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State Sen. McMorrow speaks to Planned Parenthood MSU about the Reproductive Health Act

Michigan Senator Mallory McMorrow (D- Royal Oak) spoke to Planned Parenthood Generation Action MSU, or PPGA, last Wednesday night about information and advocacy work surrounding the Reproductive Health Act.

The Reproductive Health Act, or RHA, seeks to make abortion care more accessible in Michigan. If passed, the RHA would repeal current restrictions to getting an abortion in Michigan, including a 24-hour waiting period before receiving an abortion, requiring parental permission, building requirements and other laws.

The meeting took place hours after Representative Karen Whitsett (D-Detroit) objected to the RHA, placing the bill “in limbo,” according to McMorrow.

Democrats currently hold a majority in the House of 56-54, but without full Democratic support and Republican legislators expected to oppose the bill, it will not pass, McMorrow said.

On social media, Whitsett said that she opposed the RHA because it allows for all pregnancy-related expenses, including abortions, to be paid for with Medicaid. In a post on Instagram, she said that taxpayer dollars should be spent on the elderly instead of abortions.

McMorrow said it is important for people to know that just because Prop. 3 passed, which secured the right to an abortion in Michigan during the midterm elections this past November, that does not automatically mean abortions are accessible for everyone and that these barriers are still in place.

McMorrow said the RHA is about making sure that any individual has safe access to the procedure no matter their income level.

Michigan legislators focus on renewable energy, environmental protections with new energy priorities

Michigan State legislators unveiled new policy goals towards clean energy and environmental protection during Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s “What’s Next” address last month.

During the “What’s Next” address, Whitmer and fellow state Democrats announced policy goals towards a 100% clean energy standard, improving energy efficiency as well as encouraging new energy infrastructure projects through the Michigan Public Service Commission.

These policies are announced under the MI Healthy Climate Plan, released in April 2022, and aim to display new legislation before the fall session resumes.

Whitmer seeks to reject “zero-sum thinking,” in which one person’s gain is another person’s loss in environmental growth. In modernizing Michigan’s energy grid and environmental protections, Whitmer claims the state protecting the environment does not have to come at the cost of economic growth, affirming “we can protect our natural resources and produce more affordable, reliable, and cleaner energy.”

MSU Black Students’ Alliance calls for University support, accountability amid racial slur incident

After an incident where racial slurs were posted outside the Student Services Building on June 8 of this year, the Michigan State University Black Students’ Alliance, or BSA, released a statement calling for support and accountability from the university.

The statement came after BSA held meetings with MSU faculty, staff and Interim President Teresa Woodruff to discuss safety measures directly related to the incident.

In the statement, BSA, an organization on campus that aims to ensure the protection and promotion of Black students through advocacy and support, addressed MSU’s administration and explained the significance of what happened, what it is like to be a Black student at a predominantly white institution, and action they hope to see regarding improving safety.

For the future, BSA has a few actions they believe need to be taken soon in order to maintain accountability and safety around campus.

BSA plans to have regular meetings with MSU Vice President for Public Safety and Chief of Police Marlon Lynch to talk about safety around campus and the camera process, while also holding a relationship with the MSU community about incidents like this one.

Based on original reporting by Jaden Beard, Joe Lorenz and PJ Pfeiffer.