Michigan is emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic. At this critical stage, as more and more people are vaccinated and are returning to in-person work, the last thing we need is to put in stone the governor’s restrictive Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration workplace safety rules that were established at the beginning of the pandemic.

But that is exactly what MIOSHA is trying to do, even though the governor is getting rid of mask mandates and gathering restrictions at the same time. Either the Whitmer administration’s left hand doesn’t know what the other one is doing, or worse, it knows exactly what it’s doing and is trying to slip one past the goalie.

The good news is we, the people, have a say in the matter, but only until May 26 when a public comment period ends. I strongly encourage 25th District residents, workers and businesses alike to make their voices heard and let state bureaucrats know these restrictive MIOSHA rules should be put out to pasture.

Read more.

The Michigan Senate Agriculture Committee recently voted unanimously to approve a four-bill package aimed at bringing back a once $1.2 billion horse racing industry to the state of Michigan.

One of the bills in the four-bill package, Senate Bill 396, which I sponsored, would allow for Historical Horse Racing (HHR), an electronic gaming system that uses pari-mutuel wagering on randomly selected outcomes of previously run live horse races.

The horse racing industry in Michigan has been struggling for years, and this is an issue I’ve been working on since I came to Lansing. These bills are about giving the industry the tools they need to help them generate revenue and put Michigan horse racing on a level playing field with surrounding states, and today’s action puts us one step closer to that goal.

Read more.

I recently voted in support of the Senate fiscal year 2022 budget plan that meets the pressing issues facing the state of Michigan, continues to provide critical services and makes key investments to improve the state.

A budget is a statement of priorities, and just like the many Michigan families that have had to make tough choices in the past year, so too must state government. Our 2022 budget prioritizes helping Michiganders recover from the pandemic and our governor’s heavy-handed response.

Senate Bill 83 would invest $15.8 billion in K-12 education, an increase of $249 million. The bill would increase the minimum foundation allowance by $250 to $8,361 per pupil, dedicate an additional $20 million to assist students dealing with mental health challenges and boosts preschool funding by $32 million to help reduce class sizes. It also dedicates $1.7 billion to help cover the costs of school employee retirement.

Read more.

Last week, the governor vetoed, for the second time, a broadband bill that gives people in rural areas access to high-speed broadband. She’s more concerned about subsidizing the costs for people in urban areas, who have access to high-speed broadband, than giving access those of us in the rural part of the 25th District, who are one step up from dial-up.

The governor vetoed a similar bill earlier, citing concerns with speed requirements, so the Legislature sent her a new bill that addressed her concerns. However, her continued efforts to deny underserved communities with fast and reliable internet shows that she is simply not interested in helping more people get access to broadband.

Read more.

Plans in motion to turn old Eddy Elementary in St. Clair into senior apartments, daycare and more
Interior construction to repurpose the former Eddy Elementary School in St. Clair could begin as soon as this fall with plans for portions of the vacant building to become senior housing, offices and more.
Read more.

Hornberger helps spearhead measure banning discriminatory abortions
State Rep. Pamela Hornberger has cosponsored legislation defending the lives of the unborn by prohibiting discriminatory based on disability or sex.
Read more.

MI GOP Lawmakers take steps to ban vaccine passports; Whitmer still against vaccine mandate
Michigan Republican lawmakers took additional steps Thursday to ban the government from mandating COVID-19 vaccinations, despite having no indication that any state or local agency is pursuing such a requirement.
Read more.

Whitmer threatens Enbridge as refinery workers protest Line 5 closure deadline
While the state’s Democratic attorney general is saying she can’t close Line 5 without a court order, Michigan’s Democratic governor is insisting Enbridge will be considered a trespasser if it continues to operate the oil pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac after Wednesday.
Read more.

FAA: Company that flew Whitmer to Florida not authorized to operate charter flights
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating after determining that a company hired to fly Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to Florida is not authorized to operate charter flights.
Read more.