Dear Friends,
Juvenile justice bill package
Holodomor resolution
Gov. signs transportation bills
Medically frail inmates
Energy bills
Outdated regulations reduced
Veterans hotline
Financial literacy
Road funding
Children’s literacy
Flint water
Unemployment rate
Property rights bills
Probation & parole reform bills
Protect yourself from carbon
dioxide poisoning
“Ringing the bell”
Holodomor ceremony
Veterans Day in Troy
Office hours
Hello and welcome to my e-newsletter for December 2015!
As we enjoy these last few days of the year, 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 1877-238-0001 or email [email protected].
Juvenile justice reform package in committee
I am one of fifteen lawmakers to sponsor legislation in a bipartisan
20-bill juvenile justice reform package presented to the House
Committee on Criminal Justice earlier this month.
The bills would make a variety of changes, the most notable of
which would be to not automatically sentence 17-year-olds as
adults, including House Bill 4948 sponsored by me. The change
would bring Michigan in line with 41 other states.
Situations like these need to be decided on an individual level. 17year-olds can’t vote or serve in the military, and they need to be
treated fairly, while properly punished, with an emphasis on
rehabilitation.
Another bill in the package that I am sponsoring is HB 4966, which
would require the Department of Corrections to develop policies
ensuring that inmates under 21 years of age be offered ageappropriate out-of-cell programming and outdoor exercise at least
five days a week.
Other measures in the package include requiring public monitoring
and oversight of youth under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections who entered for an offense
committed prior to turning 18 years old, as well as not housing youth offenders in adult jails and prisons.
These reforms are greatly needed changes to protect young Michiganders in our legal system. Our state is
playing catch up, but we are making changes to take the lead in our treatment of minors.
Rep. Howrylak introduces resolution to commemorate the Holodomor
Last month I introduced a resolution (HR 186) to declare Nov. 28, 2015, as Holodomor Memorial Day in the
state of Michigan. The resolution was adopted by the full House with a voice vote. The term “Holodomor” is a
Ukrainian word that means “extermination by means of starvation,” and refers to the Ukrainian Famine and
Genocide of 1932-1933, when millions of Ukrainians perished under the Soviet government of communist
dictator Joseph Stalin.
Some survivors of the Holodomor and their descendants reside in Michigan and have contributed to the state’s
cultural, economic, political, and educational life.
It is important and fitting to observe the Holodomor for the purposes of recognizing the Holodomor and
reflecting on its horrific legacy. The people of Michigan value democratic freedoms, human rights, and the rule
of law, honor the values of compassion and honesty, and cherish the multicultural vibrancy of the state. There is
no place in this world for the savagery of Soviet communism that was imposed upon its people, including those
who were unwillingly made a part of the Soviet Union.
This year is also a special year for Americans of Ukrainian descent because on November 7, the Holodomor
Memorial in Washington, D.C. was completed and opened to the public.
Vera Andrushkiw, Vice-President of the Ukrainian American Civic Committee and President of the Detroit
Regional Council of the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America added, “On this 82nd anniversary of
the Holodomor we had the historic opening of the Holodomor monument in Washington, DC, thereby
solidifying the various efforts of the Ukrainian-American community, the U. S. Congress and the scholarly
efforts of such historians as Robert Conquest, James Mace and various journalists, such as Gareth Jones, who
fearlessly exposed the truth about the events of the 1930s in Ukraine.”
The fourth Saturday in November has been recognized internationally as a day to commemorate the
Holodomor. 2015 marks the 82nd Anniversary of the tragedy.
Governor signs plan to fix Michigan’s roads
Gov. Rick Snyder has signed into law the long-term, sustainable plan to fix and repair Michigan’s transportation
system through a mix of reprioritizing existing funds and new revenue. Included in the plan is an extension of
the Homestead Property Tax Credit that provides additional tax relief to hard-working Michigan residents. The
plan will eventually earmark $1.2 billion annually specifically designated for road and bridge repair and
maintenance. The legislation also includes provisions calling for stronger warranties on new roads and
expanded competitive bidding to save taxpayer money.
Medically frail inmates could be paroled under legislation
The House Committee on Appropriations is considering bills (HB 5078-5080) that would allow prisoners
considered to be “medically frail” a chance to be paroled, a move that could save the state money. The bills
allow the parole board to grant parole to disabled prisoners who agree to be placed in secured medical care
facilities, saving the state up to $12 million a year. Supporters say the common-sense legislation is long overdue
and provides the inmates with proper health care without eroding public safety.
House committee approves sweeping energy plan
The House Committee on Energy Policy approved a landmark energy plan to provide reliable, affordable
energy for Michigan families for decades to come. The legislation gives Michigan more control of its energy
policy as the federal government places more mandates on states, and ensures a reliable energy infrastructure
between the state’s two peninsulas. With several coal-burning power plants to be shuttered in the near future,
the plan focuses on energy reliability, cleaner standards and cost-effectiveness. The legislation creates an
approach to Michigan’s energy future through both traditional and alternate energy sources. Although the bills
need some amendments and I hope to see them tweaked, they now move to the full House for consideration.
State continues to reduce outdated regulations
There are fewer obsolete or duplicative rules in the state, thanks to a special agency formed in 2011 to review
Michigan’s vast collection of regulations. The Office of Regulatory Reinvention has reviewed more than 19,000
rules and regulations, and through a process of removing outdated rules and combining others has eliminated
2,127 rules. The mission concerning reduction of rules is to cut down on administrative burdens for state
departments and make compliance more efficient and effective for businesses and consumers.
Veterans’ hotline reaches 65,000 people in first year
Since the launch of the Michigan Veteran Resource Service Center in September 2014, the Michigan Veterans
Affairs Agency has communicated with 65,100 veterans and family members who have called, emailed, visited,
enrolled in state programs or been referred to the center. The Service Center offers 24/7/365 assistance to
veterans and family members, averaging 1,500 calls a month. The top five requests are for benefits information,
home repairs, homelessness assistance, financial assistance and information on the state’s property tax
exemption for 100 percent disabled veterans. The hotline number is 800-MICH-VET (800-643-4838). Veterans
and family members are also welcome to call their legislators for assistance.
Governor signs financial literacy legislation
Michigan high-school students will be better equipped to manage their finances under legislation signed last
month by Gov. Rick Snyder. The new law allows the Michigan Merit Curriculum half-credit in economics to be
satisfied by completing a course in personal economics that includes a financial literacy component. The class
helps students understand the basics of the economic system and how to budget for a successful future.
House passes responsible road-funding plan
In October the Michigan legislature approved a long-term roads plan that will generate $1.2 billion annually to
fix the state’s deteriorating roads and bridges at the lowest possible cost to Michigan taxpayers.
The plan:




Allocates $600 million in existing funds to fix roads and bridges;
Generates $600 million in new revenue for roads and bridges;
Provides $200 million in tax relief by expanding the Homestead Property Tax Credit for middle-class
families, low-income residents and seniors;
Funds our roads with responsible, targeted dollars.
It is also important to realize that tangible work has already been done to improve roads in Michigan. In
addition to the new legislative roads plan, a total of $1.27 billion over the last five years has been allocated from
the General Fund to fix our roads and bridges without raising taxes.
Children’s literacy improvement bill advances
The Michigan House recently approved legislation (HB 4822) to improve literacy in elementary-school
students. The bill attempts to get students reading at grade level before they reach fourth grade. The measure
includes many intervention programs for a child to improve literacy before reaching third grade. Students will
continue to be taught at grade level in all other subjects while receiving third grade reading intervention. The
measure is now before the Senate for consideration.
House OKs funds for Flint water switch back to Detroit system
The House unanimously approved a bill earmarking money to provide residents of Flint with clean water. The
vote came as part of a $12 million plan to enable Flint to obtain water from the Detroit water system. The water
from the Flint River coming into homes through older lead pipes was deemed to be a public health hazard. The
bill includes $9.3 million overall to address the Flint water issue. Outside of the $6 million reconnection fee, $1
million is set aside for water testing, a second $1 million for water filters, $850,000 for a childhood lead testing
program and $500,000 to help the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Licensing and
Regulatory Affairs address the crisis.
Unemployment rate reaches 15-year low
Michigan’s unemployment rate for September fell to 5 percent – below the national average of 5.1 percent.
That’s the first time Michigan has been below the national average since 2000. It also is an amazing part of
Michigan’s economic comeback, considering that the state’s jobless rate was nearly 15 percent in 2009. Much
of the economic improvement has been the result of leadership in the House and Senate, which created a
healthy business environment in which job creators can thrive.
Governor signs bills protecting property rights
Gov. Rick Snyder signed a package of bills that increases transparency as well as requiring a higher burden of
proof to protect individual rights and clarify what constitutes the lawful seizure of property. The bills were
passed by the Legislature because, in some worst-case scenarios, private property has been seized and kept by
government officials even when the property owner is never charged with a crime, much less prosecuted and
convicted. The amended law makes it easier for citizens who have not been convicted to reclaim their property.
House passes probation, parole reform bills
The Michigan House of Representatives recently approved legislation that would make much-needed reforms to
the state’s parole and probation practices while lightening the burden of corrections costs in the state budget.
Since the 1970s, Michigan’s prison population has tripled and the state’s Corrections Department costs have
swollen from 3 percent of the General Fund budget to 20 percent today, while several Michigan cities remain
among the most crime-ridden in the country. House Bills 4137 (Howrylak) and 4138 (Heise) are part of ongoing
effort to reduce offender recidivism and incarceration costs while providing the highest standards of public
safety. The bills are now before the Senate for consideration.
Protect yourself against carbon monoxide poisoning
With winter approaching, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is reminding everyone to be
safe from the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning during the cold weather and heating season. Michigan's
carbon monoxide poisoning tracking system found 34 unintentional deaths and 789 non-fatal unintentional
carbon monoxide poisonings in Michigan in 2013, the most recent year of complete data. Faulty furnaces and
water heaters were the most common cause of the poisonings. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless, and
tasteless gas that kills more than 500 Americans each year. It is produced by all fuel-burning devices. The
warning signs of carbon monoxide poisoning include flu-like symptoms such as headache, nausea, vomiting,
dizziness, drowsiness, and confusion. For more information about carbon monoxide poisoning and poisoning
prevention, visit www.michigan.gov/carbonmonoxide.
Ringing the bell in Troy
Earlier in December I had the chance to ring the bell and greet folks outside of Kroger in Troy. I was joined by
Ray Watts in this endeavor. It was good to see all of the cheerful folks loading up on groceries before
Christmas.
Helping out with Ray Watts in front of Kroger at Livernois & Long Lake Road in Troy
Rep. Howrylak participates in Holodomor commemoration
On Sunday, November 22, I had the opportunity to address a ceremony at the Ukrainian Cultural Center in
Warren in observance of the 1932-33 Holodomor (Famine) that happened in Ukraine. The Holodomor was the
forced famine created by Joseph Stalin in order to terrorize and bring under control the Ukrainian people. At the
height of the Holodomor over 30,000 people were starving to death each day.
Veterans Day in Troy
I attended the Veterans Day ceremony in front of Troy’s City Hall in Veterans Plaza on November 11. After the
ceremony I had the opportunity to chat with Orville Pawlowski. Orville enlisted in 1943 and served in the
Pacific theater during World War II. It was a fascinating conversation. He had much to tell, and I had a lot to
hear.
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, January 9
3:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Troy Public Library
510 W. Big Beaver Road
Monday, January 11
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Clawson Blair Memorial Library
416 N. Main Street
No appointment is necessary for district office hours. Residents unable to meet with me during these scheduled
times may contact my office at (517) 373-1783, or via e-mail at [email protected].
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:
Monday, January 8 – 12 noon until 2 pm
Tuesday, January 22 – 11:30 am until 1:30 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:
N-890 House Office Building
P.O. Box 30014
Lansing, MI 48933
Website:
http://www.RepHowrylak.com
Phone:
Toll Free:
(517) 373-1783
(877) 248-0001
Email:
[email protected]
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
*Ifyouwishtounsubscribefromthismailinglist,respondtothisemailandtypetheword"unsubscribe."*