Lansing РSenate Democratic leaders Gretchen Whitmer and Tupac A. Hunter issued the following statement today regarding the release of over 200 pages of leaked documentation that reveal significant ethical and political breaches by Governor Snyder and Oakland County elected officials, both local and legislative. The documents substantiate Senate Democrats' claims of political gerrymandering and reveal that Republicans' motivation in passing legislation to redraw Oakland County Commission districts was overtly partisan and intentionally devious. The news calls into question the actions of leadership of both bodies, but also tarnishes the Governor's fa̤ade of being outside the political establishment.

LANSING”The Michigan Senate passed a package of legislation today to require insurance coverage for autism treatment, including Senator Tupac A. Hunter's (D-Detroit) bill, Senate Bill 415. Senate Bill 414 introduced by Senator Mike Green (R-Mayville) and Senate Bill 981 introduced by Senator Randy Richardville (R-Monroe) were also passed today.

LANSING”The Michigan Senate Health Policy Committee passed legislation today to require insurance coverage for autism treatment, including Senate Bill 415 sponsored by Senator Tupac A. Hunter (D-Detroit). The committee also passed Senate Bill 414 introduced by Senator Mike Green (R-Mayville) and Senate Bill 981 introduced by Senator Randy Richardville (R-Monroe).

LANSING”Senator Tupac A. Hunter (D-Detroit) called for action today on Senate Bill 572, his legislation that would address the threat abandoned homes pose to our communities by preventing property owners who owe back taxes or blight fines from purchasing more homes through county land auctions. The proposal was a key point of Governor Rick Snyder's special message on public safety issued yesterday. Hunter noted that an $18 million pot bust last August at a Detroit warehouse owned by a prominent land speculator was a prime example of the criminal activity being fostered by a lack of oversight in Wayne County land auctions.

LANSING”Detroit's Senate Democrats announced the #mi2020 Scholarship Competition today that will provide the winner with a year's worth of tuition, up to $10,000, at any of Michigan's community colleges or public universities. To enter, students are asked to submit a short web video at www.mi2020video.com that explains the importance of investing in higher education and how the Michigan 2020 Plan to offer free college tuition to all students is the right investment to make.

LANSING”Senate Democratic Floor Leader Tupac A. Hunter (D-Detroit) and Representative Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) announced today the creation of the bicameral Tax Foreclosure Prevention Coalition, a project by the Michigan Legislature. The project builds on previous collaboration between the Legislature and the annual Tax Foreclosure Prevention Project for Wayne County, but will be the first time that members of the Senate and House will be working jointly to help educate residents and tackle the tax foreclosure crisis that Wayne County and Michigan residents are currently facing.

LANSING – Senate Democrats today moved to offer immediate help to Michigan's unemployed workers by reinstating six weeks of state unemployment assistance to Michigan families and restoring our state's ability to receive crucial federal unemployment dollars. Senate Democratic Floor Leader Tupac A. Hunter (D – Detroit), sponsor of Senate Bill 370, moved to discharge the bill so that it could be immediately voted on and passed to restore this aid to unemployed workers; however, his motion was defeated on a near party line vote.

LANSING”Senate Democratic Floor Leader Tupac A. Hunter (D-Detroit) issued the following statement today in support of the Wayne County Commission's efforts to protect taxpayer dollars and curb the extravagant spending on departing officials by the Wayne County Executive's Office.

Lansing—Senate Democratic leaders Gretchen Whitmer and Tupac A. Hunter today praised recent rulings by Ingham County Circuit Court Judge William Collette that said closed-door meetings of state financial review teams in both Detroit and Highland Park violate the Open Meetings Act and that any formal action they took was also illegal. Hunter and Whitmer noted that the Senate Democrats' opposition to the recently-enacted Emergency Manager law included concerns over transparency and potential impropriety.

LANSING”Senate Democratic Floor Leader Tupac A. Hunter (D-Detroit) commented today on the news that the Wayne County Treasurer's Office plans to go door-to-door selling thousands of tax foreclosed properties to any occupant”homeowners, renters or squatters”for as low as $500. Senator Hunter's statement is as follows: