Please take a few minutes to watch the video below to get a quick snapshot of the projects I am focused on as we move into the fall season.

I find it beyond irresponsible that the state Legislature blasted right by the July 1 deadline to have our budgets done.

It is not right that our schools are starting the year with no budget in place, or that residents and local governments who rely on budgets being finalized on time have to listen to talk of a potential government shutdown.

While I will not support a budget that harms our district, I will continue to push for reasonable budgets immediately. I know many others feel the same way, so hopefully we can move past unnecessary partisan bickering and get this done.

I have been seeking input from constituents, local leaders and experts to understand the full ramifications of the proposed House and Senate budgets. I am committed to representing our district to the best of my abilities throughout this process and am working diligently to ensure the needs of the 37th Senate District are represented in the final budget.

There are no words to describe how sickening it is that so many women, children and men are literally enslaved by criminals who use another person’s life for their own pleasure or profit. And sadly, the problem in Michigan is worse than in most other states.

I was proud to introduce a package of bills in partnership with the attorney general and a bipartisan group of legislators from the Senate and House, designed to make Michigan one of the toughest states in the country when it comes to human trafficking. Click below to watch a portion of the press conference introducing Senate Bills 520-524 that crack down on human trafficking.

A highlight of September for me was the opportunity to spend a day showing Claire Shooks, a senior at Central Lake High School, how the Senate functions and what the day to day of a senator in Lansing looks like.

Claire reached out to my office and expressed interest in spending a day learning about the inner workings of government. She is incredibly smart, and it was a joy to hear her input during a few of my meetings and have her join me on the session floor for a firsthand look at Senate session and to meet other members of the Michigan Senate throughout the day.

Claire will do great things, and I am always happy to spend some time teaching our students about the work we do!

If you have a student who wants to learn more about government, please reach out to my office!

The annual Labor Day Bridge Walk on Mackinac Bridge is one of Michigan’s greatest traditions!

Thank you to the Mackinac Bridge Authority for welcoming tens of thousands of Michigan residents from around the state for this year’s bridge walk. I enjoyed hosting a great group of legislators as we crossed from the Upper Peninsula to the Lower. Thank you especially to the Michigan State Police, who showed up in force to keep all of the bridge walkers safe!

This bridge is a historic marvel and a critical piece of Michigan’s infrastructure. Today’s walk was a great reminder of how important it is that we pass my bill — Senate Bill 71 — to ensure the Mackinac Bridge has all of the protections that come with being listed among our state’s “key facilities.”

The success of this program has been tremendous for the eastern Upper Peninsula, and hopefully, it is something we can expand statewide. Rx Kids provides a cash prescription for pregnant moms and kids during their first year of life.

I have been among the most vocal advocates for Rx Kids, and was proud to join the program’s founder, Dr. Mona Hanna and Chairman of the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians Austin Lowes for a panel discussion in Sault Ste. Marie about how the program works. I am so thankful to the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians for contributing $200,000 as part of this public-private partnership to help families throughout our region. Your generosity is inspiring!

This is a program that can bring people together in celebration of children and to support families in that critical time period when they are often in the greatest need — those months immediately before giving birth and in the first year of a child’s life. Study after study shows that if things go wrong during that time, it can cause problems that last a lifetime. As such, this is a great investment in the future of our state, and I encourage all of my colleagues to move swiftly to approve the funds to keep this program growing so we can help more Michigan families.

This fall marks a tremendous milestone for our region as the leadership of North Central Michigan College, along with community members, cut the ribbon on their new Early Learning Center.

Everywhere I go, I hear from families and businesses about just how challenging child care can be. What NCMC has created here with the help of so many people — from the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation to local businesses and individuals — is a model for child care that could be rolled out across the state. This pilot program focuses on innovative and well-rounded solutions that represent the type of creative thinking that can guide our state out of these challenges.

I was thrilled to be a part of this celebration and want to congratulate my friend Jennifer Wixson on a huge achievement that brings employers, communities, and parents together to provide a solution that benefits everyone. She has worked for years on this project, and it is thrilling to see it all finally come together!

Thank you to all of the island residents and representatives from Eastern Upper Peninsula Transportation Authority for turning over a new leaf in the discussions for how to provide better, more consistent ferry service to Neebish Island. I appreciate the spirit being shown on both sides of this discussion. This has been a complicated problem, and I think we are closer than we’ve been in years to solving it.

We aren’t there yet, but we are moving forward. Part of reaching a solution depends on whether we can get state funding for three years of operations. The budget process this year is such a mess that it is far from guaranteed — but please know I am working day and night to try to make that happen.

The idea is something that Capt. Lon Calloway shared, which is to hire two crews, each of whom will run eight-hour shifts and be on call for four hours after normal operation. It’s more complicated than that, but entirely possible.

We also need to address long-term systemic issues, like the workforce shortage in terms of captains and crews. I’m actually proposing that Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City add a one-year degree for ferry captains to its maritime academy.

Again, the problem is not solved yet, but we are closer than ever to a solution. I join the Neebish Island residents and EUPTA in being hopeful.

It was a pleasure to be invited by Traverse Connect and MichAuto to participate as a panelist for their waterside chats hosted by Discovery Pier in Traverse City.

I was joined by several leaders of some of our largest local manufacturing companies to discuss an issue that is one of my absolute top priorities: rebuilding American manufacturing and ensuring that the state of Michigan is at the center of that effort.

Michigan used to know exactly who we were — we made great things and were proud of our manufacturing heritage. Over the decades, we’ve lost some of that vision, and one bad policy after another has forced the companies that shaped our state to take their business elsewhere.

Things like this panel and the organizations supporting it are critical as we seize the opportunity to become the head of an American revolution in advanced manufacturing, helping to ensure our children and our children’s children can enjoy the fruits of their labor right here in our incredible state.

The DNR has confirmed the first cases of epizootic hemorrhagic disease of 2025 in deer from Eaton, Jackson, Van Buren and Washtenaw counties.

EHD is a viral, sometimes fatal disease that can affect white-tailed deer. It is transmitted through the bite of an infected midge or biting fly. Deer cannot transmit the disease directly to another deer; it is only passed through an insect.

There is no evidence that humans, household pets or other Michigan wildlife can contract the EHD virus. Venison from healthy deer harvested from areas where EHD has been present is still safe to eat.

A deer that is infected with EHD may appear lethargic, disoriented, lame or unresponsive, or may show bloody discharge from the nose and mouth, a swollen or blue-tinged tongue, and swelling of the eyelids and around the neck or head. EHD can only be confirmed through testing by a qualified laboratory.

If you suspect you have found a deer that has contracted or died from EHD, please submit a Diseased Wildlife report through the DNR’s Eyes in the Field online system.

As samples are submitted from additional counties, any further detections will be posted on the DNR’s EHD webpage.

It is never too early to plan for your student’s life after high school. Whether they choose to attend college or pursue a professional certification, Michigan offers different programs to help families prepare for education costs.

More information, including a college savings calculator, is available at MIsaves.com.

Michigan’s 37th Senate District includes Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Leelanau counties and portions of Mackinac and Chippewa counties.