Energy Bills Go to Senate Floor

The Senate’s Energy and Technology Committee reported to the full chamber a comprehensive legislative package on energy. This is the first major energy legislation reported this term in the Senate. The House Energy Policy Committee reported an energy package six months ago, but no action has been taken since.

SB 437 and SB 438 keeps some provisions from the 2008 energy law, however reworks aspects of the electrical generation legal framework. The bills maintain at least a 10 percent goal of electrical generation through renewable sources and to boost waste reduction. Instead of a renewal portfolio standard percentage, the legislation calls for a 35 percent goal of generating Michigan’s electrical needs through alternative generation and waste reduction by 2025. Currently, the state has met around 20 percent of its needs this way.

The package also creates requirements for utilities to produce integrated resource plans (IRP) in concordance with their overall rate and plan proposals. IRPs will include how effective utilities are at using alternative energy solutions. The bills will also maintain current net metering rules that sell energy not used to the utilities for the next 10 years.

Committee Chair Senator Mike Nofs (R-Battle Creek) commented the bills can work within federal and industry rules to end coal-burning plants. Senator Mike Shirkey (R-Clarklake) was hesitant, specifically about SB 437, on the cost of the package in relation to the effect on customers. Senator David Knezek (D-Dearborn Heights) also wished to see further discussions.

Governor Rick Snyder’s administration voiced support as Valerie Brader, head of the Michigan Energy Agency, believes these bills put the state in a position to provide more reliable sources of energy in the future. CEO of Consumers Energy Patti Pope also voiced her support as these bills come at a critical time as demand for alternative energy is high.

It is unclear when and if this package will be taken up on the full Senate session floor.

posted by PAA Online , Friday, May 27, 2016 9:36 AM
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HICA

The Senate Michigan Competitiveness Committee reported several bills on Wednesday to end the Health Insurance Claims Assessment (HICA) to fund the state’s Medicaid program. This package was introduced on Tuesday.

SB 987, SB 988, SB 989, and SB 990 redirect the state’s use tax on Medicaid health maintenance organizations programs to programs benefitting from income tax revenues. The federal government recently called for the state to end the use tax to fund Medicaid, stating it is not broad-based enough. The income tax is inherently broad-based, so by allowing this to fund Medicaid and then redirecting the use tax, the state can appease the federal government.

Problems surrounding HICA are two fold; one, it did not produce the revenues expected at the time of its inception leaving the state to compensate for the $400 million lost in matching funds for the federal government, and two, a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision could mean a 6^th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision declaring HICA illegal.

Dominick Pallone, the deputy director of the Michigan Association of Health Plans has voiced his support along with Wendy Block of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce. Both parties believe this package solves HICA issues on all accounts from employer to the budget.

It is unclear whether Governor Rick Snyder is supportive of the legislation. The package moves to the House floor for further consideration.

posted by PAA Online , 9:35 AM
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Straight Ticket Vote Lawsuit

A lawsuit was filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court in Detroit against the straight-ticket ban passed in the legislature last year. In the suit, it claims SB 13 (PA 268 of 2015) violated the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution, the U.S. Voting Rights Act and the U.S. Americans with Disabilities Act.

Historically, vignettes have been required to accompany each political party on the ballot next to the straight party option. That option has been eliminated, however the vignettes are still required potentially causing confusion and false marking in lieu of an actual vote, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit also claims the law unreasonably burdens Michigan citizen’s right to vote, specifically unreasonably and disproportionately burdening the vote of African-Americans. It also claims the law denies African-Americans the right to vote based on race. Half of Michigan voters use the straight-ticket option with 75-80 percent of African-Americans doing so.

Michigan currently has some of the longest ballots and wait times in the country. Specifically, the lawsuit claims the state has the sixth longest. The lawsuit seeks to reverse SB 13 stating it serves no state interest and will only increase cost, confusion, line congestion, participation, and voter confidence.

Judge Gershwin Drain has been assigned to the case, and the lead attorney in the lawsuit is Mark Brewer, the former Democratic Party chair.

posted by PAA Online , 9:35 AM
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Preliminary Hearing for Courser, Gamrat Scandal

Former legislative aides to former Representatives Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat took the stand on Wednesday in front of a district court judge to determine if further legal action is necessary.

Ben Graham and Keith Allard made public recordings of both Mr. Courser and Ms. Gamrat revealing their affair and cover-up attempts, which include a false flag email. Both testified along with Joshua Cline, a former staffer who quit prior to the email incident. Mr. Courser had requested Mr. Graham send a false email accusing Mr. Courser of having a drug, alcohol, and pornography addiction, among other claims, to distract from his true affair. Both Mr. Graham and Mr. Allard recorded conversations regarding this before being fired from the office.

Mr. Courser has been charged with one count of perjury and three counts of misconduct in the office and Ms. Gamrat faces two felony charges of misconduct in the office. Both have been accused of asking staffers to sign blue backs.

Questions in the testimony were focused primarily on the blue back issue as well as the false email. Mr. Cline commented he has heard of staffers signing blue backs and other documents for their bosses. Ms. Gamrat’s attorney asked the staffers if she had ever specifically asked the staffers to sign her name on a blue back, to which they replied she agreed with Mr. Courser but did not explicitly give permission to do so.

Mr. Graham and Mr. Allard both testified to the scattered and stressed behavior of Mr. Courser. Mr. Graham added he recorded the email conversation because he believed the former Representative to be a danger to himself and Mr. Graham, as Mr. Courser kept a loaded gun in his Lapeer law office.

Judge Hugh Clarke conducted the hearing and also ruled the testimony during the House select committee back in September would be accepted conditionally. The preliminary exam will continue.

posted by PAA Online , 9:34 AM
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PAAdvisory Briefs

Unemployment Third Lowest Among Great Lakes States

Michigan’s April unemployment rate remained at 4.8 percent while other Great Lake States’ rates increased. Minnesota ranks as the lowest of the seven states with 3.8 percent followed by Wisconsin at 4.4 percent. Nationally, Michigan was tied with Florida at 4.8 percent. South Dakota had the lowest unemployment rate at 2.5 percent.

Gilbert to Withdraw from Election

Democrat Melissa Gilbert has withdrawn her candidacy for Michigan’s 8^th Congressional District race, citing that she is physically unable to run. Her resignation comes after the deadline; however Michigan law allows a candidate to withdraw if they have physical ailments preventing a run. The Department of State has not officially commented on the situation, but did say Ms. Gilbert’s name will remain on the August 8^th primary ballot, since the deadline has passed.

Forced Abortion Bills to Snyder

The Senate on Wednesday passed HB 4787 and HB 4830. These bills allow people to be fined if convicted of forcing a pregnant woman to have an abortion. Under legislation, a person who forces a woman to end her pregnancy can be fined $5,000 and charged with a misdemeanor. If that person is the father, the fine can be up to $10,000.

Energy Emergency Declared for Memorial Weekend

Governor Rick Snyder declared a state of energy emergency on Tuesday to ensure drivers have enough gasoline and diesel fuel available for the upcoming weekend. This Executive Order comes in response to a fuel pipeline being shut down in Wisconsin and an outage at the Marathon refinery in Detroit. The order suspends all state and federal regulations to hours of service for drivers carrying transportation fuels. The order is in effect now until it is rescinded or at 11:59 p.m. on June 6, whichever is first.

posted by PAA Online , 9:33 AM
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