Dear Friends,

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

I encourage you to contact me with any state issues. You can call toll-free at 855-347-8030 or email [email protected]. Also, please check out my Facebook page. 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

This past weekend, many families across West Michigan celebrated Easter. Just as spring is the season of rebirth and renewal, Easter is a time for spiritual rebirth and renewal. The holiday offers everyone an opportunity to examine our principles and morals that we endeavor to instill in our children. Among these are kindness to our neighbors, charity toward the less fortunate, respect for people of all backgrounds and being part of something greater than ourselves.

As a Christian, I believe that Jesus died to save us from sin and that we must strive to walk in his footsteps. At the core of that belief — and of my position as your state senator — is helping and serving others.

I will continue to aim to fulfill my duties as a Christian, husband, father and public servant as best I can for my family, my state and the people of West Michigan. I am dedicated to being a good public servant, which includes helping area residents with a wide range of issues and listening to their viewpoints and concerns.

It’s official. Michigan’s individual income tax rate will fall to 4.05% — down from 4.25% — for the 2023 tax year. While this is a positive step for Michigan taxpayers, it does not go far enough. I believe the tax reduction should be permanent — despite Attorney General Dana Nessel’s recent opinion stating it should be temporary.

Former Gov. Rick Snyder and lawmakers who approved the 2015 law say the income tax trigger was supposed to be permanent. This fight for long-lasting tax relief is not over. Michiganders deserve to be able to keep more of what they earn.

For now, the good news is that for the current 2023 tax year, taxpayers will either see immediate relief in their paychecks as employers reduce their tax withholdings or residents will get an even larger tax relief next year. Unfortunately, an AG opinion has the force of law unless overturned by the courts. While legal action about the opinion is expected, if it is not successful, the tax rate with hike back up to 4.25% in 2024.

In 2021, Michigan had nearly 6,000 work zone crashes. As we get ready to recognize National Work Zone Awareness Week next week, I reintroduced legislation to increase road worker safety and enforcement of the protective work zones while also providing more clarity for drivers about where a construction zone begins and ends.

Drivers in our state are often confused about when construction areas are considered active work zones. Last year, I partnered with officials from MDOT and the private sector on reform to clear up our laws. While my bill was unanimously approved by the Senate, it was never voted on by the House.

Senate Bill 252 would update and clarify the current definitional limitations of a “work zone” within the Michigan Vehicle Code. The bill would ensure that situations where “work zone begins” and “end road work” signs are not available can still meet the criteria of a work zone. At these sites, a work zone would start at a sign indicating its beginning and end at the last temporary traffic control device.

The need for the change arose from the settlement of a criminal case, in which charges against the defendant were waived due to current language not explicitly stating that one worker’s presence meets the criteria of a present work crew. Therefore, as the incident area in the case did not contain a present work crew, it did not meet the definition of an active work zone.

To protect our road construction workers, we must close this legal loophole. You can watch a video I recorded about my bill by clicking here or on the image below.

I am holding in-person office hours throughout the district on a regular basis because hearing directly from the people about the issues they are facing is an important part of representing everyone in West Michigan. These meetings give local residents a chance to express their viewpoints about what needs to be done and offer help to people dealing with a variety of state issues.

This month, I will be available to meet with constituents on:

Friday, April 21

Monday, April 24

Office hours are open to all residents, and no appointment is necessary. Anyone who is unable to attend my office hours may contact my office.

With gas prices on the rise, inflation at a 40-year high and credit card debt reaching a record $930.6 billion, it has never been more important to understand basic economics and how to best manage your personal finances.

April is Financial Literacy Month — a great time for each of us as consumers to learn more about finances and how to improve our personal and household financial stability.

The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services offers free educational workshops on a wide range of topics like managing debt, health insurance, auto insurance, and much more. There are even programs designed specifically for teens with information about paying for college and how to keep a money diary. Speakers are available for educational workshops at your location, free of charge. Workshops consist of a 60 to 90-minute live presentation on a variety of topics and can even be tailored to fit your group’s unique interests.

Last month, to celebrate National Reading Month and encourage parents to read to their kids, I once again recorded and posted videos of me reading children’s books to viewers.

Reading is critical to a successful education, and it is important to promote a love of reading throughout the year. Reading to children at a young age can help them develop an interest in learning, foster a creative spirit, and build self-confidence.

Last year, I recorded three videos to virtually share a love of reading with West Michigan children, and I am now sharing two additional videos in an effort to encourage more children to succeed through reading.

In the two 2023 videos, I read “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus” and “The Pigeon Needs a Bath.” Both books are by Mo Willems.

Residents can also access all five videos by visiting my LinkTree page.

The MSU Science Festival returns with more than 200 free events for K-12 students and lifelong learners of every age. Events will take place throughout the month of April in person on MSU’s campus, virtually and at locations across the state.

The festival also includes field trips, classroom visits and virtual programs designed for teachers to use as tools in their classrooms. Programs designed for elementary, middle school and high school classrooms are open now for teacher sign up. The full schedule of public events can be found at sciencefestival.msu.edu.

During the spring season, black bears become active and can often wander into neighborhoods. Following these simple steps can keep bears safely at a distance and prevent dangerous interactions:

To learn more about the bear population in Michigan and how humans and bears can safely coexist, visit Michigan.gov/bear or being Bear SMART.

With less than 15% of the DNR’s annual, ongoing budget coming from general state tax dollars, new and creative revenue sources are vital to fulfilling the department’s mission.

One such revenue source is through sponsorships. Businesses and organizations can get involved as sponsors and partners in taking care of the state’s natural and cultural resources, while connecting with the millions of people who enjoy these resources each year.

A few of the sponsorship opportunities include:

For a complete list of ongoing options and contacts for each, visit the DNR sponsorship and partnership opportunities webpage.

I wanted to remind everyone that the deadline to file your taxes is April 18 this year. If you haven’t file yet, there are many resources available to help you prepare your taxes prior to the deadline:

My staff and I stand ready to help in any way that we can. If we are unable to help, we will help put you in touch with someone who can.

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 [email protected].

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.