Dear Friends,

Welcome to my first edition of the 36th District E-Newsletter. I am honored to represent you and look forward to working with you towards a better future for Michigan!

This e-newsletter serves to keep you updated on what is happening in Lansing and what I am doing as your state senator. I hope that you will find this e-newsletter helpful, and if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me. Or if you are in Lansing, please feel free to stop by my office at 920 Farnum Building.

Jim Stamas
State Senator
36th District of Michigan

I was sworn in as senator for the 36th District on Wednesday, January 14, during a ceremony at the state Capitol. Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert P. Young, Jr. administered the oath of office. I was joined on the Senate floor by my wife, Marsha, and family.

It is an honor to serve the hard-working people of the 36th Senate District. My commitment to the residents of northern and mid-Michigan is to work tirelessly to continue moving Michigan forward, improving education and helping grow our economy. It is the best way to give current and future generations the opportunity to live, work and raise a family here in our great state.

My Committees

I am honored to have been selected to sit on the following committees in the Michigan Senate:

Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (Chair)
Michigan Competitiveness (Vice Chair)
Appropriations
Economic Development
Health Policy
Natural Resources
Legislative Council

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Veterans Specialty License Plates

Michigan motorists could soon have a great opportunity to honor those who have served our country.

Under legislation sent to the governor, the secretary of state would be allowed to issue a specialty fundraising license plate recognizing Michigan's veterans. Proceeds from sales of the plate would help provide tuition assistance for Michigan National Guard members and funds for veteran service providers and organizations. If signed, the implementation date will be Sept. 1, 2015.

OK-2-SAY Program

Senate legislation signed into law last year created the OK-2-SAY program, a confidential early warning system for students to report threats to their safety or the safety of others.

The program became operational in Michigan schools on Sept. 2, 2014. By mid-December, state officials had verified more than 400 tips, including tips on bullying and cyberbullying, threats of suicide and child abuse. I am pleased the new law is working as intended to help keep our kids safe. Students and others can anonymously submit tips by phone at 855-565-2729, by text message at 652729 (OK2SAY), by email at ok2say@mi.gov, or through the website at www.mi.gov/ok2say.

Winter weather reminder

Numerous accidents caused by hazardous winter driving conditions earlier this month are a good reminder that motorists should take extra precaution before heading out.

Travelers can go to www.michigan.gov/roadconditions and www.michigan.gov/drive to check road conditions before traveling. Road conditions are also available by calling the MSP Travel Hotline at 1-800-381-8477.

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The 36th Senate District

The 36th Senate District is made up of 10 counties, which includes: Presque Isle, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Oscoda, Alcona, Iosco, Arenac, Gladwin and Midland counties.

Office Hours

I will be holding office hours in each county throughout my tenure in the Michigan Senate. Office hours give me the chance to discuss state government issues with you personally. We have just moved into our new Senate office and are in the process of organizing our office hour schedule. Office hours will be publicized through the following media outlets: newspapers, radio, Facebook, the internet, and future e-newsletters.

My Staff

The 36th Senate District is very large, and I am privileged to have an excellent staff, who are knowledgeable and experienced, to help me represent you in Lansing.

Brian Shoaf-Chief of Staff
Meghann Keit-Legislative Director
Erinn Kane-Constituent Relations Director
Eric Somsel-Scheduler and Legislative Assistant
Beverly Bodem-District Liaison

Contact Me

Serving the constituents of the 36th Senate district is very important to me and I encourage you to contact me with any state issues. You may contact me by calling toll-free 1-855-347-8036 or emailing senjstamas@senate.michigan.gov.  Also, please check out my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/senjstamas. 

I look forward to serving you, and I encourage you to contact me if I can assist you in any way or if you have an idea to help move our state forward.

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State Government Links

The Official State, County and City Government Website Locator:
www.statelocalgov.net/state-mi.cfm

Michigan Senate website:
www.senate.michigan.gov

Michigan House of Representatives website:
www.house.michigan.gov

Free Publications:
www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(hkdjxg4535wddy45n2m50wbz))/mileg.aspx?Page=Publications

Michigan Legislative Website:
www.legislature.mi.gov

Unemployment Issues:
If you are having issues connecting with the state unemployment office or receiving your unemployment benefits, please feel free to contact me by calling toll-free at 1-800-347-8036.

You may also find additional helpful information at the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency website: http://www.michigan.gov/uia/0,1607,7-118-26831---,00.html

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Thank you for subscribing to my electronic newsletter! I am honored to represent you in the 36th Senate District of Michigan.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

Please feel free to forward this on to others who may be interested in receiving the 36th District E-news. You may sign up for it also at my website or via Facebook.