EAA Passes Following Marathon Session

After more than six hours of session Thursday, the House of Representatives passed legislation to codify the Education Achievement Authority (EAA), permitting the expansion of the program beyond the 15 Detroit schools to 50 total throughout the state. The EAA is currently an agreement between Detroit Public Schools and Eastern Michigan University.

Around 6PM, three amendments were adopted to House Bill 4369 that evidently pulled enough votes together to move the legislation. The measure, sponsored by Representative Lisa Posthumus Lyons, ultimately passed 57-53 with Republican Representatives Jon Bumstead (R-Newaygo), Ben Glardon (R-Owosso), and Peter Pettalia (R-Presque Isle) voting no.

The late amendments that took the reform over the top include an option for a school to come under the oversight of their intermediate school district as an alternative to the EAA. Another significant change was a requirement that, upon hiring a public school employee that is part of the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System (MPSERS), that employee remain in MPSERS.

House floor debate was frequently emotional as proponents and opponents came to the podiums, including a roughly 15-minute speech from former Democratic Representative John Olumba (I-Detroit) in support of the EAA expansion.

posted by PAA Online , Friday, March 22, 2013 10:29 AM
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Blue Cross Blue Shield Legislation Signed

The ongoing saga surrounding the legislative package to reform Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan came to an end Monday when Governor Rick Snyder added his signature. Senate Bills 61 and 62 are now Public Act 3 and 4 of 2013, respectively, and both have immediate effect.

The legislation essentially mirrors the package from last session and proposes to change the Blues into a nonprofit mutual company and treat it largely like any other insurer in the market. The company would lose its tax exempt status, repeal PA 350, and no longer have involvement from the Attorney General in rate increase requests. Further, the proposal calls for the Blues to pay $1.56 billion over 18 years into an independent nonprofit working toward the overall improvement of the state’s health.

Senators Joe Hune (R-Hamburg) and Virgil Smith (D-Detroit), sponsors of the legislation, joined the Governor and Blue Cross Blue Shield officials at a ceremony to sign the bills at the company’s Detroit headquarters.

Meanwhile, while he indicated he would not bring legal action, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette reiterated his opposition to the reform based on his belief that potential Medigap increases after 2016 would adversely affect senior citizens.

posted by PAA Online , 10:29 AM
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Senate Adjourns with No Healthcare Exchange Vote

The Senate adjourned session Thursday without voting on the proposed federal-state partnership on the health insurance exchange, House Bill 4111. With a two week absence for Spring Break pending for the Legislature, Governor Snyder had indicated that Thursday was the last day for the Legislature to act in order to ensure the State would have any role in the exchange.

With the Legislature’s failure to act and appropriate the $31 million to set up the exchange, the federal government will be the ones designing and implementing the exchange enabling Michigan citizens to compare insurance plans when shopping under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Senator Jack Brandenburg (R-Harrison Township) reportedly conducted a whip count this week that fell well short of the required votes from Republican members of the Senate.

The Senate passed a state-run exchange in 2011; however, the House of Representatives did not act on the legislation and it died at the end of session. With the House having acted this year, the Senate Republicans were reluctant to take what many consider to be a politically toxic vote again.

posted by PAA Online , 10:28 AM
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House Passes Occupational Reform Package

A seven-bill package to deregulate some occupations currently licensed or otherwise regulated by the State of Michigan passed the House of Representatives Thursday after clearing the House Regulatory Reform Committee earlier in the week.

House Bill 4376 repeals the regulation of proprietary school solicitors and passed the House 109-1.
House Bill 4377 repeals the regulation of community planners and passed the House 95-15.
House Bill 4378 repeals the regulation of interior designers and passed the House 110-0.
House Bills 4379, 4380 and 4381 repeal the regulation of foresters and all passed the House 105-5.
House Bill 4392 repeals the regulation of ocularists and passed the House 105-5.

The original package also included legislation to deregulate immigration clerical assistants; however, the bill sponsor, Representative Klint Kesto (R-Commerce Township) indicated the measures need more work.

The package was the result of recommendations made to the Governor by the Occupational Advisory Rules Committee appointed in 2012.

posted by PAA Online , 10:27 AM
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March 15th Survery Results

In the March 15^th edition of PAAdvisory, readers were asked if they believed the newly appointed Emergency Financial Manager for the City of Detroit, Kevyn Orr, would be able to save the City of Detroit from Bankruptcy.

53 percent of respondents indicated “yes,” while 47 percent indicated “no.”

posted by PAA Online , 10:26 AM
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PAAdvisory Briefs

Bauer Rules Out Senate Run
In somewhat of a surprise announcement Tuesday made via Facebook, former State Representative Joan Bauer proclaimed that she will not be running for the State Senate seat that will be open when Senator Gretchen Whitmer (D-East Lansing) leaves office in 2014. Bauer’s announcement leaves current Ingham County Register of Deeds Curtis Hertel, Jr. as the only confirmed and campaigning candidate.

New Department Officially Opens

The New Department of Financial and Insurance Services officially opened for business Monday. The former Office of Financial and Insurance Services (OFIS), then under the umbrella of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), became a new Department following the issuance of Executive Order 2013-1 in January. Kevin Clinton, formerly OFIS Commissioner, is now Director of the new Department and a member of Governor Snyder’s cabinet.

Fred Hall to Retire

Longtime legal counsel to the Senate Republican Caucus, Fred Hall, is set to retire effective April 1^st. Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville delivered a message to Mr. Hall on the Senate floor Thursday, and well-wishers joined Mr. Hall at a reception in his honor Thursday evening. Mr. Hall held the position for 21 years.

New Chief Medical Officer

Associate professor of pediatrics and internal medicine at the University of Michigan, Matthew Davis, was named Michigan’s Chief Medical Officer earlier this week. Dr. Davis is a graduate of Harvard Medical School and was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholar and Irving Harris Child Policy Fellow at the University of Chicago. Dr. Davis will join Department of Community Health Director Jim Haveman to advise on overall health policy development.

posted by PAA Online , 10:24 AM
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Question of the Week 3/22/2013

posted by PAA Online , 9:41 AM
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