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 may call toll-free at 1-855-347-8030 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

Last month, I voted to increase the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and repeal the so-called pension tax on certain retirement income.

I ran for public office to solve problems. Many Michigan families are struggling to make ends meet, and this reform would reduce taxes on many of our seniors and provide immediate relief to working people.

Senate Bill 1 would exempt certain retirement income from the state income tax, such as public retirement or pension benefits. SB 3 would increase the state’s EITC from 6% to 30% of the federal EITC beginning with the 2022 tax year.

We have a historic surplus, and I will continue fighting to provide much-needed relief to everyone in our state. My focus continues to be on reducing taxes on Michigan taxpayers and ensuring they keep more of their hard-earned money.

Click here or on the image below to see my video comments on passage of the Senate bills.

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:

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

Last month, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer gave her 2023 State of the State address to the Legislature – outlining her outlook on the state and her plans for the new year.

My priority is to help solve the problems facing West Michigan, and I will be glad to work across the aisle to do so. Legislating is a team effort, and I think Republicans like me can offer a valuable perspective to the process. I am committed to bipartisanship and hope the Democratic leadership in the Senate shares this goal.

The Michigan people expect results. They need us to work together to find common ground on the critical issues affecting their lives and our entire state.

While we have a historic budget surplus, many families are struggling to afford everyday items, and we must dedicate much of our surplus to providing them with immediate relief and helping build a stronger Michigan.

Click here or on the image below to see a video of my comments following her address.

I welcomed Dr. Anthony Chang, Ph. D. to the Michigan Capitol as my guest for the governor’s State of the State address. Dr. Chang is CEO and founder of BAMF Health, which is headquartered in the Doug Meijer Medical Innovation Building on Grand Rapids’ Medical Mile and last year opened Michigan’s first full-body PET-CT scanner — one of only a handful nationwide.

BAMF is a shining example of how new tech-centered health care businesses are growing in Grand Rapids and putting our city on the map nationwide.

I also want to applaud 11th-grader Sydney Kuipers of Forest Hills Northern High School in the 30th Senate District for winning the governor’s art contest for the address program cover.

Passionate and creative students like Sydney are what makes Michigan strong, and I applaud her on her wonderful talent. Children like Sydney are the future of our state, and our future is both bright and strong. I also want to thank the governor for holding this innovative way to encourage and highlight Michigan students.

The art contest challenged K-12 students across Michigan to come up with a creative design for the program cover following the theme “What makes Michigan strong?” Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II selected the winner from five student finalists out of hundreds of students from across the state who submitted their artwork.

Click here to see Sydney’s winning design.

This year, Michigan will be hosting a free snowmobiling weekend.

The free weekend is set for Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 11-12. It is the result of Public Acts 55 and 56, which were passed by the Legislature in 2022. During these two days, snowmobilers can operate their machines without the need for a snowmobile registration or trail permit.

For more information on snowmobiling in Michigan, including trail maps, visit www.Michigan.gov/snowmobiling.

Last month, I helped secure $25 million in a supplemental budget bill for a critical infrastructure improvement project in West Michigan.

Replacing the aging two-lane Fruit Ridge Avenue bridge and updating the obsolete I-96 interchange will improve safety, access and quality while helping support continued economic growth and business investment.

I have been working on getting funding for this important project for years, and it was great to vote to finally make it a reality — providing a real solution to a real problem facing our community.

Senate Bill 7, now Public Act 1 of 2023, includes $25 million to replace the Fruit Ridge Avenue bridge over I-96 in Walker with a five-lane bridge and reconfigure the interchange by realigning access ramps.

Once completed, this investment will help bring new opportunities to our region and enhance people’s lives for decades to come. Instead of wasting our surplus on unsustainable increases in government, we came together in a bipartisan way to invest in the future of West Michigan.

Click here or on the image below to see my comments from the Senate floor about the project.

The Michigan Achievement Scholarship is now available to all students who graduate from a Michigan high school with a diploma or certificate or have achieved a high school equivalency certificate.

In 2022, the Michigan Legislature passed Senate Bill 842, allocating funding from the fiscal year 2023 budget to a new scholarship program, helping students cover the cost of attending a college, university or qualified occupational training programs and trade schools.

Starting with the class of 2023, high school graduates will be eligible for financial aid, up to:

To apply, or for more information, students can register for one of several informational webinars.

The Michigan Department of Education is asking Michigan superintendents and school leaders to nominate students for membership on the 2023-24 Student Advisory Council. High school students from traditional public schools and public school academies are eligible for nomination.

The Student Advisory Council was first convened in the summer of 2020. The Council serves as a student voice to the state superintendent and other MDE leaders to provide perspective and feedback on new or ongoing MDE initiatives. Meetings take place virtually outside of school hours with occasional opportunities to gather in-person during the day.

Nominations of up to two students per high school can be made via this link, by Feb. 17, 2023. Nominated students will receive an emailed invitation to apply. Applications will be reviewed, and council members will be selected. Students selected to serve on the Student Advisory Council will receive additional information in May.

Michigan’s annual Winter Free Fishing Weekend is this month. On Feb. 18-19, all fishing license fees will be waived, but all fishing regulations still apply.

Residents and out-of-state visitors may enjoy fishing on both inland lakes and the Great Lakes for all species of fish.

Visit www.Michigan.gov/freefishing for information on special events and activities. A state Recreation Passport will not be required at any state park or recreation area during the free fishing weekend.

Remember that ice fishing can be dangerous if people do not follow safety procedures or head out on the ice unprepared. Click here for information on ice fishing.

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.