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Brinks, Winnie (D)

Office: 6500 Binsfeld Building Term: First Phone: (517) 373-1801 Email: swbrinks@senate.michigan.gov Home Address: 2060 Osceola Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506 Website: https://senatedems.com/brinks/contact/ Seat Number: 15 Standing Committees: Health Policy and Human Services(VC), Agriculture, Energy and Technology, Environmental Quality Subcommittees: Community Health/Human Services (C) = Chair, (VC) = Vice Chair

POLITICAL CAREER

Sen. Brinks won the 29th Senate district in 2018 after she secured 56.9 percent of the general election vote against fellow House member Rep. Chris AFENDOULIS. 

Brinks served three-terms in the Michigan House representing the state's 76th House District. 

WORK EXPERIENCE

Brinks previously worked as the executive director of The One Way House, a nonprofit corrections agency. More recently, Brinks worked as a case worker at The Source in Grand Rapids.

To read MIRS biography of Sen. Brinks, click here.

EDUCATION

She is a graduate of Calvin College, where she earned a bachelor's degree in Spanish with a concentration in sociology.

PERSONAL

Sen. Brinks is married to Steve, the couple has three children. 

LEAD STAFF PERSON:

Additional Information

• Sponsored Bills
• MIRS Stories

 SB 0014  - WATER, Drinking Water Standards, Provide for maximum contaminant levels allowed in the Safe Drinking Water Act.
(Status: 02/14/2019 - SENATE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY AND PUBLIC SAFETY )

 SB 0053  - CRIMES, Abortion, Repeal provision related to publication of cures for conceptive preventatives.
(Status: 01/23/2019 - SENATE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY AND PUBLIC SAFETY )

 SB 0124  - USE TAX, Exemptions, Exempt sale of feminine hygiene products.
(Status: 02/26/2019 - SENATE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE )

 SB 0214  - CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, Bail, Require district court to submit data on specific number and type of bonds issued to state court administrative office.
(Status: 03/14/2019 - SENATE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY AND PUBLIC SAFETY )

 SB 0331  - LABOR, Hours and Wages, Prohibit employers from engaging in certain discriminatory practices and allow remedies under Elliott-Larsen civil rights act.
(Status: 05/21/2019 - SENATE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS )

 SB 0388  - INSURANCE, Health Insurers, Require insurers to provide free coverage of birth control.
(Status: 06/20/2019 - SENATE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON INSURANCE AND BANKING)

 SB 0396  - VETERANS, Veterans Homes, Require testing of water for lead at Michigan veterans' facilities established under 1885 PA 152.
(Status: 08/20/2019 - SENATE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY )

 SB 0479  - LABOR, Fair Employment Practices, Increase employer requiring nondisclosure of wages by employee penalties.
(Status: 09/04/2019 - SENATE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS )

 SB 0491  - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, Air Pollution, Require reduction of air emissions during certain months. TIE BAR WITH: SB 0490
(Status: 09/04/2019 - SENATE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY )

 SB 0500  - INSURANCE, Other, Require insurance rate comparisons posted on the department's website, and provide penalties for insurers that submit to the department false or misleading information about rates.
(Status: 09/10/2019 - SENATE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON INSURANCE AND BANKING )

 SB 0501  - STATE FINANCING AND MANAGEMENT, Funds, Create law enforcement awareness grant program.
(Status: 09/10/2019 - SENATE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS )

 SB 0502  - STATE FINANCING AND MANAGEMENT, Funds, Create police recruit scholarship match fund.
(Status: 09/10/2019 - SENATE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS )

 SB 0605  - LABOR, Health and Safety, Expand criteria for use of sick leave to include leave arising out of stalking.
(Status: 10/24/2019 - SENATE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS )

 SB 0624  - CRIMINAL PROCEDURE, Sentencing Guidelines, Amend sentencing guidelines for certain abortion crimes to reflect repeal. TIE BAR WITH: SB 0622
(Status: 10/31/2019 - SENATE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS )

 SB 0632  - STATE, Identification Cards, Allow issuance of state identification card to undocumented persons under certain circumstances.
(Status: 11/05/2019 - SENATE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS )

 SB 0932  - LABOR, Notices, NEW, Require employers to post information regarding COVID-19 testing locations.
(Status: 05/20/2020 - SENATE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SMALL BUSINESS)

 SB 0944  - MENTAL HEALTH, Other, NEW, Create Michigan coronavirus task force on racial disparities.
(Status: 05/28/2020 - SENATE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS )

 SB 0960  - LABOR, Other, Repeal local government labor regulatory limitation act.
(Status: 06/04/2020 - SENATE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS)

 SB 1002  - EMPLOYMENT SECURITY, Claimants, Eliminate provisions regarding seasonal workers.
(Status: 06/25/2020 - SENATE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC AND SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT)

 SB 1033  - HUMAN SERVICES, Medical Services, Provide for Medicaid coverage for postpartum women.
(Status: 07/23/2020 - SENATE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS )

 SB 1044  - EDUCATION, Teachers, Suspend strict compliance with certain requirements regarding assessments or other performance evaluations of teachers for the 2020-2021 school year. TIE BAR WITH: SB 1040'20
(Status: 07/23/2020 - SENATE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND CAREER READINESS )

 SB 1109  - VETERANS, Other, Create Michigan veterans' facility appeals board.
(Status: 09/15/2020 - SENATE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON FAMILIES, SENIORS AND VETERANS )

 SB 1122  - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, Groundwater Contamination, Revise limitation period for filing actions.
(Status: 09/16/2020 - SENATE - REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY )

 SB 1123  - CIVIL PROCEDURE, Statute of Limitations, Revise accrual of cause of action for groundwater contamination cases.
(Status: 09/22/2020 - SENATE - RULES SUSPENDED TO DISCHARGE FROM THE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND RE-REFER TO THE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT )

 SR 0059  - 100th anniversary of Michigan’s ratification of Women's suffrage, A resolution to commemorate June 10, 2019, as the 100th anniversary of Michigan’s ratification of the 19th Amendment.
(Status: 06/06/2019 - SENATE - RULES SUSPENDED FOR IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION - ADOPTED )

 SR 0083  - Breast Cancer Awareness Month, A resolution to recognize October 2019 as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
(Status: 10/08/2019 - SENATE - RULES SUSPENDED FOR IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION - ADOPTED )

 SR 0124  - A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to help the state of Michigan, schools, and local governments address revenue shortfalls during the COVID-19 Pandemic., A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to help the state of Michigan, schools, and local governments address revenue shortfalls during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
(Status: 06/11/2020 - SENATE - RULES SUSPENDED FOR IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION - ADOPTED )

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Lucido Tries Again On Dedicated COVID Nursing Homes (09-17-2020)

Voting Booths Opened To Women 100 Years Ago . . . And They're Not Done Yet (08-26-2020)

Bits And Tidbits (08-17-2020)

Senate Passes Return To School Plan In Rare Saturday Session (08-15-2020)

New Food Security Council Set To Dig In (08-07-2020)

House Ds Outraise Republicans In July Reports; House Rs Have $4M More COH (07-27-2020)

Senate Votes To Separate COVID Patients -- But? (06-24-2020)

FERC: Short Of Taking Property, We Did Everything To Force Failed Dam Fix (06-23-2020)

COVID-19 Dedicated Facilities Bill Ready To Go In Senate (06-23-2020)

Could COVID-19 Patients Be Put In Their Own Facility? (06-18-2020)

Measure Requiring Warrant For E-Communications Clears Senate (06-11-2020)

Nursing Home Video Bills Move Out Of Committee (06-11-2020)

Here's How We See The House Races, Districts 71-80 (06-05-2020)

Eisen Called Out For 'Load Up A Few More Mags' Post (06-03-2020)

Snyder On 'Flattening Curve,' And Using Our Brains; More COVID-19 News (05-28-2020)

House, Senate Dems Introduce Worker Protection Packages (05-26-2020)

MacGregor Wants Bills To Spur Feedback (05-20-2020)

95% Of MI COVID-19 Deaths Are 50 And Older (05-19-2020)

Senate Passes Alternative Special Education Teachers Bill (03-11-2020)

Bits And Tidbits (03-04-2020)

Gov Creates Prescription Drug Task Force (02-21-2020)

Panel OK With Exempting Psychiatric Beds, Air Ambulances From CON (02-20-2020)

Heartwell Fields Tough Questions From Aggressive Panel (02-20-2020)

Military Surplus Registration Package Sputters Out Of Senate (02-18-2020)

Senate OKs Ticket Scalping Decriminalization (01-30-2020)

Senate Panel Looks At Looping In Doctors To Post-Traumatic Stress Services (01-23-2020)

Lakeshore Permitting Bills Move To Senate Floor (01-21-2020)

State Ed Board Supports 'Licenses For All' Legislation (01-14-2020)

Victory Racks Up Most Conservative Voting Record; Geiss Most Progressive (12-20-2019)

Driver’s Licenses For All Would Increase Revenue, MLPP Study Finds (12-19-2019)

Bits And Tidbits (11-20-2019)

Bills Would Allow Undocumented Immigrants To Get Licenses (10-31-2019)

Legislature Spikes CON's Limitations On Cancer Treatment (10-30-2019)

Legislature Spikes CON's Limitations On Cancer Treatment (10-30-2019)

Domestic Violence Survivors Get Discrimination Protections Under Bills (10-23-2019)

What Taxes Was Switch Company Supposed To Get Breaks For? (10-07-2019)