I applaud the United States Supreme Court decision that has upheld the entire health care reform law, including the individual mandate. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Elena Kagan, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor have ruled in the interests of the people of the United States of America.

LANSING- Today Senator Bert Johnson (D-Detroit) introduced legislation to allow for the pre-registration of voters when they apply for their driver license. The measure is aimed at streamlining the voter registration process for young voters.

Yesterday Senator Bert Johnson (D-Detroit) introduced a bill that would create a public awareness campaign through the Michigan Department of Community Health to be developed and disseminated to health professionals, health facilities and agencies, local health departments and the general public on sickle-cell disease.

Today, Senator Bert Johnson (D-Detroit) introduced a bill that would incrementally increase the state minimum wage to $10.00 per hour by 2015. Following that, the minimum wage would be linked to the rate of inflation as provided by the United States Department of Labor.

Senator Bert Johnson (D-Detroit) introduced legislation today that would expand the scope of Michigan's Hate Crimes legislation to include the terms “gender identity or expression” and “sexual orientation.” The current law enumerates protections against discrimination and harassment for religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, familial status, or marital status.

Senate Democrats sharply criticized the general omnibus budget passed by Republicans today for continuing their misplaced priorities that favor politics over progress for the people of Michigan.

A bicameral group of Democrats led by Senator Bert Johnson (D- Detroit) and Representative Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) announced a new package of Patient Safety bills today. The bills are designed to target repeated bad behavior by a small group of doctors who ultimately put patients at risk as well as drive up insurance rates for the overwhelming majority of doctors who practice safely and in the best interests of their patients.

Yesterday, Senator Bert Johnson (D-Detroit) submitted a letter to United States Attorney General Eric Holder at the NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner. Today, Sen. Johnson released the following statement:

LANSING – Following the introduction of Senate Bill 1116, Senator Bert Johnson (D-Detroit) released the following statement: “I am appalled at the contents of Senate Bill 1116 which essentially grants across-the-board immunity to bad actors in our health care system…

Senator Bert Johnson (D – Detroit) introduced legislation to restore the Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit (MEITC) which was so misguidedly eliminated by the Republican-controlled Legislature last year.