House Committee Assignments Released

Speaker of the House of Representatives Jase Bolger (R-Marshall) announced committee assignments Thursday, ending a couple of weeks of anticipation by the Capitol community. Much speculation had occurred over previous days, much of which was confirmed by Thursday’s appointments.

In one surprise, Representative Lisa Posthumus Lyons (R-Alto) was named to continue in her role as Chair of the House Education Committee. There were three new committees appointed this year: the House Financial Liability Reform Committee, which will be chaired by Representative Earl Poleski (R-Jackson); the House Committee on Michigan Competitiveness, which will be chaired by Representative Mike Shirkey (R-Clarklake); and the House Committee on Tourism, to be led by Representative Peter Pettalia (R-Presque Isle).

The full committee appointments follow:

Standing Committees:

Agriculture

Reps. Daley, R-Lum (C); Denby, R-Handy Twp. (VC); Glardon, R-Owosso; Johnson, R-Clare; LaFontaine, R-Columbus Twp.; McBroom, R-Vulcan; Outman, R-Six Lakes; Rendon, R-Lake City; Victory, R-Hudsonville; Lauwers, R-Brockway; Pagel, R-Oronoko Twp., Brunner, D-Bay City (Minority VC); Smiley, D-Burton; Hovey-Wright, D-Muskegon; Ananich, D-Flint; LaVoy, D-Monroe, Geiss, D-Taylor

Appropriations

Reps. Haveman, R-Holland (C), Pscholka, R-Stevensville (VC); Kowall, R-White Lake; Lori, R-Constantine; Rogers, R-Brighton; Walsh, R-Livonia; Bumstead, R-Newaygo; Forlini, R-Harrison Twp.; MacGregor, R-Rockford; MacMaster, R-Kewadin; Jenkins, R-Clayton; Muxlow, R-Brown City; Poleski, R-Jackson; Potvin, R-Cadillac; McCready, R-Bloomfield Hills; Howrylak, R-Troy; VerHeulen, R-Walker; Tlaib, D-Detroit (MVC); Brown, D-Pigeon; Durhal Jr., D-Detroit; McCann, D-Kalamazoo; Dillon, D-Grand Rapids; Roberts, D-St. Clair Shores; Kandrevas, D-Southgate; Faris, D-Clio; Zemke, D-Ann Arbor; Singh, D-East Lansing

Commerce

Reps. Foster, R-Pellston (C); Zorn, Ida (VC); Haines, R-Waterford; Schmidt; R-Traverse City; Farrington, R-Utica; Glardon, R-Owosso; Johnson, R-Clare; Nesbitt, R-Lawton; Somerville, R-New Boston; Outman, R-Six Lakes; Kelly, R-Saginaw; Leonard, R-Dewitt Twp.; Switalski, D-Warren (MVC); Barnett, D-Farmington Hills; Townsend, D-Royal Oak; Santana, D-Detroit; Erwin Oakes, D-Saginaw; Driskell, D-Saline; Yanez, D-Sterling Heights

Criminal Justice (new this year): Reps. Heise, R-Plymouth (C); Graves, R-Argentine Twp. (VC); Kurtz, R-Coldwater; Callton, R-Nashville; McBroom; O'Brien, R-Portage; Kesto, R-Commerce Twp.; Oakes (MVC); Robinson, D-Detroit; Olumba, D-Detroit; Kivela, D-Marquette

Education

Reps. Lyons, R-Alto (C), Franz, R-Onekama (VC); Crawford, R-Novi; Daley; Genetski, R-Saugatuck; Lund, R-Shelby Twp.; McMillin; R-Rochester Hills; Hooker, R-Byron Center; Jacobsen, R-Oxford; Price, R-Park Twp.; Yonker, R-Caledonia; Cogen Lipton, D-Huntington Woods (MVC); Knezek Jr., D-Dearborn Heights; Brinks, D-Grand Rapids; Stallworth III, D-Detroit; Lamonte, D-Montague; Abed, D-Grand Ledge

Elections & Ethics

Reps. Lyons (C), Cotter (VC), Heise, Callton, Outman, Yonker, Haugh, (MVC); Lane, Schor

Energy & Technology

Reps. Nesbitt (C), Shirkey, R-Clarklake (VC); Farrington; Franz; Jacobsen; Outman; Pettalia, R-Presque Isle; Price; Schmidt; Zorn; Graves; Lauwers; Stallworth (MVC); Hobbs, D-Southfield; Nathan, D-Detroit; LaVoy; Lane; Brunner; Yanez; Lamonte

Families, Children, & Seniors

Reps. Kurtz(C), Hooker (VC), Denby, Outman; Kesto; Victory; Hovey-Wright (MVC), Diane Slavens, D-Canton; Robert Kosowski, D-Westland

Financial Liability Reform

Reps. Poleski (C); Victory (VC); Denby; McMillin; Schmidt; Shirkey; Callton; Cavanagh (MVC); Tinsley-Talabi, D-Detroit; Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor; Robinson

Financial Services

Reps. Callton (C), Somerville (VC), Farrington; Lyons; Pettalia; Kelly; Johnson; Nathan (MVC); Stanley, D-Flint; Lane; Lamonte; Oaks

Government Operations

Reps. Lund (C); Jacobsen (VC); Shirkey; Hobbs (MVC); Greimel, D-Auburn Hills

Health Policy

Reps. Haines (C); Callton (VC); Crawford; Genetski; Shirkey; Foster; Hooker; Yonker; Zorn; Graves; Kesto; George Darany, D-Dearborn (MVC); Knezek; Ananich; Segal, D-Battle Creek; Stallworth; Brinks

Insurance

Reps. Lund (C); Leonard (VC); Denby; Cotter; Glardon; Goike, R-Ray; LaFontaine; Lyons; Nesbitt; O'Brien; Segal (MVC); Lipton; Abed; Cochran D-Mason ; Olumba

Judiciary

Reps. Cotter (C); Kesto (VC), Heise; Price; Jacobsen; Johnson; Leonard; Lipton (MVC); Irwin; Oakes; Kosowski

Local Government

Reps. Price (C); Pagel (VC); Daley; Franz; Pettalia; Somerville; Rendon; Graves; Rutledge (MVC); Stanley; Banks; Talabi

Michigan Competitiveness

Reps. Shirkey (C); Yonker (VC); Haines; Cotter; Foster; Franz; Goike; Lauwers; Leonard; Pagel; Paul Clemente, D-Lincoln Park (MVC); Townsend; Schor; Santana; Segal

Military & Veterans Affairs

Reps. Stamas, R-Midland (C); Franz (VC); Haines; Kurtz; Hooker; Zorn; Graves; Santana (MVC); Darany; Slavens; Banks; Yanez; Cavanagh

Natural Resources

Reps. LaFontaine (C); Rendon (VC); Goike; Johnson; McBroom; Victory; Smiley (MVC); Scott Dianda, D-Calumet; Kivela

Oversight

Reps. McMillin (C); Kelly (VC); O'Brien; Leonard; Olumba (MVC); Robinson

Regulatory Reform

Reps. Crawford (C); McBroom (VC); Denby; McMillin; LaFontaine; Rendon; Yonker; Kelly; Kesto; Haugh (MVC); Abed; Stanley; Dianda; Nathan; Schor

Tax Policy

Reps. Farrington (C); O'Brien (VC); Genetski; Lund; Cotter; Foster; Lyons; Nesbitt; Somerville; Kelly; Barnett (MVC); Switalski; Haugh; LaVoy; Townsend

Tourism

Reps. Pettalia (C); Goike (VC); Crawford; Genetski; Rendon; Pagel; Kosowski (MVC); Brunner; Kivela

Transportation & Infrastructure

Reps. Schmidt (C); Glardon (VC); Daley; Heise; Jacobsen; O'Brien; Pettalia; Lauwers; McCready; Lane (MVC); Dianda; Rutledge; Driskell; Cochran; Smiley

Statutory Standing Committees:

Joint Committee on Administrative Rules

Reps. McMillin (C); Stamas (VC); Price; Santana (MVC); Geiss

House Fiscal Agency Governing Committee

Reps. Haveman (C); Bolger (VC); Stamas, Tlaib (MVC); Greimel; Hobbs

Legislative Council

Reps. Bolger (C); Walsh (VC); Stamas; Lyons; Lipton (MVC); Oakes

Michigan Capitol Committee

Reps. Schmidt (C); Stamas (VC); McCready; McCann (MVC)

Appropriations Subcommittees:

Agriculture & Rural Development

Reps. Potvin (C), Jenkins (VC), Bumstead, Brown (MVC)

Joint Capital Outlay

Reps. Kowall (C), Muxlow (VC), Potvin, Forlini, Howrylak, Zemke (MVC), Durhal

Community Colleges

Reps. Muxlow (C), MacMaster (VC), Forlini, Zemke (MVC), Faris

Corrections

Reps. MacMaster (C), Poleski (VC), Lori, Rogers, Haveman, Kandrevas (MVC), Durhal

Department of Community Health

Reps. Lori (C), VerHeulen (VC), Muxlow, MacGregor, Tlaib (MVC), Dillon

Department of Environmental Quality

Reps. Kowall (C), Forlini (VC), Bumstead, Roberts (MVC)

Department of Human Services

Reps. MacGregor (C), McCready (VC), Pscholka, Muxlow, Tlaib (MVC), Kandrevas

Department of Natural Resources

Reps. Bumstead (C), McCready (VC), Jenkins, Brown (MVC)

Department of Education

Reps. Rogers (C), Howrylak (VC), Lori, Potvin, Singh (MVC), Zemke

Fiscal Oversight

Reps. Howrylak (C), Haveman (VC), Kandrevas (MVC)

General Government

Reps. Poleski (C), Kowall (VC), Rogers, Forlini, Durhal (MVC), Singh

Higher Education

Reps. Pscholka (C), Walsh (VC), MacGregor, VerHeulen, Singh (MVC), McCann, Kandrevas

Judiciary

Reps. Walsh (C), VerHeulen (VC), Howrylak, Faris (MVC)

Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

Reps. Forlini (C), Pscholka (VC), Bumstead, Kowall, Faris (MVC), Roberts

Military & Veterans Affairs

Reps. Jenkins (C), MacGregor (VC), MacMaster, Roberts (MVC)

Michigan State Police

Reps. McCready (C), Jenkins (VC), MacMaster, McCann (MVC)

School Aid

Reps. Rogers (C), Potvin (VC), Lori, Howrylak, Dillon (MVC), Brown

Supplementals

Reps. Haveman (C), Pscholka (VC), McCann (MVC)

Transportation

Reps. VerHeulen (C), Muxlow (VC), Pscholka, Poleski, Kandrevas (MVC)

posted by PAA Online , Friday, January 25, 2013 12:19 PM
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Senate Moves Gun Measures

The Senate Judiciary Committee moved two gun-related items to the Senate floor this week, but only one made it to the House. Senate Bills 0060 and 0063, sponsored by Senators Mike Green (R-Mayville) and Phil Pavlov (R-St. Clair), respectively, moved from the Senate panel on Wednesday.

SB 0060; was the only one to be voted from the Senate floor before the session week’s end – and certainly the less controversial of the two. The measure, described as a purely technical fix regarding a specific type of gun license, passed the full Senate 31-5.

SB 0063 is the measure that serves to exempt Michigan manufactured firearms and ammunition from federal regulations – the “Firearms Freedom Bill” remains on the Senate floor.

posted by PAA Online , 12:13 PM
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Tire Surcharge Proposed In Road Funding Debate

According to State Representative Wayne Schmidt (R-Traverse City), the creation of a tire surcharge on all vehicles could help raise the $1.6 billion needed to fix the roads in Michigan. The surcharge would be applied to tires on all vehicles, which includes bikes and off-road vehicles. Rep. Wayne Schmidt’s logic is that off-road vehicles and bikes have their own lanes, in the form of bicycle lanes or wider shoulders, thus they should assist by paying their fair share.

The transportation package will certainly take votes by both parties, thus requiring some compromise to take place.

Overall, Mr. Schmidt, appointed this week to Chair the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, thinks it is important to listen to all ideas that have and will be presented to ensure a variety of options from which policymakers may chose. Most importantly, he believes the best time to act and to fix the roads in Michigan is now.

posted by PAA Online , 12:08 PM
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Staff Changes Announced

The first announcement came from Washington as United States Representative Kerry Bentivolio (R-Milford) added three members to his staff. Congressman Bentivolio hired Tony Lis to oversee the operations of his district office in Commerce Township. Mr. Bentivolio also hired Matt Chisholm to the Washington office and Sarah Ledford to his district office.

Back here in Michigan, Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer (D-East Lansing) announced staff changes due, in part, to her Chief of Staff Mark Burton deciding to step down this February. As a result, Robert McCann will expand his position of spokesperson for Ms. Whitmer to also encompass external affairs duties. Legal Counsel John Mulcrone will help coordinate the caucus legislative activities and internal administration, as well as adding the title of Staff Director. Finally, Nancy Bohnet will oversee caucus activities and special activities while keeping her position as Special Adviser to Ms. Whitmer.

posted by PAA Online , 12:08 PM
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Last Week's Survey Results

The question in the January 18^th PAAdvisory asked readers if they believe Governor Rick Snyder’s 2013 State of the State Address was his best, his worst, or right in the middle.

56% indicated the speech was the Governor’s best, 33% replied that it was “right in the middle,” and 11% thought the speech was his worst.

posted by PAA Online , 12:05 PM
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PAAdvisory Briefs

Search Continues for New Supreme Court Justice
No timetable has officially been given by Governor Rick Snyder regarding his search for replacing the now retired former Michigan Supreme Court Justice Hathaway. Earlier this month, Ms. Hathaway retired from the court amid the discovery of the alleged illegal short-sale of her house and since has been charged with bank fraud by the U.S. Attorney in Detroit. Mr. Snyder is thoughtfully looking for the best candidate available to become the new seventh member of the Supreme Court and plans on naming an individual sooner rather than later.

New Passenger Record for Amtrak

Amtrak carried 792,769 people in 2012, which is a new record high in total passengers. Traveling with Amtrak occurs along three routes – the Wolverine, the Blue Water, and the Pere Marquette. Most passengers traveled using the Wolverine line, which runs from Pontiac to Chicago and carried more than 495,000 people. Additionally, all three routes produced record high revenues during 2012.

State Residents Encouraged to Shed Weight

State public health officials kicked off the MI Healthier Tomorrow campaign aimed to reduce obesity related diseases. The focus of the campaign is to encourage residents to shed 10% of their body weight in this calendar year. Health officials said studies show that there is a significant positive effect on hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease as a result of losing 10% of a person’s body weight. Furthermore, this campaign could help by reducing the amount Michigan spends on treatment for conditions related to weight problems (spent more than $3.1 billion in 2008).

posted by PAA Online , 12:04 PM
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Question of the Week January 25, 2013

posted by PAA Online , 11:33 AM
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