Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Welcome to the latest edition of my e-newsletter for 2023.

Below you’ll find a legislative update along with 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 17th Senate District.

In Liberty,

Jonathan Lindsey
State Senator
17th District

The Senate recently voted to spend $1.3 billion of taxpayer money, and in what appears to be the norm for Senate Democrats, this was a rush job with little transparency. An empty committee room magically produced the pork-laden bill, which was immediately voted on with little review.

What made this bill particularly troubling was a large portion of the money supporting a corporate subsidy for a project that plans to partner with a Chinese battery company. This same arrangement was recently rejected by Virginia due, in part, to national security concerns.

I proposed an amendment that would have required reviews to ensure that:

This amendment would not have shut down investment simply based on connections with China. Instead, it would set guardrails for protecting national security. The Democratic majority voted to reject my amendment and move forward without these commonsense safeguards. I will continue to put forward bills and amendments that protect national security and don’t leave us vulnerable to the CCP.

Current law, enacted by Republicans, requires a tax cut when the government becomes flush with your taxpayer dollars. This trigger was hit last year, and the result should be a tax cut for all Michiganders!

Unfortunately, Democrats tried to prevent this income tax cut by going back in time and “cooking the books.” House Bill 4001, as enrolled, would have retroactively moved $800 million from the general fund to a new rebate fund and then diverted billions of tax dollars into corporate handouts. Every Senate Democrat voted for the bill, which was rushed through the Legislature without committee hearings. The people of Michigan deserve better.

Fortunately, Senate Republicans were able to prevent this legislation from taking immediate effect, which should put an end to the Democrats’ plan to effectively raise your taxes. We have also proposed permanent tax relief that will benefit all seniors and income tax reductions for all Michiganders. Weeks ago, I introduced an effort to stop the state from taking people’s money in the first place by repealing the state’s income tax altogether. Unfortunately, Democrats voted against this effort and instead continue to grow the state government.

What I oppose, and will continue to vote against, is any proposed measure that is inherently unfair to Michiganders by leaving most of them without any tax relief. Don’t be fooled by talking points you may hear in the fake news!

Anti-Second Amendment bills have been introduced in the state Senate. I want to be clear that I am standing firm against the latest wave of anti-gun legislation being proposed by the Michigan Democrats.

The proposed laws would impose significant restrictions on law-abiding citizens’ right to bear arms, while doing little to address the root causes of gun violence in our society. At a time when our country is facing unprecedented levels of crime and violence, it is imperative that we protect the Second Amendment and the rights of law-abiding citizens to defend themselves and their families.

The proposed legislation is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to disarm law-abiding citizens and leave them vulnerable to criminals. We need to address the root causes of violence in our society, such as mental health issues, poverty, and lack of opportunity, rather than targeting law-abiding citizens and their constitutional rights. We must also hold criminals accountable when they break the law and strengthen penalties for particularly egregious crimes such as mass shootings.

I will do everything I can to protect our constitutional rights, and I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment. “Shall not be infringed” is clear and absolute. As your senator, I will not only fight against unconstitutional proposed legislation, but I will also fight to regain lost ground.

Senate Bill 4 would add sexual orientation and gender identity or expression as protected classes under the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act. SB 4 passed in the Senate this past week, with the Democrats rejecting multiple amendments that would have protected religious freedom.

Of the 22 other states that have expanded their civil rights protections, all have included religious exemptions, making Michigan the most extreme state to have adopted this legislation. Not including a religious exemption goes directly against the First Amendment and the right to exercise religion.

I voted against SB 4, and I will continue to support religious liberty.

I held my first office hours on Feb. 24 in Berrien County and Feb. 27 in Jackson and Branch counties to meet with constituents and discuss their concerns.

Office hours provide an opportunity for members of the public to speak directly with myself and share their views on important issues affecting the community.

During these meetings, I listened to a wide range of concerns from constituents, including short-term rentals, education, jobs, and gun laws. In addition to meeting with people one-on-one, I also spoke to groups of concerned homeschoolers who had gathered to voice their opinions on potential new legislation.

Listening to constituents and taking their concerns seriously is a vital part of my job, and I will continue to host more office hours throughout my term.

My next office hours will be March 6 in Cass County and March 13 in St. Joseph County. I will continue to be available to answer questions and provide information and assistance, as well as take suggestions on issues affecting families, businesses, and communities.

I am happy to announce that I made my first appearance on WSJM radio last week. This was an exciting opportunity to share a little bit of my background and legislative priorities with a wider audience.

I also have a biweekly appearance on WTVB at 7:35 a.m. This provides me a way to offer valuable insights about what is happening in the state Legislature on a consistent basis.

The Michigan attorney general and the Department of Health and Human Services have alerted EBT users about a phishing text message scam claiming a user’s EBT benefit card has been locked. The message includes a phone number to call for help, however responding to this message may result in the scammer having access to the card’s funds.

Always remember, Michigan agencies will NEVER:

For more information about how to avoid this and other government imposter scams, visit the Michigan Department of Attorney General consumer alerts page. Consumers can report suspected phishing or other consumer scams to the attorney general by completing this Consumer Complaint/Inquiry Form.

The 17th state Senate District includes Branch, Cass, and St. Joseph counties, along with parts of Berrien, Calhoun, Jackson and Hillsdale counties.