Lame Duck List Long - Highlights Include Blues Reform, PPT Elimination

Florida may not even be done counting their general election votes, but the Legislature in Michigan is ready to get back to work and has a long list of items ripe for attention prior to year’s end.

When the “lame duck” session begins in earnest the week after Thanksgiving, the window of opportunity to get something done will close quickly as both the House and Senate are estimating three weeks of session. Legislation not sent to Governor Rick Snyder will die and would have to be reintroduced when the Legislature reconvenes in January.

The two items arguably at the top of the list are the package of bills to reform Blue Cross Blue Shield and the Personal Property Tax (PPT) reform.

Senate Bills 1293 and 1294 would convert the Blues into a nonprofit mutual insurance company and require $1.5 billion in aid to health care to be paid into a fund over 18 years. The bills have passed the Senate and are awaiting action by the House.

The Personal Property Tax package (Senate Bills 1065 – 1072) is also awaiting action by the House, and has been since the Senate addressed the bills last May. When it comes to PPT reform (or elimination), most policy leaders, including the Governor, have stressed that getting it right is more important than getting it done quickly.

Other issues talked about for potential action or discussion during lame duck include House Bill 4936, the much-maligned auto insurance reform legislation that has been stuck on the House floor for a year-plus, and a new emergency manager statute now that PA 4 has been repealed by voter referendum.

Finally, in the wake of the significant defeat of Proposal 2, some buzz has been created over the potential for right-to-work legislation heating up during lame duck. The House has indicated intentions of visiting the possibility; however, the Governor and others have made clear the need to step back after the election results and evaluate priorities.

posted by PAA Online , Friday, November 9, 2012 12:22 PM
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