WATER ACTION NOW! Email Key Senators & Rep’s to Protect Families from Water Shutoffs; Call YOUR Legislators
By MUUSJN on Monday, October 19th, 2020
Urge Your Michigan Senator & Representative& Key State Legislatorsto Vote for SB 241 Which Codifies Governor’s Executive Order 2020-144 That Turns Families’ Water Back on & Prevents Water Shutoffs
BACKGROUND:
On October 2, our state’s highest court rescinded the “Emergency Powers of the Governor Act” of 1945, which authorized Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to issue many Executive Orders during the Covid pandemic.
One of the Executive Orders, EO 2020-144, was to restore water to all occupied homes that had been shut off due to lack of payment.
During this pandemic, it has become even more evident why families need water in their homes to stay safe and healthy. And yet, low income families across the state are in jeopardy of having their water turned off. For the safety and well being of these families and our communities as a whole we must keep the water on!
A SOLUTION:
Michigan State Senator Stephanie Chang and other government and environmental groups have made efforts to put forward legislation to codify the Governor’s Executive Order on water restorations (EO 2020-144).
On the legislative front, mostly Democratic House and Senate representatives are seeking to “codify” (i.e., arrange laws or rules into a systemic code). In particular, there is a modified version of SB 241 — a water protection shutoff bill — that incorporates the Executive Order 2020-144 and was introduced in the Senate on October 13th by Senator Chang. Although no action was taken that day, Senator Chang has called on water advocates to urge key legislators and our own Senators and Representatives, to support SB 241 before it comes up for a vote as soon as next Tuesday, October 20th. It will be helpful to remind State legislators that $25 million has already been allocated by the State to help local communities assure access to water for their families.Some Republicans are meeting with the Governor to address our COVID pandemic crisis.
HERE’S WHAT WE NEED YOU TO DO IMMEDIATELY:
1. Please email and call your Michigan Representative and Senator, especially they are in Republican districts. Urge them to “codify EO 2020-144 regarding water restorations and shutoff protection.” Click HERE for phone/email of your State Senator.Click HERE for phone/email of your State Representative.
2. Contact at least three (3) Senators and Representatives outside your community that you are familiar with, e.g., where your children or parents live; where you have a vacation home; where you have some type of connection to ask them to “codify EO 2020-144 regarding water restorations and shutoff protection.”
Here are four legislators suggested by Senator Chang:
- Senator Mike Shirkey (Jackson), Senate Majority Leader: 517-373-6932
- Senator Peter MacGregor (Kent County): 517-373-0797
- Senator Jim Stamas (Midland): 517-373-7946
- Rep. Lee Chatfield (northern Michigan), Speaker of the House: 517-373-2629
3. Finally, if you have not already done so, please complete this online form from ACLU Michigan so you can send an email to your Senator and Representative to Keep the Water On.
The Peoples Water Board (PWB) is trying to keep track of legislators you have reached. Please reply to me jennifer.a.teed@gmail.com after you have made your connections and let me know who you contacted, I will forward the information to PWB.
As always, thank you for engaging in this very important human rights work, rooted in our UU values.
Category: News |