No. 15
STATE OF MICHIGAN
Journal of the Senate
96th Legislature
REGULAR SESSION OF 2012
Senate Chamber, Lansing, Thursday, February 16, 2012.
10:00 a.m.
The Senate was called to order by the President, Lieutenant Governor Brian N. Calley.
The roll was called by the Secretary of the Senate, who announced that a quorum was present.
Anderson—present Hood—present Pappageorge—present
Bieda—present Hopgood—present Pavlov—present
Booher—present Hune—present Proos—present
Brandenburg—present Hunter—present Richardville—present
Casperson—present Jansen—present Robertson—present
Caswell—present Johnson—present Rocca—present
Colbeck—present Jones—present Schuitmaker—present
Emmons—present Kahn—present Smith—present
Gleason—present Kowall—present Walker—present
Green—present Marleau—present Warren—present
Gregory—present Meekhof—present Whitmer—present
Hansen—present Moolenaar—present Young—present
Hildenbrand—present Nofs—present
Pastor Dan Klotz of Resurrection Life Church of Cadillac offered the following invocation:
Heavenly Father, we come to You today and we thank You that You are still the Maker of the heavens and the earth. You are alive and active, able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ask or imagine. We thank You that at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Today we are asking, invoking, calling upon Your name for support in time of need. So we boldly come to Your throne to obtain favor from You. Lord, we lift up every great leader that You have called here today, for all authority comes from You, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by You. So we honor and value Your appointed leaders.
Your word says that Your presence among us sets Your people apart from all other people on the earth. We petition Your very presence to fill these hearts and minds with wisdom and power from above. Lord, we ask for a time of refreshing for Your leaders and their families, that they may be filled with Your strength and Your hope.
I declare Your promises over Your people and over the state of Michigan. These promises in Your word say, “I know the plans I have for you. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. I will lead you by ways you have not known; along unfamiliar paths I will guide you. I will turn the darkness into light before you and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake you. I give strength to the weary and increase the power of the weak. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
God, be merciful and bless Your leaders and cause Your face to shine upon them and prosper all the work they do. We speak this blessing over these leaders and over the state of Michigan: “May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you peace.” In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
The President, Lieutenant Governor Calley, led the members of the Senate in recital of the Pledge of Allegiance.
Motions and Communications
Senators Nofs and Hood entered the Senate Chamber.
The following communication was received and read:
Office of the Senate Majority Leader
February 9, 2012
Pursuant to PA 285 of 2011, I am making the following nominations for appointments to the Aquatic Invasive Species Advisory Council:
Mr. Kent Wood, 1635 Spartan Village, Apt. C, East Lansing, Michigan 48823, a Representative of a Statewide Private Conservation Organization;
Mr. Tim Eder, 720 Island Lake, Chelsea, Michigan 48118, a Representative of the Great Lakes Commission;
Mr. Jason Geer, 4160 Karla Court, Midland, Michigan 48642, a Representative of a Statewide Association of Businesses;
Mr. Mark Parrish, 3720 South Cleveland Avenue, Saint Joseph, Michigan 49085, a Representative of an Association of Indian Tribes;
Mr. Geoff Steinhart, 3105 Sherman Park Drive, Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan 49783, a Representative of a Public University with an Aquatic Research Center.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Michael Parr in my office at 517-373-3543.
Sincerely,
Randy Richardville
Senate Majority Leader
17th District
The communication was referred to the Secretary for record.
The Secretary announced that the Majority Leader has made the appointment of the following standing committee:
Outdoor Recreation and Tourism - Senator Meekhof replacing Senator Brandenburg.
The standing committee appointment was approved, a majority of the members serving voting therefor.
The following communication was received:
Department of State Police
February 2, 2012
I am pleased to submit the 2010-2011 Concealed Pistol License (CPL) Annual Report, as required by Public Act 372 of 1927, as amended. This report details the CPL activity from July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011.
The revised laws regarding concealed pistol licensure went into effect on July 1, 2001. A summary of the CPL activity since that date is shown below.
Concealed Pistol License Activity
Year Applications Applications Number of
Received Approved Criminal Violations
2001-2002 62,902 53,000 92
2002-2003 29,914 27,499 221
2003-2004 35,585 31,121 398
2004-2005 58,366 54,677 403
2005-2006 40,238 36,754 548
2006-2007 22,403 23,790 938
2007-2008 33,411 26,578 1,319
2008-2009 73,105 66,446 1,292
2009-2010 90,808 86,661 1,005
2010-2011 84,827 87,637 2,711
The number of criminal violations is higher than the last reporting year, due to the fact that several counties that failed to report last year verified and returned their information during this reporting period. With the use of the Rap Back program, implemented through the Michigan Department of State Police (MSP) in 2006, county gun boards can subscribe to receive notification of criminal activity on licensees from their county. This has made an obvious impact on reporting to gun boards when CPL holders are processed criminally. As the applicant database grows, criminal violations are more easily tracked; as such, reporting on violations improves. This year, a comparison report was compiled matching criminal history information with CPL holders. This information was provided to every county. The counties then verified the information, making changes as necessary, with the corrected information being returned to the Firearms Records Unit. This simplified the previous process, which required counties to complete a form for each licensee arrested.
If you have any questions regarding the information in this report, please contact Ms. Theresa Hart at (517) 241-2102.
Sincerely,
Kristie Etue
Director
The communication was referred to the Secretary for record.
Senator Bieda moved that Senator Johnson be temporarily excused from today’s session.
The motion prevailed.
Senator Meekhof moved that Senator Richardville be temporarily excused from today’s session.
The motion prevailed.
The Secretary announced that the following House bills were received in the Senate and filed on Wednesday, February 15:
House Bill Nos. 5130 5332
The Secretary announced that the following official bills were printed on Wednesday, February 15, and are available at the legislative website:
Senate Bill Nos. 938 939 940 941 942 943 944 945 946 947 948 949 950 951
952 953 954 955 956 957 958 959 960 961 962 963 964 965
966 967
House Bill Nos. 5394 5395 5396 5397 5398 5399 5400
Recess
Senator Meekhof moved that the Senate recess until 11:30 a.m.
The motion prevailed, the time being 10:08 a.m.
The Senate reconvened at the expiration of the recess and was called to order by the President, Lieutenant Governor Calley.
During the recess, Senator Johnson entered the Senate Chamber.
Recess
Senator Meekhof moved that the Senate recess until 11:40 a.m.
The motion prevailed, the time being 11:31 a.m.
The Senate reconvened at the expiration of the recess and was called to order by the President, Lieutenant Governor Calley.
During the recess, Senator Richardville entered the Senate Chamber.
By unanimous consent the Senate proceeded to the order of
General Orders
Senator Meekhof moved that the Senate resolve itself into the Committee of the Whole for consideration of the General Orders calendar.
The motion prevailed, and the President, Lieutenant Governor Calley, designated Senator Proos as Chairperson.
After some time spent therein, the Committee arose; and the President, Lieutenant Governor Calley, having resumed the Chair, the Committee reported back to the Senate, favorably and without amendment, the following bill:
House Bill No. 5011, entitled
A bill to amend 1972 PA 230, entitled “Stille-DeRossett-Hale single state construction code act,” by amending section 2a (MCL 125.1502a), as added by 1999 PA 245, and by adding section 9.
The bill was placed on the order of Third Reading of Bills.
The Committee of the Whole reported back to the Senate, favorably and with a substitute therefor, the following bill:
House Bill No. 4754, entitled
A bill to amend 1976 PA 295, entitled “State transportation preservation act of 1976,” by amending section 10 (MCL 474.60), as amended by 2011 PA 29.
Substitute (S-1).
The Senate agreed to the substitute recommended by the Committee of the Whole, and the bill as substituted was placed on the order of Third Reading of Bills.
The Committee of the Whole reported back to the Senate, favorably and with a substitute therefor, the following bill:
House Bill No. 4589, entitled
A bill to amend 1964 PA 170, entitled “An act to make uniform the liability of municipal corporations, political subdivisions, and the state, its agencies and departments, officers, employees, and volunteers thereof, and members of certain boards, councils, and task forces when engaged in the exercise or discharge of a governmental function, for injuries to property and persons; to define and limit this liability; to define and limit the liability of the state when engaged in a proprietary function; to authorize the purchase of liability insurance to protect against loss arising out of this liability; to provide for defending certain claims made against public officers, employees, and volunteers and for paying damages sought or awarded against them; to provide for the legal defense of public officers, employees, and volunteers; to provide for reimbursement of public officers and employees for certain legal expenses; and to repeal acts and parts of acts,” by amending sections 1, 2, and 2a (MCL 691.1401, 691.1402, and 691.1402a), section 1 as amended by 2001 PA 131 and section 2 as amended and section 2a as added by 1999 PA 205.
Substitute (S-2).
The Senate agreed to the substitute recommended by the Committee of the Whole, and the bill as substituted was placed on the order of Third Reading of Bills.
The Committee of the Whole reported back to the Senate, favorably and with a substitute therefor, the following bill:
Senate Bill No. 683, entitled
A bill to make, supplement, and adjust appropriations for various state departments and agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2011; and to provide for the expenditure of the appropriations.
Substitute (S-1).
The Senate agreed to the substitute recommended by the Committee of the Whole, and the bill as substituted was placed on the order of Third Reading of Bills.
The Committee of the Whole reported back to the Senate, favorably and with a substitute therefor, the following bill:
Senate Bill No. 515, entitled
A bill to authorize the state administrative board to convey certain parcels of state-owned property in Wayne county to the land bank fast track authority; to prescribe conditions for the conveyance; to provide for certain powers and duties of certain state departments and agencies in regard to the property; and to provide for disposition of revenue derived from the conveyance.
Substitute (S-6).
The following are the amendments to the substitute recommended by the Committee of the Whole:
1. Amend page 4, line 5, by striking out all of subdivision (d) and relettering the remaining subdivisions.
2. Amend page 4, line 24, by striking out all of subdivision (f).
3. Amend page 5, line 9, by striking out all of subdivision (b) and relettering the remaining subdivisions.
4. Amend page 5, line 12, after “(a)” by striking out “or, if applicable, subdivision (b)”.
5. Amend page 5, following line 22, by striking out the balance of the section.
The Senate agreed to the substitute as amended recommended by the Committee of the Whole, and the bill as substituted was placed on the order of Third Reading of Bills.
By unanimous consent the Senate returned to the order of
Third Reading of Bills
Senator Meekhof moved that the following bills be placed at the head of the Third Reading of Bills calendar:
Senate Bill No. 602
Senate Bill No. 603
Senate Bill No. 874
The motion prevailed.
The following bill was read a third time:
Senate Bill No. 602, entitled
A bill to amend 1973 PA 116, entitled “An act to provide for the protection of children through the licensing and regulation of child care organizations; to provide for the establishment of standards of care for child care organizations; to prescribe powers and duties of certain departments of this state and adoption facilitators; to provide penalties; and to repeal acts and parts of acts,” (MCL 722.111 to 722.128) by adding section 9b.
The question being on the passage of the bill,
Senator Kowall offered the following amendment:
1. Amend page 2, following line 8, by inserting:
“(4) THIS SECTION MAY BE REFERRED TO AS THE “ISABELA GRACE NAGARA LAW”.”.
The amendment was adopted, a majority of the members serving voting therefor.
The question being on the passage of the bill,
The bill was passed, a majority of the members serving voting therefor, as follows:
Roll Call No. 83 Yeas—38
Anderson Gregory Kahn Richardville
Bieda Hansen Kowall Robertson
Booher Hildenbrand Marleau Rocca
Brandenburg Hood Meekhof Schuitmaker
Casperson Hopgood Moolenaar Smith
Caswell Hune Nofs Walker
Colbeck Hunter Pappageorge Warren
Emmons Jansen Pavlov Whitmer
Gleason Johnson Proos Young
Green Jones
Nays—0
Excused—0
Not Voting—0
In The Chair: President
The Senate agreed to the title of the bill.
The following bill was read a third time:
Senate Bill No. 603, entitled
A bill to amend 1976 PA 331, entitled “Michigan consumer protection act,” by amending section 3 (MCL 445.903), as amended by 2010 PA 195 and by adding section 3j.
The question being on the passage of the bill,
The bill was passed, a majority of the members serving voting therefor, as follows:
Roll Call No. 84 Yeas—34
Anderson Hansen Kahn Richardville
Bieda Hildenbrand Kowall Robertson
Booher Hood Marleau Rocca
Brandenburg Hopgood Meekhof Smith
Colbeck Hune Moolenaar Walker
Emmons Hunter Pappageorge Warren
Gleason Jansen Pavlov Whitmer
Green Johnson Proos Young
Gregory Jones
Nays—4
Casperson Caswell Nofs Schuitmaker
Excused—0
Not Voting—0
In The Chair: President
The Senate agreed to the title of the bill.
The following bill was read a third time:
Senate Bill No. 874, entitled
A bill to amend 1998 PA 58, entitled “Michigan liquor control code of 1998,” by amending section 501 (MCL 436.1501), as amended by 2006 PA 547.
The question being on the passage of the bill,
The bill was passed, a majority of the members serving voting therefor, as follows:
Roll Call No. 85 Yeas—38
Anderson Gregory Kahn Richardville
Bieda Hansen Kowall Robertson
Booher Hildenbrand Marleau Rocca
Brandenburg Hood Meekhof Schuitmaker
Casperson Hopgood Moolenaar Smith
Caswell Hune Nofs Walker
Colbeck Hunter Pappageorge Warren
Emmons Jansen Pavlov Whitmer
Gleason Johnson Proos Young
Green Jones
Nays—0
Excused—0
Not Voting—0
In The Chair: President
The Senate agreed to the title of the bill.
By unanimous consent the Senate returned to the order of
Messages from the Governor
The following message from the Governor was received:
Date: February 7, 2012
Time: 2:40 p.m.
To the President of the Senate:
Sir—I have this day approved and signed
Enrolled Senate Bill No. 130 (Public Act No. 13), being
An act to amend 1949 PA 300, entitled “An act to provide for the registration, titling, sale, transfer, and regulation of certain vehicles operated upon the public highways of this state or any other place open to the general public or generally accessible to motor vehicles and distressed vehicles; to provide for the licensing of dealers; to provide for the examination, licensing, and control of operators and chauffeurs; to provide for the giving of proof of financial responsibility and security by owners and operators of vehicles; to provide for the imposition, levy, and collection of specific taxes on vehicles, and the levy and collection of sales and use taxes, license fees, and permit fees; to provide for the regulation and use of streets and highways; to create certain funds; to provide penalties and sanctions for a violation of this act; to provide for civil liability of owners and operators of vehicles and service of process on residents and nonresidents; to regulate the introduction and use of certain evidence; to provide for the levy of certain assessments; to provide for the enforcement of this act; to provide for the creation of and to prescribe the powers and duties of certain state and local agencies; to impose liability upon the state or local agencies; to provide appropriations for certain purposes; to repeal all other acts or parts of acts inconsistent with this act or contrary to this act; and to repeal certain parts of this act on a specific date,” by amending section 321a (MCL 257.321a), as amended by 2004 PA 362.
(Filed with the Secretary of State on February 15, 2012, at 10:14 a.m.)
Respectfully,
Rick Snyder
Governor
By unanimous consent the Senate proceeded to the order of
Introduction and Referral of Bills
Senator Hildenbrand introduced
Senate Bill No. 972, entitled
A bill to amend 1893 PA 206, entitled “The general property tax act,” by amending section 44 (MCL 211.44), as amended by 2011 PA 126.
The bill was read a first and second time by title and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Senators Marleau, Colbeck, Proos, Kahn, Green, Jones, Hansen, Emmons, Hildenbrand, Kowall, Jansen, Booher, Meekhof, Rocca, Pavlov, Pappageorge, Casperson, Walker, Moolenaar and Richardville introduced
Senate Bill No. 973, entitled
A bill to enter into the interstate health care compact; and for related purposes.
The bill was read a first and second time by title and referred to the Committee on Health Policy.
Senators Jones, Marleau, Booher, Schuitmaker and Meekhof introduced
Senate Bill No. 974, entitled
A bill to amend 2008 IL 1, entitled “Michigan medical marihuana act,” by amending section 7 (MCL 333.26427).
The bill was read a first and second time by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Senators Moolenaar, Jansen, Kahn, Colbeck, Green, Proos, Schuitmaker, Walker, Booher, Hildenbrand, Marleau, Kowall, Pavlov, Brandenburg, Meekhof, Casperson, Emmons, Hune, Nofs, Robertson, Rocca, Pappageorge and Hansen introduced
Senate Bill No. 975, entitled
A bill to protect religious liberty and rights of conscience in the areas of health care and medical and scientific research as it pertains to employment, education and training, and providing or participating in health care services and to the purchasing of or providing for the purchase of health insurance; to provide immunity from liability; and to prescribe penalties and provide remedies.
The bill was read a first and second time by title and referred to the Committee on Health Policy.
House Bill No. 5130, entitled
A bill to amend 2000 PA 92, entitled “Food law of 2000,” by amending sections 1101, 1105, 1107, 1109, 1111, 1113, 2119, 2125, 2127, 2129, 3103, 3105, 3125, 3127, 3133, 4102, 4103, 4105, 4111, 4117, 4123, 4125, 4127, 4129, 5101, 5105, 6101, 6107, 6129, 6135, 7101, 7113, 7133, 7137, and 8107 (MCL 289.1101, 289.1105, 289.1107, 289.1109, 289.1111, 289.1113, 289.2119, 289.2125, 289.2127, 289.2129, 289.3103, 289.3105, 289.3125, 289.3127, 289.3133, 289.4102, 289.4103, 289.4105, 289.4111, 289.4117, 289.4123, 289.4125, 289.4127, 289.4129, 289.5101, 289.5105, 289.6101, 289.6107, 289.6129, 289.6135, 289.7101, 289.7113, 289.7133, 289.7137, and 289.8107), section 1105 as amended by 2010 PA 113, section 1107 as amended by 2008 PA 338, sections 1109, 2119, 2125, 2129, 3103, 3125, 3127, and 4103 as amended by 2007 PA 113, section 4102 as added by 2010 PA 112, section 4105 as amended by 2010 PA 145, sections 4111, 4117, 4125, 5101, 5105, 6101, 6129, 7113, 7137, and 8107 as amended by 2007 PA 114, and section 7101 as amended by 2002 PA 487, and by adding sections 2132, 4114, 7104, 7112, and 7114; and to repeal acts and parts of acts.
The House of Representatives has passed the bill and ordered that it be given immediate effect.
The bill was read a first and second time by title and referred to the Committee on Agriculture.
House Bill No. 5332, entitled
A bill to amend 1967 PA 281, entitled “Income tax act of 1967,” by amending sections 680 and 691 (MCL 206.680 and 206.691), as added by 2011 PA 38.
The House of Representatives has passed the bill and ordered that it be given immediate effect.
The bill was read a first and second time by title and referred to the Committee on Economic Development.
Statements
Senators Whitmer, Hunter, Young, Gregory and Anderson asked and were granted unanimous consent to make statements and moved that the statements be printed in the Journal.
The motion prevailed.
Senator Whitmer’s statement is as follows:
A couple of weeks ago, Clint Eastwood proclaimed that it was halftime in America—a time for us to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and work together to ensure America comes out on top in the second half. He said, “This country can’t be knocked out with one punch. We get right back up again and when we do the world is going to hear the roar of our engines.” I think we can say that the second half has officially begun because this morning we heard—the world heard—Detroit’s engines roaring loudly as General Motors announced that 2011 ended with a record profit of $7.6 billion. If that doesn’t say game on, I don’t know what does.
Unfortunately, some people still refuse to acknowledge the fact that the success of General Motors is not just a success for a company and its workers, but it is a triumph for Michigan and for our country. Mitt Romney continues to attack the investment in our future when former President Bush and President Obama stood up for Detroit’s Big Three. Instead of record profits the company is now seeing, and instead of the $7,000 each of GM’s workers will take home as their share of those profits to reinvest in our state’s economy, Romney would rather have the company simply faded into history.
If it is truly halftime in America, apparently, Governor Romney’s pep talk would have been we can’t win, so let’s just bet on the other team, sell off our assets, and make some money. What’s even more shocking is on the very day General Motors announces this news, our own Governor Rick Snyder endorses this man who so famously quipped, “Let Detroit go bankrupt.” Is that the type of leadership Governor Snyder is so anxious to see in the White House?
In his endorsement, Governor Snyder went as far to say, “Mitt understands the challenges confronting Michigan as few Americans do.” That may actually be true because very few Americans would say the solution to Michigan’s problems is to destroy its largest industry as Governor Romney advocated.
Today should be a day for Michigan to celebrate, but instead we have our own Governor politicizing it by endorsing a man who wanted to throw the towel in on Michigan. Mitt may have been born in Detroit, but his heart has been outsourced to Wall Street.
To Governor Snyder, I would suggest that as Michigan prepares to do battle in the second half, you should determine which team you are actually rooting for: Team Michigan or Team Romney? They are not the same.
Senator Hunter’s statement is as follows:
Might I indulge your attention as well as my colleagues’ attention to announce the death of one of our former colleagues from decades past. I am referring to Representative Nelis J. Saunders. She was born on September 3, 1923, in Orlando, Florida. She served in the Michigan House between the years of 1969-1972. Since her service in the Michigan House, she remained very active in her community in the southeastern Michigan area. She was involved in organizations such as the Urban League, NAACP, the Order of the Eastern Star, and many, many others.
The funeral is coming up this Monday, and arrangements are coming together. I just want to take this time to pay tribute and honor to this woman who served the great state of Michigan and particularly the city of Detroit.
A moment of silence was observed in memory of former Representative Nelis J. Saunders.
Senator Young’s statement is as follows:
Mr. President, I would like to start with a quote: “What could have destroyed us made us stronger thanks to the heroes and volunteers who turned the worst attack on American soil into the most successful rescue operation in American history. Our skyline will rise again; the people are going to be whole again.” New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
Mr. President, on Black History Month, I would like to talk about a black pilot on 9/11 that most people don’t know about. How many knew about the black pilot who crashed his plane in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on September 11, 2001? Not many know his name or his history, but knew that the pilot was an educated black man who was married and a father. A short bio will tell us all about what happened. His name was Leroy Homer, Jr.
In September 2011, America marked the 10th anniversary of 9/11—a tragedy that seized as if it only happened a short while ago. One thing some people might observe the question of what was the impact of 9/11 on African Americans. The majority of 9/11 media focus has been on people who were not of African-American descent. Leroy Wilton Homer, Jr., was an African-American first officer operating the flight that tragically fell to an act of terrorism in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on September 11, 2001. Pilot Homer’s plane was the fourth attacked that day.
The Long Island, New York, native dreamed of flying as a child and was only 15 years old when he started flight instruction in a Cessna 152. By the time he was 18, Homer had obtained his private pilot license. That same year, he joined the Air Force and became a second lieutenant. He served in Operation Desert Storm and in Desert Shield. He later supported efforts in Somalia. During his tenure, Homer was named the 21st Air Force Air Crew Instructor of the Year. Homer achieved the rank of captain before his honorable discharge from active duty in 1995.
For his actions aboard Flight 93, Homer received many posthumous awards and citations, including honorary membership into historic Tuskegee Airmen, the Congress of Racial Equality, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Award, the SCLC Drum Major for Justice Award, and the Westchester County Trailblazer Award. Ironically, Homer was depicted by someone who was of the Caucasian persuasion in the film United 93. The drama told the story of the passengers and crew, their families on the ground, and the flight controllers on the day of the attacks. Homer is survived by his wife Melody and daughter Laura.
So I just want to say in conclusion, I think it would be very good if we honor Mr. Homer for all of the work that he has done. God bless the troops and America.
Senator Gregory’s statement is as follows:
I rise today to support Ingham County Circuit Judge William Collette’s decision yesterday to overrule the partisan legislation passed by this body to allow Oakland County’s Republican Board of Commissioners to redraw their district lines. He recognized that House Bill No. 5187 is unconstitutional and improperly disenfranchises Oakland County voters. Here we have precious time and taxpayer money being spent fixing reckless mistakes.
I opposed this egregiously partisan and gratuitous legislation to redraw the Oakland County Commission lines when it was before us, and I still oppose it today. These maps were already drawn in a fair and open process and have already been upheld by the Michigan Court of Appeals. I admonish my colleagues across the aisle for their tinkering and gerrymandering of these lines, and I hope this ruling will finally lay to rest their efforts to tamper with the political process in Oakland County.
In passing this legislation, this body and the Governor simply sought to overturn election results—fair and balanced results—to further their political interests. It was wrong in December, and as Judge Collette’s ruling indicates, it is wrong now. I said it then and will reiterate it today: The people I represent don’t want you meddling in local affairs, and I don’t either.
Sadly, this is just the latest instance of Michigan’s courts having to intervene to clean up your political messes. These are not the matters the Legislature should be meddling in while job creation, education, and other important issues to our economic recovery continue to be overlooked. This move undermines the democratic process and flies in the face of our Constitution, a document we should all hold dear. It puts political maneuvering ahead of moving our state forward.
I encourage my Republican colleagues to avoid any and all bills that put partisan gamesmanship before the best interests of the citizens we were all elected to fairly represent. I urge the Governor and the Legislature to abandon this ill-advised effort to interfere with local politics and not waste any more valuable taxpayer resources defending it.
Senator Anderson’s statement is as follows:
I rise today to call on the Michigan Senate to take immediate action on a bipartisan resolution I recently introduced. The resolution asks Congress to take steps to prevent tens of thousands of the unemployed in Michigan from losing their only means of support. As many of you know, recent unemployment numbers released by the U.S. Department of Labor disqualified Michigan from eligibility for the Federal Extended Benefit Unemployment Program.
An estimated 29,500 Michigan residents currently receive extended benefits, which kick in when all other means of unemployment compensation have been exhausted. Our citizens begin losing their benefits February 18, which is this Saturday. Immediate action is imperative. Congress is currently working on fixes to the federal unemployment system as part of the payroll tax negotiations, but their compromise does nothing to address the problem here in Michigan and the elimination of extended benefits.
The federal government is treating us as if we are out of the woods here in Michigan, and nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is people in Michigan are still struggling. Our unemployment rate is the tenth-highest in the nation. More than 250,000 Michigan residents are still without a job. That’s more than a quarter of a million people who struggle every day to provide the basics for their family, keep electricity and water running in their homes, and provide food and clothing for their children.
I respectfully urge this body to stand united behind Michigan’s unemployed, and take quick action on this resolution. We should all stand up for Michigan’s unemployed.
Committee Reports
COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE REPORT
The Committee on Reforms, Restructuring and Reinventing submitted the following:
Meeting held on Wednesday, February 15, 2012, at 8:30 a.m., Rooms 402 and 403, Capitol Building
Present: Senators Jansen (C), Colbeck, Casperson, Kowall, Robertson, Young and Warren
COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE REPORT
The Subcommittee on K-12, School Aid, Education submitted the following:
Meeting held on Wednesday, February 15, 2012, at 8:30 a.m., Senate Appropriations Room, 3rd Floor, Capitol Building
Present: Senators Walker (C), Caswell, Pappageorge and Hopgood
COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE REPORT
The Subcommittee on Higher Education submitted the following:
Meeting held on Wednesday, February 15, 2012, at 1:00 p.m., Senate Appropriations Room, 3rd Floor, Capitol Building
Present: Senators Schuitmaker (C), Walker and Hood
COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE REPORT
The Committee on Appropriations submitted the following:
Meeting held on Wednesday, February 15, 2012, at 2:00 p.m., Senate Appropriations Room, 3rd Floor, Capitol Building
Present: Senators Kahn (C), Moolenaar, Jansen, Pappageorge, Booher, Caswell, Colbeck, Green, Proos, Schuitmaker, Walker, Anderson, Gregory, Hood, Hopgood and Johnson
COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE REPORT
The Committee on Natural Resources, Environment and Great Lakes submitted the following:
Meeting held on Thursday, February 16, 2012, at 9:00 a.m., Room 210, Farnum Building
Present: Senators Casperson (C), Kowall, Meekhof and Warren
Excused: Senators Pavlov, Green and Hood
COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE REPORT
The Joint Subcommittee on Capital Outlay submitted the following:
Meeting held on Thursday, February 16, 2012, 9:00 a.m., House Appropriations Room, 3rd Floor, Capitol Building
Present: Senators Booher (C), Schuitmaker, Jansen, Green, Moolenaar and Hood
Excused: Senator Anderson
Scheduled Meetings
Appropriations -
Subcommittees -
Agriculture and Rural Development - Tuesdays, February 21 and February 28, 3:00 p.m., Senate Hearing Room, Ground Floor, Boji Tower (373-2768)
Corrections Department and House Corrections Appropriations Subcommittee - Tuesday, February 21, 3:00 p.m., House Appropriations Room, 3rd Floor, Capitol Building (373-2768)
General Government - Tuesdays, February 21, February 28, March 6, March 13, March 20, and March 27, 2:30 p.m., Senate Appropriations Room, 3rd Floor, Capitol Building (373-2768)
Human Services Department - Tuesday, February 28, 3:30 p.m., Room 210, Farnum Building (373-2768)
State Police and Military Affairs, House State Police Appropriations Subcommittee and House Military and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee - Thursday, February 23, 2:00 p.m., Senate Appropriations Room, 3rd Floor, Capitol Building; and Thursday, March 1, 3:00 p.m., Rooms 402 and 403, Capitol Building (373-2768)
Transportation - Wednesday, February 22, 3:00 p.m. or later immediately following Appropriations Committee meeting, Senate Appropriations Room, 3rd Floor, Capitol Building (373-2768)
Energy and Technology - Tuesday, February 21, 1:00 p.m., Senate Hearing Room, Ground Floor, Boji Tower (373-5307)
Transportation and House Transportation - Tuesday, February 21, 12:30 p.m., House Appropriations Room, 3rd Floor, Capitol Building (373-5314)
Senator Meekhof moved that the Senate adjourn.
The motion prevailed, the time being 12:25 p.m.
The President, Lieutenant Governor Calley, declared the Senate adjourned until Tuesday, February 21, 2012, at 10:00 a.m.
CAROL MOREY VIVENTI
Secretary of the Senate
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