So. Apparently there’s a (stupid) Fox News article claiming that long-overdue amendments to Michigan’s hate crimes law will criminalize calling people by the wrong pronouns.

The “argument,” such as it is, is beyond frivolous. Here’s why: /1

https://twitter.com/michigandems/status/1675227530649911296

The amendments to Michigan’s hate crimes law do several things. Most pertinently, they provide that certain crimes which are motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity quality as hate crimes.

Here’s the full proposed amendment: /2legislature.mi.gov/(S(cuposg2sfqj…

Yesterday’s Michigan results are what happens when the People take power.

In 2018, fed up with decades of unrepresentative government, Michigan voters passed two ballot initiatives.

One expanded voting access. The other established an independent redistricting commission. /1 Yesterday was the first election with both of these laws in place.

Yesterday also featured direct ballot initiatives to constitutionalize the right to reproductive freedom, and the right to vote.

And across the State, Michigan voters turned out. /2

Okay! Personally, I’ll vote yes on Prop 1.

The financial disclosure piece is good. The term limits piece is also an improvement, IMHO.

Legislators can now serve 3 terms in the House (6 total yrs) & 2 in Senate (8 yrs). Prop 1 says they can serve 12 yrs in Legislature, total. /1

https://twitter.com/are_dot_dee/status/1583651543403810816

I think that’s a good thing, as it lets legislators to serve a longer period of time in a chamber without having to search for their next job/office.

In the House in particular, it’d reduce turnover & allow members to build institutional knowledge/expertise. /2

Don’t get tricked by legal misinformation. Prop 3’s about restoring the rights that were protected by Roe.

It says nothing about eliminating parental consent.

It says nothing about gender identity.

It permits abortion only up to fetal viability—the same line drawn by Roe. /1

https://twitter.com/michiganadvance/status/1583552936994820099

That’s not just my view. Here, for example, is UM Law professor @LeahLitman saying the same thing: /2

bridgemi.com/guest-commenta…

I'm just going to add onto @MalloryMcMorrow's excellent thread here with some legal context.

This ad--as with the rest of the misinformation being pushed by the anti-Prop 3 folks--is just simply, flatly, unequivocally false. /1

https://twitter.com/MalloryMcMorrow/status/1582832508269637633

Start with basics. Here's the relevant text. Prop 3 covers "matters relating to pregnancy." It's not about gender identity or gender-affirming care. That's NOWHERE in the text.

In that context, "sterilization" is clearly meant to cover things like vasectomies/tubal ligations. /2

Sign. Yes. This "but the children!" mumbo-jumbo is indeed complete BS.

And, once again, an attempt to distract from the whole point of Prop 3, which is to invalidate Michigan's draconian anti-abortion law, & reinstate the rights that existed prior to Roe being overturned. /1

https://twitter.com/EdwardD05569915/status/1580241074169483264

There's a lot of hand-waving and legal-sounding stuff in that article, but the basic sleight-of-hand is this:

Because prop 3 says you can't discriminate in the provision of the right, it means that different regulations for children are unconstitutional.

Nonsense. /2

Just now, the Court of Claims issued an excellent opinion which PERMANENTLY enjoins the enforcement of Michigan's draconian anti-abortion law.

A few key takeaways (and what it means). /1

https://twitter.com/JordynHermani/status/1567569180810960903

Most immediately: this doesn't have any immediate impact as to abortion access in Michigan.

That 1931 law was ALREADY blocked from being enforced by two *preliminary* injunctions: one in this case; another from the Oakland County court in the case brought by @GovWhitmer. /2

Just now, joined by six other elected prosecutors from across the State, we filed a brief in the Michigan Supreme Court urging the Court to place the Reproductive Freedom For All petition on the November ballot.

You can read our full brief here: washtenaw.org/DocumentCenter…. /1 This is about ensuring reproductive freedom in Michigan.

But it's also about democracy, and protecting the People's authority to decide what the law should be.

The will of some 750,000+ voters must not be stymied by subjective "spacing" preferences of unelected canvassers. /2

We're going back to court this week to defend abortion rights in Michigan. Given the confusing legal situation--& that there'll likely be significant media coverage--here's a breakdown of where things stand.

(Most important: Abortion remains safe, legal, & accessible here). /1 As background, recall that Michigan has an archaic 1931 law criminalizing abortion (that actually dates back to 1846).

That law was never wiped off the books, so--once Roe was overturned--it threatened to spring back into existence. /2

Yesterday, the @MISupremeCourt ruled that Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

This is a HUGE victory. Wondering what it means & how we got here? Oh, that's epic. And here's a thread. /1

freep.com/story/news/pol… Let's start with the substance.

What this means is that sexual orientation-discrimination is now broadly & unequivocally illegal in Michigan.

The ruling covers discrimination in housing. Employment. Education. Medical care. Public accommodations (restaurants, hotels, etc). /2

Devastated to learn of the tragic passing of Zahra Abbas

This picture was taken just a couple months ago. Zahra conceived of, organized, & personally staffed an expungement event at Hash Bash—allowing those with old criminal convictions an easy opportunity at a clean slate. /1 That’s who she was. She was a fierce organizer. She stayed irrevocably true to her core beliefs. She helped countless, countless people. But she did it all with joy; with community spirit; with unending passion for what’s right. /2

BIG NEWS.

Today, joined by labor leaders from across Washtenaw County, our office formally entered into a partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor to protect workers' rights.

It's the first agreement of its kind in Michigan. /1 Why the need?

Well, state & federal law often provide distinct protections for workers. The agreement allows our office & the federal government to share information, conduct joint investigations, & determine whether state or federal enforcement is more appropriate. /2

🚨This is HUGE. Here’s the story.🚨

In ‘18, Michiganders collected enough signatures to put on the ballot an initiative to raise minimum wage & provide paid sick leave.

As is its right, the Legislature “adopted” that initiative as law before voters could vote on it. BUT…/1

https://twitter.com/craigdmauger/status/1549499824919150593

BUT the GOP-led Legislature never intended for the initiative to become law.

Instead, it “adopted” the law. Then—after Democrats swept statewide elections, but before they could be sworn into office—the Legislature “amended” the law out of existence in a lame-duck session. /2