 |
Abortion Language Causes Blue Cross Package Veto
The legislation to convert Blue Cross Blue
Shield of Michigan to a nonprofit mutual insurance company, a major priority of
Governor Snyder during the recently concluded legislative session, received a
surprising veto from the Governor’s pen late last week.
The Governor issued a statement explaining
the legislation went too far in restricting insurance coverage for abortions by
requiring consumers to purchase coverage in an optional rider. Specifically,
the Governor stated that the requirement treats situations involving rape,
incest and the health of the mother as elective.
The language was added to the package late in
the process by House Republicans.
Michigan Congressional Delegation Supports Fiscal Cliff Deal
Michigan’s 15-member U.S. Congressional
delegation provided 12 of the affirmative votes to avert the country from
falling over the “fiscal cliff” on January 1st. The U.S. House voted
late New Year’s Day to concur with the Senate version of legislation
encompassing a deal reached between President Barack Obama and legislative
leaders.
All seven of Michigan’s Democratic U.S. House
members cast “aye” votes, including U.S. Rep. David Curson (D-Belleville) who
was elected to a seven-week term replacing former U.S. Rep. Thad McCotter
(R-Livonia). For long-time U.S. Rep. Dale Kildee (D-Flint), it represented his
last major vote prior to retirement.
Of the eight Republican members of Michigan’s
U.S. House delegation, five provided their support for the deal, including
Chair of the Ways and Means Committee, U.S. Rep. Dave Camp (R-Midland).
Republican U.S. Reps. Justin Amash (R-Grand
Rapids), Bill Huizenga (R-Zeeland), and Tim Walberg (R-Tipton) voted “nay.”
Broadly speaking, the deal keeps in place
those tax cuts passed during the Bush Administration, except for those making
$400,000 or more a year, and preserves tax credits such as those for child care
costs and tuition.
Governor Signs Emergency Manager Bill Sans IE
Michigan
Governor Rick Snyder lent his signature to Senate
Bill 865 last week – once again placing 1990 PA 72 on the back-burner, this
time for 2012
PA 436. In November, voters repealed PA 4 of 2011, the Governor’s first
attempt at a stronger emergency manager statute, via referendum.
The measure is somewhat
controversial in that opponents claim the legislation does not significantly
differ from the measure previously repealed. In reality, the new statute
contains substantive differences from the previous law, providing failing local
units (the measure would not affect school districts) with four options: a
consent agreement, an emergency manager, mediation or Chapter 9 bankruptcy.
The measure, sponsored by Senator Phil Pavlov
(R-St. Clair), will go into effect in late March as the bill failed to achieve
immediate effect during passage.
Judy Nerat, Ex-State Representative, Passes On At 64
Former
State Representative Judy Nerat (D-Wallace) passed away December 23rd
at the age of 64.
Nerat
was the first female Democrat elected to the House of Representatives from
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, taking 56 percent of the vote in November 2008 to
represent the 108th House District. She was defeated by current
Representative Ed McBroom (R-Vulcan) in 2010.
One
of Representative Nerat’s bills became law during her brief tenure in the
Legislature, a measure requiring the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to
increase promotion of hunting on state land.
December 21st Survey Results
The
question in the December 28th PAAdvisory asked readers who they
believe was Michigan’s biggest “winner” in 2012.
The
Republican Party and Michigan’s economy tied for the top vote-getter, with
Governor Rick Snyder just one vote behind.
PAA Government Profiles
For the 97th Legislature (2013-2014), 28 new Michigan House
of Representative members will be working in the Capitol. Here are four more of the newest members with more to follow in the coming weeks.  District 82 Dan Lauwers (R) Email: dan@lauwers2012.com Occupation: Grain elevator general manager Age: 49 Predecessor: Jud Gilbert (R)  District 84 Terry L. Brown (D) Email: terrybrown@terrybrowninfo.com Occupation: Former House Member, principal K-12 Age: 53 Predecessor: Kurt Damrow (R) 
District
88
Roger Victory (R)
Email: victoryfor88th@gmail.com Occupation: Owner-operator of Victory Farms Predecessor: New seat  District 91 Collene LaMonte (D) Email: elect.collene@gmail.com Occupation: School teacher Age: 43 Predecessor: Holly Hughes (D) PAAdvisory Briefs
Organized Retail Crime Measure Approved
Governor Snyder signed two bills last week
creating the Organized Retail Crime Act, and thereby establishing the
possibility of felony charges and up to five years imprisonment for one found
guilty of the theft of retail merchandise with the intent or purpose of
reselling, distributing, or transferring the stolen retail merchandise to
another retail merchant or to any other person, through the mail, or through
any electronic medium, including the internet, or personally in
exchange for anything of value. House
Bills 5843 and 5902
were sponsored by Representative Joe Graves (R-Grand Blanc).
House
Appropriations Staff Named
State Representative Joseph Haveman
(R-Holland), Chair of the House Appropriations Committee for the 2013-2014
legislative term, has announced new staff members heading into the new session.
Patty Hertrich will be Chief of Staff and Mark Kasvin will be a legislative
assistant and scheduler – both were on the staff of previous Appropriations
Committee Chair former Representative Chuck Moss. Connie Burgess will continue
as the lead on constituent relations and as office manager.
Young
Remains Chief Justice
Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert
Young, Jr. will continue in his role following his unanimous re-election by the
Court this week. The Court continues to have a majority (four) of Justices
nominated by the Republican Party and three nominated by the Democratic Party.
The Courts coming session promises to be potentially interesting with the
ongoing saga of Justice Diane Hathaway’s alleged real estate scandal.
Senate
Fiscal Predicts Tight Budget
With the Revenue Estimating Conference still
a week away (scheduled for January 11th), the Senate Fiscal Agency
released estimates this week predicting a tight budget time. Governor Rick
Snyder and the Legislature will begin work in writing the 2013-2014 budget with
revenue estimates predicting a General Fund balance of $146 million and a
School Aid Fund balance of $0 when the fiscal year ends September 30, 2013.
Everything remaining equal, the predictions for the 2013-2014 year-end balances
are $40.9 million for the General Fund and a deficit of $235.4 million in the
School Aid Fund.
This Week's Newsletter
Past Newsletters
|