Dear Friend,

Today, I proclaimed August 26^th as Women’s Equality Day in Michigan, commemorating the 105^th anniversary of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which granted women the right to vote. 

Michigan women are tough. We work hard. We get stuff done. And we don’t back down from a challenge. Michigan women lead companies, classrooms, and coalitions to get things done that move our state forward.

Today, we should celebrate how far we have come in the fight for women’s rights, but we cannot lose sight of the fact that those hard-won freedoms face real threats today. Amid ongoing attacks on reproductive rights in states across the country and the scaling back of equal opportunity and inclusion efforts at the federal level, we must continue to do the work to build a more equal and just Michigan where everyone can thrive.

In Michigan, we believe in every person’s fundamental right to equal opportunity. Whether it’s protecting reproductive freedom, expanding access to affordable child care and education, lowering costs for working families, or creating economic opportunity for young people, we will continue breaking down barriers that have prevented women from reaching their full potential. 

Together, let’s celebrate our progress and keep working towards an even better future where everyone can thrive.

Sincerely,

Fighting for Women Across Michigan

Since I took office, we’ve made record, bipartisan investments to help Michigan women save money, learn more, and earn more.

To save busy working moms time and money, we started feeding all 1.4 million public school students free breakfast and lunch at school. We made pre-K free for all, giving every child a strong academic foundation while saving parents $10,000 a year, per kid. I also signed a law that quintupled the Michigan Working Families Tax Credit to give over 700,000 working families an average tax refund of $3,150.

To help young women get on paths to good-paying, in-demand jobs, we made community college tuition-free for all high school graduates at their local community college. We also offer any Michigander 25 and older the opportunity to earn an associate’s degree or skills certificate tuition-free with the Michigan Reconnect program. We have expanded apprenticeships too, because we want every young person to be able to earn more money so they can provide for themselves and their family.

Standing Up for Reproductive Rights

Over the last few years, we’ve made a lot of progress to protect the fundamental right of every Michigan woman to make her own decisions about her own body. We believe that it should be up to her and her family to decide when, how, or if she wants to start a family in Michigan.

In November 2022, Michiganders voted overwhelmingly to pass Proposal 3, which enshrined the right to reproductive freedom in the Michigan constitution. After that, we followed suit, repealing an extreme 1931 law that banned abortions without exceptions for rape or incest and criminalized doctors and nurses for doing their jobs. I signed the Reproductive Health Act, repealing TRAP laws and enacting commonsense changes to protect reproductive health and freedom. We also passed a law hindering employers from discriminating against women because they’ve had an abortion. 

Last year, I signed the Michigan Family Protection Act, a package of commonsense, long-overdue changes to repeal Michigan’s ban on surrogacy, protect families formed by IVF, and ensure LGBTQ+ parents are treated equally under the law. I announced a new program, Take Control of Your Birth Control, to ensure Michiganders have access to free contraception which will lower the cost of family planning and keep people healthy. I also repealed the tax on essential menstrual products, saving families an estimated $4,800 over a lifetime.  

I will keep fighting like hell to protect reproductive freedom in Michigan.

Ensuring Women Have a Seat at the Table

Michigan women bring a broad and profound diversity of lived experiences and expertise to all aspects of our lives. That’s why we’ve ensured they are represented throughout my administration and in state government.

As governor, I have appointed more than 1,200 women to boards, commissions, and full-time positions, and have appointed 62 women to judicial positions—representing over half of all judicial appointments made during my term.

Created in 1968, the 15-member Michigan Women's Commission celebrates women's accomplishments and contributions to Michigan, addresses pressing issues impacting women, and works to develop effective solutions to the unique challenges they encounter in Michigan and beyond.

If you are interested in making your voice heard by serving on a state board or commission, review our current Appointments Openings and apply at www.michigan.gov/appointments. I encourage all Michiganders to bring their talent and perspective to state government and apply for an appointment to a statewide board or commission.