Capitol News
Citizen’s Guide to State Government | Michigan Legislature
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2024 |
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There is little time before the close of the year for the 102nd Legislature to address an avalanche of bills. All bills not approved by the end of session in December will have to be reintroduced in the 103rd Legislature... |
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Michigan voters cast a record-breaking 5.67 million votes in the November election – 100,000 more votes than the previous record, which was set in 2020; 79 of the 83 counties topped their 2020 vote totals and about 79 percent of registered voters cast a ballot... |
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Election season means the Michigan House is not likely going to meet for roll call in October and until a couple days after the election for 2025 House leadership elections. The Michigan Senate is not facing elections this year... |
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Although a full legislative session for September had been scheduled, election obligations are likely going to keep most legislators in their home districts most days in September and October instead of in the Capitol... |
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Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the Fiscal Year (FY) 24-25 General Omnibus Appropriations Bill containing a proposed actuarial study about State employee retirees’ defined benefit annual cost of living adjustment... |
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Our five-year effort to Scrap the Cap on the defined benefit annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) of $300 hit another milestone this month... |
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SERA has agreed that an actuarial study is needed before serious consideration of a bill like Senate Bill 775 of 2021. Therefore, our efforts in the last few months have been focused on getting language in the appropriations bills to conduct and finance this study. At our meeting with the Governor’s Legislative Director in April, we learned that financing the study was a concern... |
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The Legislature was on spring break for two weeks in late March and early April. It returns April 9 to face budget decisions in May and June. It will welcome two new House members in early May... |
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Michigan SERA’s effort to Scrap the $300 Cap on defined benefit (DB) State employee retirees’ annual 3 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is advancing enthusiastically... |
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The Governor gave her State of the State Address on January 24 to a joint session of the Legislature. In the Governor’s Proposed 2023-2025 Budget Message... |
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The Legislature returned January 10 for an exciting election year. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will deliver her sixth State of the State Address on Wednesday, January 24 at 7 p.m. The address will be held in the Michigan House Chambers in front of a joint session of the Michigan House of Representatives and the Michigan Senate... |
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2023 |
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The Michigan Legislature officially adjourned for the year on November 14, but voting was finished on the night of November 9... |
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Whew! The Michigan House and Senate combined to pass more than 90 bills over a three-day span during the week of October 31 – November 2. The Michigan House had two late sessions past midnight on November 1 and 2.... |
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The 102nd Legislature’s frenetic pace continued after its return on September 5... |
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The 102nd Legislature reconvened September 5 after its summer recess for an autumn full of expected new bill packages on energy and the environment, reproductive health, financial disclosure for lawmakers, housing, and many other topics... |
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Though the Legislature adjourned June 29 and doesn’t intend to return until September 5, there has been a lot of legislative and executive branch news of importance to SERA-Nade readers... |
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If you are reading this article in a printed version of the SERA-Nade and have e-mail capability, consider having the SERA-Nade e-mailed to you. It saves SERA the printing and postage costs... |
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This May and June are important decision times for the budget for Fiscal Year 2024. It will be the first budget the Democrats will pass under their new trifecta control. But Republicans have the votes to withhold Immediate Effect... |
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The frantic pace of the new Democratic trifecta was relieved by a two-week spring break from March 24 to April 10. In the first three months of the 102nd Legislature, they were able to pass all six first-day bills and more... |
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Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed House Bill 4001, now Public Act 4 of 2023, on March 7. It will save 500,000 eligible retired taxpayers an average of $1,000 per year... |
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The first month of the Democratic trifecta in Michigan moved with lightning speed to display its priorities and ability to exercise its prerogatives. Capturing my focused attention was the gubernatorial and legislative announced intentions to move retiree income tax relief as their first priority bills... |
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In the political world, the beginning of odd-numbered years like 2023 also means new policy makers at all levels of government and consequently new political dynamics. While the drama of 15 votes to select a new Speaker for the U.S. House captured mainstream... |
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2022 |
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The November 8 election brought a sea of change to Michigan in the form of an unexpected blue wave rather than a forecasted red tsunami. There was a record turn-out for Michigan’s midterm election... |
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By the time you read this in print, our airwaves and various inboxes will be liberated from incessant political ads and hopefully we will have newly elected, undisputed officeholders in Michigan and the U.S. Congress. The newly elected State Senators and State Representatives... |
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Early absentee voting began September 29 in Michigan. Four of Michigan’s 13 congressional districts are considered tossups (3, 7, 8, and 10) and our three statewide ballot proposals are being closely watched nationally... |
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Lawmakers won’t be in Lansing very much in the run-up to the voting period of September 29 (when early absentee voting at your clerk’s office begins) and November 8 (the last day to vote). There is uniform apprehension about being away from their districts... |
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Lots of news this month, especially about elections. Attracting attention also is the new $40 million 40,000 square foot Heritage Hall visitor center under the west ground near the Michigan Capitol. It will be welcoming visitors after Labor Day... |
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The Legislature recessed on July 1 and is scheduled to reconvene for one day on July 20, then off for some more weeks before another one-day session on August 17. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty of political activity elsewhere, including on the campaign trail... |
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Signature fraud on petitions, great revenue news, budget negotiations, initiated law petition drives, and a first ballot proposal approval all made May and early June an exciting time... |
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Both chambers have now passed their versions of department budgets and the next step is conference committees composed of representatives from each chamber’s appropriation sub-committee... |
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You know it’s close to spring when potholes sprout in Michigan along with the snowdrops and crocus. Governor Whitmer signed an Executive Directive recently ordering a speed up in pothole repairs on State trunk-line highways, but that is not going to fix local roads... |
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Despite the adversities created by a snow event in Lansing and the pandemic, there was still a lot of news this month... |
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The biggest news in the political world this past month was the approval of new district lines for Michigan’s 13 Congressional seats and 148 State legislative districts. The Legislature returns... |
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2021 |
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As days shorten and winter sets in, issues are heating up in Lansing as we now approach the 2022 election year. Improvements to our defined benefit pension, redistricting, petition drives, and COVID dominated the news of interest to State employee retirees... |
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The volume and speed of relevant news is picking up in Lansing! But first... |
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The House and Senate were scheduled to return for their fall session September 9 and must tackle the looming budget deadline of September 30... |
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The House of Representatives and Senate have been on recess since late June except for a day or two in July. The House of Representatives is scheduled to return for the week of August 15 and the Senate for a day on August 25 before starting their tentative fall schedule on August 31... |
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You could almost hear a statewide sigh of relief on June 1 when the capacity limits for outdoor events like baseball games and outdoor residential gatherings were lifted entirely. Indoor capacity limits increased from 25 percent to 50 percent... |
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The biggest news of the month is that Michigan has moved to a new metric for determining COVID-related restrictions. Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced on April 29 the “MI Vacc to Normal” plan that will use four vaccination-based milestones... |
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During March, the Legislature took some important actions just before leaving for a two-week “district work” break from March 26 through April 12. State employees who are currently teleworking... |
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With the new Biden administration and bare Democratic majorities in both the U.S. House and Senate, what might be the future of SS and Medicare? To discuss that question... |
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January, in odd-numbered years, is very busy at the Capitol. New legislators are inducted, the Governor’s State of the State address is given, and the Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference all happen in January... |
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While the pandemic continues to structure our daily lives and the economy, political events continue to amaze... |
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