Under a proposed amendment to the
State Constitution, HJR FF, all bills signed into law would take effect
90 days after enactment. The House has previously allowed, under both
Democratic and Republican majorities, the presiding officer to grant immediate
effect bills on a voice vote. The presiding officer would do so even when it
was obvious that 1/3 of the House opposed immediate effect, and the practice
was previously upheld by the State Supreme Court. The Legislature could still
grant a bill immediate effect under the proposal, but it would require a 2/3
majority roll call vote in both the House and the Senate. This is the process
currently used in the Senate.
If there is no effective date in the
bill itself, and immediate effect is not imposed, the bill will take effect on
the 91st day after enactment. Representative Ed McBroom (R-Vulcan) proposed the
measure, which quickly saw other members rush to co-sponsor it. 96 of the other
109 members signed on to co-sponsor McBroom’s amendment. Speaker Bolger has
referred the amendment to the House Government Operations Committee, where
committee chair Representative Pete Lund (R- Shelby Township) has made no
promises on a hearing or a vote.