Dear Friends,

Welcome to this month’s edition of my e-newsletter. It is an honor to serve the people of Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties as your voice in the Michigan Senate.

The goal of this e-newsletter is to help keep you informed about what’s happening in the 16th Senate District, in Lansing and across our state. I will also be sharing the latest information on my official Senate Facebook page. If you have any questions or need to get in contact with me, feel free to call my office toll-free at 855-347-8016 or via email at [email protected].

Working for you,

Joseph Bellino, Jr.
State Senator

Hunting has been a cherished tradition for many generations of Michigan families. Our state offers vast opportunities for hunters, who play an important role in wildlife conservation and management.

In 2023, 594,348 hunters harvested 347,008 deer. To get a look at what lies ahead for this season, hunters can check the deer season forecast. If you still need a license for this season, you can purchase one online or at a nearby retail location.

For an additional $5, Michigan residents can enter the Pure Michigan Hunt for a chance to win an incredible prize package, as well as licenses for elk, bear, spring and fall turkey, antlerless deer, and first pick at a managed waterfowl hunting area for a reserved hunt. Each $5 entry supports Michigan’s wildlife habitat restoration and management efforts.

Before heading out, check the 2024 Deer Hunting Regulations Summary, which includes information on the types of deer that may be harvested in each season, antler point restrictions, and other essential guidelines. It can be downloaded to your smartphone or other personal device for use in the field.

Remember, all harvested deer must be reported within 72 hours or before transferring possession of the deer to another person, a processor or taxidermist. You can report a harvest using the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app or online.

The Michigan Senate recently approved my bills to honor Monroe County Sheriff Deputy Darrian Young and Hillsdale County Deputy Sheriff William Butler Jr.

Young died in 2020 at age 24 from injuries sustained in the line of duty when her marked Animal Control Division vehicle was hit by a drunken driver. Butler was killed in the line of duty at age 51 after being fatally shot while bravely assisting another officer during a traffic stop in June. Butler is the first Hillsdale County sheriff’s deputy to be killed on duty since 1930.

These bills are about paying tribute to the service and sacrifices of Deputy Butler and Deputy Young — both of whom lost their lives protecting our communities. Animal Control Officer Young was an enthusiastic public servant who loved animals, and Deputy Butler was a devoted husband, a loving father and a well-respected officer. They are both greatly missed in their communities, and these measures are a way for us to celebrate their lives and remember their sacrifices.

Senate Bill 977 would designate a portion of Highway M-34 in Hillsdale County from Pioneer Road to South Pittsford Road as the “Deputy Sheriff William Butler Jr. Memorial Highway.”

Senate Bill 978 would designate a portion of Highway M-50 in Monroe County from South Raisinville Road to Herr Road as the “Animal Control Officer Darrian Young Memorial Highway.”

If the bills are signed into law, they would have no fiscal impact on state or local government. State law requires sufficient private contributions to completely cover the cost of erecting and maintaining markers indicating the name of a memorial highway.

As temperatures drop, many in our communities may find themselves needing help to heat their homes this winter. The state of Michigan offers several energy assistance programs to help eligible senior and low-income households keep or restore utility services. Immediate relief may be available through a network of nonprofit organizations and other financial assistance programs.

I recently sent a letter to the chair of the Senate Health Policy Committee urging him to end any legislative effort to disband the Opioid Advisory Commission.

In my letter, I wrote, “Both as a senator and as someone in recovery from addiction, I strongly urge you to reconsider such an ill-advised move. The commission plays a crucial role in ensuring transparency and accountability as our state manages our opioid settlement dollars, which are critical to addressing this epidemic. Dissolving it now would be a major setback in the fight against addiction and overdose deaths.”

A plan by state Democrats to eliminate the commission has been in the works for months, according to an internal email to Michigan Department of Health and Human Services officials obtained by Bridge Michigan through a Freedom of Information Act request.

Michigan is set to receive $1.6 billion over 18 years from certain opioid manufacturers, distributors and pharmacies — with half of those funds going to local communities and half being administered by the state.

My letter mentioned that the committee chair recently criticized the current structure of two separate councils and referred to the commission’s work as a “political fight… over control of the process.”

This isn’t political for me; it’s personal. I’ve seen how this crisis impacts families across Michigan. This isn’t a Republican or Democrat problem — it’s a problem that impacts our entire state. To prevent politics from standing in the way of people getting the help they need, the Opioid Advisory Commission is made up of both Republican and Democrat appointees. This bipartisan structure was a major reason the creation of the commission received overwhelming legislative support.

I’ve personally struggled with addiction my entire life, but thankfully, I was able to access the resources I needed to recover. All I’m asking for is the same chance for others.

Fall is an excellent time for bird watching. Michigan’s vast areas of wetlands and its unique location make it an ideal resting and refueling stop for migratory birds. There are also many northern birds that make Michigan their home for the winter.

There are many places across the state to enjoy bird watching, and even some you might never have considered. Hawks and eagles follow the shoreline of the Detroit River, while raptors can be seen from the Straits of Mackinac. Fall is also the best time to catch a glimpse of sandhill cranes in Jackson and Washtenaw counties as they migrate south for winter.

To learn more about the birds moving through Michigan and the best state parks to see them, text “bird” to 51555 to receive Winged Wednesday text updates from the Department of Natural Resources.

The State Transportation Commission has approved the final version of the 2025-2029 Five-Year Transportation Program, detailing projects planned for funding and construction by the Michigan Department of Transportation over the next five years.

Updated annually, the 5YTP is required by state statute to be posted on the MDOT website and transmitted to the Michigan Legislature, state budget director and the House and Senate fiscal agencies by March 1. Public comments were gathered from Aug. 2 to Sept. 3, and a summary of this feedback is included in the plan.

Thanksgiving is a time-honored American tradition that dates back to the earliest settlers. In 1789, President George Washington issued the first national Thanksgiving Day proclamation.

In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving, following the Union Army's success at Gettysburg. It wasn’t until 1941, however, that President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the U.S. Congress officially established Thanksgiving as a federal holiday to be celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November.

Wishing you and your loved ones a Happy Thanksgiving!