June 18, 1999

Legislative & Political Week in Review

• The legislature has recessed for the summer, and thus, with this issue, so does Roundup. We will resume publication on September 17 with a look at what’s happened over the summer, and the legislature will reconvene on September 21.
• In the final days before recess, the legislature acted with extraordinary speed to pass Governor Engler’s proposal to phase out the single business tax (SBT). HB 4745, which will shave the SBT by 0.1 percent each year for 23 years, passed the Senate by a 25-13 vote, with two Democrats—Diane Byrum (D-Lansing) and Joe Young, Jr. (D-Detroit)—joining a united Republican caucus. Most Democrats complain that eliminating the SBT favors business at the expense of individuals, while Republicans assert that the SBT itself is unfair, since companies are liable for the tax regardless of whether they make a profit.
• In other pre-recess action, lawmakers finished work on the FY 1999–2000 budget (Public Sector Consultants will issue an Advisor with the details in a few weeks), approved the so-called partial-birth abortion ban, and defeated—some say only temporarily—a tourism-boosting measure that would require public schools to delay opening until after Labor Day.
• Legislators demonstrated this week that they can play nicely with each other. (Cynics point out that it’s because there was enough in it for both sides to do so.) Democrat legislators agreed to vote immediate effect on legislation moving Michigan’s presidential primary to up February 22d. The bill’s sponsors hope that the earlier date will dramatically hike Michigan’s importance in the presidential selection process, which, in 2000 could substantially increase the political points that John Engler will score if he is able to deliver the state to his favorite candidate, George W. Bush. (Michiganians will get their first look at the Texas governor when he visits the state next week.) In return, Republicans amended gaming legislation (HB 4472) to allow Democrats to continue to use bingo for political fundraising, traditionally one of the party’s major grassroots moneymakers.
• Governor Engler is expected to sign HCR 43, which creates a panel to examine Wayne County Metropolitan Airport operations. The bill passed the Senate this week with one Democrat—George Hart (D-Dearborn)—joining a united GOP caucus. The issue could degenerate into a partisan snarl, with Republican legislators looking into activities controlled by the Democrat administration in Wayne County.
• The fall legislative session could feature some fireworks. HB 4777 could spark a nasty fight between the state and local units of government by allowing state preemption of a wide range of local ordinances ranging from the living wage to restaurant smoking bans. And a hotly disputed worker’s compensation measure, SB 158, would deny benefits to an employee injured because s/he was drunk or using illegal drugs and, as amended, permit workers to sue if they are injured as a result of a decision made by a drunk or drug-impaired supervisor.
• Michiganians can look forward to seeing a lot more logo signs for restaurants, motels, and gasoline stations along the state’s freeways. Governor Engler signed House Bills 4605–6 this week, which expand the number of interchanges to have such signs from 60 to 392. The state collects $660 a year from each business that uses one of the six spaces on a logo sign.
• Michigan’s pro-life forces scored a hit with the signing last week of a federal court settlement implementing informed consent in the state. Anticipating the settlement, the Michigan Department of Community Health already had prepared information that physicians will be required to give to any woman seeking an abortion at least 24 hours before the procedure. Informed consent requirements go into effect in 90 days.
• Michiganians had better watch their language. First came the canoeist who was convicted for profanely expressing his pique—within earshot of a family and a law enforcement officer—after falling out of his craft. Then, this week, came a ruling by the court of appeals that reinstates charges against a man who allegedly used profanity in a dispute with his neighbor; the court rejected the lower court’s dismissal of the charges on the basis that the Plymouth Township ordinance was unconstitutionally broad or vague.