Insider Intelligence

This week the House passed two bills making changes to Michigan’s voting laws. The first bill would eliminate straight ticket voting, thus removing the ability to cast one vote for a single party in all partisan races. The bill includes a $5 million appropriation for the Department of State to purchase voting equipment to help with the changes, thus making it referendum proof.

On Tuesday, the House passed an extension to the sunset on the Health Insurance Claims Assessment (HICA), a tax levied on health and medical services claims paid by health insurers, health maintenance organizations, other categories of insurance carriers, and third party administrators.

This week, the Senate passed legislation making changes to the state’s campaign finance laws. The bill would allow an independent expenditure committee to be formed by a corporation, business, or association, and allow it to make independent expenditures and contributions to other similar committees.

On Wednesday, the House Elections Committee reported a bill that would move county executive elections from presidential to gubernatorial election years. This bill would only apply to two counties in Michigan, Bay and Oakland, who are organized under PA 139 of 1973 and currently use the presidential cycle for elections.

On Tuesday, the Michigan State Board of Education adopted seven strategic goals to make Michigan a top ten education state in ten years. The board has been developing the goals over the past four months, following presentations that were given to the board, discussions with the State Superintendent Brian Whiston and the state Legislature, and input from stakeholders, specialists, and the general public.

This week it was announced that Governor Rick Snyder will deliver his sixth State of the State address on Tuesday, January 19 at 7 p.m. As with previous years, MLC will email a recap of his address that night. Prior to the address, we will provide information on where it will be broadcasted.

It was announced this week that the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is welcoming the public to attend and provide comment at the Governor’s Recycling Council’s January 12, 2016 meeting. The meeting will be held from noon to 2 p.m. at the Lansing Community College West Campus.

On Monday, December 14, the Board of State Canvassers will meet to consider if recall petitions submitted against Governor Rick Snyder and Senator Wayne Schmidt (R-Traverse City) state factually and clearly each reason for recall.

On Tuesday, December 15, the House, Senate and Governor Rick Snyder will issue special recognition for MLC client, the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, in acknowledgement of their 20th anniversary of federal recognition as a tribal government.