Dear Friends,

To better serve the people of the 30th Senate District, I am offering this “Week in Review.” I hope you will find it informative about what is happening in Lansing.

I encourage you to contact me with any state issue. You may call 517-373-6920 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,

Roger Victory
State Senator

The Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety last week took up several bills dealing with a variety of issues. During testimony on the first bill, we heard about the ability of drug abuse diversion programs to help improve outcomes and reduce crime.

Senate Bill 1027 would clarify that a prosecutor’s office, law enforcement agency, and a community organization may partner to establish a supervision program that diverts individuals suspected of possessing or using a controlled substance away from criminal prosecution and into the supervision program. The bill is designed to clarify the law to allow efforts to put a focus on addressing the problem of drug abuse and addiction instead of simply punishing the offenders.

The committee also heard testimony on SB 1003, which would provide local law enforcement with flexibility when enforcing laws for off-road vehicles (ORVs), such as all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). As ORVs increase in popularity in the northern portions of the state, some counties have had some difficulty enforcing the state laws due in part to staffing, training, and confusion on who can be hired to enforce the law. SB 1003 seeks to clarify the law and help protect the safety of all ORV riders.

District court judges in Michigan currently are paid slightly less than probate or circuit court judges. House Bill 5749 would fix that and equalize the pay of local district, probate and circuit court judges.

As you may remember, the committee recently took testimony on SB 870, which would add “pro-pads” to the list of tools used for burglary. These devices are being used in an increasing number of car thefts because they allow thieves to bypass the ignition system to start the car without a key. SB 870 would add computers and other technological devices capable of programming a key code for a motor vehicle to the list of items considered “burglar tools.”

After adopting a substitute clarifying the language, the committee approved SB 870 and sent it to the full Senate for consideration.

Click here to watch the committee meeting, which starts at 2:00 into the video.

The Senate Appropriations Committee last week approved four bills regarding a dedicated funding source for secondary road patrols.

Created in 1978, the Secondary Road Patrol and Traffic Accident Prevention Program provides grants to Michigan county sheriffs for patrols on county and local roads outside the limits of cities and villages.

Currently, the grant program is funded by a $10 assessment on traffic violations. Ticket revenue has been trending down in recent years and depleting the resources for this program.

House Bills 5569, 5732, 5772 and 5773 would remove the existing traffic ticket assessments and replace the funding with $15 million per year from the Michigan Liquor Control Commission’s 4% excise tax on spirits. Every five years the total funding would be adjusted for inflation.

The bills now head to the full Senate for consideration. Click here to watch the committee meeting.

Sen. Curt VanderWall and I were among many lawmakers who helped celebrate Dairy Day at the Capitol last week. In addition to Dairy Day, June is National Dairy Month! Michigan’s dairy industry provides healthy and nutritious foods, as well as delicious treats, all produced and processed locally. Dairy products are our state’s No.1 agricultural commodity. Impressively, Michigan cows produced the most milk per cow in the United States.

The Senate Agriculture Committee last week discussed measures to update and modernize Michigan’s cottage food law.

The cottage food law provides an opportunity for new, small-scale food producers to enter the marketplace without the expense of renting a commercial kitchen. It allows certain items produced in a home kitchen to be marketed and sold at farm markets, roadside stands, or other direct sales.

House Bills 5671 and 5704 seek to allow internet and mail-order sales, permit deliveries by a third party, increase the cap on annual sales to $40,000 with annual CPI adjustments, and allow labeling to include a registration number issued by the MSU Product Center in place of certain identifying information.

Click here to watch the committee meeting. The discussion on House bills begins at 3:20 into the video.

My goal is to continue to provide the good people of Ottawa County with chances to meet with me about state issues and talk with me about their priorities. We’ve had a great response to coffee hours in the past, and we plan on continuing to hold them frequently throughout the district.

Starting this week, I will be available to meet with constituents on:

Coffee hours are open to residents to express their opinions or concerns about state government or to request assistance with a state issue. No appointment is necessary, but space may be limited.

Residents who are unable to attend the coffee hours and need assistance may click here to contact my office.

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 30th District E-news. You may sign up for it also at my website.