Dear West Michigan,

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you and provide updates about what is going on in Lansing.

My team has been hard at work trying to ensure your voice is heard at our state Capitol. I hope this newsletter will help to provide you with some insight into the work I have been doing and other important updates on state government. Additionally, I want to mention my survey, which is highlighted below. I ask that you consider filling this out because it will help me be more effective in representing you in Lansing.

Please feel free to contact me with any issues regarding your state government. You may call toll-free at 855-347-8031 or email SenRVictory@senate.michigan.gov. For more updates, check out my Facebook page or follow me on X. Let me know if I can assist you in any way or if you have an idea to help move our great state forward.

Working for you,

In March, I introduced legislation to lower state income taxes for all Michigan residents.

Amid growing state tax revenues and spending, hardworking Michigan taxpayers deserve financial relief. This plan would provide substantial tax relief to struggling families, seniors on fixed incomes, and locally owned businesses dealing with higher costs.

Senate Bill 151 would save the average Michigan family hundreds of dollars. The reduction would also cut taxes for small businesses that file under the personal income tax.

The cut is needed to make Michigan more competitive regionally.

According to the Tax Foundation’s State Tax Competitiveness Index, Michigan faces significant regional competition as taxpayers in Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania all pay lower rates.

My bill would give Michigan taxpayers long-overdue tax relief, help our state compete for new talent and get our state back on track. I believe we can provide relief while continuing to provide essential services and make important infrastructure investments.

There has been lots of talk about fixing our roads over the last decade, and Lansing continues to fail. It is time for us to get serious about investing in critical infrastructure that impacts everyday Michiganders.

I have a plan to invest $500 million in state funding to partner with local communities and improve our local roads. These state dollars would require local governments to invest in match funds that would go to improve their local roads. This could mean up to $10 billion over the next decade invested in local roads.

Earlier this month, I was able to tour the Ed and Nancy Hanenburg Children’s Advocacy Center. This center is based in Holland and provides services to West Michigan. The visit was especially impactful, as April is Child Abuse Prevention Month.

During the tour, I was able to learn about the impactful work taking place. The advocacy center uses both prevention and intervention approaches to support children in the local community.

Their prevention techniques take a holistic approach. They meet with children to educate them on body safety, while also meeting with parents to empower them to have conversations with their kids about safety from abuse.

Furthermore, they continue to protect children who have been abused. They provide support to survivors with their services, which include counseling, family advocacy and forensic interviews. Throughout this process, their main goal is to make children survivors feel safe while pursuing justice.

This center helps keep children in West Michigan safe while providing crucial resources to survivors of abuse. Learn more about the Ed and Nancy Hanenburg Children’s Advocacy Center and the resources they provide here.

I want to learn more about the issues that are most important to you. Please consider filling out this survey to express what you feel are the most critical issues for the people of Michigan. Your feedback will be vital to help ensure I am best able to be your voice at our state Capitol.

Beginning May 7, all U.S. passengers will need REAL ID-compliant documents to board regulated commercial aircraft or enter certain federal facilities and U.S. military bases.

REAL ID is part of a law passed by Congress in 2005 to establish minimum security standards for state and federally issued identification in the years following the attacks of 9/11. The deadline has been postponed multiple times due to COVID-19 and other factors.

A state-issued driver’s license or ID can be converted to a REAL ID at any time by visiting a Secretary of State’s Office and providing the following documents:

There is no added charge for converting to REAL ID if done at the time of renewing or replacing your license or ID. Otherwise, a correction fee applies ($9 for a license and $10 for an ID).

Please visit this link for more information.

The Michigan College Access Network has launched the Ticket to Tuition giveaway for students who complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FASFA, for the first time. The contest offers students a chance to win up to $50,000 for college or technical school expenses.

To enter the sweepstakes, students and parents must first create an account on StudentAid.gov and fill out the FAFSA form. Once completed, students can text “CASH” to 855-50K-TICKET (855-505-8425). Students who have already completed their first-time FAFSA form can also participate. Participants must be Michigan residents who completed the FAFSA for the first time for the 2025-26 academic year.

FAFSA is the first and best way for low- to middle-income students to obtain financial aid for college or skilled trades schools. By filling out the FAFSA, students may qualify for valuable financial aid opportunities such as the Michigan Achievement Scholarship and Community College Guarantee programs.

Prizes will be awarded in Michigan Education Savings Program accounts, which can be used for a variety of qualified educational expenses such as tuition and fees, living expenses, computers and textbooks. Forty winners will receive $10,000 and 10 winners will receive $50,000. Visit TicketToTuition.com for more contest details.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has confirmed detections of the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid in 11 counties.

The hemlock woolly adelgid is a small insect that extracts sap from eastern hemlock trees, weakening the needles and branches. Left untreated, infected trees die within four to 10 years. The insect appears as small, round, white, cotton-like masses on the undersides of hemlock branches. They are most visible from November through July but are present year-round. The hemlock woolly adelgid infests only eastern hemlock trees, not pines or spruces.

For help identifying the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid or eastern hemlock trees, watch the short video Hemlock Woolly Adelgid: Invasive Species in Michigan. To report suspected infestations, email MDARD at MDA-info@michigan.gov or call the Customer Service Center at 800-292-3939.

The 2025-26 ORV season begins April 1 and runs through March 31, 2026.

In Michigan, an ORV license is required to ride on eligible roads and public lands. A trail permit is also needed for state-designated trails and scramble areas.

Licenses and permits are valid for one year and grant access to 4,000 miles of trails. ORV licenses and trail permits can be purchased:

Fees generated through ORV licenses and trail permits are reinvested into the ORV system. These funds help support trail expansion, grants for annual trail grooming, infrastructure improvements and law enforcement.

Michigan residents have reported receiving fraudulent text messages claiming they owe money for unpaid tolls. These messages mimic the Michigan Department of Transportation’s official website and appear legitimate.

These text messages are a scam. The state of Michigan does not operate toll roads and will not solicit payment via text message. While some state-owned bridges require tolls, they are not collected by license plate capture. The messages should be reported as junk and deleted.

If you receive one of these scam text messages, do not click on any links or share personal or financial information. The state of Michigan or any of its agencies will never:

Anyone who has received one of these fraudulent messages and wants assurance that they don’t owe money for unpaid tolls can contact MDOT by calling 517-241-2400 or emailing MDOT@Michigan.gov.

Spring turkey season opens April 19. Leftover spring turkey licenses and Hunt 0234 licenses are available for purchase online at eLicense or in person at select retail locations.

Hunters now have the option to purchase an eHarvest tag through the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app. Once purchased, the eHarvest tag is accessible immediately in the app. When a license is purchased through the app, a paper tag will not be issued.

To use the eHarvest tag after harvesting a turkey, follow these steps:

Check the Spring Turkey Hunting Regulations Summary for a full listing of regulations and legal descriptions for the 2025 spring hunting season.

Thank you for subscribing to my electronic newsletter! I am honored to represent you in the state Senate. 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 31st District E-news. You may sign up for it also at my website.