A significant date in Michigan’s election history is 1978. Why? 1978 was the last time that voters in Michigan were faced with at least six ballot initiatives, or amendments to the State’s constitution. Below is a list of how these changes to Michigan’s future faired:

• Legal limit parole-violent criminals; minimum sentence: Passed 
• Call for constitutional convention: Failed 
• Alcohol Regulation; Must be 21 to purchase/possess alcohol: Passed 
• Tax limitation (“Headlee Amendment”): Passed 
• Labor; Collective bargaining for Michigan State Troopers: Passed 
• Education; Exempt property tax from school operations and also would have established a school voucher system: Failed 
• Property taxes; local mandates; voter approval; Failed

• Citizens for More Michigan Jobs wants voters to authorize new casinos in eight locations around the state: Detroit, Grand Rapids, Romulus, Pontiac, DeWitt Township north of Lansing, Birch Run, Clam Lake Township near Cadillac and Clinton Township near Mt. Clemens (509,777 signatures submitted). 
• Protect Our Jobs, the major union-sponsored proposal, would prohibit the Legislature and Governor from setting regulations that affect collective bargaining agreements between public sector unions and their employers (except to bar strikes by public employees (684,286 signatures submitted). 
• Michigan Energy Michigan Jobs is a proposal supported by a segment of environmentalists, a few labor organizations and the makers of solar and wind-energy equipment to require that 25% of the state's energy be produced from renewable sources by 2025 (530,000 signatures submitted). 
• Michigan Alliance for Prosperity is a proposal backed by national limited government organization and tea party groups to require two-thirds votes in both chambers of the Legislature, or by the people, to enact any state tax increase (613,379 signatures submitted). 
• The People Should Decide was organized by the owners of the Ambassador Bridge to block the proposed New International Trade Crossing over the Detroit River. Governor Snyder has indicated that the proposal could not retroactively deconstruct the inter-local agreement already in place with Canada (609,220 signatures submitted).
• Citizens for Affordable Quality Home Care is backed by the Service Employees International Union and disability rights advocates to require Michigan to construct a registry of home health care workers and maintain the union that represents them (550,000 signatures submitted).

On the heels of the election controversy involving State Representative Roy Schmidt (R-Grand Rapids) and House Speaker Jase Bolger (R-Marshall), members of the House Democratic Caucus held press conferences throughout the State this week to unveil a package of seven further election reform bills targeting election fraud.

• The package includes measures to: Prevent incumbent candidates from holding a fundraiser or in any way fundraising without publicly disclosing switching parties after the candidate has signed an affidavit switching parties for re-election. 
•  Require affidavits for candidacy to be filed in person by certain candidates, including those for state legislative offices. 
• Similar to judges, a requirement for incumbent elected officials to file for re-election one week earlier than challengers. 
•  Require candidates who have switched political parties to return all campaign contributions made to the candidate to the contributor, including interest, for one calendar year prior to the date of the switch. 
•  If a candidate switches political parties seven days of less prior to the election, provide the political party losing the member the ability to chose a candidate within 14 days of the filing deadline. 
• Require candidates running for state legislative office to live in the district for a minimum of 60 days prior to running for office. 
• Increase fines for election fraud, including making a false affidavit, from $1,000 to $10,000.

The ballot proposal seeking to add eight new casinos in locations throughout Michigan is unconstitutional, according to opponents of the initiative. Attorneys representing Protect MI Jobs announced a lawsuit this week due to their perception of eleven conflicts between the proposal and the Michigan Gaming Control Act.

The challenge contends that the proposal combines a constitutional amendment and a legislative amendment – that is to say that the Gaming Control Act is a vote-initiated act and the Constitution requires specific proposals be followed to amend an initiated law.

Because law requires ballot language be provided to clerks 49 days prior to the November General Election, the deadline for determining if the proposal will appear on the ballot or not is September 17th. The group will, therefore, file the lawsuit with the Court of Appeals, asking for a writ of mandamus that would direct the Secretary of State not to place the proposal on the ballot.

Lawsuit Against Consent Agreement Dismissed
Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Amy Hathaway dismissed a lawsuit this week filed against the Financial Stability Agreement, or “consent agreement,” reached between the City of Detroit and the State of Michigan. The case had been filed by three Detroit residents on behalf of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees and contended that the City was owed some $220 million in revenue sharing by the State. In dismissing the lawsuit, Judge Hathaway found no proof of owed revenue sharing.

Anti-Abortion Legislation Clears Senate Committee
The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing Thursday and passed, on a 3-1 party-line vote, anti-abortion legislation. The Committee hearing was posted late Wednesday afternoon, near the 18-hour legal requirement; however, proponents and opponents alike clearly had time to organize as the hearing on House Bill 5711, sponsored by Representative Bruce Rendon (R-Lake City), necessitated an overflow room.

Treasury’s Appeal in Pfizer Case will Not be Heard The Michigan Supreme Court will not hear an appeal filed by the Michigan Department of Treasury regarding how pharmaceutical company Pfizer calculated tax liability under the former Michigan Single Business Tax (SBT), leaving stand the Court of Appeals decision. The Court found that Pfizer accurately interpreted the law, replaced by the Michigan Business Tax (MBT) in 2007, in that royalties were not taxable.

Energy Emergency Declared by Governor Snyder On Tuesday, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder issued an Executive Order declaring a State of Energy Emergency in Michigan. Due to the closing of the West Shore Pipeline in Wisconsin, areas of the Michigan’s Upper Peninsula are facing gasoline and diesel fuel shortages. The Order suspends regulations associated with hours of service for transportation of fuels as the Pipeline’s closure has resulted in alternative routes and more complicated logistics.