Michigan House Speaker Advocates for Constitutional Amendment on “Lame Duck” Sessions
State House Speaker Matt Hall has proposed a constitutional amendment that could reshape how Michigan’s Legislature handles “lame duck” sessions. These sessions, occurring after new lawmakers are elected but before they assume office, have raised concerns about their use in passing controversial legislation.
Hall, representing Richland Township, argues that these sessions should focus on routine matters instead of contentious issues, which are frequently postponed until after elections when lawmakers face less immediate accountability from voters. “And then after the election they try to move the bulk of legislation when they’re furthest away from the voters having a say,” Hall stated during a recent press conference.
To address this, Hall suggests a rule requiring a supermajority vote for any post-election legislation. This would necessitate a two-thirds majority, ensuring that only measures with broad bipartisan support are passed. “That’s why, by making it a two-thirds vote after the election, then largely it’ll be consensus issues,” he explained.
Introducing such an amendment to the state constitution would itself demand supermajority approval in both the House and the Senate, before being placed on the ballot for public voting. Currently, a resolution to this effect is pending on the House floor.
This initiative is not without precedent. In 2021, then-House Speaker Jason Wentworth sponsored a similar joint resolution aiming to curtail the influence of “lame duck” sessions. Although it successfully passed the state House, the resolution did not advance to a Senate vote. For more details on the previous attempt, see the Michigan Public Radio report.
—
Read More Michigan News
