DAMOOSE DELIVERS RESULTS
Working hard. Bringing people together. Delivering for Northern Michigan and the Eastern Upper Peninsula.
Principled. Conservative. Effective.
Always focused on Northern Michigan.
For Senator John Damoose, public service has never been about titles, partisan politics or getting credit. It is about showing up, listening to the people he represents, bringing people together and delivering results for Northern Michigan and the Eastern Upper Peninsula.
Since joining the Michigan Senate, John has worked relentlessly to make sure the 37th District has a strong and respected voice in Lansing. He has helped secure nearly $100 million in targeted investments for communities across our region, while building a bipartisan legislative record focused on public safety, affordability, education, economic opportunity and protecting the most vulnerable among us.
But John believes something else matters, too: how we lead.
At a time when politics too often rewards anger and division, John works with Republicans and Democrats alike when doing so can deliver a better result for the people back home.
A Record of Getting Things Done.
Fighting Human Trafficking
John has emerged as one of Michigan's leading legislative voices in the fight against human trafficking. He worked directly with the Attorney General, the Michigan Human Trafficking Commission, survivors and a bipartisan coalition of legislators and victim advocates to develop a sweeping package strengthening Michigan’s human-trafficking laws. John sponsored Senate Bills 520 and 521, which unanimously passed the Michigan Senate and would: - Double the maximum penalty for many human-trafficking offenses from 10 to 20 years in prison; - Significantly Increase maximum fines; - Allow penalties of up to life in prison and a $50,000 fine when trafficking involves a minor; and - Strengthen sentencing provisions designed to hold traffickers accountable. John also co-sponsored an earlier bipartisan human-trafficking package that was signed into law in 2024, strengthening the ability of prosecutors to use evidence and testimony in human-trafficking and prostitution cases. PASSED THE SENATE Protect the vulnerable. Support survivors. Punish those who exploit them. For John, this is not a partisan issue. It is a moral one.
Leading When Disaster Strikes
Northern Michigan has endured an extraordinary series of natural disasters — including the historic 2025 ice storm, dangerous flooding surrounding the Cheboygan Dam in the spring of 2026, and the devastating June 2026 storms and flooding that washed out roads throughout Emmet and Antrim counties. When disaster struck, John did not simply issue statements from Lansing. He showed up. John and his staff worked around the clock to keep residents informed, communicate available resources, coordinate with local emergency managers and first responders, and work with the Michigan State Police, MDOT, state agencies, the Governor’s office and fellow legislators. Following the historic ice storm, John pushed for federal and state disaster assistance, advocated for additional relief for homeowners, businesses and local governments, and sponsored legislation to give storm-damaged school districts greater flexibility after prolonged closures. During the 2026 flooding crisis, he worked directly with local officials and first responders in Cheboygan and personally inspected severe road damage in Emmet and Antrim counties with MDOT officials. DELIVERED On the ground. On the job. When Northern Michigan needs help, John believes its State Senator should be there.
Putting Public Safety First.
Standing With Our Corrections Officers
John has spent significant time inside Northern Michigan correctional facilities and meeting directly with officers and their families. He has seen firsthand the consequences of chronic staffing shortages, mandatory overtime and an increasingly difficult working environment. John became one of Lansing’s most vocal advocates for Senate Bills 165-167, legislation designed to restore a pension-style retirement system for corrections officers and improve recruitment and retention. He voted to pass the reforms and pressed House leadership to get the legislation to the Governor. Although the bills were ultimately vetoed, John has continued working with officers, their families and legislators from both parties to find a lasting solution to the staffing crisis. John is not walking away from the fight. He continues pushing for staffing, retention and retirement reforms for corrections officers.
Protecting the Mackinac Bridge
John sponsored legislation giving one of Michigan’s most important pieces of infrastructure stronger legal protection against security threats.
Senate Bill 71 became Public Act 64 of 2026, designating nonpublic areas of the Mackinac Bridge as a protected key facility and strengthening penalties for unlawful entry into secured portions of the bridge.
Making Michigan's Airports Safer
John sponsored Senate Bill 22, now Public Act 219 of 2023, closing a loophole in Michigan law and bringing state airport-security rules into alignment with federal standards.
The bipartisan law strengthens restrictions on dangerous weapons inside secure areas of commercial airports and gives prosecutors clearer tools to enforce those protections.
Improving School Safety
John has worked across the aisle on innovative approaches designed to prevent school violence before tragedy occurs. Together with Democratic colleagues, John introduced bipartisan legislation to establish a statewide Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Program, bringing educators, mental-health professionals and law enforcement together to identify and intervene when warning signs appear.
John has also introduced legislation to expand access to mobile panic-alert technology in Michigan schools, giving teachers and staff another tool to quickly summon help during an emergency. These proposals remain before the Legislature, and John continues working to build bipartisan support for them.
Making Life More Affordable.
Standing Up on Prescription Drug Costs
John believes good ideas should not be rejected simply because they come from the other political party. That is why he became the only Republican senator to vote for Senate Bills 3-5, a bipartisan effort aimed at addressing the rapidly rising cost of prescription drugs. John initially had concerns about the proposal. He studied the issue, listened to patients and experts, and ultimately concluded that Michigan families deserved action against a pharmaceutical marketplace that too often leaves patients paying more than people elsewhere for the same medicine. Leadership means listening. John is willing to reconsider a position and vote for what he believes is right when the facts and the needs of Michigan families demand it.
Protecting Consumers From Ticket Bots
John teamed with Democratic Sen. Mary Cavanagh on bipartisan legislation aimed at stopping automated ticket-buying bots from buying large blocks of tickets and immediately reselling them at inflated prices. The core prohibition on ticket bots was signed into law as Public Act 50 of 2025.
John’s companion enforcement legislation, Senate Bill 159, overwhelmingly passed the Senate and would strengthen the state’s ability to investigate violations and hold bad actors accountable.
Ending Surprise Subscription Renewals
John joined a unanimous Michigan Senate in supporting bipartisan consumer-protection legislation requiring companies to give customers advance notice before automatically renewing subscriptions. The legislation also requires a clear and convenient way to cancel and prohibits companies from penalizing customers for ending their subscriptions.
Consumers should not have to play games to cancel a subscription. Clear notice. Easy cancellation. Fair treatment.
No Tax on Tips
Senator Damoose is the Founder and Co-Chair of the Legislative Hospitality and Tourism Caucus. As such, he is keenly aware that Northern Michigan’s hospitality industry is powered by thousands of hardworking servers, bartenders and other tipped employees. John introduced Senate Bill 91 to exempt qualifying tip income from Michigan’s state income tax — part of his broader effort to make Northern Michigan a better and more affordable place to live and work. Ultimately, similar legislation was passed to accomplish this goal for hardworking taxpayers.
Making Water More Affordable
John is working with legislators from both parties on a statewide water-affordability initiative intended to help low-income families maintain access to safe drinking water while strengthening the long-term stability of Michigan’s water systems. John is the lead sponsor of Senate Bill 249, part of the bipartisan package.
Building a Stronger Year-Round Economy.
John believes Northern Michigan and the Eastern Upper Peninsula cannot thrive on a three-month economy. Our children and grandchildren should be able to find rewarding careers, raise their families and build their futures close to home.
That means creating opportunities in the skilled trades, healthcare, aviation, technology, manufacturing, tourism, agriculture and emerging industries. It also means making sure local employers can find trained workers.
Delivered: Nearly $10 Million for North Central Michigan College
John secured a $9.872 million state appropriation for North Central Michigan College’s transformational Career and Technical Education Enhancement initiative.
The investment supports the Martin Jahn Technology Center and Health Education and Science Center expansion, increasing capacity to train students for high-demand careers in healthcare, engineering technology and the skilled trades.
Delivered: $3.75 Million for NMC Aviation
John was responsible for securing $3.75 million for Northwestern Michigan College’s aviation program, helping expand hangar facilities and purchase new aircraft to train additional pilots.
Delivered: $15 Million for Freshwater Research Innovation Center
John helped secure $15 million for the Freshwater Research and Innovation Center on Grand Traverse Bay — an opportunity to make Northern Michigan a national and global leader in freshwater research, marine technology, entrepreneurship, education and the emerging Blue Economy.
Delivered: $1 Million for FishPass
John was the lead advocate for $1 million in state support for FishPass in downtown Traverse City. The innovative project combines Great Lakes science, selective fish passage, invasive-species control, river restoration and public recreation.
Expanding Access to Healthcare.
Delivered: $13 Million for Northern Michigan Mental Health Access
John sponsored a $13 million state appropriation for McLaren Northern Michigan to expand mental-health access across the region.
Delivered: Investing in Cheboygan Healthcare
John has also been a persistent advocate for McLaren’s Cheboygan campus. During his service in the Michigan House, he helped secure $3 million for what became the Justin A. Borra Behavioral Health Center.
More recently, McLaren officials credited John’s advocacy with helping preserve critical state support for a major $17 million renovation and expansion of the Cheboygan emergency department, nearly doubling its size and expanding access to emergency and behavioral-health services.
Keeping Island Health Clinics Open
John helped secure $675,000 for critical primary healthcare services serving some of Michigan’s most isolated communities:
-
Beaver Island Health Center — $250,000
-
Mackinac Island Medical Center — $250,000
-
Drummond Island Primary Care — $150,000
-
Bois Blanc Medical Center — $25,000
John has continued pressing for additional support to ensure these remote communities maintain dependable access to year-round healthcare.
Innovative Solutions for Affordable Housing.
Delivered: $5 Million for Educator Housing
Working with local educational leaders and legislators from both parties, John helped secure $5 million for an innovative educator-housing initiative in the Traverse City area. The project brings together Traverse City Area Public Schools, Northwest Education Services, Grand Traverse Area Catholic Schools and Interlochen Center for the Arts to create affordable housing for teachers and school employees.
Giving Schools Another Tool
John subsequently introduced Senate Bill 315, which would allow school districts to use sinking-fund resources for teacher housing. The proposal is particularly important for rural and island communities where schools may have qualified teachers ready to work but nowhere affordable for them to live.
Innovative Solutions for Affordable Housing
John understands that Northern Michigan’s housing shortage cannot be solved with a single program or appropriation. It requires giving communities, developers and state housing officials more tools to actually build homes. He has repeatedly crossed party lines to support practical housing reforms, including voting for legislation to expand the Michigan State Housing Development Authority’s Housing and Community Development Program beyond traditional low-income projects to help address the severe shortage of attainable housing for working and middle-income families.
He also supported a law expanding MSHDA’s bond-financing authority, making it easier to finance additional multifamily and senior housing projects, and voted for reforms allowing transformational brownfield financing to be used more aggressively to turn underused and blighted properties into new housing and mixed-use developments.
John was also one of only four Senate Republicans to support a 2023 bipartisan supplemental budget that included $150 million for affordable housing and housing-gap financing. He believes government cannot solve the housing shortage by itself — but it can remove unnecessary barriers, make smart investments and give local communities the flexibility they need to build more homes for the people who live and work here.
Helping Moms, Kids and Babies.
Bringing Rx Kids to the Eastern Upper Peninsula
John has become one of Michigan’s most prominent Republican advocates for Rx Kids, an innovative program providing direct financial support to expectant mothers and babies. He helped build bipartisan support for expanding Rx Kids into Chippewa, Mackinac, Luce, Alger and Schoolcraft counties, bringing the program to rural Michigan for the first time, and is now involved with helping the program spread statewide.
DELIVERED: Supporting life means supporting families. For John, that commitment continues after a child comes home from the hospital.
Standing With Our Tribal Communities.
The 37th District is home to vibrant tribal communities whose history and contributions are inseparable from the history of Northern Michigan and the Eastern Upper Peninsula. John has worked closely with tribal leaders on legislation, housing, public safety and cultural recognition.
Keeping Families Together
John sponsored Senate Bill 137, now Public Act 68 of 2023, a bipartisan law requiring Michigan to recognize qualifying tribal-court guardianship orders for purposes of the state’s Guardianship Assistance Program. The change helps children remain with family members and within their communities instead of unnecessarily entering foster care.
Lodge of Hope
John secured $1,250,000 for the Sault Tribe’s Lodge of Hope, which provides year-round emergency shelter, case management and support to tribal members experiencing homelessness. The facility works not simply to provide temporary shelter, but to help residents address the underlying barriers preventing them from obtaining stable, permanent housing.
Permanent Supportive Housing
John has also championed state support for the Sault Tribe Housing Authority’s innovative permanent-supportive-housing initiative — designed to provide stable housing while helping individuals and families address the underlying causes of chronic homelessness. He was able to secure $1.5 million for the project in the 2027 state budget.
Fighting Domestic Violence
John secured $500,000 for Uniting Three Fires Against Violence in Sault Ste. Marie, supporting culturally appropriate domestic-violence prevention and treatment services serving tribal communities.
Honoring Company K
John sponsored bipartisan legislation to designate a portion of M-22 in Leelanau County in honor of the Native American soldiers of Company K, 1st Michigan Sharpshooters, who fought for the Union during the Civil War. The legislation passed the Senate unanimously and remains before the Michigan House.
Missing and Murdered Indigenous People
Senator Damoose is currently working with United Tribes of Michigan, Tribal Leaders and Citizens, and the Michigan Attorney General to launch a most comprehensive package of bills to address the MMIP crisis. When the project was announced in August 2026, the Office of Tribal Liaison explained:
"It is our humble honor to deliver to the elected leadership of each of Michigan's twelve federally recognized Tribal Nations the attached formal consultation invitation from Senator John Damoose. This consultation represents a historic milestone, marking the first known instance in Michigan's history in which a member of the Legislature has initiated a formal government-to-government consultation process with Tribal Nations prior to the introduction of legislation."
Delivering for the Eastern UP.
From helping bring parties together to solve the Neebish Island Ferry scheduling challenges, to working overtime to make sure the Upper Peninsula is not left out of statewide budget discussions, Senator Damoose has worked overtime to represent the people and businesses of the Eastern Upper Peninsula.
Delivered: $39.7 Million — Mackinac Island Wastewater Infrastructure
John brought home $39.7 million for critical wastewater and sewer infrastructure on Mackinac Island, helping protect public health, the environment and one of Michigan’s most important tourism destinations.
Delivered: $250,000 for the I-500
John secured $250,000 for improvements to the legendary I-500 snowmobile track, with the goal of making the facility a stronger year-round economic and recreational asset.
Delivered: $1 Million Ferry Lane Road
John sponsored $1 million in state support for Ferry Lane Road in St. Ignace, an important piece of local transportation infrastructure serving residents, businesses and visitors.
Delivered: $5 Million Carbide Dock Redevelopment
John successfully secured $5 million for Sault Ste. Marie’s Carbide Dock redevelopment, transforming an aging waterfront property into a modern commercial, tourism and community asset.
Delivered: $250,000 LSSU Space Education
John secured $250,000 for Lake Superior State University’s Space Missions and Operations program, connecting LSSU with the Chippewa County Economic Development Corporation’s Mission Operations Center and helping position the Eastern U.P. for opportunities in the rapidly growing space economy.
Delivered: Protecting Mackinac Island Families and Tourism
When rising ferry fees threatened affordability and the broader Straits-area tourism economy, John authored Senate Bill 304. The legislation became Public Act 17 of 2026, strengthening Mackinac Island’s ability to regulate ferry service and associated fees such as parking, baggage and priority boarding.
Leadership that Looks Beyond the Next Election.
Michigan’s economy should not change direction every time political control changes in Lansing. That is why John partnered across party lines on a proposal to establish a 10-year statewide economic-development strategy.
Senator Damoose's Senate Bill 214 would create a Strategic Advisory Board made up of leaders from across Michigan to help establish long-term goals for economic growth, infrastructure, housing, population growth and prosperity. The bipartisan package has passed the Michigan Senate and is awaiting action in the House.
Supporting Veterans and Michigan Seniors.
John sponsored Senate Bill 364, now Public Act 152 of 2023, as part of a bipartisan effort improving the administration of Michigan’s disabled-veteran property-tax exemption and protecting qualifying veterans and surviving spouses.
He also co-sponsored the bipartisan legislation that became Public Act 59 of 2026, strengthening Michigan’s statewide alert system when a senior or vulnerable adult goes missing.
These may not be the issues that generate the loudest political headlines. But to the families they affect, they matter enormously. And that is exactly the kind of work John believes legislators are elected to do.
The Work Continues.
John believes elected office should be measured not by how often someone appears on television or wins a partisan argument — but by whether the people they represent are better served.
There is still much more to do. John will continue fighting to:
Build a stronger year-round economy. Create career opportunities that allow our children and grandchildren to remain closer to home.
Make life more affordable. Address housing, healthcare, childcare, prescription drugs, utility costs and taxes on working people.
Keep our communities safe. Fight human trafficking, support law enforcement and corrections officers, protect our schools and secure critical infrastructure.
Strengthen our schools and workforce. Support teachers, career and technical education, community colleges and pathways into high-demand careers.
Protect the Great Lakes and Northern Michigan’s way of life. Invest in our natural resources, communities and infrastructure without sacrificing what makes this region special.
And John will continue trying to do it the same way he always has: by listening, by showing up, by working with anyone who sincerely wants to solve a problem, and by putting Northern Michigan and the Eastern Upper Peninsula ahead of partisan politics.
.png)
DAMOOSE DELIVERS.
Principled. Conservative. Always focused on Northern Michigan.
Re-elect John Damoose for State Senate — November 3rd.