Beyond the Bill: Leader Winnie Brinks

Beyond the Bill is a new segment that features a Michigan Legislator for Detroit Regional Chamber members to get to know on a more personal level and highlight their legislative priorities.  

Michigan Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks represents Michigan’s 29th Senate District, which includes parts of Grand Rapids Charter Township, Grand Rapids, and all of East Grand Rapids, Grandville, Kentwood, and Wyoming City. Brinks is the first woman to ever hold this position in the Michigan Senate, and the first woman to represent Grand Rapids in the Michigan Senate since Eva McCall Hamilton was elected in 1920. Before serving as a state senator and three terms in the state House of Representatives, Brinks was a caseworker at The Source, helping businesses and nonprofits improve workplaces and retain employees. Leader Brinks currently serves as the Chair of the Government Operations Committee and the Legislative Council.

When asked what current policy issue she is most passionate about, Leader Brinks says affordability remains the through‑line guiding much of her work in Lansing. 

“People continue to feel the squeeze on their bank accounts, and it’s becoming less and less manageable to get by on the average household income,” she said. 

She points to recent policy actions, including universal school meals, a five‑fold expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit, and the repeal of the retirement tax, as meaningful steps toward easing cost pressures for working families.  

Still, Brinks says more work remains to ensure Michigan families can build stable, secure lives, saying “We’re not letting our foot off the gas.” 

Housing affordability is also top of mind. Brinks emphasized the importance of addressing Michigan’s housing shortage so that every family has access to safe, attainable places to live, a challenge she says deserves continued statewide focus. 

Looking toward the future, when discussing how the state can prepare students for the jobs of the future, Brinks believes Michigan’s greatest workforce opportunity begins early. She credits recent investments in early childhood programs like Rx Kids and free preschool, alongside literacy initiatives, dyslexia screenings, and career‑readiness programs such as MI Reconnect and the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, for strengthening Michigan’s long‑term talent pipeline. 

Brinks believes these efforts, taken together, will not only prepare students for the jobs of the future but also improve the quality of life across the state. 

“Opportunity begins at birth”, she said. “That’s why I’ve been so proud of initiatives that support young people through their formative years.”

Among the policies she’s most proud of, Brinks highlighted Michigan’s Transformational Brownfield programs and the visible impact they are already having in West Michigan. 

From redeveloping an unused school into 27 new homes to large‑scale projects bringing hundreds of housing units, retail space, and restaurants to Southwest Grand Rapids, Brinks says the legislation allows communities to creatively repurpose existing assets to meet modern needs. 

“This program is allowing Michiganders to use what we already have to build the kind of communities people want to live and work in,” she said. 

In addition to economic development initiatives, Brinks emphasized the importance of stability and predictability in Michigan’s major industries, including automotive. 

“The whiplash of policies from Washington makes long‑term planning extremely challenging,” she noted. “The more we collaborate across the public and private sectors to promote steadiness, the better positioned our industries will be.” 

Outside of Lansing, Brinks enjoys spending time in her district and supporting local favorites. 

She and her husband, Steve, are fans of Quarantino’s Pizza in Grand Rapids’ Eastown neighborhood, particularly its Detroit‑style pizza, and she recommends Palmer Park in Wyoming, Michigan, as a lesser‑known but beautiful wooded retreat. 

When it comes to Michigan‑made products, Brinks gave a nod to West Michigan’s local brewing scene. 

“There’s nothing like a Michigan IPA after shoveling the driveway,” she said. “And Harmony beer comes in cans now.”