When asked about what he is most passionate about, Roth says child welfare remains one of his foremost policy concerns. Drawing on his work overseeing human services appropriations, he believes Michigan should restructure its Department of Health and Human Services into separate child and adult service divisions to better focus on vulnerable children.
“During my last two years as Appropriations Chair of Human Services, I have seen some of the most heartbreaking situations with children,” Roth said. “We need to give our children every possibility to have a productive and successful life, or we will have them in a state system for life.”
Roth’s focus on strengthening communities also extends to workforce development and education. He emphasized the importance of maintaining strong communication between industry, educators, and policymakers to ensure Michigan students are prepared for future careers.
“There are groups that do this now, like MichAuto and smaller groups that engage with the Legislature,” Roth said. He believes additional opportunities for collaboration, including roundtable discussions and industry presentations, can help lawmakers better understand workforce needs while giving educators opportunities to share how they are preparing students for careers in Michigan’s automotive sector.
Looking to the future, Roth sees workforce development as a shared responsibility among employers, educators, and government.
“I think it comes down to making the industry a priority for Michigan with the involvement of the Legislature and Education,” he said. Roth also highlighted the importance of programs such as Michigan Works, internships, and retraining initiatives while acknowledging that emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence will continue to reshape workforce needs.
Roth also reflected on legislation he believes will leave a lasting impact on Michigan. He pointed to a bill he sponsored during his first term that allowed community colleges to offer Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees through partnerships with universities. This legislation allows nursing students to earn advanced credentials while remaining in their home communities, helping address workforce shortages in rural areas.
“To their surprise, we made it happen in my very first term,” Roth said. “With healthcare being one of our most important parts of our economy today, this is a good piece of legislation that will create more nurses in our local communities to serve our aging population.”
Outside of policy, Roth shared the best advice he has received, a lesson from former state Rep. Jack O’Malley during his first campaign for office: “Politics is like a rollercoaster, don’t be on it, stay on the ground balanced in your emotions.”
