September 26, 1997

Legislative & Political Week in Review

With this issue, Michigan Roundup resumes weekly publication when the legislature is in session.

• Like unruly kids at recess, lawmakers began partisan scrapping from the start of fall session this week. Governor Engler set the stage for the back-to-session squabble with his veto of an item in the school aid budget that would have provided $252 million in funds for at-risk students. The governor’s veto aimed to sequester the funds for possible use in reimbursing Durant plaintiffs (84 school districts), which the state supreme court ruled are owed an estimated $200+ million to compensate them for special education programs the state mandated but didn’t fund. In addition to the funding hedge gained by the veto, the Engler administration greeted returning lawmakers with a Durant payoff plan relying on a combination of new bond issues, the diversion of some interest—but not principal—from the state’s Budget Stabilization ("rainy day") Fund, and earnings from optimistically recalculated projected growth in state-managed teacher pension funds.
• The Democrats were having none of it and began their first day back in session launching a veto override on the school aid budget bill. That action ended with a whimper: A straight party-line House vote of 56–52 fell way short of the necessary 74-vote majority. Each side blames the other for getting the session off to a bickersome partisan start, and at week’s end the House Dems’ appropriations panel was crafting its own school funding and Durant repayment plans—making full use of principal from the rainy day fund.
• On these combative notes was launched a House and Senate fall session tentatively scheduled to adjourn on December 4, although few expect the chambers to be ready to call it quits by then. More likely to occur as scheduled is the two-week Thanksgiving recess set to begin on November 14. (Roundup will not be published during the recesses.)
• To keep close track of daily legislative goings-on, those armed with curiosity and computers may point their browsers to www.MichiganLegislature.org for the full text of bills, calendars, journals, and related legislative documents. Want more? Stay tuned: live broadcasts of Senate deliberations may begin October 14—if the upper chamber can negotiate rules changes designed to limit senators to five minutes of on-camera time per point of legislative debate.
• The worst pickup truck accident in state history this summer—in which 11 persons were killed—has prompted passage of a bill barring most children from riding in truck cargo areas. HB 4255 passed on a 67–37 vote after several amendments weakened the original legislation. Farm and construction workers aged under 16 and anyone older than 16 are exempt from the bill’s provisions.
• Without Democrats’ support, the Senate passed a bill exempting health insurers issuing special six-month policies from the requirement that they offer renewals on these policies. Supporters of the measure seek to protect insurers from certain provisions of the Patients Bill of Rights legislation that becomes effective on October 1. Senate Bill 514 excuses companies that write one-time policies to bridge gaps for individuals who are between jobs or to meet other special circumstances from the guaranteed renewability requirements in the Patients Bill of Rights. Opponents worry that insurers will use the measure to circumvent the new patient protection laws.
• Senate colleagues paid tribute to the late Doug Carl (R-Macomb Township) as their first order of business this session. Sixteen candidates will vie in a special November 4 primary for the 12th District state Senate seat left vacant by Carl’s sudden death this summer. Favored in the heavily Republican district are Carl’s widow, Maria, incumbent representatives David Jaye and Alvin Kukuk, and former Rep. (and current county commissioner) Sal Rocca.