1/12/11 - State Senator-elect Joe Hune was unofficially sworn into office in a ceremony at American Legion Post 141 last night. Representative Cindy Denby emceed the event, which was attended by more than 100 people. The oath of office was administered by Gary Randall, who is the Clerk of the Michigan house of Representatives as of today. Hune will chair the Senate’s Redistricting Committee, which will reposition the state’s voting and appeals court districts to compensate for the loss of population identified by the 2010 census. Although redistricting is historically used as a tool to favor one political party over another, Hune says the heavy state and federal regulations placed on the process will prevent any such favoritism in his committee. He will also chair the Senate’s Agriculture Committee and Insurance Committee, as well as take part in the Regulatory Reform Committee and Health Policy Committee. His goals while in office include reducing the size and interference of the state government, restructuring the business tax, and resisting health care reform. (TD)