Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Welcome to the latest edition of my e-newsletter.

Below you’ll find an update on what’s happening in your state Capitol and some additional resources I hope you find helpful.

Thank you for allowing me to represent you in the Michigan Senate. I am grateful each and every day to work for the people of the 34th Senate District.

Sincerely,

Roger Hauck
State Senator
34th Senate District

Hosting office hours is a great way to meet with local residents and hear concerns about state government or to request assistance with a state issue. My office has scheduled an upcoming joint office hour with Rep. Mike Hoadley on Monday, May 15, in Gladwin.

Rep. Hoadley and I will be available to answer questions and provide information and assistance with state issues, as well as take suggestions on issues affecting communities and businesses in the district.

Office hours are open to all residents. Please feel free to stop in! No appointment is necessary.

The office hour event will take place at the following date, time, and location:

Monday, May 15
Noon – 1 p.m.
Northern Expresso
343 W. Cedar Ave.
Gladwin

For more information, or if you are unable to attend this meeting, you can reach me at SenatorRogerHauck.com or via phone at 517-373-1760.

The Michigan Senate recently approved a bipartisan group of bills to prevent sexual assault, support survivors and hold offenders accountable.

I am proud to have sponsored a bill in this package and was happy to see these measures advance.

The legislation, which originated in the aftermath of the sexual assault investigations and convictions of former Michigan State University Dr. Larry Nassar, aims to protect survivors, strengthen penalties to prevent future crimes and improve accountability measures. The bills would make a number of reforms to certain medical practices and put important safeguard and guidelines in place.

This has been a long-term effort and has involved stakeholders from every angle to ensure the proposed policy decisions and reforms will actually make a difference and help protect people, especially children, from sexual predators.

The damage left by Nassar will forever be a stain on our state, and these bills, among other legislative efforts, seek to not only correct that, but also make Michigan a national leader when it comes to protecting people from these heinous crimes. Voting to advance these reforms sends a message to survivors that they have our support and that their voices and stories have been heard.

The bills will now head to the Michigan House of Representatives for further consideration.

Senate Republicans announced our “Roadmap for a Better Michigan” — a plan to improve the lives of every Michigan resident, keep our economy strong, and avoid a second Lost Decade.

Gov. Whitmer and the new Democratic majority have recklessly spent the state’s historic budget surplus and passed laws that threaten to take Michigan back to times of high unemployment, declining household incomes and financial hardships.

The “Roadmap for a Better Michigan” includes three core principles:

As inflation continues to soar and unemployment remains above the national average, Democrats are passing bills to make Michigan a much less attractive place to live or operate a business. It’s a recipe for disaster.

Our plan provides a roadmap to get Michigan back on track with recommendations to help Michiganders struggling with inflation, improve schools and roads, and reduce crime.

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for the Department of Health and Human Services recently failed to include funding to provide more resources and increase medical training to help sexual assault victims as work on the upcoming fiscal year budget moves forward.

I previously supported funding for the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program and fought for additional money to be included in the 2024 budget to continue the program through the upcoming fiscal year.

The program provides training and compensation for nurses who assist sexual assault victims, and in addition to training, the funds help support 24-hour care and assistance, but also to train nurses to conduct private exams to document, collect and process any forensic evidence after an assault. These trained professionals also provide crisis intervention support and work with counselors to provide follow-up medical care.

The funding in question would have been dedicated to training additional staff at McLaren Central Michigan Hospital, which hosts one of the only programs of its kind in Central Michigan. The hospital offers care to victims from many surrounding counties including Isabella, Gratiot, Clare, Gladwin, Roscommon, Mecosta, Osceola, and parts of Genesee, Midland and Bay counties.

This training can make a critical difference in many cases. I was disappointed to see this issue pushed under the rug by the Democratic majority, especially after receiving such strong support from the governor in her initial budget recommendations. I hope we can revisit this and get the funding for this training back on the table.

Last month, we celebrated National Volunteer Week, which is an opportunity to recognize the impact volunteering has on our local communities. Every day volunteers make a huge impact on the lives of those they serve. Volunteering is also a great way to learn new skills, enjoy the great outdoors or make professional connections.

Volunteers are needed in nearly every corner of our state. To find a need in your area, contact your local church, school or community center. If you prefer working outdoors, the DNR has volunteer events at state parks and recreation areas throughout the year.

Visit Volunteer Michigan for even more ideas and volunteer opportunities near you.

Last year, the school aid budget, Public Act 144 of 2022, included a requirement that student growth data be available to the public at the district and school levels and by grade and subjects taught.

The Michigan Department of Education recently unveiled a new website that offers tools to provide teachers, parents and policymakers with a visual representation of growth and achievement for public schools and districts. This information allows for a comparison of schools and districts across the state and includes interactive reports for selecting the data of interest.

The MI School Data website is another available tool that offers various methods to review statewide information or data at the intermediate school district, district, school, or college level. Data are presented in graphs, charts, and trend lines and can be downloaded to make informed decisions to improve student success.

It’s time to purchase your 2023 ORV licenses and trail permits. Permits are valid for one year and provide access to 4,000 miles of state-designated ORV trails and scramble areas, eligible county, state or national forest roads and more.

The fees generated through ORV licenses and trail permits are reinvested back into the ORV system for trail expansion, grant funding for annual trail grooming, and infrastructure improvements.

ORV licenses and trail permits can be purchased online or in person at a number of DNR license agents and dealers.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is responsible for the care of approximately 4.6 million acres of public land.

In 2018, the Legislature approved a Managed Public Land Strategy, requiring the DNR to review approximately 240,000 acres of state-owned land to determine how the land fits into the DNR’s overall mission of “conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state's natural and cultural resources for current and future generations.” The parcels under review are either under 200 acres or land with an irregular boundary that may be difficult to manage.

The review will determine whether to keep, exchange or sell state-managed land and is being conducted on a county-by-county basis, 10 to 11 counties at a time. Cheboygan, Crawford, Eaton, Ingham, Jackson, Kalkaska, Missaukee, Muskegon, Osceola, Otsego, and Ottawa counties are currently under review.

An important element of the review process is public input. You can view the final classifications or submit comments or feedback for the group of counties using the DNR’s interactive map. Comments will be accepted through Wednesday, June 7.

For more information about the review process, visit the Natural Resources Commission website or watch a recording from previous meetings by visiting State Land Review.

The 2023 Pure Michigan Spring/Summer Travel Guide features stunning sites, exciting places to visit and fun activities to experience all around the Great Lakes state. Whether your summer plans include the Great Lakes shoreline, golfing or a craft beer tour, the Pure Michigan Travel Guide is a great place to start. The publication includes regional highlights and inspiration for every traveler.

The travel guide is available to download for free.

My office has hard copies of this year’s spring and summer travel guide as well. If you would like a free hard copy, please contact my office at 517-373-1760 or via email at [email protected]. All you need to provide is your name and address and my staff will get a copy in the mail to you right away!