State Senator Jeff Irwin

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State Senator Jeff Irwin Office of State Senator Jeff Irwin

10/15/2026

Michigan should ban crypto-kiosks that are primarily used to scam residents. Legitimate crypto buyers have cheaper, more trustworthy options.

10/15/2026

I propose Michigan ban crypto-kiosks that are primarily used to scam people.

Criminals use threats, romance schemes, investment schemes and more to scam people out of thousands of dollars*. This isn't new. However, these new crypto-kiosks give criminals a big advantage. Once the crime is committed, the money can be moved overseas and is almost always irretrievable and the perpetrators untraceable.

AARP has led the national campaign to ban or strictly regulate these services. 35 states have already taken action, including 3 that have banned them (Indiana, Tennessee, and Minnesota). I think it is time for Michigan to join that group and reign in these services that do most of their business with criminals.

There are many legitimate means for people to acquire crypto currency, this doesn't stop that. In fact, this protects those legitimate crypto consumers too. These kiosks, or "bitcoin atms," charge excessive fees and only exist because they are such a great tool for criminals.

Here is my testimony on my bill that passed committee unanimously.

* - the FBI has taken over 13,000 complaints representing $388M in losses and this is only the people willing to report to the FBI. Many of these cases go unreported.

It was great to get some photos and reflect on the passage of the Michigan Housing Opportunity Tax Credit. I look forwar...
10/12/2026

It was great to get some photos and reflect on the passage of the Michigan Housing Opportunity Tax Credit. I look forward to seeing this tool help bring thousands of units of affordable housing online.

Michigan has a dam problem.We have loads of dams that are in disrepair, clogging our river habitats and draining local g...
10/05/2026

Michigan has a dam problem.

We have loads of dams that are in disrepair, clogging our river habitats and draining local governments of money that could be spent on anything else.

That is why legislators have been looking for solutions. In recent years, I have fought, successfully, for increased funding for dam removal and repair, offering state grants to local governments who own these dams as well as the safety and ecological problems they create. However, the need is great and state funding is limited.

Now, we also have legislative action to address our dam problem. From Bridge:

"Both legislative chambers have now approved versions of two companion bills sponsored by Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak, and Rep. Bill G. Schuette, R-Midland, to strengthen flood control standards, increase inspections and require owners to prove they can maintain the structures."

Link in comments.

Diversifying and localizing our food systems is an important goal, especially for a big agricultural state like Michigan...
09/18/2026

Diversifying and localizing our food systems is an important goal, especially for a big agricultural state like Michigan. For too long, protein processing has been consolidated into a few, big businesses. Fostering local businesses to process meat is good for farmers and the public. I was proud to secure state support for this new business in Manchester.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1CLxfCQPp9/

09/10/2026

The Senate passed my bill, again, to modernize Michigan's debt collection system - which is the worst in the nation for people facing garnishment for medical or credit card debt

This was one of the bills illegally held up by the Michigan House and then, maddeningly vetoed by the Governor.

Here were my comments urging my colleagues to align our protections for debtors with our neighbors and outlining the thousands of working families hurt by the failure to advance this bill after it passed the first time.

09/10/2026

Why is it so hard to get real news on the war in Iran? We hear all of the boasts about how Trump's war will end soon. We hear the shifting claims and promises; but, we need the media to cover the actual details of our how our servicemembers and our citizens are being out at greater risk due to this dangerous.

Here is one detailed analysis of how US bases and other installations are fairing 6 months into this dangerous and foolhardy war.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19ViFa6FBw/

How did Michigan give $50 million of our dollars to a new, Canadian mining company to extract copper from the Porcupine ...
08/26/2026

How did Michigan give $50 million of our dollars to a new, Canadian mining company to extract copper from the Porcupine Mountains*, near the shore of Lake Superior, without approval from the legislature?

It looks like the Governor's team took money that was designated for a microchip manufacturing facility and are trying to repurpose those dollars to support a mine.

They did this because this project didn't have support in our legislature, but they wanted to do it anyway. So, the way they did this was wrong and possibly illegal.

It is also simply a bad project for public funds. That's why the project couldn't get support through the normal process. Legislators like me, who are reluctant to give taxpayer money to private businesses, want to see a real and obvious benefit to the public for projects like this.

That's how the administration was able to sell the funding for microchip manufacturing projects. These are advanced manufacturing projects that bring lots of jobs that stick around for a long time. A chips manufacturing plant would also be likely to bring other advanced manufacturing jobs and maybe research and development opportunities for people and businesses in Michigan.

A mine, on the other hand, brings a relatively small number of short term jobs combined with long-term environmental damage. What's more, we aren't competing with Indiana, Alabama, or Indonesia for the mine jobs. The copper, worth billions, can't be sent overseas. There is no good reason to subsidize this business.

*: the proposal is to mine from a parcel immediately adjacent to the Porcupine Mountains State Wilderness Area and to mine under the state park as well as on the adjacent land. Protect The Porkies has more details.

A rainy day tabling at Parkridge Summer Festival.
08/22/2026

A rainy day tabling at Parkridge Summer Festival.

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Lansing, MI

Telephone

+15173732406

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