Most of you know that we lost former Sen. Tom Casperson last year to cancer after a valiant battle. Tom was my mentor, friend and brother in Christ.

Last year we also lost long time legislative staffer Frank Egeler after a lengthy battle with diabetes. Frank dedicated his life to serving our part of the state and his loving family. He was more than an employee, but a trusted friend and political confidant.

I miss my dear friends every day.

This week we honored the memory of these men with adoption of Senate Concurrent Resolution 15 for Sen. Casperson and a Special Tribute for Frank. And on Thursday, senators, staff and friends gathered for a small memorial in Lansing. You can see video from the event on my website at SenatorEdMcBroom.com/video/.

This week, the Senate adopted my resolution to express support for mining and the mining industry and encourage the governor, state agencies, local governments, members of the public, and labor organizations to support mining by taking certain actions.

Mining has a long, storied and important history in the U.P., and it continues to be an important piece of Michigan's economy and economic future. Within the United States, Michigan remains a leading producer of gravel, sand, limestone, cement, salt, nickel, and iron ore. Mineral resources in the Upper Peninsula, including gold, silver, and zinc, are attracting new interest from a number of national and international companies. An able-bodied workforce is ready and willing to renew the proud heritage of mining in Michigan.

Mining supports local communities and people, often in areas that are in dire need of economic opportunity. Mining companies investing in Michigan create well-paying jobs and give back to their communities. Indeed, a robust mining industry remains an essential part of our goal of achieving a strong, diverse and resilient economy — providing jobs, attracting investments, generating tax revenue for state and local economies, and helping ensure opportunity and a bright future for all Michiganders.

I encourage you to read the resolution in its entirety at the link above and share with others.

Legislation I introduced in the Senate and also introduced in the House of Representatives earlier in April would restore a second seat to the 25th Circuit Court in Marquette County.

The county is currently served by only one circuit court judge, after a second position was eliminated in 2017.

It is past time that the busiest court in the Upper Peninsula have more than one judge to oversee the increasing number of legal cases in the county. There simply is not enough time or resources for one person to manage such an immense workload. Restoring this position will also allow us to work with the Veterans Affairs personnel to create a Veterans and Mental Health Court in Marquette County.

The bills have received strong local support from the legal community and has received letters from numerous officials backing the legislation, including 25th Circuit Court Judge Jennifer Mazzuchi; 96th District Court Judges Karl Weber and Roger Kangas; Marquette County Probate Court Judge Cheryl Hill; Marquette County Board of Commissioners; Marquette County Prosecuting Attorney Matthew Wiese; Marquette County Department of Veterans Affairs; and Marquette Public Defender Patrick Crowley.

Senate Bill 356 was referred to the Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee for consideration.

Over the last four months, the Senate Oversight Committee, which I serve as chairman, has conducted a series of hearings to investigate the reports of wrongdoing in the 2020 election. I recently gave a series of interviews detailing the findings of the committee’s review of the 2020 election and Michigan’s elections process.

The first interview covers what we learned from the hearings on a number of areas in our system that do require reform. However, it is important to note up front that the committee did not find and does not believe there was widespread fraud. Having said that, through the course of the hearings process, it became clear that some Michigan election laws are outdated and need to be brought up to date.

I also gave interviews on the committee’s actions to Lansing-based WILX, UP TV, and Detroit’s WJR radio. Links to those interviews are below.

Last year the Michigan Legislature passed legislation identified as the Clean Slate bills, aimed at establishing an automated process for record sealing and expungement for those convicted of certain low-level nonviolent and nonsexual offenses who haven’t committed a crime for at least seven years.

The attorney general recently announced a new webpage devoted to informing Michigan residents of the state’s new expungement laws, when they go into effect, the eligibility requirements, forms and downloadable checklists.

As of April 11, a person convicted of one or more misdemeanor or local ordinance marijuana crimes may petition the convicting court to set aside the convictions if they were based on activity that would not have been a crime after Dec. 6, 2018 — when a 2018 voter-passed initiative to legalize recreational marijuana in Michigan went into effect. By visiting the webpage, Michiganders can access the filing and service requirements, a checklist specifically designated for misdemeanor marijuana offenses, and frequently asked questions.

Also, as of April 11, a person convicted of one or more criminal offenses, including felonies (but not more than a total of three felonies), may petition the convicting court to set aside the convictions. By visiting the webpage, Michiganders can access the filing and service requirements and a checklist specifically designed for this part of the expungement law. The attorney general has also established the email address [email protected] devoted to answering questions on the new expungement laws.

Spring is the season for tree planting, outdoor projects and more.

The Michigan Public Service Commission reminds homeowners to call 811 before starting an outdoor digging project. Trained workers from local utilities will mark the approximate locations of underground gas, electric, communications, water or sewer lines so people can dig around them to keep buried utility lines safe. More information is available at www.call811.com.