The Michigan Senate recently passed legislation to protect residents from being forced to repay unemployment benefits issued during the COVID-19 pandemic due to a mistake by the government.

Senate Bill 700 would prohibit the Unemployment Insurance Agency from attempting to collect most improperly paid benefits three or more years after the payment date. The bill would also protect businesses by prohibiting the state from recouping costs from the Unemployment Insurance Agency Trust Fund, which is fully funded by employers, to pay for the state’s mistake.

The bill was passed by the Senate with bipartisan support and will now move to the House for consideration.

The Legislature recently voted to make Michigan’s $25 pheasant license permanent.

At one time, small game hunters harvested more than 1 million pheasants annually in Michigan. For many, pheasant hunting was their introduction to hunting and sparked a lifelong interest. In recent years, however, harvest numbers have dropped to fewer than 60,000 roosters annually, and fewer new hunters were participating in small game hunting.

To help revive the sport, the Legislature created a pheasant hunting license in 2020. That law included a Jan. 1, 2026 sunset to allow lawmakers and the Department of Natural Resources to evaluate the program’s effectiveness. Based on its success, the Legislature voted to make the license permanent.

A pheasant license is not required to hunt on private land that is not enrolled in the Hunter Access Program, on licensed game preserves, or on public land in the Upper Peninsula. Hunters under the age of 17 are also exempt. Revenue generated from the license is dedicated to releasing live pheasants on state-owned land.

To increase awareness and encourage safe driving, police agencies across Michigan will participate in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement campaign from Dec. 12, 2025 through Jan. 1, 2026.

The holiday season consistently sees an increase in traffic fatalities. From 2020 through 2024, 19 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in Michigan, and 47% of those crashes involved alcohol and/or drug impairment. In 2024 alone, 522 of the state’s 1,012 fatal crashes involved alcohol or drugs.

Michigan law makes it illegal to drive with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 or higher. Drivers may be arrested at any BAC level if an officer believes they are impaired.

Michigan’s trail system offers winter recreation opportunities for all ages and interests. Many trails are open and groomed from Dec. 1 through March 31. Trail users can use the DNR’s interactive trail maps to plan ahead and check trail reports and trail closures for current conditions.

Before heading out, snowmobilers are required to purchase a trail permit, review Michigan’s snowmobile handbook, and check to see when a child needs a safety certificate to operate a snowmobile.

Off-road vehicle riders should know where riding is permitted. ORVs are allowed on county roads open during the summer and on DNR-designated multiuse trails. Snowmobile-only trails, which can be identified by numbers only on diamond-shaped signs, are closed to ORV use from Dec. 1 through March 31.

Fat-tire bikes are allowed on all trails that permit bicycles, and many trails are groomed by volunteer organizations specifically for winter riding.

Those planning winter hikes should keep in mind that late antlerless firearm season is extended in parts of the Lower Peninsula. Wearing blaze orange is recommended when using trails during this time.

As the year comes to an end, many Michigan residents are planning their holiday or year-end giving. The Michigan attorney general’s Consumer Protection Division offers resources to help donors evaluate a charity and ask the right questions before giving.

Additional resources include: