver? This is what the state is considering. (pxhere.com)

By Zaira Magomedova
Capital News Service

LANSING — The capacity of family and group child care homes could be slightly increased by state lawmakers, but some critics worry that the change might harm the quality of day care services. 

Michigan family child care homes with one adult provider can accept no more than six children. Legislation introduced by Rep. Jack O’Malley, R-Lake Ann, would allow them to take seven. The number that could be looked after by group child care homes with two adult providers would expand from 12 to 14. The legislation is a part of the package aimed at enhancing the state child care system.

 

Family child care and group care homes are private residences that provide day care. Preschool curriculum is also offered by some of the providers.

“These bills are very, very important because child care in the state is in terrible shape,“ O’Malley said. “Seventy-five percent of children in Michigan live in areas with limited access to child care. In the bigger communities there are more centers, but it is not the case with rural areas, where centers are not that prevalent.”

The bills could improve the state’s employment, he said. “Employers are losing employees who don’t have access to day care. We are helping parents who cannot get a job because they have no place to put their children.”

 

The legislation could also bring back those providers who had to leave the day care business due to the hardships of the pandemic, he said.

The bills have bipartisan support.

 

“We do support all of the bills in the package, we are very excited about the bipartisan focus on child care,” said Alex Rossman, the Michigan League for Public Policy communications director. “However, we are a little apprehensive of changing the ratios of child care workers to children.”

His group advocates for a sunset that allows the law to be reevaluated after a period to decide if it should be extended or ended.

The national standard of group sizes in home-based child care is no more than six, Rossman said. That capacity is recommended by the National Fire Protection Association, American Academy of Pediatrics and National Association for the Education of Young Children.

 “I think that the bills were introduced in response to some of the challenges that child care providers have during the pandemic,” Rossman said. “So what we are advocating for is the ratio change to be done temporarily, as we are hopeful that the impact of the pandemic both on public health and the economy will be temporary.”

Day care providers say that how many children they can handle depends on their age.

“I do believe that one provider can care for seven children,” said LaTonya Glover, the owner of Bright Beginnings Child Care in Detroit. “However, it really depends on the number of caregivers that are there and the ages of children.”

Others are cautious about the change.

 

“Asking adults to take care of more children increases the risk of a problem occurring for those children and the adults,” said Lindsey Potter, the vice president of the Childcare Providers Association of Michigan. “When we go from caring for six to seven children, it increases the number of times we are in the restroom with children, or increases the number of food we are making for lunchtime.

“And all of those times are away from direct care for children.”

Although she understands the intent of the legislation, Potter said she prefers to “maintain small group sizes, so that adults and children can be well-respected instead of just adding more work in order to gain more money.”

According to the Michigan League for Public Policy, 44% of the Michigan population lives in child care deserts. That means that there are three times more children ages 0-5 than the number of licensed child care spots.


“This child care package is something we have been working on for several years,” O’Malley said. “We now have got a very nice basic compromise with the governor’s office, with Democratic colleagues in the House and the Senate, so I think we are in a good position.”

Snowmobile helmet exemption proposal proposed just in time for winter

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Through series of bills, those with off-road vehicles and snowmobiles would only need a doctor’s note to be released from wearing a helmet.

By Barbara Bellinger
Capital News Service

LANSING — Off-road vehicle and snowmobile riders who are claustrophobic would not have to wear a helmet if a series of bills are passed by the Legislature.

A doctor’s note would give a get-out-of-jail-free card to Michigan outdoor enthusiasts who have certain medical conditions and use off-road vehicles (commonly known as ORVs) and snowmobiles for hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreation.

An Upper Peninsula senator sponsored the bills after a constituent asked why he couldn’t get a doctor’s excuse to not wear a helmet when people could get them for not wearing seatbelts.

“He himself has a number of special needs, including body shape development of his head, that are not typical, and it makes it impossible or very painful for him to wear a helmet,” Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Waucedah Township, said at a hearing that resulted in the bills being passed in the Senate this spring.

Doctor’s notes could also include nonphysical conditions.

“There’s also the reality that some of the individuals I’ve talked to, as I’ve worked on this piece of legislation, their medical condition that impairs their wearing a helmet is not necessarily physical,” McBroom said. “Claustrophobia is a particular ailment, and I talked to an individual who has panic attacks.”

Allowances may need to be made in these types of circumstances, said Karen Middendorf, the executive director of the Michigan Snowmobile & ORV Association.

“We all know helmets are worn for safety, and it is safest to have one on while riding. However, if you have an incapacitating condition that does not allow you to cover your head, this becomes a very personal decision. An exception may be needed,” she said.

McBroom said the bills are not linked to what others consider the main issue: that motorcyclists aren’t required by law to wear helmets, yet snowmobile and ORV riders are.

“In this bill package, we are not dealing with that larger issue of is mandating helmets for everybody right or wrong in the first place,” he said.

But some snowmobile and ORV riders say the larger issue is personal choice.

 

“The doctor’s note should not be part of anything like this — that is truly ridiculous,” said Chris Bovee, a longtime snowmobile rider and resident of Harbor Springs.

“While I would always ride a motorcycle or snowmobile on trail with a helmet, it being a law isn’t right,” Bovee wrote in an email. “At the very least, if I am on private property, piss off. The decision to wear a helmet or not is something I am very capable of making… Don’t need a law for it.”

Paul Anderson, the owner of Sled Solutions in Acme and a longtime snowmobile rider, agreed it should be the choice of the rider, not the government.

But the government is involved, and helmet-wearing exemptions are presenting as partisan issues. The bills passed the Senate mainly along party lines.

The Department of Natural Resources and the Gov. Gretchen Whitmer administration are against it, McBroom said.

“Frequently the party that is the same as the administration decides to support the governor and departments and divisions, those kinds of things,” he said. The bill would have attracted more Senate Democrats, McBroom said, but the department and current administration opposed it.

John Pepin, the Department of Natural Resources deputy public information officer, said the agency had no comment.

McBroom said he hopes to gain support from both sides of the aisle before the bills come up for a vote in the House.

“I certainly have some good connections with Democrats and Republicans in the House that I hope I’ll be able to utilize to get bipartisan support,” he said.

Dr. Alistair Chapman, a Spectrum Health trauma surgeon and director of the Spectrum Health Trauma Research Institute in Grand Rapids, said the bill should neither be partisan nor an issue in the first place.

 

“I am disappointed that legislators are again exploring helmet exemptions. A helmet is a common-sense safety mechanism. Wearing one is smart and safe,” he said.
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Anderson said he plans to continue on as he has been: “I wear a helmet on my snowmobile not because I’m required to but because I want to.”

Getting rid of the ORV/snowmobile helmet law as a whole wouldn’t make that much of a difference in people’s behavior, he said.

“If you took a poll of how many people would opt out of wearing a helmet on a snowmobile if the law didn’t require it, you’d find most would still wear it,” Anderson wrote in an email.

 “Why? Because it’s cold without one!”

ABOUT BARBARA BELLINGER

Barbara Bellinger

Barbara Bellinger is a master’s student in journalism at Michigan State University. Her journalistic interests include undocumented immigration, international journalism and the criminal justice system. She hopes to become a reporter for CNN, NPR or a local Michigan news outlet.