House and Senate Republicans and Democrats met separately to
elect leaders
for the 2001-2002 session, marking several historic firsts in the process.
Republicans, who retained their 58-52 majority in the House,
named Rick
Johnson, a farmer from LeRoy, as Speaker of the House. He replaces
term-limited Chuck Perricone (R-Kalamazoo Twp.). Johnson, who is completing
his first term in office, is the first House speaker from northern Michigan
since 1952. Colleagues say they value his collaborative, consensus-building
approach.
Other newly elected House Republican leaders are:
Bruce Patterson (R-Canton) - Majority floor leader
Patricia Birkholz (R-Saugatuck) - Speaker pro tempore
Larry Julian (R-Lennon) and Stephen Ehardt (R-Lexington) -
Associate speakers pro tempore
Randy Richardville (R-Monroe) - Assistant majority floor leader
Laura Toy (R-Livonia) - Caucus chair
Joanne Voorhees (R-Wyoming) - Assistant caucus chair
Jerry Vander Roest (R-Galesburg) - Majority whip
House Democrats chose Kwame Kilpatrick of Detroit as
House minority leader,
replacing Michael Hanley (D-Saginaw), who was also term-limited. Kilpatrick
is known for his leadership in the House, having served as minority floor
leader, and his fundraising efforts for Democratic colleagues. He is the
first African-American to lead a House or Senate caucus.
Gilda Jacobs (D-Huntington Woods) was elected House minority
floor leader,
becoming the first woman to hold the floor leader post in either chamber of
the Michigan legislature.
Sen. Joanne Emmons (R-Big Rapids) followed suit by being
named the first
female majority floor leader in the Senate just days later. Emmons replaces
Mike Rogers, the expected winner of the 8th District U.S. House seat,
pending a probable recount by opponent Dianne Byrum, who lost by 152 votes.
Senate Democrats elected Bob Emerson (D-Flint) as minority
floor leader to
succeed Virgil Smith (D-Detroit), who is resigning to accept a position in
the Wayne County prosecutor's office.
The Senate has set the stage for the "lame duck" session
following the
November elections by releasing a schedule which may run until mid-December..
The schedule includes formal session days November 28-30. The
following
week, session days are scheduled for December 5-7, with tentative days
scheduled for December 8 and December 12-15.
Historically, "lame duck" sessions wrap up unfinished
routine business, but
they have also provided opportunities for legislative efforts that
"termed-out" legislators might not otherwise be willing to initiate.
Possible last-minute efforts are anticipated to rewrite Michigan's
contentious concealed weapons permit process, pass a controversial health
insurance mandate for diabetes services and establish restrictions on nude
dancing.
With controversy over voting procedures uppermost in the minds
of the
nation, Secretary of State Candice Miller proposed using state funds to
create a unified, up-to-date statewide voting system. She also proposed
instituting an Election Day holiday to give people more time to vote - a
practice used this year by the United Auto Workers.
Miller would like to see all precincts in the state using the
same systems
with modern technology to make voting and vote-counting faster and more
straightforward. She also proposed consolidating election dates to no more
than four per year.
Difficulties during the election this year, from long lines
in Detroit to
Florida's messy recount, have raised awareness of the need for standardized,
streamlined practices. Miller plans to present a more detailed proposal to
the legislature in the coming weeks.
Businesses can't get out of paying use tax on purchases
made outside of
Michigan by waiting 90 days to bring the property in-state, the Court of
Appeals ruled Thursday.
The case involved a $19-million jet aircraft purchased by Guardian
Industries Corp. and kept out of the state for more than 90 days after
purchase. State law mandates that property put into service in Michigan
within 90 days of purchase is subject to use tax. The court ruled that this
law does not create an exemption for property brought into the state more
than 90 days after purchase.
HB 6084-6086, sponsored by Reps. Pan Godchaux (R-Birmingham),
Nancy Quarles
(D-Southfield) and Lynn Martinez (D-Lansing), to require HMOs, health
insurers and Blue Cross to include coverage of any contraceptive drug or
device approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.
HB 6087, sponsored by Rep. Martinez,
to provide penalty for creditor debit
card overcharges.
HB 6088-6089, sponsored by Rep. Martinez, to regulate
the use of digital
signatures on state identification cards and for driver license purposes.
HB 6092, sponsored by Rep. Eileen DeHart (D-Westland),
to require food
stores to provide recycling services for plastic bags.
HB 6100, sponsored by Rep. Lingg Brewer (D-Holt), to
provide for sales tax
exemption on meals provided to employees during work hours.
HB 6115, sponsored by Rep. Steve Vear (R-Hillsdale),
to provide exemption
for unemployment tax for immigrant workers.
SB 1426, sponsored by Sen. Schuette, to require timely
payments of health
care benefits by health care corporations.
For back issues of Capitol F@cts on-line visit MRA's web site at http://www.retailers.com/capfax/capfax.html.
Specific comments or questions regarding this bulletin should
be directed to:
Peter Kuhnmuench, MRA's Vice President of Governmental
Affairs at pkuhnmuench@retailers.com.
Michigan Retailers Association
603 South Washington Avenue
Lansing, MI 48933
Phone: 517.372.5656
Toll Free: 800.366.3699
Fax: 517.372.1303
govt_affairs@retailers.com
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Click
here to find more information about any of the bills referenced above.