OTTAWA COUNTY (WKZO) -- One of the great statesmen of the Michigan legislature has died. Long time West Michigan Representative and Senator William Van Regenmorter pioneered the concept of Victim’s rights and proposed laws that have become models that other states have copied. That was just the pinnacle of a long career of legislating criminal justice and other reforms.

  He served three terms in the State Senate and five in the State House. 

Van Regenmorter retired from office representing Ottawa County because of the onset of Parkinson’s disease.

He was 73-years-old