Governor Whitmer Header




Dear Friend, 

This week, I delivered my ‘What’s Next Address [ [link removed] ]’ [ [link removed] ], laying out my top legislative priorities for the fall and beyond to lower costs, grow our economy, and make a real difference in people’s lives. I focused on four priorities — the health of our people, planet, economy, and democracy.   

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From a 100% clean energy standard and paid family and medical leave for workers to lower health care and prescription drug costs for families, this ambitious, achievable agenda will help Michigan lead and build the future. 

Let’s dig in!

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Health of Our People

Reproductive Health Act

In November, Michiganders voted to protect abortion rights in the state constitution. In April, I signed legislation repealing the 1931 abortion ban. However, there are still many bad laws that put politically motivated, medically unnecessary restrictions on abortion. 

*What’s next:* 


* Pass the Reproductive Health Act and roll back these harmful restrictions.
* Remove medically unnecessary rules that shut down clinics providing abortion care so people do not have to drive hundreds of miles to get care. 
* Allow private insurance companies to include coverage for all pregnancy-related health care and prevent criminal punishment for miscarriages and stillbirths by ensuring pregnant women cannot be punished for things that are generally legal to do.
* Protect the freedom to make your own decisions without interference from politicians. 

Health Care

In 2013, Republicans and Democrats came together to establish Healthy Michigan thanks to the Affordable Care Act. It expanded care to over 1 million people, lowered costs, and improved health outcomes.  

*What’s next:* Codify the commonsense, cost-saving measures of the Affordable Care Act including: 


* Protections for pre-existing conditions
* Permitting children to remain on their parent’s insurance until 26
* Banning annual or lifetime caps on care, and
* Requiring insurance plans to cover essential services like ambulance services, birth control, mental health treatment, and preventative care 

Prescription Drugs

In 2020, I established a bipartisan Prescription Drugs Task Force to drive down costs. Since then, I’ve signed legislation implementing some of their recommendations to lower costs by increasing transparency and accountability.  

*What’s next: *Establish an independent, nonpartisan Prescription Drug Affordability Board made up of leaders in economics, health care, supply chain, and academics. The board would use data and evidence-backed research to tackle the cost of prescription drugs. They will hold bad actors across the supply chain accountable for irrationally skyrocketing prices while also encouraging R&D to help find new treatments and cures.

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Health of Our Planet

100% Clean Energy Standard

In the decades ahead, Michigan will be a destination for people seeking safe water, clean air, and a pleasant peninsula or two. We must face climate change head-on and grow the economy. To get it done we need bold goals, stronger tools, and tangible investments that make a real difference in people’s lives.  

*What’s next: * 


* Enact a 100% clean energy standard for Michigan so future generations have clean air to breathe and safe water to drink. 
* Improve energy efficiency programs to drive down costs for families and small businesses. 
* Empower the Michigan Public Service Commission to build clean energy at scale faster. Ensure the workers building clean energy are paid wages you can raise a family on.

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Health of Our Economy

Paid Family and Medical Leave

Michiganders often have to choose between earning a paycheck or spending time with their newborn, recovering from a health issue, or caring for an aging or sick parent or spouse. Around 77% of Michigan workers do not have access to paid family or medical leave. They deserve better.  

*What’s next:* 


* Enact paid family and medical leave.
* Make sure Michiganders can provide for their families without sacrificing their own ability to pay the bills or put food on the table.
* Level the playing field of small businesses, who often cannot afford to provide paid leave like larger companies can. 

Getting this done will help more working parents go back to work and maternal and infant health outcomes. 

Permitting

We are living through a manufacturing boom the likes of which we have not seen since the 1960s. Construction spending by American manufacturers more than doubled over the past year. We’re seeing it in Michigan too with new battery, chip, and electric vehicle factories. We are building a heck of lot. But we need to pick up the pace.  

*What’s next:* Streamline our permitting process for advanced manufacturing, infrastructure, housing, and so much more. Getting this done will help us harness the full power of our economic development toolkit. I have issued executive directives to improve our permitting process, but we need both executive action and legislation to make long overdue strides. 

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Health of Our Democracy

Shore up Election Security

Last November, Michiganders voted to pass Proposal 2, making it easier to vote in a secure way. The proposal requires nine days of early, in-person voting, ensures overseas service members get their votes counted, and ensures absentee ballots are free to mail in. However, threats against the integrity of our elections are alive and well. 

*What’s next:* Shore up election security. We cannot allow the will of the people to be tossed out or overturned, and we can’t allow politicians to stay in office despite getting voted out. We must ensure Michiganders are heard and respected. 

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So far, we have made a lot of progress together. Now, we’re tackling ‘what’s next’ for Michigan head-on to build a bright future for our state. So, let’s tell the world! Let's go from just believing in Michigan to bragging about Michigan.

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Let’s take on ‘what’s next’ with the same grit and grace that we’ve always had. 

Our plans are ambitious, but they are achievable. Let’s get them done!

Sincerely, 

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Gretchen Whitmer

Governor








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