Dear Friends:

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you and provide updates about what is going on at Michigan’s Capitol.

I am the state senator for the 18th District – covering all of Barry County and parts of Allegan, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, Kent and Ionia counties. Please feel free to contact me with any issues related to state government at SenTAlbert@senate.michigan.gov, or by calling 517-373-1734 or toll-free at 855-347-8018.

Sincerely,

Thomas Albert
State Senator

It’s almost time for kids across Michigan to head back to school. I want to wish every student from every family the best for a successful school year.

Michigan could give every student a better chance at success by making some commonsense education policy changes. I would like to highlight just a few:

Have a great school year. To see data about Michigan schools, including how individual districts are performing, visit the Center for Educational Performance and Information website.

Newly released traffic safety statistics reinforce the growing need to better protect bicyclists, pedestrians and those who must be outside their vehicles to work or assist others.

Serious crashes involving vulnerable roadway users continued to increase in 2025, according to Michigan State Police statistics. Fatalities involving bicyclists rose 21%, with 35 deaths. Fatalities involving pedestrians rose 18% to 184. Twenty-four people died in crashes in roadway work zones.

This happened even though the overall number of fatal crashes on Michigan roads declined slightly last year. It’s clear we must do more to protect those at greatest risk — including those who work on roadways such as construction workers, tow truck drivers and law enforcement officers.

I am renewing my call for the Legislature to finalize Senate Bills 216 and 217, which were approved by the Senate last year and are now in the Michigan House of Representatives. Similar legislation has been introduced in the House.

I am a sponsor of this bipartisan, bicameral plan designed to improve safety. This plan also includes a comprehensive and simplified update to Michigan’s “Slow Down and Move Over” traffic law.

Michigan is scheduled to shift its youth work permit process from local schools to a centralized system run by state bureaucrats on Oct. 1.

I’ve already heard from community members that this change is causing some confusion. I urge school administrators, employers and families to be aware of the changes that are expected to be communicated soon by the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. Websites to monitor as the effective date approaches include LEO’s Youth Employment Standards Act page and its work permit information page.

Effective in October, all youth work permits in Michigan must be obtained exclusively through the state’s centralized work permit system. Minors would have to register with LEO before starting work, and employers would need to be registered and authorized.

Until that time, schools will continue to facilitate the permit process.

I voted against this state takeover of youth work permit authorization. I have introduced legislation that would roll back these changes. My proposal would keep the system in the hands of school administrators — which has worked well for decades — while proposing tougher penalties for employers who willfully fail to protect kids. Local school administrators know the kids in their community better than a bureaucrat in Lansing would.

Mandating a statewide registry may prompt some law-abiding employers to stop hiring kids — simply to avoid dealing with a new state bureaucracy. This will take away opportunities for teens.

I believe Michigan’s best days are ahead — but only if we embrace policies that make life more affordable and create more opportunity.

The need for these changes was reinforced recently when U.S. News and World Report released its 2026 Best State Rankings. Michigan ranked in the bottom five overall. Our state ranked 45th in education, 43rd for the economy, 42nd for infrastructure, 38th for fiscal stability and 33rd for opportunity.

We can and should do better. Michigan should lower taxes, repeal expensive green energy mandates, target investments to strengthen communities and tie education funding to policies that truly help kids succeed.

A traveling exhibit honoring U.S. military members who served in the Vietnam War will be in the Battle Creek area from Aug. 20-23.

“The Wall That Heals” is a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. It bears the names of more than 58,000 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice serving our nation in Vietnam.

The traveling exhibit, which will be at Harper Creek High School, is open to the public around the clock with free admission. The event is hosted by the Calhoun County Red White Blue Foundation.

Please visit this website for more information, including a schedule of events.

As a U.S. Marine Corps officer who served in Iraq, I look forward to visiting the event this week. It’s a great opportunity to honor those who served in Vietnam.