Dear neighbor,

Below you will find legislative updates from the state Capitol that are important to the residents of western Oakland County. You also will find important updates and communications on my website: SenatorJimRunestad.com.

Serving you,

Senator Jim Runestad
23rd State Senate District

Michigan State Police leadership has been involved in a slew of controversies lately, and I’ve been there calling them out every step of the way.

In June, I issued a scathing statement denouncing an MSP policy that handed over investigations of Michigan bureaucrats directly to the state attorney general, overstepping local prosecutors.

Instead of allowing local prosecutors to do their job, this reported policy places these cases on the desk of the partisan attorney general, who can then decide to give them a slap on the wrist, look the other way or turn a case into a political crusade.

Additionally, on June 22, I sent a letter to Attorney General Dana Nessel demanding that she launch a criminal investigation into the actions of Michigan State Police Deputy Director Lt. Col. Aimee Brimacombe and condemning a 2021 internal MSP investigation into her misuse of a state vehicle that essentially resulted in a “slap on the wrist” loss of five vacation days.

Double standards for political favorites are disgusting and unacceptable. With the current cries for accountability in state police leadership, a responsible administration should take every step possible to crack down on these types of internal criminal offenses.

Read more:

Thanks to the Trump administration, illegal border crossings are at a historic low, but Michigan also needs to do its part. That is why I've introduced two new bills as commonsense safeguards to protect Michiganders and ensure we do not encourage illegal immigration in our state.

Senate Bill 444 would require all public and private employers to verify the citizenship status of prospective employees by using the federal E-Verify system, established in 1996.

Senate Bill 445 would require the Michigan Department of Corrections to track and report on the citizenship status of inmates.

Together, these bills help ensure that illegal immigrants are not given priority over American citizens and that our public institutions aren’t overwhelmed with people they weren’t designed to support.

Read more:

I recently sent a letter to the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission and Michigan Supreme Court urging the expedited removal of Judge Kirsten Nielsen Hartig from the 52-4 District Court in Oakland County.

It’s clear from reports that Hartig has displayed a pattern of despicable public behavior unbecoming of the honorable office she holds. The integrity of our justice system demands that the commission complete its investigation without delay and that the Supreme Court remove her from the bench immediately.

Trust in our judges and the judicial system is a cornerstone of our republic, and the behavior of Judge Hartig and others like her erodes that system and denigrates our state and nation. Read more here.

I commend the U.S. Supreme Court for its recent decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor, affirming the right of parents to opt their children out of reading sexualized literature in public schools. This was a major victory for conservative values and parental rights.

For years, parents across the country have raised serious concerns about age-appropriate content, particularly related to gender and sexuality, being introduced to young students without notice or consent. This decision confirms that it is parents, and not the far left, who should decide what’s appropriate for their children.

This ruling is a step toward restoring parental rights in America — rights that have been eroded by far-left extremists seeking to silence parents. The Supreme Court made the right call. Read more here.

The Second Amendment has been under attack by Senate Democrats this session, and I’ve fought them each step of the way.

Senate Democrats introduced Senate Bills 224, 225, 226, 331, and 332, which are extremely restrictive, anti-Second Amendment bills going after so-called “ghost guns,” bump stocks and open carry provisions. I voiced fierce opposition both in committee and on the Senate floor, voting against this package each time.

I’ve also furthered my commitment to uphold Second Amendment rights by co-sponsoring a package of bills — SBs 406, 407, 408, 409 and 410 — to enable constitutional carry in Michigan.

I believe in the important protections of the Second Amendment and will keep fighting for them in the Michigan Senate.

Residents of Lyon Township (including part of South Lyon), Milford Township and Wixom may have already received — or will soon receive — an updated voter registration card from their local election clerk. These cards reflect new district boundaries ahead of the 2026 election year and denote that you are now residents of Senate District 13 instead of District 23.

This is not a mistake. The change reflects a redistricting order issued by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan.

However, it’s important to note that residents of these areas will remain constituents of Senate District 23 through Dec. 31, 2026. In 2026, you will vote for a candidate to represent you in Senate District 13 for the 104th Legislature beginning on Jan. 1, 2027.

Please contact the office if you have any questions.

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