Jason Woolford - State Representative

I was proud to introduce HB 5885 to ensure that 100% permanently disabled veterans are fully protected in their eligibility for property tax exemptions, even when they operate a small business out of their home.

While Michigan law already grants a full property tax exemption to veterans who have been rated permanently and totally disabled, some township assessors have taken it upon themselves to deny these exemptions simply because they see a veteran doing physical tasks or running a small home‑based business. This practice is not only inappropriate, but it also directly conflicts with the standards used by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA makes clear that a permanent and total disability rating can be based on physical injuries, mental health conditions such as PTSD, or a combination of both. It is not defined by whether a veteran is capable of occasional manual labor.

Local assessors should not be reinterpreting or second‑guessing a veteran’s federally determined disability status. A 100% permanent and total rating is a legal determination, not a subjective judgment call for individual assessors.

We owe it to our disabled veterans to uphold the benefits they have earned through their service and sacrifice. This legislation is an important step toward preventing inconsistent, unfair, and unauthorized denials at the local level.

I am proud to have voted in support of legislation that strengthens early literacy standards and helps put Michigan students on a path to success. The plan helps ensure students receive regular assessments to identify reading challenges early, provide evidence-based interventions to address any deficiencies, and keep parents informed of their child's progress every step of the way. Our plan also helps ensure students are not continuously advanced through the school system without the foundational reading skills they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond.

These standards are similar to those in 26 other states, including those that rank in the top 10 in the nation for reading scores. This is a proven method that significantly improves student outcomes.

Real compassion is not passing students along and hoping for the best. It is identifying struggling readers early, providing meaningful support, and ensuring they have the core reading skills mastered before moving on. I believe every child deserves the opportunity to succeed in the classroom and beyond. That starts with making sure they can read. I voted to restore this law because equipping students with the skills they need to succeed is the real solution.

I was honored to join The City of Howell, Michigan - Government this afternoon to celebrate the new Fire and Ice-Skating Rink in downtown Howell!

This rink is more than just a new building. It represents an investment in the future of Howell. It will provide a place for families to gather, neighbors to connect, and visitors to experience everything that makes Howell such a special place to call home. Projects like this strengthen our town and help create the kinds of places where people want to live, visit, and raise their families. They foster a sense of community pride, encourage everyone to spend time together, and help enhance the true spirit of Howell.

Congratulations to the City of Howell and everyone who played a role in bringing this vision to life. I encourage everyone to come out and experience this incredible new addition firsthand!

This spring marked an important step forward as the Governor signed our legislation to fund the incoming F-15EX fighter mission at Selfridge Air National Guard Base. This has been the result of months of coordination, negotiation, and strong partnership across all levels of government, and we are now seeing that work come to fruition.

This is a significant win for Michigan!

Selfridge supports nearly 5,000 jobs, drives about $850 million in annual economic activity, and is home to thousands of military families who are part of our broader community. Continued investment in Selfridge reinforces Michigan’s role as a leader in defense and aerospace while supporting jobs, innovation, and long-term growth across the state.

I voted to bring important funding home in the state budget including strong support for the heroes who served our country.

We secured:
• 300,000 for VFW Post 6464 in Fowlerville for infrastructure upgrades
• $615,600 for the Michigan Military Heritage Museum to preserve our veterans’ stories
• $1,000,000 for VFW Post 4037 and American Legion Post 167 to upgrade their facilities
• $250,00 for Helmets for Hardhats
• $25,000 for the Bedford Township Veterans Memorial

These projects matter. Our veterans sacrificed everything for this country, and it’s our duty to honor them and make sure their legacy lives on. I’m also glad we were able to support local infrastructure, public safety, and workforce projects that help families right here at home. Government should work for the people not the other way around. That’s what I fight for every day.

Strengthening accountability in our state government has been one of my top priorities since coming to Lansing. Through oversight hearings, investigations, and legislation, I've worked to uncover waste, improve transparency, and protect taxpayer resources. I'm proud that many of those reforms are now included in Michigan's FY 27 budget!

For too long, major policy changes have been made through executive waivers without meaningful legislative involvement. As Chairman of the House Subcommittee on State and Local Public Assistance Programs, I've consistently pushed back against that practice. The budget restores important guardrails by limiting unilateral changes and ensuring elected representatives maintain oversight over major policy decisions.

Our investigations also uncovered hundreds of millions of dollars in improper payments across the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the Unemployment Insurance Agency, and other state programs. We:

- Heard testimony from whistleblowers
- Questioned agency officials under oath
- Demanded answers where others had accepted excuses

Those efforts helped expose systemic problems and laid the foundation for reforms that strengthen program integrity, reduce waste, and better protect taxpayer resources.

Transparency and accountability go hand in hand. The FY 2027 budget efforts of my legislation, HB 5650, to strengthen oversight of the Attorney General's office and ensure significant actions involving taxpayer resources are subject to greater review and scrutiny.

This budget demonstrates what can happen when oversight leads to action. It strengthens accountability, improves transparency, and helps ensure taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly. And there's still more work ahead.

The House fought for a budget that reins in spending while keeping the focus on the priorities that matter most to Michigan families.

That's why we passed a plan that reduces state general fund spending by $859 million, eliminates another $800 million in waste, fraud, and abuse, protects our rainy-day fund, and avoids raising taxes. We continued our efforts to root out government bloat by cutting an additional 250 ghost employee positions and putting an end to automatic deposits into programs that lacked accountability and made sure more dollars are directed toward services that deliver measurable results.

At the same time, we made room for targeted investments where they matter most, including improving literacy outcomes for students, strengthening public safety, and enhancing safeguards to prevent misuse in public assistance programs.

Michigan taxpayers expect their hard-earned dollars to be spent wisely. This budget takes an important step in that direction by prioritizing accountability, fiscal responsibility, and results over bigger government.

Good policy starts with good oversight. As Chair of the House Oversight Subcommittee on State and Local Assistance Programs, I worked to uncover waste, strengthen accountability, and protect taxpayer dollars. I'm proud to see many of these reforms included in our FY 27 budget!:

- Strengthening eligibility reviews to help ensure benefits go to those who qualify

- Providing agencies with better tools to identify and remove ineligible recipients

- Expanding reporting requirements to increase transparency and legislative oversight

- Requiring more frequent monitoring of payment errors and eligibility issues

- Protecting taxpayer dollars while preserving assistance for those who truly need it

Oversight matters. Accountability matters. Michigan families deserve a government that verifies eligibility, monitors performance, and ensures public assistance programs are serving their intended purpose.

"Title IX opened doors for female athletes, and we have a responsibility to ensure those opportunities remain meaningful.”

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