Update From State Sen. Steve Bieda

Dear Friend,

I am pleased to send you the latest edition of my e-Newsletter. This e-Newsletter is a money-saving way for me to communicate with you and keep you informed about legislative activities. Below you will find information on upcoming events, legislation that has recently been passed by the Senate, as well as other news and updates.

Please feel free to distribute this information to others and contact my office with ideas about what we can do to better serve you. Communication with you is extremely important to me as I consider issues before the Michigan Senate.

Thank you for allowing me to serve you in the Michigan Senate. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office.

Coffee Hour:

Senator Steve Bieda will be hosting coffee hours to speak with constituents on Monday, February 18, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Tracey’s Corner Cafe, 29200 Hoover Road, Warren, Michigan.

Missing Insurance Policy Tips:

If you suspect your loved one had a life insurance policy, but cannot locate it, you may want to conduct your own search using the steps provided below. As an alternative, MIB, an insurance membership corporation, offers a policy locater service for a fee. For more information about this service, visit MIB’s Web site: www.policylocator.com.

• Check your loved one’s papers and address and telephone books to look for life insurance policies and the names of insurance agents. Contact every insurance company with which they may have had a policy, even if you’re not sure the policy is still in force.
• Check with the employee benefits office at their latest and previous places of employment. Or, check with the union welfare office.
• Check bank books and canceled checks for the last few years to see if any checks may have been written to pay life insurance premiums.
• Check the mail for one year after death for premium notices, which usually are sent annually. If a policy has been paid up, there will not be any notice of premium payments due. However, the company may still send an annual notice regarding the status of the policy or it may pay or send notice of a dividend.
• Review your loved one’s income tax returns for the past two years. Look for interest income from and interest expenses paid to life insurance companies. Life insurance companies pay interest on accumulations on permanent policies and charge interest on policy loans.
• Check with the state’s unclaimed property office to see if any unclaimed money from life insurance policies may have been turned over to the state. If, after a number of years, an insurance company holding the unclaimed money cannot find the rightful owner, it turns the money over to the state. The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators’ website (www.naupa.org) includes links to each state’s unclaimed property office. For multi-state searches, www.missingmoney.com combines information from most, but not all, state unclaimed property databases.
• Of course, you may wish to contact life insurance companies directly to see if a policy exists. Each state insurance department has a listing of life insurance companies licensed to do business in its state.

Reinventing McKinley Park in Fraser for the Disabled:

I am happy to congratulate Fraser for recently being awarded $300,000 from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant (MNRTF). I recently testified in front of the MNRTF Grant Board on behalf of the Fraser First Booster Club to obtain grant money for the renovation of McKinley Park in Fraser. This grant money will be pooled with other money to further accommodate the needs of disabled individuals. The main objective of the park renovation will be to further enhance the universal and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Acts) accessibility to the park, specifically ADA parking, a bus loop, infrastructure ADA pathways and a walking path that will wrap around the proposed barrier free play-scape. Fraser First Booster Club and City of Fraser Parks and Recreation Department will also be matching at least 25% of the grant money to help with the improvements of the park. If you would like to visit McKinley Park, it is located at 31470 Grove Street, Fraser. If you would like to follow the progress of the McKinley Park Renovations, please visit Fraser First Booster Club’s website at www.fraserfirst.com.

2-1-1 Call Centers Are Waiting to Assist You

2-1-1 Call Centers are located throughout Michigan to serve constituents for health and human services information and referrals, 24/7/365. The Southeast Michigan Call Center serves Oakland, Macomb, Wayne, Washtenaw, Lapeer and Monroe counties. You can call 2-1-1 for various questions and problems and someone will help you find the answers and lead you in the right direction. Information ranges from food pantries, to healthcare, to referrals for free tax clinics and much more. Your local 2-1-1 Call Center also has multiple language interpreter services and is waiting to help you. Simply dial 2-1-1 from any landline or cellular phone and someone will be there to assist you.

Available Publications:

Below please find a list of free publications, if you would like to request one or more copies of any of these booklets, please email my office at SenSBieda@senate.michigan.gov or P.O. Box 30036, Lansing, MI 48909. You can also contact my office by calling my toll free number at (866) 262-7309. Individuals seeking materials should provide their name, physical address and telephone number in their request.

• Changes and Choices
• Child Safety Coloring Book
• Citizen’s Guide to State Government
• Getting to Know Michigan
• Legislative Process, Student’s Guide
• Moving On, Youth Handbook
• Planning for Your Peace of Mind
• Portraits of Michigan
• Practical Guide of Tenants and Landlords
• Recycling Coloring Book
• Services for Seniors
• Veteran’s Benefits and Services
• Your Child, A Parent’s Guide
• Your State Capitol
• State Road Map

Sincerely,

Senator Steve Bieda
Senate District 9
Phone: 517-373-8360
Email: SenSBieda@senate.michigan.gov