I will be hosting several office hours events throughout the 34th Senate District during the month of February.

I will be available to answer questions and provide information and assistance, as well as take suggestions on issues affecting communities and businesses in the district. No appointment is necessary. If you are unable to make it to the following dates and times, please feel free to contact my office to set up an appointment.

For more information or to contact my office, please visit www.SenatorJonBumstead.com or call 517-373-1635.

My upcoming office hours are as follows:

I appreciated hearing the governor’s vision for Michigan’s future during her State of the State address.

As vice chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, I remain committed to working with my colleagues and the governor’s office to keep Michigan on the right track. We were able to work together to approve landmark reforms to Michigan’s dated auto no-fault law, and I can only hope that 2020 brings more agreements like this, more solutions and a better year for Michiganders.

While we were able to approve reforms that are expected to save Michiganders a great deal of money, last year’s budget process was a spectacle that I hope we never again see here in our state. This year’s focus should be on getting our finances in order ahead of the deadline and putting available resources toward fixing things like roads and funding our schools.

These are two things the governor has campaigned on the most and two things I agree should see a great deal of our focus in the new year. Just as I did last year, I will support responsible measures to fund our schools and start making major repairs to our infrastructure. I believe we need to continue looking at existing funding before turning to taxpayers. Like many of my colleagues, I also have reservations about bonding as a solution to fix our roads. To me, that option just kicks the can further down the road, significantly increases our long-term debt and does nothing to address funding our local roads and infrastructure needs.

As the speech continued, I found myself sharing many of the governor’s concerns about things like clean water and our environment. Michigan leads the nation in efforts to ensure folks have safe drinking water, and as chairman of the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy budget, I am committed to continuing these efforts as a priority. We must also continue to monitor the unfortunate situation currently facing the Great Lakes. Lawmakers must seek solutions to mitigate the ongoing high water and erosion issues that impact our public infrastructure.

I look forward to the governor’s upcoming budget presentation and working with her administration to fix our state’s crumbling roads and bridges — without simply passing the cost to hardworking families or passing the buck to our kids. The Legislature has approved major reforms and investments in recent years, and I would like to continue working together to build a better Michigan.

The state Senate approved legislation I introduced that would create a new license for a limited production of a beer in a 37-0 vote.

This is big news for La Colombe, Norton Shores and breweries across the state. La Colombe picked a site in Norton Shores to house their operations in 2015 and have made great strides in the years since. They employ over 100 people, provide a high-demand service and are always looking at ways to grow their company and give back to the community.

La Colombe, a coffee company with a manufacturing facility in Norton Shores, teamed up with Miller Coors to develop the “La Colombe Hard Brew Coffee.” La Colombe purchased a bulk beer product from out of state and blended the beer with its coffee. It was later brought to the company’s attention by the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) that the state does not expressly permit makers to transfer beer from one brewery to another or further process beer that was initially made by another brewery — which then forced La Colombe into a gray area that could have meant legal troubles for the company.

The MLCC later granted La Colombe a one-time exception to complete the order they had already invested time and resources in. That exception is set to expire in April.

After several discussions with company leaders and MLCC representatives, I introduced Senate Bill 711, which would give companies like La Colombe the ability to receive a license that would allow beer to be imported and further manufactured in their facility. The legislation outlines additional guidelines for such collaborations.

With the pending change in state law, La Colombe is already looking at ways to expand their operations in West Michigan over locations in other states. This means more jobs and more growth in the Norton Shores Community. We need to keep Michigan moving forward and create an environment for businesses to call home. This legislation gets government out of the way and will benefit companies across the state.

SB 711 has been sent to the Michigan House of Representatives.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources recently announced that the regular Recreation Passport vehicle entry fee for residents will increase from $11 to $12 as of March 1, 2020. This $1 increase is the first Recreation Passport price increase since 2013.

Michigan residents who purchase a Recreation Passport can enjoy vehicle access to more than 100 state parks and recreation areas, 140 state forest campgrounds, hundreds of miles of state trails, historic sites, family-friendly events, hundreds of boating access sites, and more.

To learn more about how the Recreation Passport supports, protects and provides easy, affordable access to Michigan’s great outdoors, visit www.Michigan.gov/RecreationPassport.

Last October, the governor vetoed nearly $1 billion from the budget, cutting critical funding for law enforcement, hospitals, local governments, college students, children in charter and rural schools, and more. The governor also used a rarely used administrative board to transfer an additional $625 million in funding.

These cuts hurt Michigan families and communities across the state, which is why I supported legislation to restore much of the critical funding that was vetoed or transferred by the governor.

Senate Bills 152 and 154 restored a total of $573.5 million of the governor’s nearly $950 million in vetoed funding and $625 million in administrative transfer funding.

Additionally, in the wake of the governor’s cuts and funding transfers, I supported legislation to make important reforms to the budget process that will preserve reliability and oversight and restore balance in the funding transfer process.

These bills were signed by the governor on Dec. 31 with immediate effect.

I want to remind area residents of the following events taking place throughout the 34th District in the upcoming weeks and months:

Vintage Snowmobile Show
Saturday, Feb. 1
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Downtown Hart
Description: Register and set up sleds by 9 a.m. People’s choice trophies available in five separate classes. More information and an event list can also be found here.

Inaugural White Lake Area Winter Wanderland
Friday, Feb. 7 – Sunday, Feb. 9
9:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Downtown Whitehall and Montague

Description: White Lake welcomes you! Join the fun and wander the quaint towns of Montague and Whitehall at the inaugural Winter Wanderland, a weekend-long festival in the beautiful White Lake area that celebrates all things winter! Come on out and explore our frosty community with a variety of events. Additional information and an event list can also be found here.

Pentwater and Hart Winterfest
Saturday, Feb. 8 and Saturday, Feb. 15
8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Downtown Hart
Downtown Pentwater

Description: Get your freeze on in Pentwater and Hart this February. Many activities are scheduled for Feb. 8 and 15 for you, your family and friends. More information can be found here.

Muskegon STAR! certification training
Wednesday, Feb. 12
1 – 5 p.m.
West Michigan Works!
316 Morris Ave., Suite 100
Muskegon

Description: The Muskegon STAR! program is a one-time class that will teach you about Muskegon history, entertainment and cultural attractions. You will learn about all the things to do in your community, outdoor recreation assets, upcoming events, new developments and much more! Additional information and an event list can also be found here.

Lunch & Learn: Industry 4.0 and Mental Health Safety in the Workplace
Wednesday, Feb. 19
11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
ADAC Automotive
1801 E. Keating Ave.
Muskegon

Description: Join us for this special manufacturers Lunch and Learn. This informative session will zone in on cyber security and mental health safety in the workplace. Presentations from IT Resources and Blue Cross Blue Shield in partnership with Arbor Circle. More information can be found here.

Second Annual Freezin’ Season Winter Carnival
Saturday, Feb. 22
Noon – 4 p.m.
Newaygo County Sports Park
4684 Evergreen Drive
Newaygo

Description: This fun FREE family event has been created to get everyone out to enjoy Michigan’s magical winter months and try different winter activities. Carnival goers will be able to try out new ways to stay active outdoors. Children can build a bat house or bee box, go on a hayride, sit by the bonfire, sled, learn to ice fish, enjoy free refreshments and much more! Additional information can be found here.

Launch NOW! Business Start-Up Info Session
Tuesday, Feb. 25
11 a.m. – noon
Muskegon Innovation Hub
Room 205
200 Viridian Drive
Muskegon

Description: The SBDC West Michigan Region is starting a special initiative to assist at least 50 new businesses get launched this year! If you have been considering or are at the beginning stages of starting your own business, come to one of our unique one-hour information sessions. You’ll learn about business trends for 2019, why half of all businesses fail, seven steps to correctly start your business, and more. Additional information can be found here.

February Business for Breakfast: Transformation 2020!
Friday, Feb. 28
7:30 – 9 a.m.
Shoreline Inn and Conference Center
750 Terrace Point Road
Muskegon

Description: Welcome new Chamber of Commerce Board Chair Steve Olsen, who currently serves as president of Northern Machine Tool. Steve will share his vision for the chamber and community. Meet the chamber team and network with fellow chamber members at the beautiful Shoreline Inn Conference Center. Additional information can be found here.

The 34th State Senate District includes the counties of Muskegon, Newaygo, and Oceana.

Thank you for subscribing to my electronic newsletter! I am honored to represent you in the state Senate. As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. Please feel free to forward this on to others who may be interested in receiving the 34th District E-news. You may sign up for it also at my website.