Recent podcasts on the Michigan Senate Republicans website http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop News and information from the Michigan Senate Republicans en-us Copyright 2007 Michigan Senate Republican Caucus. All Rights Reserved. 5/9/2008 12:49:48 PM 20 Senator Cassis comments on House Bill 4163: the smoking ban bill. Senator Cassis voted in favor of the bill. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/15/20080508_Cassis_HB4163.mp35/8/2008Senator Richardville comments on Senate Bill 1085: a bill to protect birds of prey in Michigan. Senator Richardville sponsored the bill which allows trained falconers to raise birds of prey from young and teach them to hunt before releasing them back into the wild. This greatly increases their chances of survival in Michigan’s harsh winters. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/17/20080506_Richardville_Raptors.mp35/6/2008SENATOR MICHELLE MCMANUS' "IN TOUCH WITH NORTHERN MICHIGAN" - MAY 2008 Senator Michelle McManus interviews Colleen Pero of the Michigan Council of Citizen Diplomacy. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/35/20080501_McManus_Cable.mp35/2/2008Senator George comments on his substitutes to the Blue Cross Blue Shield individual health care market reform bills that came from the House. The bills now go back to the House for further for approval. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/20/20080501_George_BCBS_Reform.mp35/1/2008Senator Allen comments on changes to the Blue Cross Blue Shield individual health care market reform bills. The bills now go back to the House for further deliberation. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/37/20080501_Allen_BCBS_Reform.mp35/1/2008"IN SESSION" WITH SENATOR ALAN SANBORN Senator Sanborn talks with Congresswoman Candice Miller. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/11/20080501_Sanborn_Cable.mp35/1/2008"LANSING TO THE LAKESHORE" WITH SENATOR PATTY BIRKHOLZ FOR MAY 2008. Senator Birkholz talks with environmental attorney Noah Hall on the Great Lakes Water Compact. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/24/20080501_Birkholz_Cable.mp35/1/2008"Current Events" With Senator Tom George - May 2008 A great time of the year to visit the Zoo! Senator Tom George interviews Greg Geise, President/CEO of Binder Park Zoo. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/20/20070801_George_Cable_192K.mp35/1/2008Senator Kahn comments on Senate Bill 1256. A bill to bring a little more peace to the families of Michigan’s fallen soldiers. The bill was authored in response to recent protests at military funerals and requires protesters no closer than 500 feet from the property line of any funeral home in Michigan. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/32/20080430_Kahn_Military_Funerals.mp34/30/2008Senator Jansen comments on Senate passage of Senate Bill 72. His bill creates a new Michigan license plate to benefit Habit for Humanity. With each purchase of a Habitat for Humanity license plate, $10 will go toward helping bring housing to those in need. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/28/20080430_Jansen_Habitat_Plate.mp34/30/2008SENATOR JASON ALLEN'S WEEKLY INTERVIEW ON WTCM'S "NORTHERN MICHIGAN FOCUS" Senator Allen's interview with WTCM Radio - Northern Michigan Focus http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/37/20080424_Allen_WTCM.mp34/24/2008Senator Valde Garcia comments on Senate passage of Senate Bill 1201. Senator Garcia sponsored this legislation so when military personnel are called to active duty and can no longer use their cell phones, they can cancel their phone contract without penalty from the cell phone company. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/22/20080424_Garcia_Military_Cellphone.mp34/24/2008Senator Kahn comments on the Hemlock Semiconductor package. These bill will help to not only keep the company and the jobs it provides here in Michigan, they will give it incentive to expand, providing even more jobs for our state. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/32/20080424_Kahn_Hemlock.mp34/24/2008Senator Cassis comments on Senate Bills 1266-1270. This bills offer energy offset credits to Hemlock Semiconductor. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/15/20080424_Cassis_Hemlock.mp34/24/2008Senator Cassis comments on Senate Bill 1265. This bill offers energy offset credits to Hemlock Semiconductor http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/15/20080424_Cassis_SB1265.mp34/24/2008Senator Birkholz comments on Senate passage of Senate Bill 1234; a bill to limit the night time hours fishermen may use motors on Michigan waterways where resedents are trying to sleep. Theis bill is the result of Senator Birkholz's successful efforts to negotiate an agreement between fishermen and protperty owners. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/24/20080423_Birkholz_Night_Fishing.mp34/23/2008SENATOR BILL HARDIMAN'S "FROM THE CAPITOL TO THE COMMUNITY" - APRIL 2008 Senator Hardiman talks with Karole L. White, President of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters, on the February 2009, FCC implementation of digital television mandates. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/29/20080422_Hardiman_Cable.mp34/23/2008Senator Kahn comments on senate action on Hemlock Semiconductor bill package. Senator Kahn helped get the tie bar removed from the package that the House inserted in order to use this job creating legislation as a bargaining tool to pass its own bills. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/32/20080422_Kahn_Hemlock.mp34/22/2008Senator Nancy Cassis comments on SB1198 Senator Nancy Cassis, R-Novi, comments on Senate Bill 1198, a bill to expand the small business and Michigan entrepreneurial credits under the MBT. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/15/20080422_Cassis_SB1198_128K.mp34/22/2008SENATOR PATTY BIRKHOLZ AND SENATOR WAYNE KUIPERS KICK OFF CONSERVATION WEEK AT WOLDUMAR NATURE CENTER IN LANSING. Senator Patty Birkholz explains how the incentives these bills provide will help to make Michigan a national leader in renewable energy sources. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/24/20080421_Birkholz_Woldumar_.mp34/22/2008SENATOR JASON ALLEN'S WEEKLY INTERVIEW ON WKNW, SAULT STE. MARIE Senator Jason Allen's Weekly Interview on WKNW, Talk Radio 1400 in Sault Ste. Marie Morning Show with Paul "Junior" VanWagoner http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/37/20080421_Allen_WKNW.mp34/21/2008Senator Kahn comments on Senate passage of a package of bills designed to help boost the biofuel industry in Michigan. Senator Kahn emphasizes the need for alternative fuels that will not only reduce independence on foreign oil, but help Michigan maintain a clean environment. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/32/20080417_Kahn_Biofuels.mp34/17/2008Senator Cassis comments on Senate Bill 1198. This bill expands the small business and Michigan entrepreneurial credits under the MBT. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/15/20080417_Cassis_SB1198.mp34/17/2008SENATOR JASON ALLEN'S WEEKLY INTERVIEW ON WTCM'S "NORTHERN MICHIGAN FOCUS" Senator Allen's interview with WTCM Radio - Northern Michigan Focus http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/37/20080417_Allen_WTCM.mp34/17/2008Senator Richardville comments on Senate passage of a package of bills designed to help companies that produce biofuels thrive in Michigan. Senator Richardville's Senate Resolution asks the state to provide automobile insurance discounts for vehicles that use alternative fuels. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/17/20080417_Richardville_Biofuels.mp34/17/2008Senator Cassis comments on House Bill 5531, the budget supplemental bill for the current fiscal year. Senator Cassis expresses her disappointment the FIRST Robotics funding was removed from the bill. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/15/20080417_Cassis_Robotics.mp34/17/2008SENATOR NANCY CASSIS' "LANSING CONNECTION" FOR APRIL-MAY 2008 Senator Cassis interviews Senator Tom George M.D., Chair of the Senate Health Policy Committee, on individual market health insurance reform. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/15/20080401_Cassis_Cable.mp34/16/2008SENATOR JASON ALLEN'S WEEKLY INTERVIEW ON WKNW, SAULT STE. MARIE Senator Jason Allen's Weekly Interview on WKNW, Talk Radio 1400 in Sault Ste. Marie Morning Show with Paul "Junior" VanWagoner http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/37/20080415_Allen_WKNW.mp34/15/2008Senator Kahn comments on Senate Joint Resolution L, a bill he sponsored that would require a super majority, which is two thirds of the legislature, to pass any legislation that would impose a new tax on services not currently taxed in Michigan. Senator Kahn introduced this resolution today, April 15th: Tax filing deadline day. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/32/20080415_Kahn_SRL_Tax.mp34/15/2008Senator Richardville comments today, April 15th - Tax Day, on how state government can be more efficient when spending the hard earned dollars of Michigan tax payers. Senator Richardville also speaks in favor of prosecuting those who deliberately cheat on their taxes and cause honest tax paying citizens to pay more as a result. http://www.senate.michigan.gov/gop/audio/17/20080415_Richardville_Taxday.mp34/15/2008