Dear Friends,

To better serve the people of the 30th Senate District, I will now offer this “Week in Review” that I will be sending out every Monday. 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

On Tuesday, I spoke up for a local farmer during a Holland Township Planning Commission meeting, in which the panel decided to explore an overlay district specifying areas where farm stands should be allowed – but fell short of following the Right to Farm Act.

Under recent state changes, farm stands can operate on any township land not subdivided into lots or considered a condominium site.

I understand the situation with the township and what they’re attempting to do to make sure we have strong, descriptive language that ensures when we have a farm stand, it lives up to the standard of the community.

I see this as an opportunity to get it right by providing a great experience for the community. I appreciate the work the township is doing on this issue to make sure it’s done right, but the continued delay of approving something that is protected by the Right to Farm Act is deeply concerning. This is something supported by the community, and the township should be acting more decisively to fully approve it. Their denial by delay tactic is disturbing and not the way we should be operating in Ottawa County.

This morning and last Thursday, I held two more in-person office hours to meet with the good people of Ottawa County about state issues and talk with them about their priorities. The Thursday meeting was held with Rep. Bradley Slagh at the BAM! Entertainment Center in Holland, and today’s meeting was an outdoor office hour at William Hatton Park in Grand Haven.

We’ve had a great response to these office hours in the past, and I look forward to holding them each month throughout the district. Please stay tuned to these weekly updates for the next set of office hours. If you were unable to attend any of the office hours this month and need assistance, click here to contact my office.

The Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee heard testimony on bills to allow someone to set aside one conviction of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated and to remove the current sunset of the 0.08g/100ml breath alcohol limit. You can click here to watch the committee hearing.

In 2003, Michigan reduced the legal blood alcohol limit for drunk driving from 0.10 to 0.08. The law includes an Oct. 1, 2021 sunset. If the sunset is not eliminated or extended by that date, the legal limit will automatically increase to 0.10 – endangering Michigan drivers and jeopardizing a large portion of our federal transportation funding.

Last term, the Legislature passed a package of bills allowing more people to set-aside (or expunge) certain convictions – but the governor didn’t sign one dealing with operating a vehicle while intoxicated. The new bills are another attempt at upholding the seriousness of drunk driving while allowing someone who made a mistake (and didn’t hurt anyone) to move on with their life.

Below is a list of resources available to you if you need any type of assistance. Additionally, you can contact my office at any time for more information.