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Rep. Hank Vaupel Weekly Column: March 4, 2019
RELEASE|March 4, 2019

A piece of legislation I introduced addressing the effects of alcohol consumption during pregnancy was voted out of the House Regulatory Reform Committee on Tuesday and will now be considered by the Ways and Means Committee. Under HB 4112, bars, restaurants, and liquor stores would be required to display language warning of the possibility of birth defects due to alcohol consumption during pregnancy. The statement, “Consuming any amount of alcohol during pregnancy can cause permanent birth defects” would be added to the sign that must be displayed stating that alcoholic liquor shall not be sold or furnished to a person unless that person has attained 21 years of age. The sign could be downloaded from the Liquor Commission website.

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In Health Policy Committee this week, we listened to several presentations by pharmaceutical manufacturers. With concerns over rapidly increasing costs, it is important to have current and accurate information when looking at policies for pharmaceutical products in our state. I was encouraged to hear overall prescription drug costs are being driven down by generics, and modern science and technology improvements are better able to treat chronic disease, the biggest health care cost in the U.S. We also learned about potential changes in legislation to make medication more affordable, which remains a top priority. My colleagues and I are committed to working together to ensure medicine is more affordable and accessible for consumers.

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Last Saturday, I attended the annual Walk for Warmth hosted by the Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency (OLHSA) in Hartland. The walk is a major community event to help those in need stay warm and safe through the cold winter months. Thank you to everyone who organized or participated in the event. It was great to see the outpouring of support for such an important cause. Also, congratulations to Livingston County Sheriff Mike Murphy on being recognized as Partner of the Year, a well-deserved award. It was an honor to present him a state tribute alongside state Sen. Lana Theis and state Rep. Ann Bollin.

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Later that night, the Sunrise Rotary held its 11th annual Midnight in the Tropics dinner, which supports critical agencies helping young people in the local community. It was a sold out event filled with great people passionate about helping their neighbors. Great work by everyone involved!

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The youth of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Fowlerville recently held a 30 Hour Famine event to bring awareness to those in need throughout the world. The group of young people collected 400 pounds of food and supplies to donate to the Family Impact Center. Thank you to the youth of St. John’s for your incredible support of the families of our community!

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If you have any ideas, comments or questions for my office, please do not hesitate to call us at 517-373-8835 or send an email to [email protected]. We are happy to hear from you!

PHOTO INFORMATION: State Rep. Hank Vaupel attends Sunrise Rotary’s Midnight in the Tropics with (from left to right) 44th Circuit Court Judge Michael Hatty, state Sen. Lana Theis, County Commissioner Kate Lawrence, and County Clerk Betsy Hundley.

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