After the House and Senate oversight committees voted on Saturday to issue a subpoena to the Michigan Bureau of Elections for records regarding the elections process, I issued the following statement:

“As an elected official, I have a duty to respond to concerns raised by my constituents regarding the possibility of election fraud. The integrity of our elections should be a priority for every Michigander — and many across my district have expressed their concerns over the situation we currently find ourselves in.

“The purpose of convening the House and Senate oversight committees is not to overturn the results of an election, but rather to review state processes and pursue opportunities for improvement, if necessary. The committee will use subpoena authority to ensure compliance with requests for records regarding the elections process.

“These committees are the appropriate forum to review concerns about the integrity of our elections, share information and consider changes in policy to help ensure confidence in our elections process. Earlier this year, in the peak of the coronavirus threat and subsequent concerns about the 2020 election, I introduced legislation that would have aided in ensuring a fair, secure election, but this measure was unfortunately vetoed by the governor.

“It is unfortunate that we could have had an additional safety net in place that could have mitigated some of the concerns we’re currently facing, but, in the meantime, I will continue to work with my colleagues and legal team to ensure an honest and fair election and that all legal votes are counted.

“Voting is the foundation of our system of government, and people need to have confidence in the results and that their elections are being conducted honestly. Election security is not a partisan issue. The people of Michigan deserve to know their ballots are secure and accurately counted and that our state’s voting system is held to the highest standard.”

I recently led a bipartisan group of lawmakers in calling on the Michigan High School Athletic Association to revisit their policies on student athletes as we continue to navigate COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely impacted every facet of life in our state and across the country. Perhaps no group of Michiganders has felt the negative impact of the pandemic more than our students. In an instant, their world was been turned upside down. Our students are missing out on some of the most formative events in their lives, opportunities that often present themselves once and never again.

I think we need to be cognizant of the immeasurable changes and disappointments this pandemic has burdened student athletes with and I believe we can do better.

A student from my district, who routinely competed at the top level, was potentially exposed to the coronavirus, and just like that, the MHSAA essentially ended his season. He was required to quarantine and thus missed a critical meet, eliminating any chances of competing on the state level — a dream many athletes work their entire lives for and often only have one shot at.

This is patently unfair, and I believe we can put in place better measures to help our students get through this pandemic.

To read the letter, please click here.

I was proud to help secure $100,000 in funding for the Special Needs Vision Clinic as a part of the Fiscal Year 2021 budget. The Special Needs Vision Clinic provides specialized optometric services to developmentally disabled and handicapped patients throughout our state. This funding will allow residents of the Great Lakes Bay Region to continue to access these critical services.

The Special Needs Vision Clinic, located in Saginaw County, has been in operation for nearly four decades and is the only one of its kind in Michigan. The clinic operates as a nonprofit vision clinic and is specifically dedicated to the care of developmentally disabled and handicapped patients. The clinic has served thousands since its inception in 1982 and continues to reach 700-900 patients each year.

The staff also travel to lesser-served areas to provide care to individuals who are unable to travel or do not have the means to attend the clinic in Saginaw.

The work of this clinic was brought to my attention by the Bay City Lion’s Club and I had an opportunity to tour the clinic and meet with the director in 2019. The staff at the clinic possess an extreme dedication to helping those they serve. They provide vital services to patients in the Great Lakes Bay Region and throughout the state.

This funding ensures that this deserving population can continue to receive appropriate care that meets their unique needs.

Secretary of state branches are continuing to operate by appointment only and are limited to certain types of transactions. Below are some tips on how you can get in sooner or manage your transactions in other ways.

You can schedule appointments up to six months in advance by visiting Michigan.gov/SOS. There are two appointment options you can select from:

In-person appointments are currently limited to driver’s license/state ID transactions that must be done in person, title transfers (for motor vehicles and watercrafts), testing, and seasonal commercial vehicle renewal.

Many services and transactions can be done online, including renewing a standard driver’s license, changing an address, or renewing a license plate.

You can also visit a self-service kiosk to renew an existing automobile, motorcycle, or watercraft registration. You can find a self-service kiosk near you by visiting MiSelfServiceStation.com/map/.

Below is a list of resources available to you if you need any type of assistance as we continue to navigate the presence of this virus in Michigan. Additionally, you can contact my office at any time for more information.

My office is happy to offer legislative tributes in honor of noteworthy events such as retirement, anniversaries of businesses in our community, awards and public recognitions.

The 31th state Senate District includes all of Bay, Lapeer, and Tuscola counties.