Tag: Kimberly Ann Thomas

2024 General Election: What’s Ahead in Michigan

Member News

Below is a summary of the projected results for Michigan’s top races that will influence healthcare following the 2024 General Election. Official state and local outcomes will be available in the coming days on the Michigan Secretary of State website.

  • U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly) will take the U.S. Senate seat following a close race with opponent Mike Rogers (R-White Lake). Slotkin is a former national security official currently serving Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, which includes all of Ingham, Livingston, Shiawassee and Clinton counties, as well as parts of Eaton, Genesee and Oakland counties. In Congress, Slotkin worked across the aisle to help pass legislation to make prescription drug prices more transparent. She also fought to pass laws that capped the cost of insulin for seniors and allowed Medicare to negotiate for lower drug prices. In addition, she worked closely with the MHA and the hospitals in her district during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Justice Kyra Harris Bolden (D-Wayne) will serve a partial term on the Michigan Supreme Court after a projected win against Patrick W. O’Grady (R-Macomb). Once elected, Justice Bolden will take office in January 2025 and fill the remainder of a term that is underway. Justice Bolden is an incumbent candidate serving her second year on the Michigan Supreme Court since being appointed in January 2023. After receiving her Juris Doctorate, Justice Bolden became a criminal defense attorney and later a civil litigation attorney. Prior to joining the Supreme Court, she served in the Michigan House of Representatives for two terms, where she sat on the Judiciary Committee.
  • Kimberly Ann Thomas (D-Wayne) will take the full-term seat after a projected win against Andrew Fink (R-Hillsdale). She will take office at the start of the new term and serve for a full eight years. Thomas is a professor at the University of Michigan Law School and co-founder of the university’s Juvenile Justice Clinic. She also served on the bipartisan Michigan Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform and has been recognized for her service by the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan and has served as an expert for the American Bar Association (ABA) Rule of Law Initiative.
  • Republicans will flip the Michigan House of Representatives from Democratic control beginning in January of 2025. Although official results are not in, Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) is presumed to serve as speaker of the House and Rep. Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton) as minority House leader for the 2025-26 term.

Beyond election cycles, the MHA encourages Michiganders to stay informed on state and federal issues and engage with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Attend coffee hours, host facility tours and take the time to educate local decision-makers on what issues impact Michigan hospitals, staff, patients, communities and access to care.

For more information regarding election results, contact the MHA advocacy team.

MHA Race of the Week – Michigan Supreme Court

Member News

MHA RACE OF THE WEEK

The MHA’s Race of the Week series highlights the most pivotal statewide races for the 2024 General Election. The series will provide hospitals and healthcare advocates with the resources they need to make informed decisions on Election Day, including candidates’ views and background.

There will be two races for Michigan Supreme Court on the 2024 General Election ballot: One partial and one full-term seat. This Race of the Week highlights full-term candidates only. Once elected, this individual will take office at the start of the new term and serve for a full eight years.

CANDIDATES FOR MICHIGAN SUPREME COURT (FULL-TERM)

Kimberly Ann Thomas is a law professor at the University of Michigan Law School and co-founder of the university’s Juvenile Justice Clinic. Thomas also served on the bipartisan Michigan Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform, which took a data-driven approach to understanding and making recommendations for improvement of our state’s juvenile system.

Thomas previously taught at the University College Cork School of Law in Cork, Ireland and was a U.S. Fulbright Scholar award recipient. She has been recognized for her service by the Criminal Defense Attorneys of Michigan and has served as an expert for the American Bar Association (ABA) Rule of Law Initiative. Thomas received her undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland, College Park and her law degree from Harvard Law School. For more information, visit  www.electkimberlythomas.com.

Andrew Fink (District 35) was elected to the state legislature in 2020 and currently serves as Republican vice chair of the House Judiciary Committee. Last term, Fink served as vice chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military and Veterans Affairs and State Police and also as a member of the House Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Insurance and Financial Services and General Government Appropriations subcommittees, as well as the Health Policy Committee.

As a member of the House Judiciary Committee, Fink has taken up legislation related to trial court funding, estate planning, probate court rules, appeals court judge compensation, treatment courts, and many other issues. Fink graduated from Hillsdale College in 2006 with a B.A. in Politics and later earned his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law school in 2010. Prior to this, Fink was a Judge Advocate in the United States Marine Corps. To learn more, visit www.finkformichigan.com.

WHY IT MATTERS

The Michigan Supreme Court is the cornerstone of Michigan’s legal system and responsible for the general administrative supervision of all courts in the state. Those elected must set important legal precedents, ensure that laws and policies align with constitutional principles and maintain the checks and balances of the judicial system. Supreme Court officials play a critical role in healthcare policy and often have the final say when it comes to things like healthcare provider liability, public health policy, Medicaid expansion and insurance regulation. The decisions made by these elected officials have a direct impact on access to care for Michigan patients and communities.

For more information or to request 2024 Election materials, visit the MHA Election webpage or contact the MHA.