In a significant move, the Michigan Senate has empowered its Democratic leaders to initiate legal action to advance nine bills that have stalled since the last legislative session. These bills, which address issues such as corrections worker pensions, state employee health insurance premiums, and museum millages, were passed by both legislative chambers but never reached the governor’s desk.
The procedural delay occurred as party control of the Michigan House shifted from Democratic to Republican. Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) highlighted the uncertainty surrounding the timeline for filing a lawsuit, noting the need for clarity on how new House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp) plans to proceed.
“We’ll make that decision as facts become clearer about how the speaker intends to respond. Ideally, he would take this opportunity to do the right thing and send those bills to the governor without us having to pursue further legal action,” Brinks told reporters Wednesday.
As the transition of power took place, the House Clerk’s Office was in the process of forwarding the final bills passed during the 2023-2024 session to the governor. However, Speaker Hall requested a pause pending a legal review.
Brinks expressed frustration with the delay, stating, “I believe there’s an obligation if legislation has been passed properly by both bodies, it should be delivered to the governor’s desk.” In contrast, Hall emphasized the presence of numerous legal and constitutional questions, asserting that “The Senate has no role in telling the House what to do.”
Republicans, including Hall, have suggested that Democrats are to blame for the delay, arguing that the issue originated from their actions. Hall also voiced concerns about the potential lawsuit, describing it as “wasting taxpayer dollars.”
While the legal grounds for the potential lawsuit remain unclear, Brinks emphasized the perceived harm to the Senate and state employees whose benefit plan costs might decrease. The Senate has access to both internal and external legal counsel for the matter.
Interestingly, the Michigan state constitution does not specify a time frame for forwarding bills to the governor once passed by the Legislature, leaving room for interpretation and further debate.
—
Read More Michigan News
