Dear neighbor,

The month of May has finally brought spring and sunshine across Michigan. I hope you are enjoying this welcomed warm up. Even more, I hope you were able to pay tribute to the important women in your life this past Mother’s Day. On behalf of my wife, Kathy (and our wonderful grandkids), I wish a belated Happy Mother’s Day to all who are blessed by that amazing gift of life.

Below you will find legislative updates from the state Capitol important to the residents of Oakland County and the 15th Senate District. Thank you for taking the time to read my latest newsletter!

Senator Jim Runestad
Serving the 15th State Senate District

Earlier this month, I voted to approve a series of Senate bills to fund the state’s 2023 fiscal year that included $2 billion in potential tax relief for Michigan workers, families and seniors.

As chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, I began calling for tax cuts when the Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference confirmed a record projected revenue forecast for Michigan back in January. The governor has also said she is willing to negotiate tax cuts for Michigan residents who are struggling to absorb the cost of historic inflation that has followed her unilateral pandemic shutdown of our state’s economy and reckless spending in Washington.

Unfortunately, her veto pen has told another story in that she has recently struck down two tax relief bills sent to her by the Legislature — Senate Bill 768 to reduce the state’s income tax, create a child tax credit, and increase the tax deduction for seniors and lower the age threshold from 67 to 62, as well as House Bill 5570 to temporarily suspend the state’s gas and diesel use taxes.

The Senate’s budget plan puts the cash on the table; I hope now the Legislature and governor can work together to put this money back into the pockets of Michiganders who need it most.

Earlier this week, the Senate approved a bipartisan package of bills that I helped author to provide critical help for students with dyslexia, clearing the way for the legislation to be considered by the full Senate.

My measure, Senate Bill 383, would establish a resource advisory committee of experts to help our public schools make sure no students fall through the cracks. Other bills in the package would require school districts to screen students in grades K-3 (and certain students in grades 4-12) for reading difficulties using a universal screening assessment, require teacher preparation institutions to offer instruction on the characteristics of dyslexia, and require that “professional” level teaching certificates are only issued after an individual has received instruction on six specified areas.

We have worked hard to put these bipartisan bills together with top experts on dyslexia and advice from many key stakeholders, including testimony from parents and students. By directly addressing dyslexia within our education policies, we can make a meaningful difference for some of our most vulnerable students and their families.

This help is long overdue as Michigan has had no statewide strategy to help students with dyslexia. SBs 380-383 have been sent to state House of Representatives for consideration.

I testified this week before the Senate Committee on Oversight in support of legislation I helped introduce earlier this year to require the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) and Detroit Zoo to comply with Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act and Michigan’s Open Meetings Act.

My bill, Senate Bill 818, would expand the Open Meetings Act to include art institutions that receive tax dollars. A companion bill, Senate Bill 819, would make tax-funded art institutions subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

Public funding requires public accountability. Voters in Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties contribute millions to the DIA and Detroit Zoological Society annually through their property taxes, making up a significant portion of the operating budgets for these institutions — decisions made with taxpayer dollars ought to be made in the open.

Click here to watch the hearing (consideration of the bills begins at 1:40 in the video).

My legislation to fix a campaign finance loophole taken advantage of by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to fundraise beyond set contribution limits was recently approved by the state Senate.

Voters deserve candidates who compete fairly and ethically and soliciting mega-donations to fight against imaginary recalls is misleading to donors and, ultimately, harmful to voters and a fair election process. The governor’s excess funds should have been returned to donors instead of funneled to her party.

Senate Bill 788 would require an officeholder, who is the subject of an approved recall petition, to place money raised for a recall election into a separate specified account and return unspent funds to donors.

The Legislature must put a stop to this fraudulent fundraising utilized by our governor — and for any future candidate who would seek to exploit this campaign finance loophole. SB 788 has been sent to the state House of Representatives for consideration.

I recently was able to present a special state tribute to Mike Denha as he was honored as the 2022 Businessperson of the Year during the 18th Annual Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce Awards Dinner.

The tribute proclaims, “Mike Denha was born in Telkaif, Iraq. He attended school there and worked in the family business making tahini. In 1956, he immigrated to the United States, arriving with only 50 dollars in his pocket, a sum that he would quickly grow through a business he owned with his cousin. He bought a store on 12th street in Detroit, however, it was destroyed in the 1967 riots. Mike Denha did not let this stop him from owning more businesses, demonstrating his famous work ethic and business acumen. Mike bought another business called Lucky Lanes and renamed it to Food Lanes. Under his management, the business’s profits more than quadrupled. In 1968, he met and married his wife, Nedal Hamama. The couple had six children, with all of them growing up and going on to have degrees, careers, and businesses of their own. Over the years, Mike Denha has widely supported the Chaldean community by donating to his church, Bishop Ibrahim’s Library, and the Chaldean Community Foundation. He also helped establish Southfield Manor and was active in the Chaldean Iraqi-American Association of Michigan.”

Morel mushroom hunting is a favorite spring pastime for many. Morels begin to emerge in the spring when warmer weather arrives, normally after rain.

It is important to know how to properly identify morels. Look for their pitted, bumpy profiles near hilly areas with hardwood trees and around burn scars where a wildfire or prescribed burn has happened. While morels are safe to eat, some wild mushrooms can make you seriously ill. All wild mushrooms should be cleaned and fully cooked before enjoying.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources morel website provides the basics of morel identification and hunting. Visit Michigan.gov/MiMorels for information and tips including proper identification, maps of forage locations and how to prep and cook morels.

May is National Stroke Awareness Month. Anyone can have a stroke at any age, but almost three-the lasting effects of a stroke, knowing the signs or symptoms is important.

A stroke is treatable if you act F.A.S.T.! The warning signs of a stroke are Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty and Time to call 911. By being aware of these signs, you can help save a life.

The American Heart Association urges people to lower their risk of heart disease and stroke by taking steps to manage blood pressure, control cholesterol, reduce blood sugar, get active, eat better, lose weight and stop smoking.