Tesla

Tesla Motors filed a lawsuit on Thursday in response to the Department of State denying the company a license to sell new vehicles in Michigan.

Tesla filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for Western Michigan and named Governor Rick Snyder, Secretary of State Ruth Johnson, and Attorney General Bill Schuette. The company is accusing the state of violating the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment and the Constitution’s Commerce Clause. Tesla is requesting the court to prohibit the state from enforcing PA 354 of 2014, a law that prohibits companies from selling vehicles directly in the state, and to award the company with a license to sell new vehicles in Michigan.

HB 5312, a bill to allow direct sales, has been sitting in the House Commerce and Trade Committee since February. The company has commented they would prefer to handle this matter in the Legislature. A spokesperson for Governor Rick Snyder added that if the Legislature wanted to revisit the issue, the Governor is open to them doing so.

posted by PAA Online , Friday, September 23, 2016 9:59 AM
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House Opens Up Legislative, Governor’s Records

The House Wednesday passed a package of bills that will expand and mirror the Freedom of Information Act to open up legislative and gubernatorial documents.

The package contains 10 bills (HB 5469, HB 5470, HB 5471, HB 5472, HB 5473, HB 5474, HB 5475, HB 5476, HB 5477, and HB 5478) and essentially end the exemption the governor had from the Freedom of Information Act. The bills also create the Legislative Open Records Act (LORA), which declares what records of the Legislature shall become public. The package was overwhelmingly passed.

Under the Legislative Open Records Act, the administrator of the Legislative Council recommends disciplinary action against the speaker of the House or the majority leader of the Senate if the administrator determines the House or Senate is charged with an excessive fee or failed to disclose information. Constituent communications and personnel records, such as human resources files, will be exempt from LORA as well as records relating to ongoing investigations or litigation, advisory communications within or between public bodies, and a few others.

The package goes to the Senate to await discussion.

posted by PAA Online , 9:58 AM
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MISO Agreement

The administration of Governor Rick Snyder and the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) reached an agreement regarding how alternative electric suppliers would obtain power for their consumers.

The agreement is designed to address a complaint from the utilities about Michigan’s existing system that sets aside 10 percent of the electric market to alternative electric suppliers. The complaint is that the alternative suppliers may not have agreements for the source of the power they sell, instead buying surplus energy off the market managed by MISO.

The Michigan Public Service Commission (PSC) would likely take control of managing capacity and the price of it. If the PSC assumes this role, suppliers would no longer have the ability to purchase electricity at auction. In that case, they would either sign a contract to purchase from a power-generating entity or they would purchase power from a utility at a price set by the PSC.

The agreement requires approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. No decision will likely be made until 2017.

posted by PAA Online , 9:58 AM
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Third Grade Reading Bill

The House and Senate made their final approvals to the third grade reading bill on Wednesday. The legislation heads to Governor Rick Snyder’s desk for approval.

HB 4822 aims at improving the number of students reading at grade level when they complete the third grade. It contains provisions for interventions for struggling students and requires the retention of students for an additional third grade year if the student fails to read at grade level. A provision allows a parent to appeal this or a student can demonstrate proficiency through other means.

The bill passed the House 60-47 and the Senate 25-10. Representative Andy Schor (D-Lansing) told his colleagues that after voting yes the first two times presented, he will have to vote no because the compromised version requires a student to be proficient in all subjects other than reading to move on and then receive remedial education in reading. Representative Schor feels a student proficient in at least one subject should be able to continue with that subject.

Representative Amanda Price (R-Park Township), sponsor of the bill, commented that 70 percent of the state’s children are not proficient, and believes this bill will help close that gap. The compromised bill kept the parent exemption, but dropped the exemption that allows a student’s principal and reading teacher to approve the advancement of a pupil.

posted by PAA Online , 9:57 AM
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PAAdvisory Briefs

HICA Passes

The House on Thursday voted to replace the Health Insurance Claims Assessment. SB 987 and SB 990 passed 62-45 and SB 988 and SB 989 passed 61-46. The State Budget Office has not supported this package, and spokesperson Kurt Weiss commented the administration is hoping to find a compromise. The package of bills will be sent back to the Senate to concur changes made in the House.

Snyder Creates Public Health Commission

Governor Snyder issued an executive order Thursday to create the Public Health Advisory Commission and promoted the chief medical executive to a Cabinet-level position. The Commission will serve as an advisory board within the Executive Office and will be tasked with providing input regarding public health issues, reviewing best practices, and recommending ways to improve public health in the state.

Snyder Signs Medical Marijuana

Governor Rick Snyder on Wednesday signed into law legislation that sets new regulations on medical marijuana growers, transporters and dispensaries, while allowing the use of edible forms of medical marijuana. HB 4209, HB 4827, and HB 4210 enable local governments to regulate marijuana provision centers and create a seed to sale tracking system. The bills take effect December 20.

Public Bodies Can’t Sue FOIA Requester

The House passed HB 5825 on Thursday, disallowing public bodies from suing an entity requesting information under the Freedom of Information Act. Inspiration for this bill came from before the August primary when The Daily News in Greenville submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to Montcalm County for files on some candidates, and in response the County sued the paper in lieu of providing files.

posted by PAA Online , 9:56 AM
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