Dear Friends,

To better serve you, I am offering this e-newsletter on what’s happening in the 30th Senate District and across our state.

Please do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions about any of the content discussed in this e-newsletter or if I can be of assistance to you or your family. 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

Senate Republicans have introduced legislation to help property owners more easily remove unlawful trespassers from their property.

Senate Bill 909 would allow property owners to file a complaint with their local county sheriff to order the immediate removal of trespassers.

Squatting – the practice of illegally occupying a property – has become a serious problem for property owners across the state. While squatting is already a crime in Michigan, current law forces homeowners to battle bureaucratic red tape and navigate burdensome legal hurdles to remove squatting criminals from their private property.

I am holding in-person office hours throughout the district on a regular basis because hearing directly from 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.

On June 17 and 24, I met with folks in Plainfield Township and in Coopersville. I will also 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 hours may contact my office.

It was an honor to speak at Scout Day at the Capitol last week as co-chair of the Scouting Caucus. The event was truly inspiring, and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting and interacting with our dedicated and hardworking scouts from across the state. Their commitment and enthusiasm are commendable and serve as a reminder of the bright future ahead.

I also had the pleasure and privilege to honor Laurie Champion with a special tribute in recognition of her outstanding contributions to scouting and her exceptional service and leadership as the board chair of the Michigan Crossroads Council (MCC).

Laurie recently served on the Chief Scout Executive Selection Committee and is the first woman to hold the chair position within the MCC. Her extensive scouting background, combined with her personal experience of enjoying the scouting journey with her son, Nick, has positively impacted many lives.

The warm and wet conditions of spring and early summer create ideal conditions for some of Michigan’s nuisance insect species like ticks and mosquitoes.

Bites from these insects can be more than just an annoyance; they can also have future health implications. Both ticks and mosquitoes can carry the risk of spreading diseases to people and animals.

Here are a few tips to protect yourself from tick and mosquito bites and the potential illnesses that can come with them:

The Senate Health Policy Committee recently held a hearing on Senate Bill 542 about providing educational resources to inform children about the dangers of fentanyl.

There are over 1,100 high schools in Michigan, and every student deserves the heads up about fentanyl, which has been killing 3,000 young people in our state for three years in a row.

Fentanyl Fathers is a successful program that has already presented to 100 high schools with measured results that have reduced deaths, and they are on a mission to present their information to all of Michigan’s high school students. To expedite this goal more urgently, they are asking that Michigan adopt a similar policy to that of California, Texas, and Illinois. All three states mandate fentanyl education.

Click here or on the photo below to watch the committee hearing. The discussion on SB 542 begins at the 2:28 mark.

Is your family safe online? Internet Safety Month is the perfect time to review and update your internet safety measures and to make sure your devices are secure.

While the internet can be a valuable tool, anytime we are online, we face the potential of becoming a victim of internet crimes. Because the internet is constantly growing and changing, it requires special attention to protect not only your data but to maintain your personal safety as well.

There are several resources available to help Michigan residents and businesses keep their digital devices safe. Visit Michigan.gov/Cybersecurity or ProtectMiChild.com for more information.

In 2022, Legislative Republicans led the effort to pass a bipartisan funding plan that used once-in-a-generation federal dollars to make long-term investments in our state’s crumbling infrastructure. That landmark agreement laid the groundwork for the construction currently taking place on roads and bridges across the state.

While 2024 will certainly be remembered as the summer of the orange barrel, the short-term hassle today will mean transformational changes that will improve our state, our communities, and the lives of Michigan families for decades to come.

Drivers can use the MiDrive website for real-time information about current road and bridge projects. The site allows users to view live images from any of the 665 traffic cameras along Michigan highways, monitor traffic speeds, locate incidents, and identify active and future construction zones.

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.