Rep. Mary Whiteford, R-Casco Twp.; audio on interaction with local students
As school begins in Allegan County over the next couple of weeks, Rep. Mary Whiteford says one of the best parts of her job as state Representative is interacting with students visiting the state Capitol.
Rep. Beau LaFave, R-Iron Mountain; audio on 2018-19 school year and more resources for classrooms
Rep. LaFave looks ahead to the start of the 2018-2019 school year, and says record education funding of almost $15 billion will benefit U.P. students and young people across Michigan. Also new for 2018-2019 is Rep. LaFave’s HB 4106, now Public Act 184 of 2018, that grants high school credit to a student after the…
Rep. Steve Marino, R-Macomb County; audio on family visits to state Capitol.
Rep. Marino says during Wednesday’s House session that visiting the state Capitol and Lansing is a great day trip for families before kids return to school.
Rep. Tim Kelly, R-Saginaw Twp.; audio on record funding for 2018-2019 school year
House Appropriations Subcommittee on School Aid Chair Tim Kelly says Michigan’s public schools will resume classes in a few weeks with record funding and new dollars for early literacy programs and at-risk students.
Rep. Peter Lucido, R-Macomb county; audio on school activity fee tax credit
Rep. Lucido talks about his HB 4014, which would provide a state tax credit equal to the amount of the school activity fees paid for a taxpayer’s dependent. The legislation is pending in the House Tax Policy Committee.
Rep. Mary Whiteford, R-Casco Twp.; audio on combating PFAS contamination
Rep. Whiteford, who chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee for the Department of Environmental Quality, says state government must continue to proactively identify and clean up PFAS contamination in Michigan.
Rep. Sue Allor, R-Wolverine; audio on state action on PFAS
Rep. Allor, whose district includes the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base near Oscoda, talks about PFAS contamination in Michigan, and the $23 million already appropriated by the state to locate contamination, identify sources and oversee remediation.
Rep. Mary Whiteford, R-Casco Twp.; audio on rural broadband legislation
Rep. Whiteford talks about her HB 5670, currently pending in the House Communication and Technology Committee, which is designed to encourage the expansion of broadband services to unserved and underserved areas of Michigan through the creation of a fund and governing board. Rep. Whiteford says a similar system is already operating in Minnesota and has…
Rep. Beth Griffin, R-Mattawan; audio on opioid laws
Rep. Griffin talks about her legislation, Public Acts 254 and 255, that requires the Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse Commission to develop recommendations for student instruction addressing the risks associated with prescription drug abuse and instructs the Michigan Department of Education to develop a model program of instruction on prescription drug abuse that is grade…
Rep. Hank Vaupel, R-Fowlerville; audio on CARES mental health task force
Almost a year after its first meeting, Rep. Hank Vaupel talks about the work of the CARES (Community, Access, Resources, Education, Safety) Task Force, saying the bipartisan panel has helped shape policy and shared best practices, to the benefit of all Michigan residents. Rep. Vaupel is the Chair of the House Health Policy Committee and…
Rep. Brandt Iden, R-Oshtemo Twp.; audio on first responder legislation
Rep. Iden talks about his HB 4591, which has passed the House and is currently before the full Michigan Senate. The plan is part of a three-bill package that would make targeting and violently assailing a first responder or corrections officer a two-year felony. The legislation has received broad law enforcement support, including from the…
Rep. Beau LaFave, R-Iron Mountain; audio on pneumatic hunting weapon legislation
Rep. LaFave talks about his HB 5180, which breaks down barriers for outdoor enthusiasts with physical limitations and gives them the freedom to hunt on their own using pneumatic weapons. The legislation has already passed through the House and will be pending before the Senate Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Committee this Fall.
Rep. Brandt Iden, R-Oshtemo Twp.; audio on Michigan’s skilled worker pool
House Regulatory Reform Committee Chair Brandt Iden talks about legislative efforts to increase Michigan’s pool of skilled workers. CNBC this week ranked Michigan as a top-ten state for science, technology, engineering and math.
Rep. Jason Wentworth, R-Clare; audio on rural development legislation
Rep. Wentworth talks about his HB 6064, now pending before the full Michigan House, which aims to give small job creators in counties with populations of 200,000 or less additional access to investments, providing new employment and growing rural economies. The plan creates the Rural Development Creation Fund within the State Treasury. Rep. Wentworth notes that…
Rep. Mike Webber, R-Rochester; audio on Michigan and autonomous vehicles
Rep. Webber, the Vice Chair of the House Transportation Committee, says a legislative package signed into law in 2016 creating guidelines for autonomous vehicle operations and establishing the American Center for Mobility at Willow Run in state law, has already helped move Michigan forward as a center of technology and innovation. Rep. Webber adds that…
Rep. Mary Whiteford, R-Casco Twp.; audio on mental health crisis hotline legislation
Rep. Whiteford talks about her HB 6202, which would establish a mental health telephone hotline referral system within the Michigan Department of Human Services. Rep. Whiteford, who has worked as an emergency room nurse, says trained professionals answering a call could assess the needs of an individual and refer them to a behavioral health professional…