I hope all our students, teachers, and parents have had a pleasant time getting back to school and that everyone has had a chance to enjoy some of Lansing's seasonal offerings with the beginning of fall. I'm getting in touch to give you a brief update on some of the major issues the Legislature has been tacking over the summer and so far this fall.
Health Care and Medicaid Expansion
The House passed legislation to expand health care (through Medicaid) to low-income working residents in June. The Senate refused to vote on the legislation at that time, though, because of Tea Party resistance to the legislation and to federal law.
After weeks of negotiations (which I lead for the House Democrats) the House, Senate, and Governor were able to come to agreement on this legislation (HB 4714) and pass it into law. While the bill we passed wasn't a perfect solution, I am happy that over 400,000 of Michigan's low-income workers will be able to access quality health care plans without relying on emergency rooms for their ailments. The federal funds Michigan will receive for expansion will help us reduce uncompensated care, saving our state an estimated $300 million; save taxpayers millions in future Medicaid expenses; save small businesses from fines; and bring an estimated $1.9 to $2 billion in new revenue to our state over a ten-year period, for a total of over $20.5 billion worth of new revenue for Michigan.
Unfortunately, the Senate did not pass “immediate effect,” so HB 4714 won't take effect until late March or early April of 2014. In the meantime, some individuals will have to utilize the federal exchange first, then move to Medicaid when the new law goes into effect. Even with this bump in the road, though, casting a vote for this legislation (then again for the compromise) was one of my proudest moments as a State Representative so far and I was honored to join the Governor for the bill's signing.
Common Core Implementation
This summer, the House also spent a significant amount of time discussing possible resolution to the discrepancies about implementation of the Common Core standards for our schools. The budget for Fiscal Year 2013-14 (HB 4328) prohibited the Michigan Department of Education from spending money implementing the Common Core State Standards and the Smarter Balanced Assessments, which were adopted statewide by the State School Board in 2010 and have been successfully implemented by our local school districts since then.
Michigan's local school districts have spent hundreds of hours planning and implementing the high-quality Common Core Standards to empower their students to be career and college-ready. Language included in HB 4328 left school boards, administrators, teachers, and parents with no clear direction on how to continue planning their locally-developed curricula to meet state standards. Even worse, the State Board of Education warned that unless the Legislature took affirmative action on Common Core and Smarter Balanced, every school in Michigan would fail to meet Adequate Yearly Progress standards, jeopardizing important federal funding for our students.
I was appointed by the Speaker of the House to serve on a special Common Core subcommittee, which met and took more than 20 hours of testimony over the summer to determine the future of Common Core in Michigan. On Thursday, September 26th, the House passed HCR 11, which sets conditions for the implementation of the Common Core State Standards and allows the State Board of Education to spend money implementing the use of those standards, which demand critical thinking and problem solving of our students to help them compete with peers across the county and be career and college-ready upon graduation. The resolution also ensures that the State School Board engages in an active review of the Smarter Balanced Assessments and compare it to other alternatives available to be used. I was able to get language included in HCR 11 that will ensure parents, teachers, administrators, and others will be able to provide necessary feedback to the Department of Education, and I was proud to vote for the final version of the resolution. Unfortunately, there is some doubt about the Senate's support of this resolution (or even a version of their own). In the meantime, the Department of Education is prohibited from spending any dollars on Common Core. I am disappointed that the Senate hasn't taken action on this issue yet and will continue urging colleagues in that chamber to pass HCR 11 as soon as possible so that the Department of Education cam assist schools in finalizing the implementation of Common Core.
Affordable Health Care Implementation
October 1st marked an important benchmark in the implementation of the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA): it was the day citizens could begin enrolling for health insurance programs through their state's Health Care Marketplaces. Michigan's Health Care Marketplace is a federally operated insurance marketplace (also called an exchange) where individuals and small businesses will be able to shop for and compare health coverage. Enrollment in programs is for coverage that will begin on January 1, 2014 (so long as enrollment happens before December 15, 2013). Residents are encouraged to go to the Health Insurance Marketplace to find a health plan best suited to their needs by visiting www.healthcare.gov. Those who prefer not to use the website can receive a paper application and consumer assistance through the Health Insurance Marketplace Call Center at 800.318.2596.
It's important to note that individuals who are on Medicare, Medicaid, or already have health insurance through an employer are already covered (they won't need to enroll for a plan through Michigan's Health Care Marketplace). The Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services is available to answer any questions about health insurance options offered through Michigan's Marketplace at www.michigan.gov/hicap. Residents can also e-mail DIFS-HICAP@michigan.gov or call 877.999.6442.
Remember that in 2014 and beyond, the ACA requires individuals who don’t already have health insurance to choose a plan through their state's marketplace. Be sure to visit healthcare.gov for more information.
Schor Introduced Legislation
HB 4982, Year-Round School District Pilot Program
Education is absolutely vital for our state's future, yet far too much of our students' hard-earned educational progress is lost every year over the summer break. One of the biggest issues our schools are facing is that when students return to class in the fall, they often have to spend one to two months relearning everything that they lost over the summer. This means that out of the currently mandated 175 days, 30-60 of them are used for catch-up and not for learning new material. This is especially true in at-risk schools, where students often do not have access to educational camps and other resources over the summer. Our most at-risk students are often left behind at the beginning of the school year, which makes it increasingly difficult to catch up as the year progresses. This is one of the reasons that students can be low-achieving and is a major factor in the result of several schools being on the priority schools list (lowest 5%).
House Bill 4982 creates an incentive for schools that choose to move to all-year calendars but lack the resources for necessary one-time expenditures (for things such as air conditioning in the building). Specifically, my bill would create a $10 million fund that could be used for these expenses by schools that choose to go to an all year format. The fund would be maintained by the Department of Education, and schools that currently qualify for free or reduced price lunches would be eligible to apply for the available dollars. Oftentimes these schools have more outdated buildings in need of renovation before summer use and the district's students tend to lack the resources to take advantage of educational camps and other enrichment opportunities during the three months that they are off in the summer.
My legislation would not increase the already required number of school days; it would simply require a balanced calendar where the school spreads the days out across the calendar year. The choice of which schools participate in the pilot program is left up to the individual school districts. HB 4982 has been referred to the House Appropriations Committee where I am hopeful it will be granted a hearing.
HB 4992, Assessment Test Information
HB 4992 was introduced after Lansing's Superintendent called an important issue to my attention. In the Lansing School District, the staff and students of Eastern High School have worked very hard during recent years to improve the school's educational environment and increase student achievement. This last year was no exception; everyone was focused, students were motivated, and the staff was ready to lead positive change. The Michigan Merit Exam (MME) was given in March with a student participation rate that exceed expectations. Based on enthusiasm alone, there was every hope that Eastern would be able to boost its performance ratings.
After testing was finished and all booklets were submitted to the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), it was discovered that the MDE had invalidated 18 tests due to a failure to bubble in the corresponding ID number of some test booklets with answer sheets. Had just ten of those tests been considered valid, Eastern could have shown remarkable improvement in its performance ratings; the students whose tests were invalidated and who took other tests during the MME testing window scored advanced proficient and proficient on all of their other tests.
Once a student takes the MME, all tests booklets go into a box and are shipped off to the MDE. Eastern's staff didn't discover the issue with 18 of their test booklets until the first week of June (well past the 'appeals' window) when it was brought to their attention by the State Reform Office. Our students work hard to learn every bit of vital information needed to pass tests throughout the year because the weight we attach to state assessments is so heavy. Allowing something technical and unrelated to the subject content to disqualify a student's test is wrong and detrimental both to our hard-working students and to our school districts. As a result of this issue, Eastern was unable to move off of the 'Priority Schools' list.
HB 4992 would allow teachers and school administrators to change technical and non-substantive test information on state assessments for students, including portions that collect demographic and other information from pupils that isn't related to the actual content of the test. The Michigan Department of Education does not currently allow schools to amend non-content errors on tests, resulting in a number of tests (like the 18 at Eastern) being disallowed for school ratings.
This bill has been referred to the House Education Committee where it will be granted a hearing at the discretion of Committee Chair Lyons.
HR 163
Passed by the House on October 3rd, HR 163 declares October 2013 as Microenterprise Month in the State of Michigan. The resolution's purpose is to call attention to Michigan's microenterprises-- our small businesses with 5 or fewer employees. Those businesses actually comprise over 17 percent of our state's employment and provide jobs for over 950,000 individuals. I was honored to be approached by the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM) to help recognize one of the most important components of our state's economy.
HR 229
I was excited to pass a resolution to declare October 5, 2013 as 'Buy Nearby, Get Caught Blue-Handed Day' in the State of Michigan. 'Buy Nearby' is an ongoing, year-round campaign launched by the Michigan Retailers Association to benefit retail businesses and local communities across Michigan. The campaign is intended to serve as a call to action to our citizens to choose Michigan stores when they head out to shop.
I continue to work with a variety of stakeholders on drafting legislation to address issues facing our community and state. I plan to continue working on and introducing legislation throughout the summer, too. I invite you to stay up to speed on all of my legislative action on my website (www.schor.housedems.com). For an up-to-date list of all legislative I've sponsored and co-sponsored to date, click on the below links:
Sponsored Legislation
Co-Sponsored Legislation
Other House Bills
A number of other bills have been passed by the House that directly impact Michigan's residents. I've included information about a notable few below.
HB 4668 (passed the House on 9.10) - Restructuring of Hunting and Fishing Fee Licenses
HB 4668 restructures hunting and fishing fee licenses in Michigan and increases certain fees (as proposed by the Governor). The license changes would take effect on March 1, 2014, and sunset on March 1, 2019. A substitute for this bill was passed by the Senate and has been returned to the House for reconsideration.
HBs 4284, 4299 (passed the House on 9.12) - Allowance of ORVs on the Shoulders of State Highways
These bills allow authorized local units of government to adopt ordinances allowing for the operation of Off-Road Recreation Vehicles (ORVs) on the shoulders of state trunk line highways.
SB 50 (passed the House on 9.12)- Waiver of Permit Requirements for ORVs
SB 50 expands the activities for which an ORV license is not required, allows the Department of Natural Resources to enter into license reciprocity agreements with other states, establishes a free ORV-riding day, and prohibits a permit from being needed for group recreational ORV riding on DNR-owned land or for an ORV event on the frozen surface of public waters.
HB 4786 (passed the House on 9.12) - Increase of Vital Records Fees
HB 4786 increases most existing fees for vital records searches, copies, authenticated copies, amendments to vital records, and verification of vital records facts. I opposed this legislation as an unnecessary fee increase on citizens who need these vital records.
SB 162 (passed the House on 9.19) - Amendment to the Code of Criminal Procedure
SB 162 allows a defendant to face prosecution in any county where he or she intended the offense or acts to have an effect. Under current law, whenever a felony consists of two or more acts done in the perpetration of that felony, the perpetrator may be prosecuted in any county where any one of the acts was actually committed. SB 162 expands this law a bit by allowing prosecution in any county where the effect of the acts was intended.
HBs 4694-4697 (passed the House on 9.19) - Establishment of Mental Health Courts
HBs 4694 through 4697 statutorily establish mental health courts. The bills are all tie-barred to each other.
HB 4930 (passed the House on 9.25) - Repeal of Law Prohibiting a Person from Displaying an Emblem on a Motor Vehicle
HB 4930 repeals an archaic section of law that prohibits a person from displaying an emblem or insignia on his or her motor vehicle.
HBs 4949-4954 (passed the House on 9.26) - Revisions to Employer's Unemployment Insurance Benefits
HB 4949 allows the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) to retroactively reverse a decision that an individual is qualified for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits and to recollect any benefits already disbursed to that individual. The H-4 substitute requires that the UIA grant waivers of recollections in cases of administrative error, most employer errors, and indigence. HB 4950 establishes a procedure for charging an employer's account benefits paid to a claimant as a result of the employer not providing or not fully providing required information. HB 4953 is a clean-up bill that makes an amendment to Section 32 of MESA, as required by HB 4950. HB 4951 makes changes to how amounts recovered in certain situations are to be credited. HB 4954 makes a technical change, required by HB 4951. HB 4952 stipulates that any claimant who is offered a job subject to passing a drug test will be considered to have refused the job if the claimant refused to take the test or failed it without good cause.
HB 4811 (passed the House on 10.3) - Changes to the Military Relief Fund
HB 4811 makes a number of changes to the Military Relief Fund that will increase access to the funds and further promote the availability of the funds.
HB 4194 (passed the House on 10.3) - Allowing Local Government Unites to Create Budget Stabilization Funds
HB 4194 amends PA 30 of 1978, which allows local units of government to create Budget Stabilization Funds (BSF), to increase the limit on the local unit's BSF revenues. A county, city, village, or township may create a BSF by an ordinance of the municipality's most recent general fund budget or 15% of the average of its five most recent general fund budgets, whichever is less. The bill would increase this limit to the 20% of either of these amounts, whichever is less.
SB 25 (passed the House on 10.3) - Allowing Requests from Property Owners in Regard to a Principal Residence Exemption
SB 25 would provide a mechanism by which property owners can request a principal residence exemption (PRE) from Treasury for any year the exemption was erroneously not provided by the local unit of government. The bill would also allow Treasury to deny an improperly granted PRE for the same time frame.
HB 4656 (passed the House on 10.9) - Expansion of the Youth Employment Standards Act
HB 4656 expands the Youth Employment Standards Act to include 16 year olds who obtain a high school equivalency certificate.
Community Update/Events
Coffee and Tea with Andy
My next 'Coffee and Tea with Andy' gathering is scheduled for Saturday, October 26th, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at The Avenue Café (formerly Gone Wired), located at 2021 East Michigan Avenue here in Lansing.
These gatherings are a great opportunity for me to share news about what's going on at the Capitol and gather your thoughts and concerns about our community. Hearing from you helps me better represent the interests of Lansing and Lansing Township in the Michigan House, so I hope you’ll consider joining in what promises to be another productive discussion.
Details about my final 'Coffee and Tea with Andy' for 2013 are below:
Monday, December 2
Letts Community Center
1220 W. Kalamazoo Street, Lansing
My office is currently in the process of lining up 'Coffee and Tea' gatherings for the first half of 2014. We'll be sure to share the schedule as soon as it is confirmed!
Health Care Reform and Expansion Town Hall Event
On Monday, October 28th, Senator Whitmer and I will be hosting a Town Hall meeting to help residents learn about their health care options. We'll be gathering from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the New Saint Paul Church of God in Christ (COGIC) located at 1717 E. Cavanaugh in Lansing. Presenters and resources from the Ingham County Health Department, Michigan Consumers for Health care, and Enroll-Get Covered America! will be available to all participants.
For a full list of events happening in and around our community in the coming weeks, click here.
Thank you very much for your interest in my legislative activity. I look forward to keeping you updated on what's happening in the House and invite you to stay in touch with my office via phone (517-373-0826), e-mail (andyschor@house.mi.gov), or by stopping in to visit (we're located in office 1087 of the Anderson House Office Building, located at 124 North Capitol Avenue in Lansing) to share your thoughts or if we can be of any assistance to you.
Sincerely,
Andy Schor
State Representative, 68th District
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
June 2013 (Before Session Break for Summer) E-News
As many of you know, the Legislature is winding down a bit for the summer (republicans have scheduled six session days between now and September). I wanted to touch base to draw your attention to a few issues that we worked on before recessing for our lighter schedule.
Medicaid Expansion
After the House passed legislation to expand Medicaid to low-income working residents in Michigan (see my floor speech at www.schor.housedems.com), I'm very disappointed to report that the Senate republicans recessed for the summer without taking a vote on this legislation (HB 4714).
As many of you have heard, resistance to taking the measure up for a vote was led by Tea Party supporters in the Senate. Rather than heed the recommendations of Governor Snyder (who cut a trip to Israel short to come back and work on getting Medicaid expansion passed), those individuals instead chose to let their hatred of the Affordable Care Act get in the way of providing health coverage to over 400,000 of Michigan's working residents. The Senate's refusal to take action on Medicaid expansion has jeopardized our state's ability to receive federal funds that would help us reduce uncompensated care, saving our state an estimated $300 million; save taxpayers millions in future Medicaid expenses; and bring an estimated $1.9 to $2 billion in new revenue to our state over a ten-year period, for a total of over $20.5 billion worth of new revenue for Michigan. I'm extremely frustrated that one of the proudest votes of my career as a State Representative was negated by a small minority of people who let their anger get in the way of what's best for our citizens. I remain committed to passing legislation to expand Medicaid in Michigan but am very disheartened about the Senate's recent refusal to take up the issue. The Senate is scheduled to return on July 3rd but it not planning to take any votes. I urge you to have your family and friends throughout Michigan contact republican senators to tell them to take a vote on HB 4714 when they return on July 3rd.
Revisions to Michigan Merit Curriculum Standards
The House recently took up House Bills 4465 and 4466-- both of which propose changes to our state's Merit Curriculum Standards.
HB 4465 would alter the current Michigan Merit Curriculum standards as they relate to Algebra II, foreign language and Physical Education by: (1) Establishing the option that career and technical education courses may be taken in place of Algebra II; (2) Allowing approved participation in extracurricular activities involving physical activities to count as a 1/2 credit toward health; and (3) Mandating that two foreign language credits must be earned, but can be substituted for technical education credits.
HB 4466 alters the current Michigan Merit Curriculum standards to: (1) Add Anatomy as a possible science credit alternative to either Chemistry or Physics; (2) Change certain current Personal Curriculum Guidelines; (3) Allow the Algebra II requirement to be completed as part of a CTE program; (4) Allow students that participate in a PC program to satisfy the math requirement with only three credits of math instead of 3.5; and (5) Develop a pupil's education plan so they must be informed that CTE courses are an option to fulfill many of the requirements.
While I'm generally hesitant to make changes to Michigan's Merit Curriculum standards, I voted for HBs 4465 and 4466 when they came before me on the House floor because I liked that they provided students with a broader set of options for fulfilling graduation requirements without eroding the overall quality of their high school curriculum. Both bills have been referred to the Senate's Education Committee where they will be taken up at the discretion of Committee Chair Pavlov.
Final Passage of Legislation Amending the Michigan Fireworks Safety Act
On June 19th, HB 4743 (which makes significant changes to the Michigan Fireworks Safety Act) was signed into law with immediate effect. It is now PA 65'13.
Before this bill was signed into law, local governments could not put any restrictions on the discharge, initiation, or use of consumer grade fireworks on the day or, day before, or day after a national holiday. HB 4743 changed that provision to allow municipalities to restrict the hours of use of consumer grade fireworks on the day or, day after, or day before a national holiday as follows:
• A city with a population of 50,000 or more OR a local unit of government located in a county with a population of 750,000 or more may enact local ordinates to restrict fireworks usage between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. or between the hours or 1:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. on New Year's Day;
• A city with a population of 50,000 or less OR a local unit of government located in a county with a population of 750,000 or less may enact local ordinates to restrict fireworks usage between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m.
Among other things, the bill also addresses the fireworks safety fee for retailers, where the fee is distributed, and who is responsible for submitting the fee. The Senate substitute made a minor change to the bill to allow retailers which operate 25 or more retail locations to remit their fireworks safety fee in an aggregate form instead of on an individual store basis.
I was happy to support this bill when it came up for a vote and am confident that it will provide some important clarification and options for our local units of government as they consider measures to make our community a safe, enjoyable place for celebrations (especially those coming up this summer).
Repeal of the 90 Day Pre-Foreclosure Law
House Bills 4765 and 4766, which make changes to the state's 90-day pre-foreclosure law, have been passed by the House and the Senate and have been sent to Governor Snyder for his signature.
HB 4765 repeals the state's 90-day pre-foreclosure law as of January 9, 2014 (when the federal rules for mortgage servicing go into effect). Federal rules prohibit servicers from commencing the foreclosure process until a mortgage loan account is more than 120 days delinquent, which will give borrowers a reasonable amount of time to submit modification applications or seek foreclosure alternatives. HB 4766 would require certain lenders to comply with provisions requiring them to designate an agent to meet with a borrower to negotiate modifications. While I have some concerns about other foreclosure-related bills currently moving through the House and the Senate, I voted in favor of HBs 4765 and 4766 when they came before me for a vote on the House floor.
The House also passed Senate Bills 380 and 383.
SB 380 would extend the subset on the state's foreclosure prevention act (90-day pre-foreclosure law/mortgage loan modification law) through January 9th, 2014. Currently the Revised Judicature Act sets forth conditions that a party must satisfy to begin proceedings to foreclose a mortgage by advertisement. Under the mortgage loan modification program, the Act prohibits a party from beginning proceedings if a required notice has not been mailed to the borrower, if applicable time limits have not expired, or if the parties have agreed to modify the mortgage loan and the borrower is not in default. SB 380 extends the sunset on that requirement to January 9th, 2014. SB 383 would allow the purchaser of a property at a sheriff's sale to periodically inspect the property during the redemption period and to sue for possession if the homeowner damaged the property. The bill would also shorten the redemption period for certain abandoned properties.
I voted for SB 380 but against SB 383 because I had concerns about it allowing lenders to inspect houses without any notice to occupants (and without any limits). The bill also allows the redemption period to be completely eliminated if minor violations (such as broken windows) were reported. I am expecting (and hopeful) that this bill will be cleaned up a bit before it takes effect but simply couldn't support it in its current form. Both bills are currently awaiting Governor Snyder's signature.
My interest is revising Michigan's foreclosure laws lies in protecting both our families and our neighborhoods. Many people continue to grapple with the effects of our state's housing crisis (which is still a big problem in our community and state) and need the ability to negotiate with lenders before foreclosure. That being said, I don’t want to see people staying in houses rent-free, then stripping the house (cabinets, copper wire, appliances, etc.) and leaving a bare space that cannot be re-sold, which negatively affects the surrounding neighborhood and community. We need the law to ensure housing stability, safe communities, and economic recovery while also ensuring that we are not harming our citizens, home values, and neighborhoods. As such, I will continue to hear from all interested parties on foreclosure-related legislation.
Dissolution of School Districts
Many of you have heard about House Bills 4813 and 4815, which provide a mechanism by which a severely distressed school district can be dissolved and absorbed by neighboring districts.
HB 4813 amends the Revised School Code to outline the criteria under which a district can be deemed a candidate for dissolution as follows:
• The district lacks a population sufficient to serve the various district officer positions; OR
• The Superintendent and Treasurer determine that (a) The district either failed to submit a Debt Elimination Plan (DEP) when called upon to do so, or lacks the capability of implementing a DEP and lacks the capability of providing education services to its residents; AND (b) The district is not financially viable and is unable to provide K-12 education services for a full year and for the requisite number of hours.
Among other things, the Senate-passed substitute for HB 4813 makes intermediate school districts responsible for performing the functions and responsibilities of the dissolved district regarding debt repayment, managing ongoing sinking fund levies, etc. (as opposed to the House version which mandated that the receiving district which acquired the largest share of the SEV of the dissolved districted be tasked with those responsibilities).
HB 4815 amends the State School Aid Act to outline the various ways in which taxes, lingering financial obligations, and other matters are to be handled in the event of a school district's dissolution and absorption of that district by other entities. The bill provides $2.7 million to fully fund the foundation allowances of the receiving districts in order to replace the local school operating revenue from the dissolved district, which would be diverted to pay the dissolved district's debt. The receiving district would continue to receive its current per pupil foundation allowance for all students (including those received from the dissolved district). The bill also holds that the intermediate school district must act as the board of the dissolved district for the purposes of resolving debts, taxation, millage proposals and the like. It outlines that residents of the dissolved district cannot be made to pay taxes at the higher rate of the receiving district (if applicable), presumably until being provided with a chance to vote. The bill also excludes using the taxable value of residences as part of the new district's overall estimates while those within the dissolved district continue to satisfy debt obligations.
While these bills were originally introduced to address situations of financial stress in about 55 school districts with smaller populations, the legislation was narrowed to only affect Inkster and Nuena Vista (which actually ran out of money this year). I am generally opposed to measures that remove parents’ (and local school officials’) input and say from determining how to best serve their children's educational needs. I also had concerns that we were only addressing these two school districts and not looking at the entire problem by enacting a more comprehensive solution. Finally, I recognize that dramatic state cuts to education over recent years are one of the biggest factors putting schools in financial distress. Now, instead of re-funding our schools, we're embracing measures like dissolving them. The Legislature cannot continue to create problems and then punish those who cannot cope with them. As such, I voted against both bills when they came before me for consideration. Despite some strong opposition, both bills were passed by the House and Senate and have been sent to Governor Snyder for his signature.
House Subcommittee on Common Core
As I noted in my last e-newsletter, I have a number of reservations about the fact that this year's omnibus budget (HB 4328) included language prohibiting the Michigan Department of Education and local schools across Michigan from implementing the Common Core State Standards and the Smarter Balanced Assessments, which were adopted statewide in 2010 and have been successfully implemented by our local school districts since then.
Michigan's local school districts have spent hundreds of hours planning and implementing the high-quality Common Core Standards to empower their students to be career and college-ready. Language included in HB 4328 would leave school boards, administrators, teachers, and parents with no clear direction on how to continue planning their locally-developed curricula to meet state standards that have were thoroughly vetted by citizens (including teachers, parents, students, school administrators, and post-secondary educators) when they were adopted three years ago. Members of the Michigan Legislature provided input and commentary on the construction of the standards at that time. Even worse, the State Board of Education has warned that unless the Legislature takes affirmative action on Common Core and Smarter Balance, every school in Michigan will fail to meet Adequate Yearly Progress standards, jeopardizing important federal funding for our students. While there are a number of opinions about whether or not Michigan's Common Core State Standards are good for our schools, for our children, for our businesses, and for our state's economic future, one thing is certain: it would be tremendously problematic for us to reverse course now, three years after we've established Common Core as a standard in our schools and have invested much into implementing those standards.
I'm pleased to share that I have been named to a special bipartisan House subcommittee (The Subcommittee on Common Core) recently assembled to determine the future of Common Core in our state. We'll be meeting throughout the summer to address this important issue and I anticipate working closely with our local school districts, education associations, and others to ensure that we take action in the best interests of our schools and students.
Schor Legislation
House Bill 4478 (Passed the House on 6.13) - Signature Stamp Legislation
I am thrilled to share that my first bill passed the House on June 13th! As many of you know, House Bill 4478 allows a voter who is unable to sign his or her name on an election document to execute the election document where a signature is required either by making his or her mark or by using a signature stamp. This legislation is in response to an issue that arose in a local mid-Michigan community. Under current law, a person can make his/her mark but cannot use a voter stamp. At its hearing, the bill was supported by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Michigan Disability Right Coalition, the Michigan Municipal League, AARP (Michigan), GCSI, the Association of County Clerks, and the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks. The bill passed the House unanimously and is now in the Senate for review and consideration. Special thanks to all of the community members and stakeholders who had a hand in getting the bill moved through the House!
House Bill 4800 - Judicial Foreclosure
In an attempt to address foreclosure fraud, I introduced HB 4800 which amends the Revised Judicature Act to allow for judicial foreclosure proceedings when a lender engages in one or more of the following 'bad practices:'
(1) Purposely failing to record mortgages or assignments on mortgages;
(2) Advising mortgagors not to make payments on mortgages; or
(3) Placing false signatures on mortgage foreclosure documents
While most of our lenders are good actors and playing vital roles in Michigan's recovery, we must allow our residents to have recourse and to delay foreclosure actions if they are put into foreclosure due to unscrupulous acts initiated by bad actors. It's important for us to prevent lenders from engaging in behaviors and lending practices that ultimately harm Michigan's homeowners. I have requested that this consumer protection bill be taken up along with the other foreclosure-related bills being considered in the House and am hopeful that it will be included in evolving conversation on this issue. HB 4800 has been referred to the House's Financial Services Committee where it will be taken up at the discretion of Committee Chair Callton.
House Bill 4844 - Pre-Labor Day School Start Date
Under current Michigan law, our K-12 schools are required to commence their academic year after Labor Day. HB 4844 proposes to gives our schools the option of starting before Labor Day (if they so choose). My intent in introducing HB 4844 is to grant our local school districts more autonomy to set the fall start date for their students. Knowing that every one of Michigan's school districts is unique, I believe that we ought to empower our locals to make decisions that best fit the needs of their individual students and communities.
My bill does not require schools to start earlier; it only provides them with the option of commencing their academic years before Labor Day if they decide it is in the best interest of their students to do so. To ensure that my legislation doesn't impact travelers' Labor Day plans (a very important weekend for Michigan's tourism industry!), my bill stipulates that schools may not be in session the Friday preceding Labor Day. HB 4844 has been referred to the House Tourism Committee where it will be taken up at the discretion of Committee Chair Pettalia.
House Resolution 163 - Microenterprise Month
House Resolution 163 declares October 2013 as Microenterprise Month in the state of Michigan—a move that I was asked to make by the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM). As many of you know, microenterprises are businesses with five or fewer employees. Today, they are actually responsible for 17% of Michigan's employment and provide jobs for approximately 969,584 of our citizens. Microenterprises continue to be essential to Michigan’s economic development and recovery from the Great Recession, which is one of the reasons I introduced HR 163.
House Resolution 192 -Harvest Gathering Month
House Resolution 192 declares October 2013 as Harvest Gather Month in the state of Michigan. Currently, 18% of Michigan residents regularly face hunger in their households while 23% of our state's children do not have a consistent source of health and nutritious food. The Food Bank Council of Michigan has successfully served the State of Michigan for some time by trying to alleviate hunger through the 'Michigan Harvest Gathering'. The Harvest Gathering has made significant impacts in alleviating hunger throughout our state's recent economically challenging years. HR 192 not only calls attention to the Food Bank Council's tremendous efforts but attempts to remind all residents of the hunger issues still facing so many of our citizens.
I continue to work with a variety of stakeholders on drafting legislation to address issues facing our community and state. I plan to continue working on and introducing legislation throughout the summer, too. I invite you to stay up to speed on all of my legislative action on my website (www.schor.housedems.com). For an up-to-date list of all legislative I've sponsored and co-sponsored to date, click on the below links:
Sponsored Legislation
Co-Sponsored Legislation
Other House Bills
A number of other bills have been passed by the House that directly impact Michigan's residents. I've included information about a notable few below.
HB 4668 (passed the House on 6.5) - Restructuring of Hunting and Fishing Fee Licenses
HB 4668 restructures hunting and fishing fee licenses in Michigan and increases certain fees (as proposed by the Governor). The license changes would take effect on March 1, 2014, and sunset on March 1, 2019. A substitute for this bill was passed by the Senate and has been returned to the House for reconsideration.
HB 4629 (passed the House on 6.6) - Amendment to the Highway Advertising Act
HB 4269 amends the Highway Advertising Act, including, but not limited to: requiring a new permit process and other restrictions for digital billboards; addressing enforcement issues related to nonconforming billboards and other issues to ensure compliance with federal requirements; and amending procedures and penalties related to vegetation management in the vicinity of billboards. HB 4629 has been referred to the Senate Transportation Committee.
SB 27 (passed the House on 6.11) - Allow Merchants to Sell Beer Growlers
SB 27 will allow eligible merchants, such as a restaurant or bar, to fill and sell growlers with beer for off-premises consumption under certain conditions. The bill was also passed by the Senate and has been presented to Governor Snyder for his signature.
SB 79 (passed the House on 6.11) - Provision to Conduct Wine Tastings at Farmer's Markets
SB 79 and SB 279 provide for a farmer's market permit to allow a qualified small wine maker to conduct wine tastings and sell wine at farmer's markets. HB 79 was also passed by the Senate and has been presented to Governor Snyder for his signature.
HB 4768 (passed the House on 6.11) - Prohibition of the DEQ from Establishing or Enforcing the Amount of Sodium in Groundwater
HB 4768 adds a section to the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to prohibit the Department of Environmental Quality from establishing or enforcing an effluent limitation for the amount or concentration of sodium in groundwater or a groundwater discharge. This bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Environment, and Great Lakes.
HBs 4529 and 4530 (passed the House on 6.13) - Creation of a Permanent Commission to Improve Criminal Defense
HB 4529 creates a permanent, state-funded commission to improve criminal defense for indigent defendants in Michigan while HB 4530 revises how counsel is appointed for indigents. HB 4529 was also passed by the Senate and has been sent to Governor Snyder for his signature. HB 4530 is currently passage by the full Senate.
HB 4272 (passed the House on 6.19) - Requirement that all K-12 Schools Implement a Cardiac Emergency Plan
HB 4272 requires that all K-12 schools adopt and implement a Cardiac Emergency Plan for their school and mandates that cardiac emergency response drills be conducted regularly. These drills my take the place of a single mandated fire drill over the course of a school year. HB 4272 is currently in the Senate's Education Committee.
HB 4307 (passed the House on 6.20) - Elimination of a Requirement that a Special Election be Held when a County Commission Vacancy Occurs in an Odd-Numbered Year
HB 4307 eliminates a requirement that a special election be held when a county commission vacancy occurs in an odd-numbered year. The bill would allow for the vacancy to be filled by appointment by a county commission. If an appointment is not made within 30 days, the vacancy will be filled by a special election. After agreeing to changes the Senate made to this bill, the House passed it and sent it to Governor Snyder for his signature.
HB 4439 (passed the House on 6.20) - Waiver of Recreation Passport Fee
HB 4297 waives the recreation passport fee for veterans purchasing military specialty license plates. After agreeing to changes the Senate made to this bill, the House passed it and sent it to Governor Snyder for his signature.
Community Update/Events
Coffee and Tea with Andy
My next 'Coffee and Tea with Andy' gathering is scheduled for Monday, August 5th, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at the Alfreda Schmidt Southside Community Center (located at 5825 Wise Road here in Lansing). We'll be meeting in the building's Community Room that morning.
These gatherings are a great opportunity for me to share news about what's going on at the Capitol and gather your thoughts and concerns about our community. Hearing from you helps me better represent the interests of Lansing and Lansing Township in the Michigan House, so I hope you’ll consider joining in what promises to be another productive discussion.
My 'Coffee and Tea with Andy' schedule for the rest of 2013 is below.
Saturday, October 26
The Avenue Café (formerly Gone Wired)
2021 East Michigan Avenue, Lansing
Monday, December 2
Letts Community Center
1220 W. Kalamazoo Street, Lansing
For a full list of events happening in and around our community in the coming weeks, click here.
Thank you very much for your interest in my legislative activity. I look forward to keeping you updated on what's happening in the House and invite you to stay in touch with my office via phone (517-373-0826), e-mail (andyschor@house.mi.gov), or by stopping in to visit (we're located in office 1087 of the Anderson House Office Building, located at 124 North Capitol Avenue in Lansing) to share your thoughts or if we can be of any assistance to you.
Sincerely,
Andy Schor
State Representative, 68th District
Medicaid Expansion
After the House passed legislation to expand Medicaid to low-income working residents in Michigan (see my floor speech at www.schor.housedems.com), I'm very disappointed to report that the Senate republicans recessed for the summer without taking a vote on this legislation (HB 4714).
As many of you have heard, resistance to taking the measure up for a vote was led by Tea Party supporters in the Senate. Rather than heed the recommendations of Governor Snyder (who cut a trip to Israel short to come back and work on getting Medicaid expansion passed), those individuals instead chose to let their hatred of the Affordable Care Act get in the way of providing health coverage to over 400,000 of Michigan's working residents. The Senate's refusal to take action on Medicaid expansion has jeopardized our state's ability to receive federal funds that would help us reduce uncompensated care, saving our state an estimated $300 million; save taxpayers millions in future Medicaid expenses; and bring an estimated $1.9 to $2 billion in new revenue to our state over a ten-year period, for a total of over $20.5 billion worth of new revenue for Michigan. I'm extremely frustrated that one of the proudest votes of my career as a State Representative was negated by a small minority of people who let their anger get in the way of what's best for our citizens. I remain committed to passing legislation to expand Medicaid in Michigan but am very disheartened about the Senate's recent refusal to take up the issue. The Senate is scheduled to return on July 3rd but it not planning to take any votes. I urge you to have your family and friends throughout Michigan contact republican senators to tell them to take a vote on HB 4714 when they return on July 3rd.
Revisions to Michigan Merit Curriculum Standards
The House recently took up House Bills 4465 and 4466-- both of which propose changes to our state's Merit Curriculum Standards.
HB 4465 would alter the current Michigan Merit Curriculum standards as they relate to Algebra II, foreign language and Physical Education by: (1) Establishing the option that career and technical education courses may be taken in place of Algebra II; (2) Allowing approved participation in extracurricular activities involving physical activities to count as a 1/2 credit toward health; and (3) Mandating that two foreign language credits must be earned, but can be substituted for technical education credits.
HB 4466 alters the current Michigan Merit Curriculum standards to: (1) Add Anatomy as a possible science credit alternative to either Chemistry or Physics; (2) Change certain current Personal Curriculum Guidelines; (3) Allow the Algebra II requirement to be completed as part of a CTE program; (4) Allow students that participate in a PC program to satisfy the math requirement with only three credits of math instead of 3.5; and (5) Develop a pupil's education plan so they must be informed that CTE courses are an option to fulfill many of the requirements.
While I'm generally hesitant to make changes to Michigan's Merit Curriculum standards, I voted for HBs 4465 and 4466 when they came before me on the House floor because I liked that they provided students with a broader set of options for fulfilling graduation requirements without eroding the overall quality of their high school curriculum. Both bills have been referred to the Senate's Education Committee where they will be taken up at the discretion of Committee Chair Pavlov.
Final Passage of Legislation Amending the Michigan Fireworks Safety Act
On June 19th, HB 4743 (which makes significant changes to the Michigan Fireworks Safety Act) was signed into law with immediate effect. It is now PA 65'13.
Before this bill was signed into law, local governments could not put any restrictions on the discharge, initiation, or use of consumer grade fireworks on the day or, day before, or day after a national holiday. HB 4743 changed that provision to allow municipalities to restrict the hours of use of consumer grade fireworks on the day or, day after, or day before a national holiday as follows:
• A city with a population of 50,000 or more OR a local unit of government located in a county with a population of 750,000 or more may enact local ordinates to restrict fireworks usage between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. or between the hours or 1:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. on New Year's Day;
• A city with a population of 50,000 or less OR a local unit of government located in a county with a population of 750,000 or less may enact local ordinates to restrict fireworks usage between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m.
Among other things, the bill also addresses the fireworks safety fee for retailers, where the fee is distributed, and who is responsible for submitting the fee. The Senate substitute made a minor change to the bill to allow retailers which operate 25 or more retail locations to remit their fireworks safety fee in an aggregate form instead of on an individual store basis.
I was happy to support this bill when it came up for a vote and am confident that it will provide some important clarification and options for our local units of government as they consider measures to make our community a safe, enjoyable place for celebrations (especially those coming up this summer).
Repeal of the 90 Day Pre-Foreclosure Law
House Bills 4765 and 4766, which make changes to the state's 90-day pre-foreclosure law, have been passed by the House and the Senate and have been sent to Governor Snyder for his signature.
HB 4765 repeals the state's 90-day pre-foreclosure law as of January 9, 2014 (when the federal rules for mortgage servicing go into effect). Federal rules prohibit servicers from commencing the foreclosure process until a mortgage loan account is more than 120 days delinquent, which will give borrowers a reasonable amount of time to submit modification applications or seek foreclosure alternatives. HB 4766 would require certain lenders to comply with provisions requiring them to designate an agent to meet with a borrower to negotiate modifications. While I have some concerns about other foreclosure-related bills currently moving through the House and the Senate, I voted in favor of HBs 4765 and 4766 when they came before me for a vote on the House floor.
The House also passed Senate Bills 380 and 383.
SB 380 would extend the subset on the state's foreclosure prevention act (90-day pre-foreclosure law/mortgage loan modification law) through January 9th, 2014. Currently the Revised Judicature Act sets forth conditions that a party must satisfy to begin proceedings to foreclose a mortgage by advertisement. Under the mortgage loan modification program, the Act prohibits a party from beginning proceedings if a required notice has not been mailed to the borrower, if applicable time limits have not expired, or if the parties have agreed to modify the mortgage loan and the borrower is not in default. SB 380 extends the sunset on that requirement to January 9th, 2014. SB 383 would allow the purchaser of a property at a sheriff's sale to periodically inspect the property during the redemption period and to sue for possession if the homeowner damaged the property. The bill would also shorten the redemption period for certain abandoned properties.
I voted for SB 380 but against SB 383 because I had concerns about it allowing lenders to inspect houses without any notice to occupants (and without any limits). The bill also allows the redemption period to be completely eliminated if minor violations (such as broken windows) were reported. I am expecting (and hopeful) that this bill will be cleaned up a bit before it takes effect but simply couldn't support it in its current form. Both bills are currently awaiting Governor Snyder's signature.
My interest is revising Michigan's foreclosure laws lies in protecting both our families and our neighborhoods. Many people continue to grapple with the effects of our state's housing crisis (which is still a big problem in our community and state) and need the ability to negotiate with lenders before foreclosure. That being said, I don’t want to see people staying in houses rent-free, then stripping the house (cabinets, copper wire, appliances, etc.) and leaving a bare space that cannot be re-sold, which negatively affects the surrounding neighborhood and community. We need the law to ensure housing stability, safe communities, and economic recovery while also ensuring that we are not harming our citizens, home values, and neighborhoods. As such, I will continue to hear from all interested parties on foreclosure-related legislation.
Dissolution of School Districts
Many of you have heard about House Bills 4813 and 4815, which provide a mechanism by which a severely distressed school district can be dissolved and absorbed by neighboring districts.
HB 4813 amends the Revised School Code to outline the criteria under which a district can be deemed a candidate for dissolution as follows:
• The district lacks a population sufficient to serve the various district officer positions; OR
• The Superintendent and Treasurer determine that (a) The district either failed to submit a Debt Elimination Plan (DEP) when called upon to do so, or lacks the capability of implementing a DEP and lacks the capability of providing education services to its residents; AND (b) The district is not financially viable and is unable to provide K-12 education services for a full year and for the requisite number of hours.
Among other things, the Senate-passed substitute for HB 4813 makes intermediate school districts responsible for performing the functions and responsibilities of the dissolved district regarding debt repayment, managing ongoing sinking fund levies, etc. (as opposed to the House version which mandated that the receiving district which acquired the largest share of the SEV of the dissolved districted be tasked with those responsibilities).
HB 4815 amends the State School Aid Act to outline the various ways in which taxes, lingering financial obligations, and other matters are to be handled in the event of a school district's dissolution and absorption of that district by other entities. The bill provides $2.7 million to fully fund the foundation allowances of the receiving districts in order to replace the local school operating revenue from the dissolved district, which would be diverted to pay the dissolved district's debt. The receiving district would continue to receive its current per pupil foundation allowance for all students (including those received from the dissolved district). The bill also holds that the intermediate school district must act as the board of the dissolved district for the purposes of resolving debts, taxation, millage proposals and the like. It outlines that residents of the dissolved district cannot be made to pay taxes at the higher rate of the receiving district (if applicable), presumably until being provided with a chance to vote. The bill also excludes using the taxable value of residences as part of the new district's overall estimates while those within the dissolved district continue to satisfy debt obligations.
While these bills were originally introduced to address situations of financial stress in about 55 school districts with smaller populations, the legislation was narrowed to only affect Inkster and Nuena Vista (which actually ran out of money this year). I am generally opposed to measures that remove parents’ (and local school officials’) input and say from determining how to best serve their children's educational needs. I also had concerns that we were only addressing these two school districts and not looking at the entire problem by enacting a more comprehensive solution. Finally, I recognize that dramatic state cuts to education over recent years are one of the biggest factors putting schools in financial distress. Now, instead of re-funding our schools, we're embracing measures like dissolving them. The Legislature cannot continue to create problems and then punish those who cannot cope with them. As such, I voted against both bills when they came before me for consideration. Despite some strong opposition, both bills were passed by the House and Senate and have been sent to Governor Snyder for his signature.
House Subcommittee on Common Core
As I noted in my last e-newsletter, I have a number of reservations about the fact that this year's omnibus budget (HB 4328) included language prohibiting the Michigan Department of Education and local schools across Michigan from implementing the Common Core State Standards and the Smarter Balanced Assessments, which were adopted statewide in 2010 and have been successfully implemented by our local school districts since then.
Michigan's local school districts have spent hundreds of hours planning and implementing the high-quality Common Core Standards to empower their students to be career and college-ready. Language included in HB 4328 would leave school boards, administrators, teachers, and parents with no clear direction on how to continue planning their locally-developed curricula to meet state standards that have were thoroughly vetted by citizens (including teachers, parents, students, school administrators, and post-secondary educators) when they were adopted three years ago. Members of the Michigan Legislature provided input and commentary on the construction of the standards at that time. Even worse, the State Board of Education has warned that unless the Legislature takes affirmative action on Common Core and Smarter Balance, every school in Michigan will fail to meet Adequate Yearly Progress standards, jeopardizing important federal funding for our students. While there are a number of opinions about whether or not Michigan's Common Core State Standards are good for our schools, for our children, for our businesses, and for our state's economic future, one thing is certain: it would be tremendously problematic for us to reverse course now, three years after we've established Common Core as a standard in our schools and have invested much into implementing those standards.
I'm pleased to share that I have been named to a special bipartisan House subcommittee (The Subcommittee on Common Core) recently assembled to determine the future of Common Core in our state. We'll be meeting throughout the summer to address this important issue and I anticipate working closely with our local school districts, education associations, and others to ensure that we take action in the best interests of our schools and students.
Schor Legislation
House Bill 4478 (Passed the House on 6.13) - Signature Stamp Legislation
I am thrilled to share that my first bill passed the House on June 13th! As many of you know, House Bill 4478 allows a voter who is unable to sign his or her name on an election document to execute the election document where a signature is required either by making his or her mark or by using a signature stamp. This legislation is in response to an issue that arose in a local mid-Michigan community. Under current law, a person can make his/her mark but cannot use a voter stamp. At its hearing, the bill was supported by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Michigan Disability Right Coalition, the Michigan Municipal League, AARP (Michigan), GCSI, the Association of County Clerks, and the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks. The bill passed the House unanimously and is now in the Senate for review and consideration. Special thanks to all of the community members and stakeholders who had a hand in getting the bill moved through the House!
House Bill 4800 - Judicial Foreclosure
In an attempt to address foreclosure fraud, I introduced HB 4800 which amends the Revised Judicature Act to allow for judicial foreclosure proceedings when a lender engages in one or more of the following 'bad practices:'
(1) Purposely failing to record mortgages or assignments on mortgages;
(2) Advising mortgagors not to make payments on mortgages; or
(3) Placing false signatures on mortgage foreclosure documents
While most of our lenders are good actors and playing vital roles in Michigan's recovery, we must allow our residents to have recourse and to delay foreclosure actions if they are put into foreclosure due to unscrupulous acts initiated by bad actors. It's important for us to prevent lenders from engaging in behaviors and lending practices that ultimately harm Michigan's homeowners. I have requested that this consumer protection bill be taken up along with the other foreclosure-related bills being considered in the House and am hopeful that it will be included in evolving conversation on this issue. HB 4800 has been referred to the House's Financial Services Committee where it will be taken up at the discretion of Committee Chair Callton.
House Bill 4844 - Pre-Labor Day School Start Date
Under current Michigan law, our K-12 schools are required to commence their academic year after Labor Day. HB 4844 proposes to gives our schools the option of starting before Labor Day (if they so choose). My intent in introducing HB 4844 is to grant our local school districts more autonomy to set the fall start date for their students. Knowing that every one of Michigan's school districts is unique, I believe that we ought to empower our locals to make decisions that best fit the needs of their individual students and communities.
My bill does not require schools to start earlier; it only provides them with the option of commencing their academic years before Labor Day if they decide it is in the best interest of their students to do so. To ensure that my legislation doesn't impact travelers' Labor Day plans (a very important weekend for Michigan's tourism industry!), my bill stipulates that schools may not be in session the Friday preceding Labor Day. HB 4844 has been referred to the House Tourism Committee where it will be taken up at the discretion of Committee Chair Pettalia.
House Resolution 163 - Microenterprise Month
House Resolution 163 declares October 2013 as Microenterprise Month in the state of Michigan—a move that I was asked to make by the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM). As many of you know, microenterprises are businesses with five or fewer employees. Today, they are actually responsible for 17% of Michigan's employment and provide jobs for approximately 969,584 of our citizens. Microenterprises continue to be essential to Michigan’s economic development and recovery from the Great Recession, which is one of the reasons I introduced HR 163.
House Resolution 192 -Harvest Gathering Month
House Resolution 192 declares October 2013 as Harvest Gather Month in the state of Michigan. Currently, 18% of Michigan residents regularly face hunger in their households while 23% of our state's children do not have a consistent source of health and nutritious food. The Food Bank Council of Michigan has successfully served the State of Michigan for some time by trying to alleviate hunger through the 'Michigan Harvest Gathering'. The Harvest Gathering has made significant impacts in alleviating hunger throughout our state's recent economically challenging years. HR 192 not only calls attention to the Food Bank Council's tremendous efforts but attempts to remind all residents of the hunger issues still facing so many of our citizens.
I continue to work with a variety of stakeholders on drafting legislation to address issues facing our community and state. I plan to continue working on and introducing legislation throughout the summer, too. I invite you to stay up to speed on all of my legislative action on my website (www.schor.housedems.com). For an up-to-date list of all legislative I've sponsored and co-sponsored to date, click on the below links:
Sponsored Legislation
Co-Sponsored Legislation
Other House Bills
A number of other bills have been passed by the House that directly impact Michigan's residents. I've included information about a notable few below.
HB 4668 (passed the House on 6.5) - Restructuring of Hunting and Fishing Fee Licenses
HB 4668 restructures hunting and fishing fee licenses in Michigan and increases certain fees (as proposed by the Governor). The license changes would take effect on March 1, 2014, and sunset on March 1, 2019. A substitute for this bill was passed by the Senate and has been returned to the House for reconsideration.
HB 4629 (passed the House on 6.6) - Amendment to the Highway Advertising Act
HB 4269 amends the Highway Advertising Act, including, but not limited to: requiring a new permit process and other restrictions for digital billboards; addressing enforcement issues related to nonconforming billboards and other issues to ensure compliance with federal requirements; and amending procedures and penalties related to vegetation management in the vicinity of billboards. HB 4629 has been referred to the Senate Transportation Committee.
SB 27 (passed the House on 6.11) - Allow Merchants to Sell Beer Growlers
SB 27 will allow eligible merchants, such as a restaurant or bar, to fill and sell growlers with beer for off-premises consumption under certain conditions. The bill was also passed by the Senate and has been presented to Governor Snyder for his signature.
SB 79 (passed the House on 6.11) - Provision to Conduct Wine Tastings at Farmer's Markets
SB 79 and SB 279 provide for a farmer's market permit to allow a qualified small wine maker to conduct wine tastings and sell wine at farmer's markets. HB 79 was also passed by the Senate and has been presented to Governor Snyder for his signature.
HB 4768 (passed the House on 6.11) - Prohibition of the DEQ from Establishing or Enforcing the Amount of Sodium in Groundwater
HB 4768 adds a section to the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to prohibit the Department of Environmental Quality from establishing or enforcing an effluent limitation for the amount or concentration of sodium in groundwater or a groundwater discharge. This bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Environment, and Great Lakes.
HBs 4529 and 4530 (passed the House on 6.13) - Creation of a Permanent Commission to Improve Criminal Defense
HB 4529 creates a permanent, state-funded commission to improve criminal defense for indigent defendants in Michigan while HB 4530 revises how counsel is appointed for indigents. HB 4529 was also passed by the Senate and has been sent to Governor Snyder for his signature. HB 4530 is currently passage by the full Senate.
HB 4272 (passed the House on 6.19) - Requirement that all K-12 Schools Implement a Cardiac Emergency Plan
HB 4272 requires that all K-12 schools adopt and implement a Cardiac Emergency Plan for their school and mandates that cardiac emergency response drills be conducted regularly. These drills my take the place of a single mandated fire drill over the course of a school year. HB 4272 is currently in the Senate's Education Committee.
HB 4307 (passed the House on 6.20) - Elimination of a Requirement that a Special Election be Held when a County Commission Vacancy Occurs in an Odd-Numbered Year
HB 4307 eliminates a requirement that a special election be held when a county commission vacancy occurs in an odd-numbered year. The bill would allow for the vacancy to be filled by appointment by a county commission. If an appointment is not made within 30 days, the vacancy will be filled by a special election. After agreeing to changes the Senate made to this bill, the House passed it and sent it to Governor Snyder for his signature.
HB 4439 (passed the House on 6.20) - Waiver of Recreation Passport Fee
HB 4297 waives the recreation passport fee for veterans purchasing military specialty license plates. After agreeing to changes the Senate made to this bill, the House passed it and sent it to Governor Snyder for his signature.
Community Update/Events
Coffee and Tea with Andy
My next 'Coffee and Tea with Andy' gathering is scheduled for Monday, August 5th, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at the Alfreda Schmidt Southside Community Center (located at 5825 Wise Road here in Lansing). We'll be meeting in the building's Community Room that morning.
These gatherings are a great opportunity for me to share news about what's going on at the Capitol and gather your thoughts and concerns about our community. Hearing from you helps me better represent the interests of Lansing and Lansing Township in the Michigan House, so I hope you’ll consider joining in what promises to be another productive discussion.
My 'Coffee and Tea with Andy' schedule for the rest of 2013 is below.
Saturday, October 26
The Avenue Café (formerly Gone Wired)
2021 East Michigan Avenue, Lansing
Monday, December 2
Letts Community Center
1220 W. Kalamazoo Street, Lansing
For a full list of events happening in and around our community in the coming weeks, click here.
Thank you very much for your interest in my legislative activity. I look forward to keeping you updated on what's happening in the House and invite you to stay in touch with my office via phone (517-373-0826), e-mail (andyschor@house.mi.gov), or by stopping in to visit (we're located in office 1087 of the Anderson House Office Building, located at 124 North Capitol Avenue in Lansing) to share your thoughts or if we can be of any assistance to you.
Sincerely,
Andy Schor
State Representative, 68th District
Monday, June 3, 2013
Early June 2013 E-News Update
As many of you have heard, Michigan's Legislature has been busy addressing a variety of issues in recent weeks. Most notably, we've taken a number of steps toward finalizing our state budget that I wanted to take a moment to draw your attention to.
Budget Bills
I reported in my last e-newsletter that the House had passed both of its omnibus budget bills: House Bill 4228 and House Bill 4328. Since then, the House has adopted and passed the versions of those bills that were reported out of the Conference Committee process. I expect they will be finalized and signed into law in the next week or so.
House Bill 4228 (Conference Report Passed House on 5.28) - School Aid Omnibus Budget for Fiscal Year 2013-2014
As I noted in my last update, HB 4228 includes the budgets for school aid, higher education, and community colleges for fiscal year 2013-2014. The Conference Committee's report of this bill passed the House on May 28th on a vote of 65-43. It was then adopted by the Senate (on a vote of 25-12) and has been sent to Governor Snyder for his final approval and signature.
I was disappointed to have to vote against the final version of HB 4228 when it came before me, but the bill simply didn't include the increases for our students that were promised by Governor Snyder. Lansing Public Schools will only see a $6 per pupil increase under the latest version of this bill when factoring in retirement legacy costs. A $6 increase is not nearly enough after recent cuts from the Legislature and Governor ($200 per pupil were cut from 2011-2013). While I was glad to see the lowest-funded schools receive boosted state support through the Conference Committee's version of HB 4228, I'm frustrated that our urban schools-- many who have been subjected to intense scrutiny and criticism, including state takeover by the Educational Achievement Authority-- aren't seeing the increased support they need. What's worse, many charter schools will see larger increases than Lansing Public Schools will (generally around $58 per pupil in Ingham County). With a nearly $700 million state budget surplus this year, I believe that our public education students should be our priority and our budget does not reflect that. As such, I voted against this budget.
For what it's worth, HB 4228 does at least preserves the governor's recommended funding for the Great Start Readiness program (the House had reduced that increase in its initial version of the bill). That said, this budget is still a long way from the direction I think we ought to be heading as a state when it comes to supporting our schools. We clearly have a long way to go.
House Bill 4328 (Conference Report Passed House on 5.28) - General Omnibus Budget for Fiscal Year 2013-2014
House Bill 4328 provides appropriations for the following state departments: LARA, Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Department of Community Health, Corrections, Department of Education, Department of Environmental Quality, General Government, Department of Health Services, Judiciary, Michigan State Police, and the Department of Transportation. The Conference Committee report on HB 4328 passed the House on a vote of 63-46.
I voted against this bill on the House floor because of the number of measures HB 4328 did not include-- most notably, support for Medicaid expansion. I remain frustrated at Republicans' resistance of Medicaid expansion, which, as many of you know, would allow us to extend health coverage to 400,000 currently uninsured Michigan residents. Those funds have the potential to reduce uncompensated care and will save our state an estimated $300 million; save taxpayers millions in future Medicaid expenses; and bring an estimated $1.9 to $2 billion in new revenue to our state over a ten-year period, for a total of over $20.5 billion worth of new revenue for Michigan. I could not in good conscience support a budget bill that didn't include funds for a program that our state's citizens overwhelmingly want us to expand. (It's worth noting, though, that the Michigan Competitiveness Committee is still in the midst of working on an alternative Medicaid expansion bill-- HB 4714-- which sets a number of conditions for expanding Medicaid to 133 percent of the federal poverty level. I have some concerns about the bill as it stands but will continue to be closely involved as a member of that committee in efforts to make the bill more palatable).
My other primary concern with the Conference Committee's version of HB 4328 was the inclusion of language that presents a significant problem for our school districts. As passed by the House, the bill includes language prohibiting the Michigan Department of Education and local schools across Michigan from implementing the Common Core State Standards and the Smarter Balanced Assessments, which were adopted statewide in 2010 and have been successfully implemented by our local school districts since then. Michigan's local school districts have spent hundreds of hours planning and implementing the high-quality Common Core Standards to empower their students to be career and college-ready. Language included in HB 4328 would leave school boards, administrators, teachers, and parents with no clear direction on how to continue planning their locally-developed curricula to meet state standards that have were thoroughly vetted by citizens (including teachers, parents, students, school administrators, and post-secondary educators) when they were adopted three years ago. Members of the Michigan Legislature also provided input and commentary on the construction of the standards at that time. I believe that Michigan's Common Core State Standards are good for our schools, for our children, for our businesses, and for our state's economic future.
All that being said, there were a few positive changes that came out of the Conference Committee process for this bill.
To begin, I was thrilled to see support re-instated for an expansion of the Healthy Kids Dental program. That expansion will enable children in 78 of Michigan's 83 counties (including Ingham, Ottawa, and Washtenaw) to be eligible for assistance through Healthy Kids Dental, a tremendous program piloted through Delta Dental and the Department of Community Health that continues to improve the dental health of many of our most at-need citizens. The Conference Committee's version of HB 4328 also included $500,000 worth of support for Meals on Wheels; funds for autism programs at Central University, Eastern University, Oakland University, and Western Michigan University; funds for mental health and substance abuse support for veterans; enough support to keep all of our corrections and juvenile justice facilities open; a (very) small increase in statutory revenue sharing for our communities; $4.9 million to support the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) at Michigan State University; replacement funding for energy assistance for low-income citizens; support for expansion of specialty (sobriety, drug, mental health, and veterans) courts; a small increase in transportation funding (compared to our current year); and support for Amtrack services.
I was disappointed to have to oppose this bill with so many good things in it, but I believe that the omission of Medicaid expansion and damaging language on Common Core will have a very drastic negative impact on our state, our residents, and our children.
It's important to point out that HB 4328 hasn't yet been adopted by the Senate. I remain hopeful that my colleagues in that chamber will address some of the most concerning aspects of the bill before sending it to Governor Snyder for his final approval and signature.
To see the comments I gave on the House floor related to this bill, click here.
Schor Legislation
Elections Bills
I'm excited to share that three more of my bills were granted hearings this month. House Bills 4477, 4478, and 4479 were all taken up in the House's Ethics and Elections Committee.
House Bill 4477 would allow a voter to take a photograph of himself or herself (but not a photo of his/her ballot) in a polling place. Last cycle, several voters took pictures of themselves voting and inserting their ballots into the voting machine and then put those photos on Facebook. According to the Secretary of State's rules and interpretation of election law, this is actually illegal. In this day of social media, people should be excited about voting and should be allowed to take pictures of themselves doing just that. I exempted pictures of the actual ballot but believe that pictures of the act of voting should be allowed.
House Bill 4479 corrects an inequity in campaign finance law that currently prevents a candidate from paying a late filing fee for their annual statement using candidate committee funds. Currently, candidate committee funds can be used for all other late filing fees, but not for the annual statement. At the request of my county clerk, my bill eliminates that prohibition and allows a candidate to pay that fee using candidate committee funds.
Finally, House Bill 4478 allows a voter who is unable to sign his or her name on an election document to execute the election document where a signature is required either by making his or her mark or by using a signature stamp. This legislation is in response to an issue that arose in a local mid-Michigan community. Under current law, a person can make his/her mark but cannot use a voter stamp. At its hearing, the bill was supported by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Michigan Disability Right Coalition, the Michigan Municipal League, AARP (Michigan), GCSI, the Association of County Clerks, and the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks.
This bill was actually passed by the Ethics and Elections Committee unanimously and without amendment on May 21st. It now heads to the House floor for a vote by the full chamber.
HR 145, EMS Week Resolution
I introduced House Resolution 145 to declare May 19-25th, 2013 as Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week in the State of Michigan. It was a pleasure to help recognize the vital public services our hard-working EMS personnel provide to Michigan's citizens-- especially our residents who experience sudden illness or injury. Our state wouldn't be what it is without the first responders, emergency medical technicians, and paramedics (many who volunteer their time) who stand ready to provide compassionate, lifesaving care to those in need 24 hours a day, seven days a week. HR 145 was adopted by the House on May 16th.
I continue to work with a variety of stakeholders on drafting legislation to address issues facing our community and state. I expect to introduce legislation dealing with foreclosure and a few other issues in the coming weeks and look forward to working on and introducing legislation over the summer, too. I invite you to stay up to speed on all of my legislative action on my website (www.schor.housedems.com). For an up-to-date list of all legislative I've sponsored and co-sponsored to date, click on the below links:
Sponsored Legislation
Co-Sponsored Legislation
Other House Bills
A number of other bills have been passed by the House that directly impact Michigan's residents. I've included information about a notable few below.
HB 4363 (passed the House on 5.16) - Prohibition of Public Officials from Voting or Communicating through Electronic Devices when Absent
HB 4363 would prohibit public officials from voting or participating in deliberations of a public body through electronic or telephonic means when they are physically absent from a meeting.
HB 4283 (passed the House on 5.16) - Use of Certain Rifles During Firearm Deer Season
HB 4283 would allow the use of certain specific rifles during the regular firearm deer season in the area that is currently restricted to only shotguns, muzzleloaders, and certain types of pistols.
HB 4168 (passed the House on 5.16) - Elimination that County Sheriffs Euthanize Unlicensed Dogs
HB 4168 eliminates the requirement that a county sheriff euthanize unlicensed dogs.
HB 4156 (passed the House on 5.22) - Special Volunteer License for Retired Nurses
HB 4156 amends the Public Health Code to create a Special Volunteer License for retired nurses. A nurse who provides care under this Special Volunteer License would not be liable in a civil action for personal injury or death proximately caused by professional negligence or malpractice of the individual if certain conditions are met.
SB 57 (passed the House on 5.23) - Extension of the Michigan Agricultural Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP)
SB 57 expands the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) to include lands not utilized for traditional or production agriculture such as land used for forest management. Content of SB 57 is identical to that of HB 4324. This bill has since been sent to Governor Snyder for his final approval and signature.
HB 4743 (passed the House on 5.28) - Amendment to the Michigan Fireworks Safety Act
HB 4743 allows local units of government to enact an ordinance prohibiting the discharge, initiation or use of consumer grade fireworks anytime between the hours of 12 AM to 8 AM on the day of, day before and day after a national holiday. The bill also addresses the fireworks safety fee for retailers, where the fee is distributed, and who is responsible for submitting the fee.
Misc.
Lansing School District Summer Newsletter
The Lansing School District recently released its Summer Newsletter (it's available online here). Be sure to check it out for news about the latest happenings and progress being made in our school district.
Capital Area Health Alliance's 'Choosing Health' Initiative
As some of you have already seen, I recently filmed a short public service announcement with Capital Area Health Alliance (CAHA) Executive Director Valerie Glesnes-Anderson and Ingham County Health Department Director and Health Officer Dr. Renee Canady about Michigan's Health and Wellness '4 X 4 Tool.' That tool promotes healthy lifestyles by encouraging physical activity, developing healthy eating habits, preventing substance abuse and tobacco use, and promoting mental health. CAHA is one of six organizations that received Michigan Department of Community Health grant funding to implement and support the Michigan Health and Wellness 4x4 Plan with an engagement, awareness and outreach campaign in Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties. Watch for the segment on local cable stations and read about CAHA's 'Choosing Health!' Rally in my Community Update.
Community Update/Events
Coffee and Tea with Andy
My next 'Coffee and Tea with Andy' gathering is scheduled for Saturday, June 22nd, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at Flap Jack Waverly, located at 1601 S. Waverly Road here in Lansing. These gatherings are a great opportunity for me to share news about what's going on at the Capitol and gather your thoughts and concerns about our community. Hearing from you helps me better represent the interests of Lansing and Lansing Township in the Michigan House, so I hope you’ll consider joining in what promises to be another productive discussion.
My 'Coffee and Tea with Andy' schedule for the rest of 2013 is below. We also expect to have some special community meetings on issues like the budget which will be announced separately. The set schedule is as follows:
Monday, August 5
Alfreda Schmidt Southside Community Center (Community Room)
5825 Wise Road, Lansing
Saturday, October 26
The Avenue Café (formerly Gone Wired)
2021 East Michigan Avenue, Lansing
Monday, December 2
Letts Community Center
1220 W. Kalamazoo Street, Lansing
For a full list of events happening in and around our community in the coming weeks, click here.
Thank you very much for your interest in my legislative activity. I look forward to keeping you updated on what's happening in the House and invite you to stay in touch with my office via phone (517-373-0826), e-mail (andyschor@house.mi.gov), or by stopping in to visit (we're located in office 1087 of the Anderson House Office Building, located at 124 North Capitol Avenue in Lansing) to share your thoughts or if we can be of any assistance to you.
Sincerely,
Andy Schor
State Representative, 68th District
Budget Bills
I reported in my last e-newsletter that the House had passed both of its omnibus budget bills: House Bill 4228 and House Bill 4328. Since then, the House has adopted and passed the versions of those bills that were reported out of the Conference Committee process. I expect they will be finalized and signed into law in the next week or so.
House Bill 4228 (Conference Report Passed House on 5.28) - School Aid Omnibus Budget for Fiscal Year 2013-2014
As I noted in my last update, HB 4228 includes the budgets for school aid, higher education, and community colleges for fiscal year 2013-2014. The Conference Committee's report of this bill passed the House on May 28th on a vote of 65-43. It was then adopted by the Senate (on a vote of 25-12) and has been sent to Governor Snyder for his final approval and signature.
I was disappointed to have to vote against the final version of HB 4228 when it came before me, but the bill simply didn't include the increases for our students that were promised by Governor Snyder. Lansing Public Schools will only see a $6 per pupil increase under the latest version of this bill when factoring in retirement legacy costs. A $6 increase is not nearly enough after recent cuts from the Legislature and Governor ($200 per pupil were cut from 2011-2013). While I was glad to see the lowest-funded schools receive boosted state support through the Conference Committee's version of HB 4228, I'm frustrated that our urban schools-- many who have been subjected to intense scrutiny and criticism, including state takeover by the Educational Achievement Authority-- aren't seeing the increased support they need. What's worse, many charter schools will see larger increases than Lansing Public Schools will (generally around $58 per pupil in Ingham County). With a nearly $700 million state budget surplus this year, I believe that our public education students should be our priority and our budget does not reflect that. As such, I voted against this budget.
For what it's worth, HB 4228 does at least preserves the governor's recommended funding for the Great Start Readiness program (the House had reduced that increase in its initial version of the bill). That said, this budget is still a long way from the direction I think we ought to be heading as a state when it comes to supporting our schools. We clearly have a long way to go.
House Bill 4328 (Conference Report Passed House on 5.28) - General Omnibus Budget for Fiscal Year 2013-2014
House Bill 4328 provides appropriations for the following state departments: LARA, Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Department of Community Health, Corrections, Department of Education, Department of Environmental Quality, General Government, Department of Health Services, Judiciary, Michigan State Police, and the Department of Transportation. The Conference Committee report on HB 4328 passed the House on a vote of 63-46.
I voted against this bill on the House floor because of the number of measures HB 4328 did not include-- most notably, support for Medicaid expansion. I remain frustrated at Republicans' resistance of Medicaid expansion, which, as many of you know, would allow us to extend health coverage to 400,000 currently uninsured Michigan residents. Those funds have the potential to reduce uncompensated care and will save our state an estimated $300 million; save taxpayers millions in future Medicaid expenses; and bring an estimated $1.9 to $2 billion in new revenue to our state over a ten-year period, for a total of over $20.5 billion worth of new revenue for Michigan. I could not in good conscience support a budget bill that didn't include funds for a program that our state's citizens overwhelmingly want us to expand. (It's worth noting, though, that the Michigan Competitiveness Committee is still in the midst of working on an alternative Medicaid expansion bill-- HB 4714-- which sets a number of conditions for expanding Medicaid to 133 percent of the federal poverty level. I have some concerns about the bill as it stands but will continue to be closely involved as a member of that committee in efforts to make the bill more palatable).
My other primary concern with the Conference Committee's version of HB 4328 was the inclusion of language that presents a significant problem for our school districts. As passed by the House, the bill includes language prohibiting the Michigan Department of Education and local schools across Michigan from implementing the Common Core State Standards and the Smarter Balanced Assessments, which were adopted statewide in 2010 and have been successfully implemented by our local school districts since then. Michigan's local school districts have spent hundreds of hours planning and implementing the high-quality Common Core Standards to empower their students to be career and college-ready. Language included in HB 4328 would leave school boards, administrators, teachers, and parents with no clear direction on how to continue planning their locally-developed curricula to meet state standards that have were thoroughly vetted by citizens (including teachers, parents, students, school administrators, and post-secondary educators) when they were adopted three years ago. Members of the Michigan Legislature also provided input and commentary on the construction of the standards at that time. I believe that Michigan's Common Core State Standards are good for our schools, for our children, for our businesses, and for our state's economic future.
All that being said, there were a few positive changes that came out of the Conference Committee process for this bill.
To begin, I was thrilled to see support re-instated for an expansion of the Healthy Kids Dental program. That expansion will enable children in 78 of Michigan's 83 counties (including Ingham, Ottawa, and Washtenaw) to be eligible for assistance through Healthy Kids Dental, a tremendous program piloted through Delta Dental and the Department of Community Health that continues to improve the dental health of many of our most at-need citizens. The Conference Committee's version of HB 4328 also included $500,000 worth of support for Meals on Wheels; funds for autism programs at Central University, Eastern University, Oakland University, and Western Michigan University; funds for mental health and substance abuse support for veterans; enough support to keep all of our corrections and juvenile justice facilities open; a (very) small increase in statutory revenue sharing for our communities; $4.9 million to support the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) at Michigan State University; replacement funding for energy assistance for low-income citizens; support for expansion of specialty (sobriety, drug, mental health, and veterans) courts; a small increase in transportation funding (compared to our current year); and support for Amtrack services.
I was disappointed to have to oppose this bill with so many good things in it, but I believe that the omission of Medicaid expansion and damaging language on Common Core will have a very drastic negative impact on our state, our residents, and our children.
It's important to point out that HB 4328 hasn't yet been adopted by the Senate. I remain hopeful that my colleagues in that chamber will address some of the most concerning aspects of the bill before sending it to Governor Snyder for his final approval and signature.
To see the comments I gave on the House floor related to this bill, click here.
Schor Legislation
Elections Bills
I'm excited to share that three more of my bills were granted hearings this month. House Bills 4477, 4478, and 4479 were all taken up in the House's Ethics and Elections Committee.
House Bill 4477 would allow a voter to take a photograph of himself or herself (but not a photo of his/her ballot) in a polling place. Last cycle, several voters took pictures of themselves voting and inserting their ballots into the voting machine and then put those photos on Facebook. According to the Secretary of State's rules and interpretation of election law, this is actually illegal. In this day of social media, people should be excited about voting and should be allowed to take pictures of themselves doing just that. I exempted pictures of the actual ballot but believe that pictures of the act of voting should be allowed.
House Bill 4479 corrects an inequity in campaign finance law that currently prevents a candidate from paying a late filing fee for their annual statement using candidate committee funds. Currently, candidate committee funds can be used for all other late filing fees, but not for the annual statement. At the request of my county clerk, my bill eliminates that prohibition and allows a candidate to pay that fee using candidate committee funds.
Finally, House Bill 4478 allows a voter who is unable to sign his or her name on an election document to execute the election document where a signature is required either by making his or her mark or by using a signature stamp. This legislation is in response to an issue that arose in a local mid-Michigan community. Under current law, a person can make his/her mark but cannot use a voter stamp. At its hearing, the bill was supported by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Michigan Disability Right Coalition, the Michigan Municipal League, AARP (Michigan), GCSI, the Association of County Clerks, and the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks.
This bill was actually passed by the Ethics and Elections Committee unanimously and without amendment on May 21st. It now heads to the House floor for a vote by the full chamber.
HR 145, EMS Week Resolution
I introduced House Resolution 145 to declare May 19-25th, 2013 as Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week in the State of Michigan. It was a pleasure to help recognize the vital public services our hard-working EMS personnel provide to Michigan's citizens-- especially our residents who experience sudden illness or injury. Our state wouldn't be what it is without the first responders, emergency medical technicians, and paramedics (many who volunteer their time) who stand ready to provide compassionate, lifesaving care to those in need 24 hours a day, seven days a week. HR 145 was adopted by the House on May 16th.
I continue to work with a variety of stakeholders on drafting legislation to address issues facing our community and state. I expect to introduce legislation dealing with foreclosure and a few other issues in the coming weeks and look forward to working on and introducing legislation over the summer, too. I invite you to stay up to speed on all of my legislative action on my website (www.schor.housedems.com). For an up-to-date list of all legislative I've sponsored and co-sponsored to date, click on the below links:
Sponsored Legislation
Co-Sponsored Legislation
Other House Bills
A number of other bills have been passed by the House that directly impact Michigan's residents. I've included information about a notable few below.
HB 4363 (passed the House on 5.16) - Prohibition of Public Officials from Voting or Communicating through Electronic Devices when Absent
HB 4363 would prohibit public officials from voting or participating in deliberations of a public body through electronic or telephonic means when they are physically absent from a meeting.
HB 4283 (passed the House on 5.16) - Use of Certain Rifles During Firearm Deer Season
HB 4283 would allow the use of certain specific rifles during the regular firearm deer season in the area that is currently restricted to only shotguns, muzzleloaders, and certain types of pistols.
HB 4168 (passed the House on 5.16) - Elimination that County Sheriffs Euthanize Unlicensed Dogs
HB 4168 eliminates the requirement that a county sheriff euthanize unlicensed dogs.
HB 4156 (passed the House on 5.22) - Special Volunteer License for Retired Nurses
HB 4156 amends the Public Health Code to create a Special Volunteer License for retired nurses. A nurse who provides care under this Special Volunteer License would not be liable in a civil action for personal injury or death proximately caused by professional negligence or malpractice of the individual if certain conditions are met.
SB 57 (passed the House on 5.23) - Extension of the Michigan Agricultural Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP)
SB 57 expands the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) to include lands not utilized for traditional or production agriculture such as land used for forest management. Content of SB 57 is identical to that of HB 4324. This bill has since been sent to Governor Snyder for his final approval and signature.
HB 4743 (passed the House on 5.28) - Amendment to the Michigan Fireworks Safety Act
HB 4743 allows local units of government to enact an ordinance prohibiting the discharge, initiation or use of consumer grade fireworks anytime between the hours of 12 AM to 8 AM on the day of, day before and day after a national holiday. The bill also addresses the fireworks safety fee for retailers, where the fee is distributed, and who is responsible for submitting the fee.
Misc.
Lansing School District Summer Newsletter
The Lansing School District recently released its Summer Newsletter (it's available online here). Be sure to check it out for news about the latest happenings and progress being made in our school district.
Capital Area Health Alliance's 'Choosing Health' Initiative
As some of you have already seen, I recently filmed a short public service announcement with Capital Area Health Alliance (CAHA) Executive Director Valerie Glesnes-Anderson and Ingham County Health Department Director and Health Officer Dr. Renee Canady about Michigan's Health and Wellness '4 X 4 Tool.' That tool promotes healthy lifestyles by encouraging physical activity, developing healthy eating habits, preventing substance abuse and tobacco use, and promoting mental health. CAHA is one of six organizations that received Michigan Department of Community Health grant funding to implement and support the Michigan Health and Wellness 4x4 Plan with an engagement, awareness and outreach campaign in Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties. Watch for the segment on local cable stations and read about CAHA's 'Choosing Health!' Rally in my Community Update.
Community Update/Events
Coffee and Tea with Andy
My next 'Coffee and Tea with Andy' gathering is scheduled for Saturday, June 22nd, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at Flap Jack Waverly, located at 1601 S. Waverly Road here in Lansing. These gatherings are a great opportunity for me to share news about what's going on at the Capitol and gather your thoughts and concerns about our community. Hearing from you helps me better represent the interests of Lansing and Lansing Township in the Michigan House, so I hope you’ll consider joining in what promises to be another productive discussion.
My 'Coffee and Tea with Andy' schedule for the rest of 2013 is below. We also expect to have some special community meetings on issues like the budget which will be announced separately. The set schedule is as follows:
Monday, August 5
Alfreda Schmidt Southside Community Center (Community Room)
5825 Wise Road, Lansing
Saturday, October 26
The Avenue Café (formerly Gone Wired)
2021 East Michigan Avenue, Lansing
Monday, December 2
Letts Community Center
1220 W. Kalamazoo Street, Lansing
For a full list of events happening in and around our community in the coming weeks, click here.
Thank you very much for your interest in my legislative activity. I look forward to keeping you updated on what's happening in the House and invite you to stay in touch with my office via phone (517-373-0826), e-mail (andyschor@house.mi.gov), or by stopping in to visit (we're located in office 1087 of the Anderson House Office Building, located at 124 North Capitol Avenue in Lansing) to share your thoughts or if we can be of any assistance to you.
Sincerely,
Andy Schor
State Representative, 68th District
Monday, May 6, 2013
May 2013 E-News
As many of you have heard, Michigan's Legislature has been busy addressing a variety of issues in recent weeks. Most notably, we've taken a number of steps toward finalizing our state budget that I wanted to take a moment to draw your attention to.
Budget Bills
I reported in my last e-newsletter that the House had passed both of its omnibus budget bills: House Bill 4228 and House Bill 4328. Since then, the House has adopted and passed the versions of those bills that were reported out of the Conference Committee process. I expect they will be finalized and signed into law in the next week or so.
House Bill 4228 (Conference Report Passed House on 5.28) - School Aid Omnibus Budget for Fiscal Year 2013-2014
As I noted in my last update, HB 4228 includes the budgets for school aid, higher education, and community colleges for fiscal year 2013-2014. The Conference Committee's report of this bill passed the House on May 28th on a vote of 65-43. It was then adopted by the Senate (on a vote of 25-12) and has been sent to Governor Snyder for his final approval and signature.
I was disappointed to have to vote against the final version of HB 4228 when it came before me, but the bill simply didn't include the increases for our students that were promised by Governor Snyder. Lansing Public Schools will only see a $6 per pupil increase under the latest version of this bill when factoring in retirement legacy costs. A $6 increase is not nearly enough after recent cuts from the Legislature and Governor ($200 per pupil were cut from 2011-2013). While I was glad to see the lowest-funded schools receive boosted state support through the Conference Committee's version of HB 4228, I'm frustrated that our urban schools-- many who have been subjected to intense scrutiny and criticism, including state takeover by the Educational Achievement Authority-- aren't seeing the increased support they need. What's worse, many charter schools will see larger increases than Lansing Public Schools will (generally around $58 per pupil in Ingham County). With a nearly $700 million state budget surplus this year, I believe that our public education students should be our priority and our budget does not reflect that. As such, I voted against this budget.
For what it's worth, HB 4228 does at least preserves the governor's recommended funding for the Great Start Readiness program (the House had reduced that increase in its initial version of the bill). That said, this budget is still a long way from the direction I think we ought to be heading as a state when it comes to supporting our schools. We clearly have a long way to go.
House Bill 4328 (Conference Report Passed House on 5.28) - General Omnibus Budget for Fiscal Year 2013-2014
House Bill 4328 provides appropriations for the following state departments: LARA, Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Department of Community Health, Corrections, Department of Education, Department of Environmental Quality, General Government, Department of Health Services, Judiciary, Michigan State Police, and the Department of Transportation. The Conference Committee report on HB 4328 passed the House on a vote of 63-46.
I voted against this bill on the House floor because of the number of measures HB 4328 did not include-- most notably, support for Medicaid expansion. I remain frustrated at Republicans' resistance of Medicaid expansion, which, as many of you know, would allow us to extend health coverage to 400,000 currently uninsured Michigan residents. Those funds have the potential to reduce uncompensated care and will save our state an estimated $300 million; save taxpayers millions in future Medicaid expenses; and bring an estimated $1.9 to $2 billion in new revenue to our state over a ten-year period, for a total of over $20.5 billion worth of new revenue for Michigan. I could not in good conscience support a budget bill that didn't include funds for a program that our state's citizens overwhelmingly want us to expand. (It's worth noting, though, that the Michigan Competitiveness Committee is still in the midst of working on an alternative Medicaid expansion bill-- HB 4714-- which sets a number of conditions for expanding Medicaid to 133 percent of the federal poverty level. I have some concerns about the bill as it stands but will continue to be closely involved as a member of that committee in efforts to make the bill more palatable).
My other primary concern with the Conference Committee's version of HB 4328 was the inclusion of language that presents a significant problem for our school districts. As passed by the House, the bill includes language prohibiting the Michigan Department of Education and local schools across Michigan from implementing the Common Core State Standards and the Smarter Balanced Assessments, which were adopted statewide in 2010 and have been successfully implemented by our local school districts since then. Michigan's local school districts have spent hundreds of hours planning and implementing the high-quality Common Core Standards to empower their students to be career and college-ready. Language included in HB 4328 would leave school boards, administrators, teachers, and parents with no clear direction on how to continue planning their locally-developed curricula to meet state standards that have were thoroughly vetted by citizens (including teachers, parents, students, school administrators, and post-secondary educators) when they were adopted three years ago. Members of the Michigan Legislature also provided input and commentary on the construction of the standards at that time. I believe that Michigan's Common Core State Standards are good for our schools, for our children, for our businesses, and for our state's economic future.
All that being said, there were a few positive changes that came out of the Conference Committee process for this bill.
To begin, I was thrilled to see support re-instated for an expansion of the Healthy Kids Dental program. That expansion will enable children in 78 of Michigan's 83 counties (including Ingham, Ottawa, and Washtenaw) to be eligible for assistance through Healthy Kids Dental, a tremendous program piloted through Delta Dental and the Department of Community Health that continues to improve the dental health of many of our most at-need citizens. The Conference Committee's version of HB 4328 also included $500,000 worth of support for Meals on Wheels; funds for autism programs at Central University, Eastern University, Oakland University, and Western Michigan University; funds for mental health and substance abuse support for veterans; enough support to keep all of our corrections and juvenile justice facilities open; a (very) small increase in statutory revenue sharing for our communities; $4.9 million to support the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) at Michigan State University; replacement funding for energy assistance for low-income citizens; support for expansion of specialty (sobriety, drug, mental health, and veterans) courts; a small increase in transportation funding (compared to our current year); and support for Amtrack services.
I was disappointed to have to oppose this bill with so many good things in it, but I believe that the omission of Medicaid expansion and damaging language on Common Core will have a very drastic negative impact on our state, our residents, and our children.
It's important to point out that HB 4328 hasn't yet been adopted by the Senate. I remain hopeful that my colleagues in that chamber will address some of the most concerning aspects of the bill before sending it to Governor Snyder for his final approval and signature.
To see the comments I gave on the House floor related to this bill, click here.
Schor Legislation
Elections Bills
I'm excited to share that three more of my bills were granted hearings this month. House Bills 4477, 4478, and 4479 were all taken up in the House's Ethics and Elections Committee.
House Bill 4477 would allow a voter to take a photograph of himself or herself (but not a photo of his/her ballot) in a polling place. Last cycle, several voters took pictures of themselves voting and inserting their ballots into the voting machine and then put those photos on Facebook. According to the Secretary of State's rules and interpretation of election law, this is actually illegal. In this day of social media, people should be excited about voting and should be allowed to take pictures of themselves doing just that. I exempted pictures of the actual ballot but believe that pictures of the act of voting should be allowed.
House Bill 4479 corrects an inequity in campaign finance law that currently prevents a candidate from paying a late filing fee for their annual statement using candidate committee funds. Currently, candidate committee funds can be used for all other late filing fees, but not for the annual statement. At the request of my county clerk, my bill eliminates that prohibition and allows a candidate to pay that fee using candidate committee funds.
Finally, House Bill 4478 allows a voter who is unable to sign his or her name on an election document to execute the election document where a signature is required either by making his or her mark or by using a signature stamp. This legislation is in response to an issue that arose in a local mid-Michigan community. Under current law, a person can make his/her mark but cannot use a voter stamp. At its hearing, the bill was supported by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Michigan Disability Right Coalition, the Michigan Municipal League, AARP (Michigan), GCSI, the Association of County Clerks, and the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks.
This bill was actually passed by the Ethics and Elections Committee unanimously and without amendment on May 21st. It now heads to the House floor for a vote by the full chamber.
HR 145, EMS Week Resolution
I introduced House Resolution 145 to declare May 19-25th, 2013 as Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week in the State of Michigan. It was a pleasure to help recognize the vital public services our hard-working EMS personnel provide to Michigan's citizens-- especially our residents who experience sudden illness or injury. Our state wouldn't be what it is without the first responders, emergency medical technicians, and paramedics (many who volunteer their time) who stand ready to provide compassionate, lifesaving care to those in need 24 hours a day, seven days a week. HR 145 was adopted by the House on May 16th.
I continue to work with a variety of stakeholders on drafting legislation to address issues facing our community and state. I expect to introduce legislation dealing with foreclosure and a few other issues in the coming weeks and look forward to working on and introducing legislation over the summer, too. I invite you to stay up to speed on all of my legislative action on my website (www.schor.housedems.com). For an up-to-date list of all legislative I've sponsored and co-sponsored to date, click on the below links:
Sponsored Legislation
Co-Sponsored Legislation
Other House Bills
A number of other bills have been passed by the House that directly impact Michigan's residents. I've included information about a notable few below.
HB 4363 (passed the House on 5.16) - Prohibition of Public Officials from Voting or Communicating through Electronic Devices when Absent
HB 4363 would prohibit public officials from voting or participating in deliberations of a public body through electronic or telephonic means when they are physically absent from a meeting.
HB 4283 (passed the House on 5.16) - Use of Certain Rifles During Firearm Deer Season
HB 4283 would allow the use of certain specific rifles during the regular firearm deer season in the area that is currently restricted to only shotguns, muzzleloaders, and certain types of pistols.
HB 4168 (passed the House on 5.16) - Elimination that County Sheriffs Euthanize Unlicensed Dogs
HB 4168 eliminates the requirement that a county sheriff euthanize unlicensed dogs.
HB 4156 (passed the House on 5.22) - Special Volunteer License for Retired Nurses
HB 4156 amends the Public Health Code to create a Special Volunteer License for retired nurses. A nurse who provides care under this Special Volunteer License would not be liable in a civil action for personal injury or death proximately caused by professional negligence or malpractice of the individual if certain conditions are met.
SB 57 (passed the House on 5.23) - Extension of the Michigan Agricultural Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP)
SB 57 expands the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) to include lands not utilized for traditional or production agriculture such as land used for forest management. Content of SB 57 is identical to that of HB 4324. This bill has since been sent to Governor Snyder for his final approval and signature.
HB 4743 (passed the House on 5.28) - Amendment to the Michigan Fireworks Safety Act
HB 4743 allows local units of government to enact an ordinance prohibiting the discharge, initiation or use of consumer grade fireworks anytime between the hours of 12 AM to 8 AM on the day of, day before and day after a national holiday. The bill also addresses the fireworks safety fee for retailers, where the fee is distributed, and who is responsible for submitting the fee.
Misc.
Lansing School District Summer Newsletter
The Lansing School District recently released its Summer Newsletter (it's available online here). Be sure to check it out for news about the latest happenings and progress being made in our school district.
Capital Area Health Alliance's 'Choosing Health' Initiative
As some of you have already seen, I recently filmed a short public service announcement with Capital Area Health Alliance (CAHA) Executive Director Valerie Glesnes-Anderson and Ingham County Health Department Director and Health Officer Dr. Renee Canady about Michigan's Health and Wellness '4 X 4 Tool.' That tool promotes healthy lifestyles by encouraging physical activity, developing healthy eating habits, preventing substance abuse and tobacco use, and promoting mental health. CAHA is one of six organizations that received Michigan Department of Community Health grant funding to implement and support the Michigan Health and Wellness 4x4 Plan with an engagement, awareness and outreach campaign in Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties. Watch for the segment on local cable stations and read about CAHA's 'Choosing Health!' Rally in my Community Update.
Community Update/Events
Coffee and Tea with Andy
My next 'Coffee and Tea with Andy' gathering is scheduled for Saturday, June 22nd, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at Flap Jack Waverly, located at 1601 S. Waverly Road here in Lansing. These gatherings are a great opportunity for me to share news about what's going on at the Capitol and gather your thoughts and concerns about our community. Hearing from you helps me better represent the interests of Lansing and Lansing Township in the Michigan House, so I hope you’ll consider joining in what promises to be another productive discussion.
My 'Coffee and Tea with Andy' schedule for the rest of 2013 is below. We also expect to have some special community meetings on issues like the budget which will be announced separately. The set schedule is as follows:
Monday, August 5
Alfreda Schmidt Southside Community Center (Community Room)
5825 Wise Road, Lansing
Saturday, October 26
The Avenue Café (formerly Gone Wired)
2021 East Michigan Avenue, Lansing
Monday, December 2
Letts Community Center
1220 W. Kalamazoo Street, Lansing
For a full list of events happening in and around our community in the coming weeks, click here.
Thank you very much for your interest in my legislative activity. I look forward to keeping you updated on what's happening in the House and invite you to stay in touch with my office via phone (517-373-0826), e-mail (andyschor@house.mi.gov), or by stopping in to visit (we're located in office 1087 of the Anderson House Office Building, located at 124 North Capitol Avenue in Lansing) to share your thoughts or if we can be of any assistance to you.
Sincerely,
Andy Schor
State Representative, 68th District
Budget Bills
I reported in my last e-newsletter that the House had passed both of its omnibus budget bills: House Bill 4228 and House Bill 4328. Since then, the House has adopted and passed the versions of those bills that were reported out of the Conference Committee process. I expect they will be finalized and signed into law in the next week or so.
House Bill 4228 (Conference Report Passed House on 5.28) - School Aid Omnibus Budget for Fiscal Year 2013-2014
As I noted in my last update, HB 4228 includes the budgets for school aid, higher education, and community colleges for fiscal year 2013-2014. The Conference Committee's report of this bill passed the House on May 28th on a vote of 65-43. It was then adopted by the Senate (on a vote of 25-12) and has been sent to Governor Snyder for his final approval and signature.
I was disappointed to have to vote against the final version of HB 4228 when it came before me, but the bill simply didn't include the increases for our students that were promised by Governor Snyder. Lansing Public Schools will only see a $6 per pupil increase under the latest version of this bill when factoring in retirement legacy costs. A $6 increase is not nearly enough after recent cuts from the Legislature and Governor ($200 per pupil were cut from 2011-2013). While I was glad to see the lowest-funded schools receive boosted state support through the Conference Committee's version of HB 4228, I'm frustrated that our urban schools-- many who have been subjected to intense scrutiny and criticism, including state takeover by the Educational Achievement Authority-- aren't seeing the increased support they need. What's worse, many charter schools will see larger increases than Lansing Public Schools will (generally around $58 per pupil in Ingham County). With a nearly $700 million state budget surplus this year, I believe that our public education students should be our priority and our budget does not reflect that. As such, I voted against this budget.
For what it's worth, HB 4228 does at least preserves the governor's recommended funding for the Great Start Readiness program (the House had reduced that increase in its initial version of the bill). That said, this budget is still a long way from the direction I think we ought to be heading as a state when it comes to supporting our schools. We clearly have a long way to go.
House Bill 4328 (Conference Report Passed House on 5.28) - General Omnibus Budget for Fiscal Year 2013-2014
House Bill 4328 provides appropriations for the following state departments: LARA, Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Department of Community Health, Corrections, Department of Education, Department of Environmental Quality, General Government, Department of Health Services, Judiciary, Michigan State Police, and the Department of Transportation. The Conference Committee report on HB 4328 passed the House on a vote of 63-46.
I voted against this bill on the House floor because of the number of measures HB 4328 did not include-- most notably, support for Medicaid expansion. I remain frustrated at Republicans' resistance of Medicaid expansion, which, as many of you know, would allow us to extend health coverage to 400,000 currently uninsured Michigan residents. Those funds have the potential to reduce uncompensated care and will save our state an estimated $300 million; save taxpayers millions in future Medicaid expenses; and bring an estimated $1.9 to $2 billion in new revenue to our state over a ten-year period, for a total of over $20.5 billion worth of new revenue for Michigan. I could not in good conscience support a budget bill that didn't include funds for a program that our state's citizens overwhelmingly want us to expand. (It's worth noting, though, that the Michigan Competitiveness Committee is still in the midst of working on an alternative Medicaid expansion bill-- HB 4714-- which sets a number of conditions for expanding Medicaid to 133 percent of the federal poverty level. I have some concerns about the bill as it stands but will continue to be closely involved as a member of that committee in efforts to make the bill more palatable).
My other primary concern with the Conference Committee's version of HB 4328 was the inclusion of language that presents a significant problem for our school districts. As passed by the House, the bill includes language prohibiting the Michigan Department of Education and local schools across Michigan from implementing the Common Core State Standards and the Smarter Balanced Assessments, which were adopted statewide in 2010 and have been successfully implemented by our local school districts since then. Michigan's local school districts have spent hundreds of hours planning and implementing the high-quality Common Core Standards to empower their students to be career and college-ready. Language included in HB 4328 would leave school boards, administrators, teachers, and parents with no clear direction on how to continue planning their locally-developed curricula to meet state standards that have were thoroughly vetted by citizens (including teachers, parents, students, school administrators, and post-secondary educators) when they were adopted three years ago. Members of the Michigan Legislature also provided input and commentary on the construction of the standards at that time. I believe that Michigan's Common Core State Standards are good for our schools, for our children, for our businesses, and for our state's economic future.
All that being said, there were a few positive changes that came out of the Conference Committee process for this bill.
To begin, I was thrilled to see support re-instated for an expansion of the Healthy Kids Dental program. That expansion will enable children in 78 of Michigan's 83 counties (including Ingham, Ottawa, and Washtenaw) to be eligible for assistance through Healthy Kids Dental, a tremendous program piloted through Delta Dental and the Department of Community Health that continues to improve the dental health of many of our most at-need citizens. The Conference Committee's version of HB 4328 also included $500,000 worth of support for Meals on Wheels; funds for autism programs at Central University, Eastern University, Oakland University, and Western Michigan University; funds for mental health and substance abuse support for veterans; enough support to keep all of our corrections and juvenile justice facilities open; a (very) small increase in statutory revenue sharing for our communities; $4.9 million to support the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) at Michigan State University; replacement funding for energy assistance for low-income citizens; support for expansion of specialty (sobriety, drug, mental health, and veterans) courts; a small increase in transportation funding (compared to our current year); and support for Amtrack services.
I was disappointed to have to oppose this bill with so many good things in it, but I believe that the omission of Medicaid expansion and damaging language on Common Core will have a very drastic negative impact on our state, our residents, and our children.
It's important to point out that HB 4328 hasn't yet been adopted by the Senate. I remain hopeful that my colleagues in that chamber will address some of the most concerning aspects of the bill before sending it to Governor Snyder for his final approval and signature.
To see the comments I gave on the House floor related to this bill, click here.
Schor Legislation
Elections Bills
I'm excited to share that three more of my bills were granted hearings this month. House Bills 4477, 4478, and 4479 were all taken up in the House's Ethics and Elections Committee.
House Bill 4477 would allow a voter to take a photograph of himself or herself (but not a photo of his/her ballot) in a polling place. Last cycle, several voters took pictures of themselves voting and inserting their ballots into the voting machine and then put those photos on Facebook. According to the Secretary of State's rules and interpretation of election law, this is actually illegal. In this day of social media, people should be excited about voting and should be allowed to take pictures of themselves doing just that. I exempted pictures of the actual ballot but believe that pictures of the act of voting should be allowed.
House Bill 4479 corrects an inequity in campaign finance law that currently prevents a candidate from paying a late filing fee for their annual statement using candidate committee funds. Currently, candidate committee funds can be used for all other late filing fees, but not for the annual statement. At the request of my county clerk, my bill eliminates that prohibition and allows a candidate to pay that fee using candidate committee funds.
Finally, House Bill 4478 allows a voter who is unable to sign his or her name on an election document to execute the election document where a signature is required either by making his or her mark or by using a signature stamp. This legislation is in response to an issue that arose in a local mid-Michigan community. Under current law, a person can make his/her mark but cannot use a voter stamp. At its hearing, the bill was supported by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Michigan Disability Right Coalition, the Michigan Municipal League, AARP (Michigan), GCSI, the Association of County Clerks, and the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks.
This bill was actually passed by the Ethics and Elections Committee unanimously and without amendment on May 21st. It now heads to the House floor for a vote by the full chamber.
HR 145, EMS Week Resolution
I introduced House Resolution 145 to declare May 19-25th, 2013 as Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week in the State of Michigan. It was a pleasure to help recognize the vital public services our hard-working EMS personnel provide to Michigan's citizens-- especially our residents who experience sudden illness or injury. Our state wouldn't be what it is without the first responders, emergency medical technicians, and paramedics (many who volunteer their time) who stand ready to provide compassionate, lifesaving care to those in need 24 hours a day, seven days a week. HR 145 was adopted by the House on May 16th.
I continue to work with a variety of stakeholders on drafting legislation to address issues facing our community and state. I expect to introduce legislation dealing with foreclosure and a few other issues in the coming weeks and look forward to working on and introducing legislation over the summer, too. I invite you to stay up to speed on all of my legislative action on my website (www.schor.housedems.com). For an up-to-date list of all legislative I've sponsored and co-sponsored to date, click on the below links:
Sponsored Legislation
Co-Sponsored Legislation
Other House Bills
A number of other bills have been passed by the House that directly impact Michigan's residents. I've included information about a notable few below.
HB 4363 (passed the House on 5.16) - Prohibition of Public Officials from Voting or Communicating through Electronic Devices when Absent
HB 4363 would prohibit public officials from voting or participating in deliberations of a public body through electronic or telephonic means when they are physically absent from a meeting.
HB 4283 (passed the House on 5.16) - Use of Certain Rifles During Firearm Deer Season
HB 4283 would allow the use of certain specific rifles during the regular firearm deer season in the area that is currently restricted to only shotguns, muzzleloaders, and certain types of pistols.
HB 4168 (passed the House on 5.16) - Elimination that County Sheriffs Euthanize Unlicensed Dogs
HB 4168 eliminates the requirement that a county sheriff euthanize unlicensed dogs.
HB 4156 (passed the House on 5.22) - Special Volunteer License for Retired Nurses
HB 4156 amends the Public Health Code to create a Special Volunteer License for retired nurses. A nurse who provides care under this Special Volunteer License would not be liable in a civil action for personal injury or death proximately caused by professional negligence or malpractice of the individual if certain conditions are met.
SB 57 (passed the House on 5.23) - Extension of the Michigan Agricultural Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP)
SB 57 expands the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) to include lands not utilized for traditional or production agriculture such as land used for forest management. Content of SB 57 is identical to that of HB 4324. This bill has since been sent to Governor Snyder for his final approval and signature.
HB 4743 (passed the House on 5.28) - Amendment to the Michigan Fireworks Safety Act
HB 4743 allows local units of government to enact an ordinance prohibiting the discharge, initiation or use of consumer grade fireworks anytime between the hours of 12 AM to 8 AM on the day of, day before and day after a national holiday. The bill also addresses the fireworks safety fee for retailers, where the fee is distributed, and who is responsible for submitting the fee.
Misc.
Lansing School District Summer Newsletter
The Lansing School District recently released its Summer Newsletter (it's available online here). Be sure to check it out for news about the latest happenings and progress being made in our school district.
Capital Area Health Alliance's 'Choosing Health' Initiative
As some of you have already seen, I recently filmed a short public service announcement with Capital Area Health Alliance (CAHA) Executive Director Valerie Glesnes-Anderson and Ingham County Health Department Director and Health Officer Dr. Renee Canady about Michigan's Health and Wellness '4 X 4 Tool.' That tool promotes healthy lifestyles by encouraging physical activity, developing healthy eating habits, preventing substance abuse and tobacco use, and promoting mental health. CAHA is one of six organizations that received Michigan Department of Community Health grant funding to implement and support the Michigan Health and Wellness 4x4 Plan with an engagement, awareness and outreach campaign in Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties. Watch for the segment on local cable stations and read about CAHA's 'Choosing Health!' Rally in my Community Update.
Community Update/Events
Coffee and Tea with Andy
My next 'Coffee and Tea with Andy' gathering is scheduled for Saturday, June 22nd, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at Flap Jack Waverly, located at 1601 S. Waverly Road here in Lansing. These gatherings are a great opportunity for me to share news about what's going on at the Capitol and gather your thoughts and concerns about our community. Hearing from you helps me better represent the interests of Lansing and Lansing Township in the Michigan House, so I hope you’ll consider joining in what promises to be another productive discussion.
My 'Coffee and Tea with Andy' schedule for the rest of 2013 is below. We also expect to have some special community meetings on issues like the budget which will be announced separately. The set schedule is as follows:
Monday, August 5
Alfreda Schmidt Southside Community Center (Community Room)
5825 Wise Road, Lansing
Saturday, October 26
The Avenue Café (formerly Gone Wired)
2021 East Michigan Avenue, Lansing
Monday, December 2
Letts Community Center
1220 W. Kalamazoo Street, Lansing
For a full list of events happening in and around our community in the coming weeks, click here.
Thank you very much for your interest in my legislative activity. I look forward to keeping you updated on what's happening in the House and invite you to stay in touch with my office via phone (517-373-0826), e-mail (andyschor@house.mi.gov), or by stopping in to visit (we're located in office 1087 of the Anderson House Office Building, located at 124 North Capitol Avenue in Lansing) to share your thoughts or if we can be of any assistance to you.
Sincerely,
Andy Schor
State Representative, 68th District
Friday, March 22, 2013
March 2013 E-News
I hope you're enjoying the first few days of spring (even if it has felt much more like winter)! I'm getting in touch today to update you on what's been happening at the Capitol since my last e-newsletter.
Legislative Update
A number of bills have been passed by the House that directly impact Michigan's residents. I've included information about a notable few below.
SB 60 (Passed House on 2.21) - Firearms Dealers
Senate Bill 60 amends the handgun licensure law (PA 377 of 2012) to revise the definition of 'federally licensed firearms dealer.' As written, PA 377 of 2012 exempts federally licensed firearms dealers from having to comply with state handgun licensure requirements. For example, federally licensed firearms dealers are not required to obtain a license to purchase, carry, possess, use, or transport a pistol. Similarly, an individual who purchases a pistol from a federally licensed firearms dealer is not required to obtain a license. Senate Bill 60 amends Public Act 377 of 2012 to modify the definition of 'federally licensed firearms dealer' to mean the following:
- Before December 18, 2012, an individual who holds a type 01 dealer license under 18 USC 923.
- Beginning December 18, 2012, a person (individual, partnership, corporation, association, or other legal entity) licensed to sell firearms under 18 USC 923.
Although I voted against SB 60 when it came before the House, it passed on a vote of 75-34. It has since been signed into law by Governor Snyder.
HB 4111 (Passed House on 2.28) - Health Care Exchange
This bill is a FY 2013 multi-departmental supplemental that appropriates over $30 million in federal health exchange funding. That funding will support our state's efforts to establish a cooperative healthcare exchange with the federal government as called for under the Affordable Care Act. Under our state partnership exchange, Michigan will work with the federal government to operate plan management and consumer assistance activities. This will require us to provide customer assistance in managing the Navigator program (which will be used to educate consumers about the exchange); assure coordination with the federal exchange; plan management activities, including collecting and analyzing health plan information and monitoring and providing oversight of plans; and fund contractual services to assist with planning, designing, and implementing technology-related interfaces and systems. The funding provided through HB 4111 is incredibly important to initiating this activity, which will move us forward in establishing what I believe is a much-needed healthcare exchange. I was proud to support this bill when it came before the House, where it passed on a vote of 78-31. Unfortunately, because the Senate refused to take up this legislation, Michigan will be forced to turn back the $30 million, give up the right to control our own exchange, and be placed into a federally-run health exchange.
SBs 61 and 62 (Passed House on 2.28) - Blue Cross Blue Shield Legislation
Senate Bills 61 and 62 allow for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) to move from a charitable nonprofit to a mutual nonprofit disability insurer. SB 61 also creates a Michigan Health Endowment Fund through which BCBSM will contribute up to $1.56 billion over 18 years to fulfill its social mission.
I was very proud to introduce and pass an important amendment to SB 61. My amendment corrected an inadvertent oversight in the bill that would have resulted in BCBSM not paying property taxes on a number of its properties throughout Michigan until 2015, including the Capitol Avenue Building on 232 S. Capitol Avenue here in Lansing. The understanding between all involved parties, including Blue Cross, was that they would start paying those property taxes in 2014. On top of ensuring that the City of Lansing would receive nearly $600,000 in property taxes from BCBSM next year, my amendment ensured that a number of other communities would benefit from Blue Cross' property tax payments. In fact, the 10 buildings that Blue Cross owns in Michigan are expected to net almost $4 million in property tax payments in 2014 that will directly benefit communities throughout the state. Detroit alone will see $2.5 million in property tax revenue next year thanks to my amendment.
I supported an amendment to this legislation that would have restored funding to Medigap. However, I was disappointed that the Republican majority defeated that amendment, which would have provided much-needed support to many of our Medicare-eligible residents (including many of our seniors). I would have liked to see the final version of this legislation include Medigap coverage, but voted for the legislation because of the important impact the bills would have on the City of Lansing (among other communities in the state). I also believe that, with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, BCBSM needs to be on an equal playing field with other insurers. I am hopeful that Medigap funding can be restored before 2016 when it is scheduled to expire. These bills were signed into law by Governor Snyder just this week.
SB 48 (Passed House on 3.7) - Bear Petting
SB 48 amends the Large Carnivore Act to allow members of the public to have close and/or direct contact with bear cubs less than 36 weeks old or weighing up to 90 pounds. This bill was called the "bear petting" bill.
A number of my constituents contacted me about opposing this bill, which I spoke against when it came before my colleagues and I on the House floor. I took that opportunity to voice the concerns I heard from constituents and stakeholders for several weeks leading up to this bill's passage. Among those concerns was feedback from leaders at Lansing's Potter Park Zoo, who I met with to review information they compiled with peer AZA-certified zoos around Michigan regarding the danger to the animals and public most affected by the passage of SB 48. The zoo's leaders also shared evidence provided by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources that cites a number of violations incurred by the Oswald Bear Ranch, the business at the center of this legislation. Despite presenting that evidence on the House floor and speaking with a number of colleagues about the dangers surrounding SB 48, the bill was passed by a vote of 56-52. This bill has since been presented to Governor Snyder for his signature and final approval.
HB 4042 (Passed House on 3.14) - No Benefits to Deceased
House Bill 4042 would require the Department of Human Services (DHS) to perform monthly data matches with the U.S. Social Security Death Index to determine whether an individual receiving assistance is deceased (and then terminate benefits, accordingly). This bill, which I supported, passed the House on a 109-1 vote and is currently being reviewed in the Senate.
HB 4307 (Passed House on 3.14) - County Commissioner Special Election
House Bill 4307 amends Public Act 261 of 1966 (which governs the apportionment of county boards of commissioners) to eliminate a requirement that a special election be held when a county commission vacancy occurs in an odd-numbered year. The bill would allow for the vacancy to be filled by appointment by a county commission. Under the bill, if the appointment is not made within 30 days, the vacancy would then be filled by a special election. I supported HB 4307's passage because it represents an important cost savings and because I recognize that running four times in one year (as one of our Ingham County Commissioners had to do) is just too much. This bill, which passed the House on a vote of 75-35 is now in the Senate for review.
HBs 4093 and 4131 (Passed House on 3.20) - .08 Blood Alcohol Content
House Bill 5093 amends several sections of the Michigan Vehicle Code to maintain our 0.08 threshold for drunken driving offenses and remove sunset language that would revert it back to 0.10. Its companion bill, HB 4131, amends the Code of Criminal Code of Procedure to maintain the 0.08 BAC threshold contained in the sentencing guidelines scoring instructions. It also removes sunset language reverting the BAC back to 0.10 on October 1, 2013. I was happy to support both bills when they came before me for a vote. Both passed the House unanimously and have been transmitted to the Senate for review.
SB 233 (Passed House on 3.20) - Emergency Funding for Dredging Projects (and Other Emergencies)
Senate Bill 233 (H-1) is a FY 13 supplemental that includes funding for Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) projects, dredging projects, and a study of sentencing guidelines. Broadly, the bill appropriates $44.5 million Gross ($11.5 million GF, $32.8 million restricted).
As passed, the bill includes funding for dredging projects that is emergency funding, $10 million of which came from the General Fund. I introduced an amendment to this bill addressing another emergency our state is currently facing-- support for our communities. My amendment would have increased statutory revenue sharing by $10 million. I felt that if there is an emergency for dredging that allows us to pull $10 million from the General Fund, we should also be addressing the emergencies associated with lower tax collection (thanks to lower property values) and state disinvestment in revenue sharing over recent years that communities all over the state are facing. Unfortunately, my amendment was defeated. Amendments were also introduced and defeated that would have dedicated more money to K-12 education and addressed issues with the State Waterways Fund. While I do believe that we need to address dredging (and voted for this bill), I am disappointed that all of these amendments were defeated by the House Republicans. SB 233 has been sent back to the Senate with some small changes for final approval in that chamber.
HB 4127 (Passed House on 3.21) - GPS Tracking of Criminals
This bill amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to allow a judge or magistrate to order a defendant charged with an assaultive crime to carry or wear a global positioning system (GPS) device as a condition of release on bail. I co-sponsored this bill after consulting with several Ingham County Circuit Court Judges when it was introduced.
Public Act 192 of 2008 (known as "Mary's Law") amended the Code of Criminal Procedure to allow the court to order a defendant charged with domestic violence to carry or wear a GPS device as a condition of release on bail. In making the determination to order the defendant (accused of domestic violence) to wear or carry a GPS devise, the court must consider the likelihood that the defendant's participation in GPS monitoring would deter him or her from seeking to kill, physically injure, stalk, or otherwise threaten the victim prior to trial. With the informed consent of the victim, the court could also order the defendant to provide the victim with an electronic receptor devise capable of receiving the GPS information from the defendant's devise, notifying the victim if the defendant is located within a proximity to the victim as determined by the court. The victim has the right not to participate in this type of GMP monitoring. A defendant may only be released if he or she agrees to pay the cost of the devise and any monitoring of the device, or agrees to perform community service work in lieu of the cost.
HB 4127 would extend the above provisions to defendants accused of assaultive crimes. I am happy that this moved quickly through the House and that I was able to support its passage. I hope that this legislation will be taken up soon in the Senate so that our judges have more options in situations like these.
HB 4277 (Passed House on 3.21) - Conditional Liquor Licenses
House Bill 4277 allows the Liquor Control Commission (LCC) to approve or deny a conditional liquor license for applicants seeking (1) to transfer ownership of or interest in an exciting license at the same location to sell liquor for consumption on or off the premises, or (2) an initial liquor license except for a resort or resort economic development or within a city redevelopment project area or development district and for a specially designated distributor license or for sale for consumption on the premises. I introduced an amendment to HB 4277 when it came before the House Regulatory Reform Committee and to the House floor for a vote that would have required the LCC to give local governments notice when an application for a conditional license was received. The local government would then have the opportunity to file an objection to the application. Unfortunately, my amendment was defeated by the House Republicans both times I brought it up. This bill, which was passed by the House on a 109-1 vote, has been sent to the Senate for review and approval.
HB 4369 (Passed House on 3.21) - Educational Achievement Authority
House Bill 4369 establishes the Education Achievement Authority (EAA) in statute. This alarming bill would allow governor's appointees to take over up to 50 public schools (including several potential schools in Lansing) deemed by arbitrary, flawed rankings to be in the state's bottom five percent. One of the last-minute amendments to HB 4369 allows school boards that oversee a school in that bottom five percent to put that school under the oversight of its regional intermediate school district to handle the responsibilities and functions the EAA would otherwise take on.
Several of my colleagues introduced amendments to this bill, which would have required EAA schools to have the same testing standards as public schools, require parent groups at EAA schools, require the EAA to hold monthly public meetings just like public school boards, limit the terms of EAA members to 4 years, prohibit EAA schools from converting schools to for-profit charters, put the EAA under the State Board of Education, require the State School Board to decide which schools are EAA schools, require EAA be subject to FOIA, add a sunset to the legislation, prevent court shopping, and do an educational and organizational audit, among other things. Unfortunately, all of these reasonable amendments were rejected by House Republicans.
I spoke out against this bill when it came before my colleagues and I on the House floor to voice the number of concerns about its provisions that I heard from community members and constituents in the days and weeks leading up to its passage. My comments were as follows:
Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak today about the effect this legislation will have on the schools and the students in my school district, the Lansing Public Schools.
Lansing is unique. Eastern High School in the Lansing School District is home to students who speak dozens of languages because they are recent immigrants. Walk the halls and listen to international students from the Congo, Burma, Nepal - the world. Eastern must teach these students to learn a new language and then teach them how to learn. These kids are great and want to learn and be productive students here in Michigan. In Lansing, diversity is an asset. But to the state and the EAA, those new students must pass the same tests given to other more naturally privileged kids - or our Lansing students are considered a failure.
Governor Snyder talks about the need for immigrants here in Michigan and the importance of having communities that are welcoming to all in order to attract talent and bring jobs to Michigan. Well I say to my colleagues, I agree with the Governor. When these children come to America, we need them to succeed and lead, but the road to success can be bumpy. Lansing knows how to embrace diversity and make students successful - but it takes time, and it takes an investment - not fewer resources directed toward education and schools being taken over under legislation like this.
Lansing does have students with challenges. We have a wide variety of socio-economic backgrounds…some middle class and some lower income working families. Our new superintendent and our school board are in the process of working through those problems to help our students. They have priority schools, and have chosen the transformation model - one of the four allowed under Race to the Top legislation. Now, this legislation - HB 4369 - will have them taken over by an unaccountable authority. Eastern High School replaced its principal and has complied with the eleven other requirements. The problem is not that the school district is missing the mark…it is that the mark keeps changing!
Lansing schools are complying with current law and helping more and more students succeed, and now the law is poised to change again. EAA does not use the same metrics or assessment instruments to determine student achievement as do the schools that are currently identified as 'priority' schools. The EAA reform model is not comprehensive nor does it consider the “whole child,” as it only focuses on content mastery. There are no options for extra-curricular activities like sports, band, orchestra, visual/performing arts, career/technical education, special education, English-language learners, etc. EAA is not required to employ highly qualified teachers like No Child Left Behind is. Under No Child Left Behind, all public schools are required to use highly qualified teachers. So again, we are asking for something different from our schools and our children.
Additionally, the No Child Left Behind Act already has in place a provision for state takeover of schools by the Michigan Department of Education and the State Board of Education, who are elected representatives of the public. This EAA legislation will create a parallel educational bureaucracy when we already have a state education agency. So, we know the State Department of Education is accountable to the people and the elected school board. And to the US Department of Education is, too, because it is required to follow NCLB requirements. But we don't know who the EAA is accountable to.
This bill also fails to include an in-depth audit of existing issues in the school buildings and districts with concerning performances, and it takes away our local communities' ability to establish education policy, direct curriculum, and manage community resources. Even worse, it allows for these activities without providing any substantive local controls to establish standards, create missions and goals, monitor performance, or audit the finances of new schools created by HB 4369.
Finally, I want to note that I am very disappointed that the Republican majority in the Michigan House of Representatives REJECTED several common-sense amendments that attempted to fix some of the many problems in this bill. Those amendments include:
- Requiring EAA schools to have the same testing standards as public schools;
- Requiring parent groups at EAA schools;
- Require the EAA to hold monthly public meetings just like public school boards;
- Limiting the terms of EAA members to 4 years;
- Prohibiting EAA schools from converting schools to for-profit charters;
- Putting the EAA under the State Board of Education;
- Requiring the State School Board to decide which schools are EAA schools;
- Requiring the EAA be subject to FOIA;
- Adding a sunset to the legislation;
- Preventing court shopping; and
- Performing an educational and organizational audit
Instead of passing this legislation, we need to focus on helping our local schools do better. This legislation is not good for the students or parents in Lansing or in other Michigan schools, and I hope you will join me in voting to reject it.
Unfortunately, this bill passed the House on a vote of 57-53. It now heads to the Senate for review.
For a list of all legislation that has passed the House and the Senate, visit www.legislature.mi.gov and select the 'Daily Intro/Passed/Enrolled' link underneath the 'Legislative Activity' header on the site's home page.
Introduced Legislation
I continue to be hard at work assembling legislation and have introduced five more bills since my last update.
HB 4367
This bill proposes to allow split and/or mixed ticket voting in primary elections in Michigan. As I campaigned in my Democratic primary, I heard from many people that wanted to vote in my race as well as in the Republican Party primary; there was a great deal of frustration about only being able to cast votes for candidates on one party's primary election ballot. Michigan's voters should not be limited to voting for candidates in only one party's primary-- I believe they should have the chance to decide who they want to come out of a race regardless of which party's primary that individual contest is in.
HB 4417
HB 4479 is part of a legislative package concerning digital court records. My bill repeals certain provisions related to district courts retaining paper copies of judgment records and registries.
HB 4477
HB 4477 would allow a voter to take a photograph of himself or herself (but not a photo of his/her ballot) in a polling place. Last cycle, a number of voters took pictures of themselves voting and inserting their ballots into the voting machine and then put those photos on Facebook. According to the Secretary of State's rules and interpretation of election law, such action is actually illegal. In this day of social media, I think people should be excited about voting and should be allowed to take pictures of themselves doing just that.
HB 4478
This bill would allow a voter who is unable to sign his or her name on an election document to execute the election document where a signature is required either by making his or her mark or by using a signature stamp. As some of you know, this legislation is in response to an issue that arose in a local community during last November's election cycle. Under current law, a person can make his/her mark but cannot use a voter stamp, which I think we need to change. I'd like to encourage voting and make it easier for all engaged citizens to participate in the electoral process.
HB 4479
This bill corrects an inequality in campaign finance law that currently prevents a candidate from paying a late fee for their annual statement using campaign committee funds. Currently, candidate committee funds can be used for all other late filing fees, but not for the annual statement. At the request of our county clerk, my bill eliminates that prohibition and allows a candidate to pay that fee using candidate committee funds.
For an up-to-date list of all legislative I've sponsored and co-sponsored to date, click on the below links:
Sponsored Legislation
Co-Sponsored Legislation
Community Update/Events
Coffee and Tea with Andy
My next 'Coffee and Tea with Andy' gathering is scheduled for Monday, April 8th, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at the Gier Community Center, located at 2400 Hall Street in Lansing. These gatherings are a great opportunity for me to share news about what's going on at the Capitol and gather your thoughts and concerns about our community. Hearing from you helps me better represent the interests of Lansing and Lansing Township in the Michigan House, so I hope you’ll consider joining in what promises to be another productive discussion.
My 'Coffee and Tea with Andy' schedule for the rest of 2013 is below. We also expect to have some special community meetings on issues like the budget which will be announced separately. The set schedule is as follows:
Saturday, June 22
Flap Jack Waverly
1601 S. Waverly Road, Lansing
Monday, August 5
Alfreda Schmidt Southside Community Center (Community Room)
5825 Wise Road, Lansing
Saturday, October 26
The Avenue Café (formerly Gone Wired)
2021 East Michigan Avenue, Lansing
Monday, December 2
Letts Community Center
1220 W. Kalamazoo Street, Lansing
For a full list of events happening in and around our community in the coming weeks, click here.
Thank you very much for your interest in my legislative activity. I look forward to keeping you updated on what's happening in the House and invite you to stay in touch with my office via phone (517.373.0826), e-mail (andyschor@house.mi.gov), or by stopping in to visit (we're located in office 1087 of the Anderson House Office Building, located at 124 North Capitol Avenue in Lansing) to share your thoughts or if we can be of any assistance to you.
Sincerely,
Andy Schor
State Representative, 68th District
Legislative Update
A number of bills have been passed by the House that directly impact Michigan's residents. I've included information about a notable few below.
SB 60 (Passed House on 2.21) - Firearms Dealers
Senate Bill 60 amends the handgun licensure law (PA 377 of 2012) to revise the definition of 'federally licensed firearms dealer.' As written, PA 377 of 2012 exempts federally licensed firearms dealers from having to comply with state handgun licensure requirements. For example, federally licensed firearms dealers are not required to obtain a license to purchase, carry, possess, use, or transport a pistol. Similarly, an individual who purchases a pistol from a federally licensed firearms dealer is not required to obtain a license. Senate Bill 60 amends Public Act 377 of 2012 to modify the definition of 'federally licensed firearms dealer' to mean the following:
- Before December 18, 2012, an individual who holds a type 01 dealer license under 18 USC 923.
- Beginning December 18, 2012, a person (individual, partnership, corporation, association, or other legal entity) licensed to sell firearms under 18 USC 923.
Although I voted against SB 60 when it came before the House, it passed on a vote of 75-34. It has since been signed into law by Governor Snyder.
HB 4111 (Passed House on 2.28) - Health Care Exchange
This bill is a FY 2013 multi-departmental supplemental that appropriates over $30 million in federal health exchange funding. That funding will support our state's efforts to establish a cooperative healthcare exchange with the federal government as called for under the Affordable Care Act. Under our state partnership exchange, Michigan will work with the federal government to operate plan management and consumer assistance activities. This will require us to provide customer assistance in managing the Navigator program (which will be used to educate consumers about the exchange); assure coordination with the federal exchange; plan management activities, including collecting and analyzing health plan information and monitoring and providing oversight of plans; and fund contractual services to assist with planning, designing, and implementing technology-related interfaces and systems. The funding provided through HB 4111 is incredibly important to initiating this activity, which will move us forward in establishing what I believe is a much-needed healthcare exchange. I was proud to support this bill when it came before the House, where it passed on a vote of 78-31. Unfortunately, because the Senate refused to take up this legislation, Michigan will be forced to turn back the $30 million, give up the right to control our own exchange, and be placed into a federally-run health exchange.
SBs 61 and 62 (Passed House on 2.28) - Blue Cross Blue Shield Legislation
Senate Bills 61 and 62 allow for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) to move from a charitable nonprofit to a mutual nonprofit disability insurer. SB 61 also creates a Michigan Health Endowment Fund through which BCBSM will contribute up to $1.56 billion over 18 years to fulfill its social mission.
I was very proud to introduce and pass an important amendment to SB 61. My amendment corrected an inadvertent oversight in the bill that would have resulted in BCBSM not paying property taxes on a number of its properties throughout Michigan until 2015, including the Capitol Avenue Building on 232 S. Capitol Avenue here in Lansing. The understanding between all involved parties, including Blue Cross, was that they would start paying those property taxes in 2014. On top of ensuring that the City of Lansing would receive nearly $600,000 in property taxes from BCBSM next year, my amendment ensured that a number of other communities would benefit from Blue Cross' property tax payments. In fact, the 10 buildings that Blue Cross owns in Michigan are expected to net almost $4 million in property tax payments in 2014 that will directly benefit communities throughout the state. Detroit alone will see $2.5 million in property tax revenue next year thanks to my amendment.
I supported an amendment to this legislation that would have restored funding to Medigap. However, I was disappointed that the Republican majority defeated that amendment, which would have provided much-needed support to many of our Medicare-eligible residents (including many of our seniors). I would have liked to see the final version of this legislation include Medigap coverage, but voted for the legislation because of the important impact the bills would have on the City of Lansing (among other communities in the state). I also believe that, with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, BCBSM needs to be on an equal playing field with other insurers. I am hopeful that Medigap funding can be restored before 2016 when it is scheduled to expire. These bills were signed into law by Governor Snyder just this week.
SB 48 (Passed House on 3.7) - Bear Petting
SB 48 amends the Large Carnivore Act to allow members of the public to have close and/or direct contact with bear cubs less than 36 weeks old or weighing up to 90 pounds. This bill was called the "bear petting" bill.
A number of my constituents contacted me about opposing this bill, which I spoke against when it came before my colleagues and I on the House floor. I took that opportunity to voice the concerns I heard from constituents and stakeholders for several weeks leading up to this bill's passage. Among those concerns was feedback from leaders at Lansing's Potter Park Zoo, who I met with to review information they compiled with peer AZA-certified zoos around Michigan regarding the danger to the animals and public most affected by the passage of SB 48. The zoo's leaders also shared evidence provided by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources that cites a number of violations incurred by the Oswald Bear Ranch, the business at the center of this legislation. Despite presenting that evidence on the House floor and speaking with a number of colleagues about the dangers surrounding SB 48, the bill was passed by a vote of 56-52. This bill has since been presented to Governor Snyder for his signature and final approval.
HB 4042 (Passed House on 3.14) - No Benefits to Deceased
House Bill 4042 would require the Department of Human Services (DHS) to perform monthly data matches with the U.S. Social Security Death Index to determine whether an individual receiving assistance is deceased (and then terminate benefits, accordingly). This bill, which I supported, passed the House on a 109-1 vote and is currently being reviewed in the Senate.
HB 4307 (Passed House on 3.14) - County Commissioner Special Election
House Bill 4307 amends Public Act 261 of 1966 (which governs the apportionment of county boards of commissioners) to eliminate a requirement that a special election be held when a county commission vacancy occurs in an odd-numbered year. The bill would allow for the vacancy to be filled by appointment by a county commission. Under the bill, if the appointment is not made within 30 days, the vacancy would then be filled by a special election. I supported HB 4307's passage because it represents an important cost savings and because I recognize that running four times in one year (as one of our Ingham County Commissioners had to do) is just too much. This bill, which passed the House on a vote of 75-35 is now in the Senate for review.
HBs 4093 and 4131 (Passed House on 3.20) - .08 Blood Alcohol Content
House Bill 5093 amends several sections of the Michigan Vehicle Code to maintain our 0.08 threshold for drunken driving offenses and remove sunset language that would revert it back to 0.10. Its companion bill, HB 4131, amends the Code of Criminal Code of Procedure to maintain the 0.08 BAC threshold contained in the sentencing guidelines scoring instructions. It also removes sunset language reverting the BAC back to 0.10 on October 1, 2013. I was happy to support both bills when they came before me for a vote. Both passed the House unanimously and have been transmitted to the Senate for review.
SB 233 (Passed House on 3.20) - Emergency Funding for Dredging Projects (and Other Emergencies)
Senate Bill 233 (H-1) is a FY 13 supplemental that includes funding for Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) projects, dredging projects, and a study of sentencing guidelines. Broadly, the bill appropriates $44.5 million Gross ($11.5 million GF, $32.8 million restricted).
As passed, the bill includes funding for dredging projects that is emergency funding, $10 million of which came from the General Fund. I introduced an amendment to this bill addressing another emergency our state is currently facing-- support for our communities. My amendment would have increased statutory revenue sharing by $10 million. I felt that if there is an emergency for dredging that allows us to pull $10 million from the General Fund, we should also be addressing the emergencies associated with lower tax collection (thanks to lower property values) and state disinvestment in revenue sharing over recent years that communities all over the state are facing. Unfortunately, my amendment was defeated. Amendments were also introduced and defeated that would have dedicated more money to K-12 education and addressed issues with the State Waterways Fund. While I do believe that we need to address dredging (and voted for this bill), I am disappointed that all of these amendments were defeated by the House Republicans. SB 233 has been sent back to the Senate with some small changes for final approval in that chamber.
HB 4127 (Passed House on 3.21) - GPS Tracking of Criminals
This bill amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to allow a judge or magistrate to order a defendant charged with an assaultive crime to carry or wear a global positioning system (GPS) device as a condition of release on bail. I co-sponsored this bill after consulting with several Ingham County Circuit Court Judges when it was introduced.
Public Act 192 of 2008 (known as "Mary's Law") amended the Code of Criminal Procedure to allow the court to order a defendant charged with domestic violence to carry or wear a GPS device as a condition of release on bail. In making the determination to order the defendant (accused of domestic violence) to wear or carry a GPS devise, the court must consider the likelihood that the defendant's participation in GPS monitoring would deter him or her from seeking to kill, physically injure, stalk, or otherwise threaten the victim prior to trial. With the informed consent of the victim, the court could also order the defendant to provide the victim with an electronic receptor devise capable of receiving the GPS information from the defendant's devise, notifying the victim if the defendant is located within a proximity to the victim as determined by the court. The victim has the right not to participate in this type of GMP monitoring. A defendant may only be released if he or she agrees to pay the cost of the devise and any monitoring of the device, or agrees to perform community service work in lieu of the cost.
HB 4127 would extend the above provisions to defendants accused of assaultive crimes. I am happy that this moved quickly through the House and that I was able to support its passage. I hope that this legislation will be taken up soon in the Senate so that our judges have more options in situations like these.
HB 4277 (Passed House on 3.21) - Conditional Liquor Licenses
House Bill 4277 allows the Liquor Control Commission (LCC) to approve or deny a conditional liquor license for applicants seeking (1) to transfer ownership of or interest in an exciting license at the same location to sell liquor for consumption on or off the premises, or (2) an initial liquor license except for a resort or resort economic development or within a city redevelopment project area or development district and for a specially designated distributor license or for sale for consumption on the premises. I introduced an amendment to HB 4277 when it came before the House Regulatory Reform Committee and to the House floor for a vote that would have required the LCC to give local governments notice when an application for a conditional license was received. The local government would then have the opportunity to file an objection to the application. Unfortunately, my amendment was defeated by the House Republicans both times I brought it up. This bill, which was passed by the House on a 109-1 vote, has been sent to the Senate for review and approval.
HB 4369 (Passed House on 3.21) - Educational Achievement Authority
House Bill 4369 establishes the Education Achievement Authority (EAA) in statute. This alarming bill would allow governor's appointees to take over up to 50 public schools (including several potential schools in Lansing) deemed by arbitrary, flawed rankings to be in the state's bottom five percent. One of the last-minute amendments to HB 4369 allows school boards that oversee a school in that bottom five percent to put that school under the oversight of its regional intermediate school district to handle the responsibilities and functions the EAA would otherwise take on.
Several of my colleagues introduced amendments to this bill, which would have required EAA schools to have the same testing standards as public schools, require parent groups at EAA schools, require the EAA to hold monthly public meetings just like public school boards, limit the terms of EAA members to 4 years, prohibit EAA schools from converting schools to for-profit charters, put the EAA under the State Board of Education, require the State School Board to decide which schools are EAA schools, require EAA be subject to FOIA, add a sunset to the legislation, prevent court shopping, and do an educational and organizational audit, among other things. Unfortunately, all of these reasonable amendments were rejected by House Republicans.
I spoke out against this bill when it came before my colleagues and I on the House floor to voice the number of concerns about its provisions that I heard from community members and constituents in the days and weeks leading up to its passage. My comments were as follows:
Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak today about the effect this legislation will have on the schools and the students in my school district, the Lansing Public Schools.
Lansing is unique. Eastern High School in the Lansing School District is home to students who speak dozens of languages because they are recent immigrants. Walk the halls and listen to international students from the Congo, Burma, Nepal - the world. Eastern must teach these students to learn a new language and then teach them how to learn. These kids are great and want to learn and be productive students here in Michigan. In Lansing, diversity is an asset. But to the state and the EAA, those new students must pass the same tests given to other more naturally privileged kids - or our Lansing students are considered a failure.
Governor Snyder talks about the need for immigrants here in Michigan and the importance of having communities that are welcoming to all in order to attract talent and bring jobs to Michigan. Well I say to my colleagues, I agree with the Governor. When these children come to America, we need them to succeed and lead, but the road to success can be bumpy. Lansing knows how to embrace diversity and make students successful - but it takes time, and it takes an investment - not fewer resources directed toward education and schools being taken over under legislation like this.
Lansing does have students with challenges. We have a wide variety of socio-economic backgrounds…some middle class and some lower income working families. Our new superintendent and our school board are in the process of working through those problems to help our students. They have priority schools, and have chosen the transformation model - one of the four allowed under Race to the Top legislation. Now, this legislation - HB 4369 - will have them taken over by an unaccountable authority. Eastern High School replaced its principal and has complied with the eleven other requirements. The problem is not that the school district is missing the mark…it is that the mark keeps changing!
Lansing schools are complying with current law and helping more and more students succeed, and now the law is poised to change again. EAA does not use the same metrics or assessment instruments to determine student achievement as do the schools that are currently identified as 'priority' schools. The EAA reform model is not comprehensive nor does it consider the “whole child,” as it only focuses on content mastery. There are no options for extra-curricular activities like sports, band, orchestra, visual/performing arts, career/technical education, special education, English-language learners, etc. EAA is not required to employ highly qualified teachers like No Child Left Behind is. Under No Child Left Behind, all public schools are required to use highly qualified teachers. So again, we are asking for something different from our schools and our children.
Additionally, the No Child Left Behind Act already has in place a provision for state takeover of schools by the Michigan Department of Education and the State Board of Education, who are elected representatives of the public. This EAA legislation will create a parallel educational bureaucracy when we already have a state education agency. So, we know the State Department of Education is accountable to the people and the elected school board. And to the US Department of Education is, too, because it is required to follow NCLB requirements. But we don't know who the EAA is accountable to.
This bill also fails to include an in-depth audit of existing issues in the school buildings and districts with concerning performances, and it takes away our local communities' ability to establish education policy, direct curriculum, and manage community resources. Even worse, it allows for these activities without providing any substantive local controls to establish standards, create missions and goals, monitor performance, or audit the finances of new schools created by HB 4369.
Finally, I want to note that I am very disappointed that the Republican majority in the Michigan House of Representatives REJECTED several common-sense amendments that attempted to fix some of the many problems in this bill. Those amendments include:
- Requiring EAA schools to have the same testing standards as public schools;
- Requiring parent groups at EAA schools;
- Require the EAA to hold monthly public meetings just like public school boards;
- Limiting the terms of EAA members to 4 years;
- Prohibiting EAA schools from converting schools to for-profit charters;
- Putting the EAA under the State Board of Education;
- Requiring the State School Board to decide which schools are EAA schools;
- Requiring the EAA be subject to FOIA;
- Adding a sunset to the legislation;
- Preventing court shopping; and
- Performing an educational and organizational audit
Instead of passing this legislation, we need to focus on helping our local schools do better. This legislation is not good for the students or parents in Lansing or in other Michigan schools, and I hope you will join me in voting to reject it.
Unfortunately, this bill passed the House on a vote of 57-53. It now heads to the Senate for review.
For a list of all legislation that has passed the House and the Senate, visit www.legislature.mi.gov and select the 'Daily Intro/Passed/Enrolled' link underneath the 'Legislative Activity' header on the site's home page.
Introduced Legislation
I continue to be hard at work assembling legislation and have introduced five more bills since my last update.
HB 4367
This bill proposes to allow split and/or mixed ticket voting in primary elections in Michigan. As I campaigned in my Democratic primary, I heard from many people that wanted to vote in my race as well as in the Republican Party primary; there was a great deal of frustration about only being able to cast votes for candidates on one party's primary election ballot. Michigan's voters should not be limited to voting for candidates in only one party's primary-- I believe they should have the chance to decide who they want to come out of a race regardless of which party's primary that individual contest is in.
HB 4417
HB 4479 is part of a legislative package concerning digital court records. My bill repeals certain provisions related to district courts retaining paper copies of judgment records and registries.
HB 4477
HB 4477 would allow a voter to take a photograph of himself or herself (but not a photo of his/her ballot) in a polling place. Last cycle, a number of voters took pictures of themselves voting and inserting their ballots into the voting machine and then put those photos on Facebook. According to the Secretary of State's rules and interpretation of election law, such action is actually illegal. In this day of social media, I think people should be excited about voting and should be allowed to take pictures of themselves doing just that.
HB 4478
This bill would allow a voter who is unable to sign his or her name on an election document to execute the election document where a signature is required either by making his or her mark or by using a signature stamp. As some of you know, this legislation is in response to an issue that arose in a local community during last November's election cycle. Under current law, a person can make his/her mark but cannot use a voter stamp, which I think we need to change. I'd like to encourage voting and make it easier for all engaged citizens to participate in the electoral process.
HB 4479
This bill corrects an inequality in campaign finance law that currently prevents a candidate from paying a late fee for their annual statement using campaign committee funds. Currently, candidate committee funds can be used for all other late filing fees, but not for the annual statement. At the request of our county clerk, my bill eliminates that prohibition and allows a candidate to pay that fee using candidate committee funds.
For an up-to-date list of all legislative I've sponsored and co-sponsored to date, click on the below links:
Sponsored Legislation
Co-Sponsored Legislation
Community Update/Events
Coffee and Tea with Andy
My next 'Coffee and Tea with Andy' gathering is scheduled for Monday, April 8th, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at the Gier Community Center, located at 2400 Hall Street in Lansing. These gatherings are a great opportunity for me to share news about what's going on at the Capitol and gather your thoughts and concerns about our community. Hearing from you helps me better represent the interests of Lansing and Lansing Township in the Michigan House, so I hope you’ll consider joining in what promises to be another productive discussion.
My 'Coffee and Tea with Andy' schedule for the rest of 2013 is below. We also expect to have some special community meetings on issues like the budget which will be announced separately. The set schedule is as follows:
Saturday, June 22
Flap Jack Waverly
1601 S. Waverly Road, Lansing
Monday, August 5
Alfreda Schmidt Southside Community Center (Community Room)
5825 Wise Road, Lansing
Saturday, October 26
The Avenue Café (formerly Gone Wired)
2021 East Michigan Avenue, Lansing
Monday, December 2
Letts Community Center
1220 W. Kalamazoo Street, Lansing
For a full list of events happening in and around our community in the coming weeks, click here.
Thank you very much for your interest in my legislative activity. I look forward to keeping you updated on what's happening in the House and invite you to stay in touch with my office via phone (517.373.0826), e-mail (andyschor@house.mi.gov), or by stopping in to visit (we're located in office 1087 of the Anderson House Office Building, located at 124 North Capitol Avenue in Lansing) to share your thoughts or if we can be of any assistance to you.
Sincerely,
Andy Schor
State Representative, 68th District
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