Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Senate Republicans are continuing to fight for commonsense policies to benefit all Michiganders. Over the past several months, we have worked hard to introduce and advocate for legislation that will set Michigan on a course toward becoming the best state for folks to start a career, raise a family, and enjoy retirement. My Republican colleagues and I are focused on prioritizing a strong economy and a government that works to protect our individual liberties. Given the effects of inflation, we must continue to work toward decreasing the burden of big government policies for individuals and small businesses. This means working to prevent tax hikes, cutting burdensome rules and regulations, and creating an environment that rewards entrepreneurship and hard work.

Should you have any questions or concerns about the Legislature or state government, please do not hesitate to contact my office by calling 517-373-0793 or by going to SenatorAricNesbitt.com. You can also stay up to date with what I am doing in Lansing by following me on Facebook, or on Twitter. I look forward to listening and learning about your priorities and concerns for our state.

Blessings,

Aric Nesbitt
State Senator
District 20

Sen. Nesbitt believes that the rights to freedom of speech and religion are fundamental to our free society. We live in a nation founded upon individual liberty and personal responsibility. People should be free to express themselves as they wish and bear responsibility for their words. Likewise, every American’s right to worship according to their religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American life. Defending against assaults on our God-given right to liberty is essential to maintaining our status as a free nation.

It is disheartening to see so many efforts across our country attempting to weaponize big government in order to suppress and censor views that a vocal minority with a radical agenda does not agree with. We have long been a nation where people are free to speak their minds and even invoke change through speech and rhetoric. The freedom of expression should not be lost by any U.S. citizen, and we must continue to stand up against big-government suppression and censorship. We must continue to fight to ensure that our essential liberties and rights are protected.

Sen. Nesbitt has long been an avid supporter of our First Amendment rights here in Michigan. The freedom to express one’s views and worship as one sees fit is, and always has been, an essential right since the founding of our great republic.

Over the past several months, Democrats have begun to introduce legislation to rewrite Michigan’s energy strategy. Sadly, this legislation ignores the needs of residents across our state — creating new problems that will sacrifice the affordability, reliability, and the efficiency of our grid at the altar of extreme environmental activism.

Michigan must prioritize a strong energy strategy that focuses on reliable, secure energy generation and storage. We cannot afford to put all of our eggs in one basket, and we must ensure that our grid is secure and consistent in providing power for residents. Reliable, affordable energy and a healthy environment are not mutually exclusive. We should not rush headfirst into 100% “green” energy without first making sure that we can reliably and affordably produce, store, and deliver power to residents. A strong and secure grid requires continued investment and improvements along with various generation methods, including traditional sources such as natural gas, propane, and nuclear.

It is also absolutely vital that we prioritize energy we can produce here on American soil, creating American jobs and furthering our national security interests. One way we can do so is by supporting important resource infrastructure like Line 5 here in Michigan or the Keystone XL pipeline out west. Not only does lessening our reliance on foreign resources strengthen our national security, but it also helps to grow our economy and lower the cost of living. There is no doubt that energy legislation is a complex topic with many moving parts, but Sen. Nesbitt is committed to working toward solutions that balance reliability, affordability, and long-term efficiency to best serve all of Michigan.

One of the most common concerns from constituents over the past few years has been a lack of broadband internet access in rural areas throughout our state. This issue affects many residents living in Berrien, Allegan, and Van Buren counties and across Southwest Michigan. Whether we look at direct funding or lowering the costs associated with installing high-speed fiber infrastructure, there are several strategies that we can use to help address this issue from the state level. In the last legislative session, Sen. Nesbitt sponsored and supported legislation to tackle this from both sides.

One of the key factors limiting broadband expansion is cost. It is extremely expensive to install new broadband equipment, especially in areas where there may be less return on investment. This cost can be very high, even over relatively short distances. Sen. Nesbitt has sought to help alleviate the up-front cost for new broadband infrastructure in unserved or underserved areas. This could have a major impact on broadband growth in rural Michigan; and lowering the cost of installing new infrastructure would allow other efforts such as grant programs and direct funding to go that much farther.

More recently, awards for funds appropriated last year for broadband expansion were announced by the Michigan High Speed Internet Office. Many of these awards went to providers proposing projects here in Berrien, Allegan, and Van Buren counties. This is a welcome step in the right direction, but there is still more work to be done. We must continue to keep additional options on the table and work toward practical, commonsense solutions.