Wednesday. September 3rd, 2025:

I voted YES on HB 4358&59, 4698&99 (Reps. Hoadley, Outman, Alexander, Fox) would collectively modify the term of office for township, village, and city officials to ensure that elected officials are sworn into office no sooner than Noon on December 1st. This is in response to the changes from Proposal 22-2, which created scenarios where post-election canvases cannot begin until at least seven days following the election. EXPLANATION: Newly elected public officials should not take office before the official certification of election results. Introducing a uniform standard provides clarity and consistency in the post-election process, allowing for smoother transitions among offices.

PASSED: 105-0, PASSED: 105-0, PASSED: 105-0, PASSED: 105-0

I voted YES on HB 4746 (Rep. Woolford) would require MDHHS to issue Michigan bridge cards (electronic benefit transfer card issued for food stamps, cash assistance etc.) that include more secure chip technology, preventing certain types of fraud. EXPLANATION: If programs such as Bridge Cards are to exist, they should have safeguards to curtail waste, fraud, and abuse. Testimony from the Oversight Subcommittee on State and Local Public Assistance Programs has revealed that taxpayers foot the bill for hundreds of millions of dollars in Bridge Card fraud. Updating the outdated magnetic strip technology is a way to cut off the easy access fraudsters have in exploiting these taxpayer-funded handouts.

PASSED: 77-28

I voted YES on HB 4398 (Rep. Wortz) would modify the ballot proposal process for allowing or prohibiting alcohol sales on Sundays. EXPLANATION: Hillsdale County is the only county remaining in the state with a “blue law” meaning sales of alcoholic spirits and mixed drinks for on-site consumption are banned on Sundays. The people of Hillsdale County have tried to change this restriction in the past, but they have had to navigate a complicated system. Simplifying ballot language and expanding the opportunity to propose a change better ensures the people of Hillsdale County are able to rescind their blue law.

PASSED: 97-8

I voted YES on HB 4017 (Rep. Neyer) would amend the penalty for failing to report a death or serious injury to MIOSHA occurring on a family farm to the owner of the farm or another family member, any civil fine assessed for the failure to report within the existing eight-hour time period under current rules would have to be reduced by 80 percent and also be amended under the provision of law to mean a small farm at which there is not a manager hired who would be able to file a timely death report; more than 50 percent of farm employees are family members; no more than nine non-family members are employed; and does not have a temporary labor camp. EXPLANATION: Government should not bother grieving families who experienced the tragedy of losing a family member while working on a family farm. Unfortunately, MiOSHA mandates an eight hour reporting requirement for a death or serious injury, and if this cumbersome regulation is not met, grieving families are liable for hefty fines. The regulation should not exist in the first place, but reducing the penalty amount by the maximum allowable amount improves an already unfortunate and tragic situation.

PASSED: 80-25

I voted NO on HB 4362 (Rep. Johnsen) would amend PA 176 of 2012 to require the Michigan State Police (MSP) to implement a system capable of distributing missing persons alerts to mobile phones for seniors or vulnerable adults. EXPLANATION: PA 176 requires the Michigan State Police to communicate reports of missing persons to local law enforcement as well as at least one broadcaster. In effect, existing law ensures that missing person reports are made public. If people wanted to participate in a text-alert program to help locate the missing, they could do so without legislation.

PASSED: 103-2

Thursday. September 4th, 2025:

I voted YES on HB 4024 (Rep. Fox) would require educational institutions to ensure multiple occupancy restrooms or changing areas are only used by individuals based on the individuals’ sex. EXPLANATION: Sex is an immutable biological trait. Dividing up bathrooms on the basis of whether or not an individual is truly male or female is a logical way to ensure privacy is respected in our educational facilities. Government operated schools should not be participating in the ideological fairytale of gender identity and instead should stick to the biological basics, including when it comes to something as basic as bathroom policy.

PASSED: 58-46

I voted NO on HB 4517&18 (Reps. Neyer, Rigas) would amend the child abduction act to ensure that information regarding missing children is eligible for broadcast. Would amend the Michigan Amber Alert Act to include missing children with special needs or missing children the State Police believes to be in danger as eligible for activation of an Amber Alert. EXPLANATION: Expansion of the Amber Alert system could lead to apathy from the people. The system was designed for instances of abduction, and including the missing can be expected to lead to an uptick in notices. Expanding the use of the Amber Alert system opens the door for vindictive and defamatory action surrounding custody disputes.

PASSED: 104-1, PASSED: 104-1

I voted YES on HB 4674 (Rep. Outman) would allow a vehicle owner’s next of kin to renew the vehicle registration upon the vehicle owner’s death. EXPLANATION: Losing a close family member is a devastating tragedy, one that impacts a person’s life in innumerable ways. The last concern of a person who lost someone dear to them should be changing the status of a vehicle’s registration. It is better to acknowledge the severity of the situation and provide easier avenues for temporary renewal in this circumstance.

PASSED: 105-0

I voted YES on HB 4524 (Rep. Wozniak) would amend the Marketable Record Title Act to clarify and tighten the rules for what counts as an effective preservation of an interest in land. EXPLANATION: Though there are serious questions regarding the existence of the Marketable Record Title Act, a technical fix was necessary to clear up any confusion for property owners in wake of the September 29th deadline.

PASSED: 105-0

I voted YES on HB 4218 (Rep. Thompson) would prohibit anybody who is employed or part of the department from serving on the  recipient rights advisory committee. EXPLANATION: The Director of MDHHS should not have the authority to stack the deck of advisory committees which are supposed to investigate matters pertaining to the department. Recipient rights exist as an outlet for those with grievances against the mental health system, and a single government bureaucrat should not have greater influence over this process.

PASSED: 70-35

I voted NO on HB 4219 (Rep. Thompson) would require patient rights for voluntary mental health treatment to be communicated orally and in writing, specify that patients have the right to end the treatment and require a copy of written consent and termination form to be given to the patient. EXPLANATION: Providers are already required to communicate patient rights to the patient or the patient’s legal guardian in voluntary treatments. Adding a written requirement is superfluous and presents more paperwork obstacles to the mental health process.

PASSED: 103-2