LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks introduced a resolution Wednesday that would compel the House of Representatives to pass along to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer nine bills that were passed by the 102nd Legislature.
The measure hints at potential legal action that might be taken if House leadership does not submit the bills to the Governor, but does not give a deadline.
On Dec. 20, 2024, the then-Democratically controlled Senate passed House Bills 4177 and 4665-4667 of 2023 and House Bills 4900-4901, 5817-5818, and 6058 of 2024 and returned them to the House for presentation to the governor. The nine bills were passed during the lame-duck session in the final days of Democratic control of the state House.
However, they never got to her desk. Instead, the new Republican leadership ordered a legal review of the pending legislation.
The bills would amend the State Police Retirement Act and the Public School Employees Retirement Act. One bill would have allowed public school employees to opt into a defined benefit pension plan. Another would have permanently eliminated the 3 percent that some public school teachers contribute to a health care fund for retirement. The bill related to the State Employment Retirement Act would allow some state employees to join a defined benefit pension plan. Corrections officers would be put into the state police pension system and governments would pay a bigger share of the employee health-care premiums. The bills also would expand the state's hate-crime law, provide support for mental health, maternal and infant health.
Brinks - a Grand Rapids Democrat - spoke about with WOOD Radio on Wednesday. She mentioned that the Michigan Constitution requires every bill passed by the Legislature be presented to the governor. But Brinks said Michigan Republican Leader Matt Hall (R-Richland) has prevented the legislation from going to the Governor for her signature.
"They were passed by both chambers in accordance with the law and the (state) Constitution," Brinks said. "And the Constitution is very clear and indicates those bills need to go to the Governor after that. And they are, apparently, stuck in the House."
That was a reference to Article IV, Section 33 of the Michigan Constituion.
The bills pertain to public employer contributions to employees' health-care costs and state Corrections.
"The legislation has the ability to save those teachers and many public employees, as well as Corrections officers, what could amount to thousands of dollars in many cases. Either in health expenses or in opportunities to participate in retirement plans," Brinks said.
Opponents of the legislation have said the bills would increase pension costs. Senate Republican Leader Aric Nesbitt (R-Porter Township) issued a statement about the Democratic resolution to authorize legal action:
“It is unfortunate for the people of Michigan that Democrats continue to be divisively partisan instead of working across the aisle with Republicans who are ready to focus on real solutions to the problems facing families across our state," it reads.
“Michigan is on the brink of economic disaster next month with 50,000 hospitality industry jobs at stake. While the House is working toward a bipartisan plan to avert this looming catastrophe, Senate Democrats are wasting time on a partisan political stunt.
“Let’s be done with this nonsense, move beyond the failures of the previous House leadership, and serve the people we have promised to serve.”
Proponents say the bills would give teachers and law-enforcement officers more retirement options.
"We know that we've had difficulty attracting and retaining teachers. We know that Corrections officers have very difficult jobs and are often very over-worked and understaffed. In the case of Corrections officers, they're essential to keeping our community safe as part of the continuum of public-safety workers. So, it's incredibly important that we support them. And these bills do just that," Brinks said.
The Senate Majority Leader also was quoted in a news release sent by her office.
“At the bare minimum, Michigan residents deserve elected officials that are committed to fulfilling their constitutional duties — but Republican leadership in the House of Representatives has decided to start off the new legislative session with a blatant violation of our state constitution by blocking nine bills passed by both chambers from moving forward,” said Leader Brinks. “Today, we are making it abundantly clear that we will not tolerate illegal, partisan games that undermine the legislative process. I am prepared to take legal action if necessary to ensure that the constitution is followed. Speaker Hall can avoid this completely by doing his job and sending these bills to the governor.”
