Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Welcome to the latest edition of my e-newsletter.

Below you’ll find an update on what’s happening in your state Capitol and some additional resources I hope you find helpful.

Thank you for allowing me to represent you in the Michigan Senate. I am grateful each and every day to work for the people of the 34th Senate District.

Sincerely,

Roger Hauck
State Senator
34th Senate District

Reading is fundamental to a child’s development and plays a crucial role in their academic careers as they grow into adults. March is Reading Month is an excellent opportunity to help spread the importance of reading and dive into some of our favorite stories.

I recently stopped in to read to students at Beaverton Elementary and Brookside Elementary in Big Rapids. I always look forward to these visits and sharing some of my personal favorite books with classrooms full of eager kids!

At a time when families are struggling, Senate Democrats are once again picking winners and losers by choosing to create special tax carve-outs for large corporations rather than work toward real solutions to help Michigan’s ailing economy.

Lansing Democrats have passed yet another partisan bill package that benefits big corporations over struggling families. It’s a clear pattern that began when they repealed Right to Work and resurrected Prevailing Wage. Last year, they raised taxes on small businesses, and now they are making back-room deals with multinational companies using your tax dollars. This money should be returned to the hardworking Michigan taxpayers who need financial relief at a time with high gas and grocery prices.

The NFL Draft is coming to Detroit! For the first time, the city of Detroit and the Detroit Lions will be hosting the 2024 NFL Draft. The event will take place April 25-27 in the downtown area at Campus Martius Park and Hart Plaza.

The three-day event is free to attend but does require registration. The NFL Draft Experience will have interactive games, photo opportunities at exhibits, including the Vince Lombardi Trophy, free player autograph sessions and appearances, and more! To register, visit NFL.com/draftaccess or download the NFL OnePass App.

Springtime in Michigan means trees are budding, birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, and black bears are on the move. During the spring season, black bears leave their dens in search of food and water.

Particularly in the Upper Peninsula or the northern Lower Peninsula, residents should be careful to keep bears from finding food sources near their homes. Once a bear finds an easily accessible source, they can quickly become repeat visitors. They can lose their fear of humans, cause property damage or create dangerous situations for people, livestock, and pets.

Following these simple steps can keep bears safely at a distance and prevent dangerous interactions:

To learn more about how to peacefully coexist with bears this spring, visit Michigan.gov/Wildlife

Many critical improvements are underway at state parks across Michigan, and many more are ready to break ground. These projects were made possible through the bipartisan, once-in-a-generation $250 million investment plan championed by Senate Republicans in 2022. This investment addresses the infrastructure backlog at state parks and recreation areas across the state.

Visitors this summer will enjoy new and upgraded camping amenities, toilet and shower buildings, electrical and water distribution systems and park roads, as well as visitor center enhancements and historic preservation work.

Before you visit any of Michigan’s 103 state parks and recreation areas, be sure to visit Michigan.gov/DNRClosures to check for closures, repairs or weather-related events.

The 2024-25 ORV season begins April 1 and runs through March 31, 2025.

In Michigan, an ORV license is required to ride eligible county roads, frozen surfaces of public waters, state forest roads (open to ORV use) and eligible national forest roads. An ORV trail permit is required in addition to an ORV license when operating on state-designated ORV trails and scramble areas.

ORV licenses and trail permits are each valid for one year and grant the holder access to 4,000 miles of state-designated ORV trails and scramble areas, eligible county or national forest roads, state forest roads, and more.

ORV licenses and trail permits can be purchased: