No. 66
STATE OF MICHIGAN
Journal of the Senate
97th Legislature
REGULAR SESSION OF 2013
Senate Chamber, Lansing, Tuesday, September 3, 2013.
12:00 noon.
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.
Ananich—present Hood—present Pappageorge—present
Anderson—present Hopgood—present Pavlov—present
Bieda—present Hune—present Proos—present
Booher—present Hunter—present Richardville—present
Brandenburg—present Jansen—present Robertson—present
Casperson—present Johnson—present Rocca—present
Caswell—present Jones—present Schuitmaker—present
Colbeck—present Kahn—present Smith—present
Emmons—present Kowall—present Walker—present
Green—present Marleau—excused Warren—present
Gregory—present Meekhof—present Whitmer—present
Hansen—present Moolenaar—present Young—present
Hildenbrand—present Nofs—present
Reverend Monsignor Steven Raica of Saint Mary’s Cathedral of Lansing offered the following invocation:
Provident and gracious God, we give You thanks for a safe return to Lansing. In the wake of our national Labor Day holiday, we ask Your blessing upon all who labor and for those in our state who desire to enter or re-enter the work force. May all know that fair and just labor contributes to the dignity of a person through honest efforts, while simultaneously bettering society through achievements both great and small. Grant success to the work of our hands, Lord.
Bless the members of this Senate Chamber of the state of Michigan as they embark on the important legislative agenda before them. Enable them to make decisions and enact legislation that will accord justice for all and provide for the common good of the citizens of our great state. Grant that the members of this body be guided by Your wisdom so that the dignity of the least and most vulnerable in our state be protected, honored, and valued.
Grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of freedom and earnestly desiring to secure these blessings undiminished to ourselves and our posterity, may Your blessing be upon us this day so that our work here may redound to Your greater honor and glory, now and forever. Amen.
The President, Lieutenant Governor Calley, led the members of the Senate in recital of the Pledge of Allegiance.
Motions and Communications
Senator Richardville entered the Senate Chamber.
The following communication was received and read:
Office of the Auditor General
August 28, 2013
Enclosed is a copy of the following audit report:
Performance audit of the International Registration Plan Audit Section, Internal Security Division, Department of State.
Sincerely,
Thomas H. McTavish, C.P.A.
Auditor General
The audit report was referred to the Committee on Government Operations.
The Secretary announced that the following bills were printed and filed on Wednesday, August 28, and are available at the Michigan Legislature website:
Senate Bill No. 462
House Bill Nos. 4927 4928 4929 4930 4931 4932 4933 4934 4935 4936 4937
Senator Meekhof moved that Senator Casperson be temporarily excused from today’s session.
The motion prevailed.
Senator Meekhof moved that Senator Marleau be excused from today’s session.
The motion prevailed.
Senator Meekhof moved that rule 3.902 be suspended to allow his guests admittance to the Senate floor.
The motion prevailed, a majority of the members serving voting therefor.
Senator Bieda moved that Senators Hopgood and Young be temporarily excused from today’s session.
The motion prevailed.
Recess
Senator Meekhof moved that the Senate recess subject to the call of the Chair.
The motion prevailed, the time being 12:06 p.m.
12:40 p.m.
The Senate was called to order by the President, Lieutenant Governor Calley.
During the recess, Senators Casperson, Young and Hopgood entered the Senate Chamber.
Messages from the Governor
The following messages from the Governor were received and read:
July 3, 2013
I respectfully submit to the Senate the following appointments to office:
Michigan Board of Pharmacy
Dhafer Almaklani of 6134 Payne Street, Dearborn, Michigan 48126, county of Wayne, representing professionals, succeeding himself, is reappointed for a term expiring June 30, 2017.
Pamela L. Wyett of 808 E. Dixon Street, Charlevoix, Michigan 49720, county of Charlevoix, representing the general public, succeeding herself, is reappointed for a term expiring June 30, 2017.
July 16, 2013
I respectfully submit to the Senate the following appointment to office:
Chair - Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission
Jamie C. Hsu of 1956 Connolly Drive, Troy, Michigan 48047, county of Oakland, is appointed for a term expiring at the pleasure of the Governor.
July 16, 2013
I respectfully submit to the Senate the following appointments to office:
Michigan Board of Dentistry
William D. Wright of 4010 River Cove Drive, Lansing, Michigan 48917, county of Ingham, representing dentists, succeeding himself, is reappointed for a term expiring June 30, 2017.
Patricia E. Roels of 577 145th Avenue, Caledonia, Michigan 49316, county of Kent, representing dentists, succeeding Lawrence Haber, is appointed for a term expiring June 30, 2017.
Kathleen N. Inman of 248 George V Avenue, Croswell, Michigan 48422, county of Sanilac, representing dental hygienists, succeeding JoAnne Hodder, is appointed for a term expiring June 30, 2017.
Laurie Horvath of 1753 Mountain Ash Drive, West Bloomfield, Michigan 48324, county of Oakland, representing the general public, succeeding John Molinari, is appointed for a term expiring June 30, 2017.
July 16, 2013
I respectfully submit to the Senate the following appointments to office:
Michigan Women’s Commission
Joanne Dawley of 44644 Aspen Ridge Drive, Northville, Michigan 48168, county of Wayne, succeeding herself, is reappointed for a term expiring July 15, 2016.
Jayashree Kommareddi of 8426 Warwick Groves Court, Grand Blanc, Michigan 48439, county of Genesee, succeeding herself, is reappointed for a term expiring July 15, 2016.
Mary P. Whiteford of 7258 Beverly Drive, South Haven, Michigan 49090, county of Allegan, succeeding Sally Joseph, is appointed for a term expiring July 15, 2016.
Alyssa R. Martina of 13340 Winchester Drive, Huntington Woods, Michigan 48070, county of Oakland, succeeding Patricia Lowrie, is appointed for a term expiring July 15, 2016.
August 27, 2013
I respectfully submit to the Senate the following appointments to office:
Chair - Crime Victim Services Commission
Catherine Garcia-Lindstrom of 3693 Nicole Court, Walker, Michigan 49534, county of Kent, succeeding herself, is reappointed for a term expiring at the pleasure of the Governor.
Crime Victim Services Commission
Catherine Garcia-Lindstrom of 3693 Nicole Court, Walker, Michigan 49534, county of Kent, representing peace officers and Republicans, succeeding herself, is reappointed for a term expiring September 27, 2016.
August 27, 2013
I respectfully submit to the Senate the following appointment to office:
Hispanic/Latino Commission of Michigan
Julia A. Guevara of 1716 Lotus Avenue, S.E., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49506, county of Kent, succeeding Maria Oxholm, is appointed for a term expiring December 10, 2014.
August 27, 2013
I respectfully submit to the Senate the following appointment to office:
State Historic Preservation Review Board
Misty Jackson of 214 South Main Street, Leslie, Michigan 49251, county of Ingham, representing historic archaeology, succeeding Fiona Greenland, is appointed for a term expiring December 31, 2016.
August 27, 2013
I respectfully submit to the Senate the following appointment to office:
Committee on Juvenile Justice
Joseph P. Ryan of 1408 Wells Drive, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104, county of Washtenaw, representing persons with special experience and competence in addressing problems related to learning disabilities, emotional difficulties, child abuse and neglect, and youth violence, succeeding Larissa Niec, is appointed for a term expiring December 31, 2014.
August 28, 2013
I respectfully submit to the Senate the following appointment to office:
State Carnival-Amusement Safety Board
John H. Burrows of P.O. Box 1062, Escanaba, Michigan 49829, county of Delta, representing carnival ride operators, succeeding Martin Heppler, is appointed for a term expiring July 10, 2017.
August 28, 2013
I respectfully submit to the Senate the following appointments to office:
Michigan Soybean Promotion Committee
George J. Zmitko of 5105 W. Mason Road, Owosso, Michigan 48867, county of Shiawassee, representing District 6 growers, succeeding himself, is reappointed for a term expiring September 23, 2016.
Steven J. Koeman of 5760 136th Avenue, Hamilton, Michigan 49419, county of Allegan, representing District 7 growers, succeeding Benjamin Chaffin, is appointed for a term expiring September 23, 2016.
August 29, 2013
I respectfully submit to the Senate the following appointments to office:
Michigan Potato Industry Commission
Brian R. Sackett of 5961 80th Avenue, Mecosta, Michigan 49332, county of Mecosta, representing chip growers, succeeding himself, is reappointed for a term expiring July 1, 2016.
Patrick Du Russel of 315 Ann Arbor Street, Manchester, Michigan 48158, county of Washtenaw, representing fresh growers, succeeding himself, is reappointed for a term expiring July 1, 2016.
Randall D. Styma of 9340 M65, Posen, Michigan 49776, county of Presque Isle, representing fresh growers, succeeding himself, is reappointed for a term expiring July 1, 2016.
William Kitchen of 2400 US 131 South, Elmira, Michigan 49730, county of Otsego, representing fresh shippers-retailers, succeeding himself, is reappointed for a term expiring July 1, 2016.
Wayne Leep of 1754 5th Street, Martin, Michigan 49070, county of Allegan, representing chip growers, succeeding Duane Andersen, is appointed for a term expiring July 1, 2016.
John P. Marker of 9243 Marker Road, Elmira, Michigan 49730, county of Otsego, representing seed growers, succeeding Greg Lott, is appointed for a term expiring July 1, 2016.
Theodore Hanson of 3595 26th Road, Cornell, Michigan 49818, county of Delta, representing seed growers, succeeding Dennis Hanson, is appointed for a term expiring July 1, 2016.
Philip J. Gusmano of 423 Lexington Street, Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan 48236, county of Wayne, representing shipper representatives, succeeding Timothy Wilkes, is appointed for a term expiring July 1, 2016.
Kevin M. Storm of 6020 Dodge Road, Cass City, Michigan 48726, county of Tuscola, representing growers at large, succeeding Timothy Young, is appointed for a term expiring July 1, 2016.
August 29, 2013
I respectfully submit to the Senate the following appointments to office:
Public Safety Communications Interoperability Board
Michelle T. LaJoye-Young of 8950 Kalamazoo Avenue, S.E., Caledonia, Michigan 49316, county of Kent, succeeding Thomas V. Wibert, is appointed for a term expiring April 30, 2015.
Julie L. Secontine of 220 Grosvenor Road, Rochester Hills, Michigan 48307, county of Oakland, succeeding Tracy Johnson, is appointed for a term expiring April 30, 2015.
Robert L. Marchand of 5472 S. Killackey Road, Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan 49783, county of Chippewa, succeeding David Slifka, is appointed for a term expiring April 30, 2016.
Jeffrey A. Friedland of 10077 Yale Road, Greenwood, Michigan 48006, county of St. Clair, succeeding himself, is reappointed for a term expiring April 30, 2016.
Dale R. Gribler of 69536 51st Street, Lawrence, Michigan 49064, county of Van Buren, succeeding himself, is reappointed for a term expiring April 30, 2015.
Mark Meijer of P.O. Box 2284, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49501, county of Kent, succeeding Brenda Ice, is appointed for a term expiring April 30, 2016.
Bryce A. Tracy of 111 Watertower Road, St. Ignace, Michigan 49781, county of Mackinac, succeeding James Buford, is appointed for a term expiring April 30, 2014.
Sincerely,
Rick Snyder
Governor
The appointments were referred to the Committee on Government Operations.
Third Reading of Bills
Senator Meekhof moved that the following bill be placed at the head of the Third Reading of Bills calendar:
Senate Bill No. 389
The motion prevailed.
The following bill was read a third time:
Senate Bill No. 389, entitled
A bill to amend 2001 PA 181, entitled “An act to authorize the board of a school district to award high school diplomas to World War II veterans and Korean conflict veterans under certain circumstances; and to prescribe duties and responsibilities of certain state officers and officials,” by amending section 1 (MCL 35.341), as amended by 2003 PA 203.
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. 341 Yeas—37
Ananich Gregory Jones Richardville
Anderson Hansen Kahn Robertson
Bieda Hildenbrand Kowall Rocca
Booher Hood Meekhof Schuitmaker
Brandenburg Hopgood Moolenaar Smith
Casperson Hune Nofs Walker
Caswell Hunter Pappageorge Warren
Colbeck Jansen Pavlov Whitmer
Emmons Johnson Proos Young
Green
Nays—0
Excused—1
Marleau
Not Voting—0
In The Chair: President
The Senate agreed to the title of the bill.
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 Young 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 bills:
House Bill No. 4094, entitled
A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled “Natural resources and environmental protection act,” (MCL 324.101 to 324.90106) by adding section 40109a.
Senate Bill No. 315, entitled
A bill to amend 1970 PA 29, entitled “An act relating to potatoes; to create a potato commission; to prescribe its powers and duties and authority; to impose an assessment on the privilege of introducing potatoes into the channels of trade and commerce; to provide for the collection of the assessment; to provide for penalties; and to repeal certain acts and parts of acts,” by amending sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, and 9a (MCL 290.421, 290.422, 290.423, 290.424, 290.428, and 290.429a), sections 1 and 3 as amended by 1980 PA 304, section 2 as amended by 2005 PA 59, and sections 4 and 8 as amended and section 9a as added by 1996 PA 99.
Senate Bill No. 332, entitled
A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled “Natural resources and environmental protection act,” by amending sections 8501 and 8512b (MCL 324.8501 and 324.8512b), section 8501 as amended and section 8512b as added by 2010 PA 299.
Senate Bill No. 351, entitled
A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled “Natural resources and environmental protection act,” by amending section 20101 (MCL 324.20101), as amended by 2012 PA 446.
The bills were 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. 354, entitled
A bill to amend 1969 PA 287, entitled “An act to regulate pet shops, animal control shelters, and animal protection shelters; to establish uniform procedures and minimum requirements for adoption of dogs, cats, and ferrets; and to prescribe penalties and civil fines and to provide remedies,” (MCL 287.331 to 287.340) by adding section 8b.
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. 373, entitled
A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled “Public health code,” (MCL 333.1101 to 333.25211) by adding section 17723.
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.
Resolutions
Senator Meekhof moved that consideration of the following resolution be postponed for today:
Senate Resolution No. 34
The motion prevailed.
The question was placed on the adoption of the following resolution consent calendar:
Senate Resolution No. 80
The resolution consent calendar was adopted.
Senator Hopgood offered the following resolution:
Senate Resolution No. 80.
A resolution to recognize September 9, 2013, as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Day in the state of Michigan.
Whereas, Healthy children are the most important resource in the great state of Michigan, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) pose a serious threat to the potential health of our future generations; and
Whereas, More than 30 years have passed since fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) was identified and designated as a birth disorder by United States researchers; and
Whereas, Prenatal exposure to alcohol can cause birth defects, mental retardation, learning disabilities, and attention deficit disorders; and
Whereas, The estimated number of FASD per year is over 30,000. The incidence rate of full FAS is estimated at 1 out of 1,000 live births, and the incidence rate of FASD is estimated at 1 out of every 100 live births; and
Whereas, Individuals with FASD often have secondary hardships such as trouble with the law, substance abuse issues, disrupted school experiences, employment problems, and homelessness; and
Whereas, FASD is entirely preventable; and
Whereas, People around the world began observing International FAS Awareness Day on September 9 of each year beginning in 1999, in order that on the ninth day of the ninth month of the year, the world will remember that a woman should abstain from alcohol during the nine months of pregnancy; and
Whereas, The U.S. Senate has passed a resolution designating September 9 as National Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Day and has called upon all states to observe FASD Awareness Day; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate, That the members of this legislative body recognize September 9, 2013, as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Awareness Day in the state of Michigan. We strongly urge all citizens to increase their knowledge of the effects of prenatal exposure to alcohol, to increase their level of compassion for individuals affected by FASD, and to do all within their power to reduce the incidence of FASD in the state of Michigan; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Michigan Department of Education, Office of Special Education.
Senators Anderson, Bieda, Booher, Hansen, Hunter, Jansen, Johnson, Jones, Proos and Warren were named co‑sponsors of the resolution.
Senators Meekhof, Jansen, Kowall, Robertson, Hildenbrand, Moolenaar, Schuitmaker, Proos and Hansen offered the following resolution:
Senate Resolution No. 81.
A resolution to offer wholehearted support for keeping a Dutch Consulate General Office in the Midwest region of the United States to ensure the continued growth of ethnic, cultural, and economic ties between Michigan and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Whereas, For over 400 years, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the United States have had a strong diplomatic, cultural, and economic relationship. The relationship helped the establishment of the Dutch Consulate General Office in Chicago, which provides a wide array of consular services to a fourteen-state region, including Michigan; and
Whereas, In June 2013, the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs announced a Modernization of the Dutch Foreign Service plan which includes the proposed closing of five consulate general offices around the world, including Chicago, Osaka, Munich, Milan, and Antwerp; and
Whereas, The Midwest region is home to over one million Americans of Dutch ancestry, for which the state of Michigan is honored to be the home to over half a million of those citizens; and
Whereas, The significant size of the Dutch-descendant population makes it very special from an ethnic and cultural point of view. It also makes the relationship between the Midwest region of the United States and the Kingdom of the Netherlands one of critical importance to foster. So significant is the Dutch influence in Michigan that a large number of cities in Western Michigan were founded and named by Dutch immigrants; and
Whereas, In April 2013, the Lieutenant Governor of Michigan, state legislative leaders, and many members of Michigan’s business, educational, and cultural community attended the state’s first trade mission to the Netherlands, which was instituted with the assistance of the Dutch Consulate General in Chicago and the West Michigan Global Initiative. The trade mission was instrumental in expanding the political and business ties of both regions in order to build on an already-strong relationship foundation; and
Whereas, Dutch exports to the Midwest region of the United States are three times the size of those exports to Canada or India. In terms of economic relations with the Netherlands, the Midwest is critical. A full 27 percent of Dutch exports to the U.S. are destined for Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan. For Michigan, the Netherlands is a significantly strong and growing export market; and
Whereas, The relationship is so important that the Michigan Legislature has formed a bipartisan legislative Dutch Caucus, for which its members actively support economic and cultural engagement and strongly encourage that the Kingdom of the Netherlands maintain a diplomatic mission and presence in Michigan and the Midwest region; and
Whereas, The closure of the Dutch Consulate General Office in the Midwest region would have a negative effect on the growing economic activity, and it would adversely impact the special relationship that exists between Michigan and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The state of Michigan offers assistance to find a solution that will allow the special relationship to flourish; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate, That we memorialize the Kingdom of the Netherlands to strongly reconsider the proposed closing of the Dutch Consulate General Office in Chicago. Furthermore, we request that the Kingdom of the Netherlands retain a strong diplomatic presence in the Midwest region of the United States for generations to come; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, the States-General of the Netherlands, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.
Pending the order that, under rule 3.204, the resolution be referred to the Committee on Government Operations,
Senator Meekhof moved that the rule be suspended.
The motion prevailed, a majority of the members serving voting therefor.
The resolution was adopted.
Introduction and Referral of Bills
Senators Caswell, Jones, Nofs and Anderson introduced
Senate Joint Resolution AA, entitled
A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the state constitution of 1963, by amending section 11 of article IX, to revise the permissible uses of the state school aid fund.
The joint resolution was read a first and second time by title and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
Senators Caswell, Nofs and Pappageorge introduced
Senate Bill No. 463, entitled
A bill to amend 1949 PA 300, entitled “Michigan vehicle code,” by amending section 225 (MCL 257.225), as amended by 1995 PA 129.
The bill was read a first and second time by title and referred to the Committee on Transportation.
Statements
Senators Whitmer, Kahn, Young and Pappageorge 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:
After pushing for nearly one year for the Senate to address the issue of Medicaid expansion and waiting for months for this body to move House Bill No. 4714 to do just that, the Senate majority finally took a vote on the legislation to expand Medicaid in Michigan under the Affordable Care Act last Tuesday. With the unanimous and necessary support from our caucus, it finally passed. Overlooked in the celebration of the bill’s passage was an important sticking point that undermines the effort. Instead of conceding to the long-awaited progress on House Bill No. 4714, Senate Republicans who had successfully been carrying the water for the Tea Party and thwarting the bill chose to continue their obstruction by withholding the votes on immediate effect—a vote that is generally considered in this chamber a procedural vote. Your actions last week made all of the people who wanted passage angry. Guess what? It made the Tea Party angry too, and the irony is that it is a lose-lose for the state of Michigan because of your unconscionable inaction.
Department of Community Health Director Jim Havemen has testified that any delay on Medicaid expansion would cost the state $7 million per day beginning January 1, 2014. By not giving House Bill No. 4714 immediate effect, obstructionists are effectively delaying implementation of Medicaid expansion until April 1, costing our state nearly $630 million. Even worse, the nearly half million low-income individuals who House Bill No. 4714 would extend health care coverage to won’t be able to get insurance until the bill becomes law. They will also face penalties for failing to have insurance by January 1. Talk about a lose-lose for the people. That is a price tag of $95 per year for singles and up to $285 per year for a family.
Now I don’t know about you, but I have a really hard time explaining to my constituents what the holdup is on this legislation. It is not because of disagreements in policy; it is because of politics, plain and simple. Some members of this body are continuing to oppose legislation that would expand health care to half a million citizens struggling to get by and secure billions of dollars in federal funding. The only opposition to this bill is that is associated with the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, and because the Tea Party in Michigan is the tail successfully wagging the dog in this chamber. To the average citizen, it simply makes the majority sound petulant and petty. To the average citizen, they are scratching their head wondering what on earth is going on in this chamber. They have been asking us to take this vote because it is the right thing to do. Whether it is the medical community, the Chamber of Commerce, and patient advocates, they have been asking us to vote for this because it is the right thing to do.
We were two votes shy, so two of you Republican Senators are keeping thousands from getting health care coverage that your Governor says is life and death. Two of you are costing Michigan $630 million by not voting—a vote that you used to say was a procedural vote.
For these reasons, Mr. President, I respectfully request that we, on behalf of the people of Michigan, ask the House to return House Bill No. 4714 so you can remedy the gaping hole that you have left in this process.
Senator Kahn’s statement is as follows:
Mr. President, I rise in response and for clarification of the remarks from the Senator from the 23rd District. I guess we have been serving for ten years together; I suppose I can call her my friend; well, frenemy anyway. The calculations that she uses regarding loss of funding are a struggle for accuracy. The notion is that the calculation is a quick-and-dirty napkin calculation of a $700 million loss. The reality is that the bill will be implemented; take effect 90 days after sine die. Well, if sine die is the middle of December, then there is two weeks worth of revenue loss lopped off of that number.
Of course, there is the issue of a turn, an uptake, and when people apply for and are accepted onto the program, that accounts for some of the soft numbers in regard to the first year of participation in the program. I think that it’s important to refine the notion of cost, how much if any, to who, where, and when? That’s what they teach in English in high school: who, what, where, when, why. That needs to be looked at, and I think it serves none of us well to try and inflame this issue, which we all recognize was difficult and devisive. It serves none of us well to add dollars to the thought of how much this represents.
The second point: withholding IE. I would remind my friend from the 23rd District that we did have a vote on IE. It just didn’t turn out the way she would have liked.
Senator Young’s statement is as follows:
I want to start with a quote from our great President Barack Obama: “Right makes light, not the other way around.” If Kevyn Orr thinks that the citizens of Detroit are dumb and lazy, then I think it is right that he step down, and we should use the state’s might to repeal this unconstitutional emergency manager law.
Senator Pappageorge’s statement is as follows:
With regard to earlier remarks and money that is going to be denied and so forth, let’s understand that the House bill, as improved, in my view, by the Senate, allows for pre-registration to begin on October 1. The money that the Minority Leader speaks of doesn’t begin to flow until January of 2014 or later. So why then are we jumping up and saying that we are going lose all of this money between October 1 and January 1? There is not a penny involved. This gives us plenty of time to sort out how we are going to proceed between now and January 1 without any stopping of the pre-registration.
Now if we are going to be a deliberative body, and we still have things to talk about, I think it is absolutely wrong to talk about tea parties and anything else, and instead focus on the issue before us. So I would urge my colleagues not to get into a political argument when what we have here is an economic situation that we need to sort out.
By unanimous consent the Senate returned to the order of
Motions and Communications
Senator Meekhof moved that when the Senate adjourns today, it stand adjourned until Tuesday, September 10, at 10:00 a.m.
The motion prevailed.
Scheduled Meetings
Appropriations -
Subcommittees -
K-12, School Aid, Education and Education Committee - Wednesday, September 4, 2:00 p.m., Senate Hearing Room, Ground Floor, Boji Tower (373-2768) (CANCELED)
State Police and Military Affairs and House State Police Appropriations Subcommittee and House Military and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee - Wednesday, September 4, 9:00 a.m., Rooms 402 and 403, Capitol Building (373-2768) (CANCELED)
Economic Development - Friday, September 6, 10:00 a.m., Muskegon Community College, Blue and Gold Room, 221 Quarterline Road, Muskegon Township (373-5312)
Education and K-12, School Aid, Education Appropriations Subcommittee - Wednesday, September 4, 2:00 p.m., Senate Hearing Room, Ground Floor, Boji Tower (373-5314) (CANCELED)
Michigan Law Revision Commission - Tuesday, September 24, 12:00 noon, Room 405, Capitol Building (373-0212)
Senate Fiscal Agency Board of Governors - Thursday, September 19, 9:00 a.m., Room S-324, Capitol Building (373-2768)
Senator Meekhof moved that the Senate adjourn.
The motion prevailed, the time being 1:07 p.m.
In pursuance of the order previously made, the President, Lieutenant Governor Calley, declared the Senate adjourned until Tuesday, September 10, 2013, at 10:00 a.m.
CAROL MOREY VIVENTI
Secretary of the Senate
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