House Passes Medical Marijuana Bills

A package of bills regarding medical marijuana passed the House with wide margins on Wednesday. HB 4209, HB 4210, and HB 4827 allows medical marijuana patients to pay a 9 percent tax, but be able to purchase the product from a licensed dispensary and to use topical and edible forms of the drug legally.

HB 4209 establishes a regulatory structure with five types of licenses for growers, processors, testing labs, transporters, and dispensaries. Local governments will have to pass their own ordinances for provisioning centers, but will receive a portion of the tax revenue and have the ability to set a licensing fee in addition to a licensing fee established by the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). HB 4209 also sets a 3 percent excise tax on provisioning center profits and a 6 percent sales tax. Additionally, the bill restricts marketing towards minors and prohibits edible products from taking a shape attractive to minors.

HB 4210 allows non-smokeable forms of marijuana, but bans butane extraction in residential areas and HB 4827 establishes a seed to sale tracking system.

LARA will set policies to implement and enforce the act. The department will also set minimum levels of insurance operators must carry, as well as the testing, qualifications and limits for facility operators.

Senator Rick Jones (R-Grand Ledge), chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee anticipates passing the bills, but has some reservations regarding reducing the excise tax from 8 percent to 3 percent. Mr. Jones commented that he and the Senate Judiciary Committee would revisit this portion of the package to ensure there are enough funds for this system to function properly.

Willie Rochon with the Michigan Cannabis Association praised the House for the package, and is hopeful these bills will be signed into law.

posted by PAA Online , Friday, October 9, 2015 10:10 AM
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17 Year Olds to No Longer Be Tried as Adults

The House is introducing a 21-bill package this week to reform juvenile justice in the state. This package will end automatically trying 17 year olds as adults and will prohibit the placement of minors under 18 in adult facilities. Instead, minors will be provided access to age appropriate rehabilitation.

The package also includes: increasing the County Child Care Fund reimbursement by 25 percent; requiring equal consideration of all mitigating factors prior to waiving jurisdiction in juvenile waiver cases; ensuring age appropriate programming and exercise for individuals under 21 in administrative segregation in prison; requiring public monitoring and oversight under the Department of Corrections for those committing offenses prior to 18; and establishing a family advisory board within the Department of Corrections. The package omits safe or bank robbery, escaping a juvenile facility, and drug possession or delivery of up to 1,000 grams from the list of specified offenses.

Representative Harvey Santana (D-Detroit), lead sponsor of the bills, said these bills would be a cost saving maneuver, however not right away. Chair of the House Criminal Justice Committee Representative Kurt Heise (R-Plymouth) said the Committee will soon be taking up the bills and is supportive of the package.

The Department of Corrections, the Michigan Association of Counties, the Michigan Sheriff’s Association, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Michigan Judges Association and others formed to create a workgroup to craft the legislation.

Other legislators involved include Senator Rick Jones (R-Grand Ledge), who introduced a similar bill in the Senate, Representative Michael Webber (R-Rochester Hills), Representative Martin Howrylak (R-Troy), Representative LaTanya Garrett (D-Detroit), Representative Anthony Forlini (R- Harrison Township), Representative Chris Afendoulis (R-Grand Rapids Township), Representative Dave Pagel (R-Berrien Springs), Representative Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit), Representative Leslie Love (D-Detroit), and Representative Robert Kosowski (D-Westland).

posted by PAA Online , 10:08 AM
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Pension Tax Exemption Passed Committee

On Tuesday, the Senate Finance Committee passed unanimously SB 368, which seeks to expand upon pension tax exemptions for public safety retirees not receiving Social Security benefits. The Governor signed an earlier state exemption back in 2011, however it was granted only to public safety officials that were born between 1946 and 1952. SB 368 would to expand this to include individuals born after 1952.

Don Taylor, president of the Retired Detroit Police and Fire Fighters Association, testified that this age group left out of the exemption has struggled, especially with Detroit’s bankruptcy. Mr. Taylor stated that individuals saw an increase in their pension tax as well as a reduction in their pension benefits, and a 90 percent loss on their health care coverage.

Senator Marty Knollenberg (R-Troy) had reservations about the age of the affected, stating that the average age was younger than the age of most retirees. Mr. Knollenberg questioned whether or not these individuals could work, and if the taxpayers were footing their retirement costs.

In response, Senator Ken Horn (R-Frankenmuth) asked the committee to consider the sacrifices these public safety officials had made in their career and the situations they are in now.

A Senate Fiscal Agency analysis noted that the bill is retroactive, that the General Fund and School Aid Fund revenue would decrease, but the number depends on the amount of participants and their specific finances. The analysis also reported the impact for the 2015-2016 budget would be about three times the ordinary annual impact of the bill and that the impact will decrease as the years continue.

posted by PAA Online , 10:07 AM
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PAAdvisory Briefs

Meekhof Announces Hoekstra to Deputy Director

Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof (R-West Olive) announced Rachel Hoekstra’s promotion as the new deputy director of the Senate Majority Policy Office. Ms. Hoekstra was previously the appropriations coordinator and deputy legislative director. She has also served as a legislative director for former Senator Tony Stamas, former Representative Chris Ward, and Senator Dave Hildenbrand (R-Lowell) while he served in the House.

Johnson Reaches $350,000

Former Democratic Party Chair Lon Johnson announced via Twitter that his campaigning efforts have raised more than $350,000 in the recent quarter. Mr. Johnson is running for the Democratic nomination of the 1^st U.S. District against former Kalkaska County Sheriff Jerry Cannon. In his Twitter announcement, Mr. Johnson displayed a graphic that shows his numbers are ahead of Mr. Cannon in his 2014 run and Gary McDowell in his 2012 election run against U.S. Representative Dan Benishek (R-Crystal Falls). Reports for the quarter are due October 15.

posted by PAA Online , 10:06 AM
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