Dear Friends,

To better serve the great people of West Michigan, I’m offering this e-newsletter on what’s happening in the 30th Senate District and across our state.

I am active on social media to help keep you updated. You can check out my Facebook page, my  official account on X or my Instagram for recent updates.

I encourage you to contact me with any state issues. You can call toll-free at 855-347-8030 or email SenMHuizenga@senate.michigan.gov.  Let me know if I can assist you in any way or if you have an idea to help move our state forward.

Working for you,

Mark Huizenga
State Senator

In this week’s episode of Conversations with Mark, I am joined by Kate Terpstra, the marketing and economic administrator and senior recreational director for the city of Coopersville.

We had a great conversation about the continued growth of the town, new businesses and what has made Coopersville a tremendous place to live and raise a family.

I think more great things are coming in the future as she and her team work hard to attract more expansion, while also maintaining the small-town feel and community engagement.

Thank you, Kate, for the great conversation and for highlighting one of the many great communities in the 30th Senate District!

Click here or on the image below to watch the podcast. The episode is now available on all major platforms, and new episodes drop every other Thursday at noon.

I recently had a great experience visiting Sudanese Grace Episcopal Church in Grand Rapids for its sixth anniversary celebration.

It’s always a wonderful time connecting with members of the congregation and discussing priorities and how we can continue working together to ensure their concerns are being represented in the Michigan Senate.

Thank you to the members for inviting me to the celebration. I sincerely appreciated the great open dialogue. I look forward to our next meeting!

Legislation to help address the special education teacher shortage has been signed into law.

Public Act 24 of 2026 allows individuals with an interim teaching certificate and a special education endorsement to participate in an alternative route certification program. The program was first established through legislation passed in 2020. The new law removes the program’s expiration date, which had been set for next year.

A new law to expand opportunities for people to register as bone marrow, organ and tissue donors has been signed into law.

Public Act 50 of 2026 allows physicians to ask patients whether they would like to become a bone marrow, organ or tissue donor and provide information on how to register.

People can currently register as organ donors when they get or renew a driver’s license or state ID at a Secretary of State branch office. The new law creates another opportunity for people to learn about organ donation and register.

According to Gift of Life Michigan, organ transplants save 131 lives across the United States each day. More than 9,000 patients in Michigan have received lifesaving organ transplants over the past decade.

Click here to learn more or register as an organ donor.

In recognition of Hunter Safety Education Week and to help the next generation of hunters prepare for deer season, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is hosting more than 50 in-person hunter safety education classes.

Anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1960, must have a hunter safety certificate before purchasing a Michigan hunting license.

Hunter safety education classes will be offered statewide Aug. 10-16. The DNR offers four options for completing hunter safety education, all of which require at least four hours of in-person instruction:

To learn more or register for a class, visit Michigan.gov/HunterEducation. Those interested in volunteering as an instructor can also learn more on the DNR website.

Michigan families who rely on food assistance will soon have stronger protections against fraud under a new law signed by the governor.

Public Act 46 of 2026 requires the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to replace magnetic stripe Bridge Cards with new chip-enabled cards. The upgraded technology, similar to the security features used in most debit and credit cards, is designed to better protect benefits from skimming devices and other forms of electronic theft.

Bridge Card fraud has become an increasing concern in recent years as criminals have used card-skimming devices to steal benefits from recipients. Chip-enabled cards provide an added layer of security that makes unauthorized access more difficult.

The new law will help protect benefits for Michigan families who depend on food assistance while helping ensure taxpayer dollars are used for their intended purpose.

Michigan’s annual free ORV weekend is Aug. 15-16. During the two-day event, all ORV routes, trails and the state’s six scramble areas will be open to residents and out-of-state visitors without needing an ORV license or trail permit. All other laws and regulations still apply.

Visit the DNR ORV webpage to download the ORV rules and regulations handbook, find ORV-friendly campgrounds and view maps of state-designated ORV trails.

Before heading out on an ORV adventure, be sure to know the rules of the trail.

Speed is the leading cause of serious ORV injuries and deaths. Stay safe by following these tips:

Serving the people of West Michigan is very important to me and I encourage you to contact me with any state issues. You may contact me by calling toll-free 1-855-347-8030 or emailing SenMHuizenga@senate.michigan.gov.

I look forward to serving you, and I encourage you to contact me if I can assist you in any way or if you have an idea to help move our state forward.