Matt Miner, Capitol Strategies Group
Since September, Lansing has been bustling with activity from the legislature before they went on break. From energy to health policy, elections to higher education, Democrats have executed a lengthy agenda in the past few months. In early November, Democrats concluded the legislative session with an earlier-than-average break to allow for the 90-day adjourning period required for the new Presidential Primary date of February 27th, let’s take a moment to look back at the highlights.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer outlined two clear policy goals in her “What’s Next” address for the fall’s legislative session: requiring utilities to generate 100% of their power from renewable sources and putting the Public Service Commission in charge of siting authority for large-scale solar and wind facilities. Dubbed the “Green New Deal” by many, Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) and Speaker of the House Joe Tate (D-Detroit) also championed similar messaging, that climate and energy were going to be some of the key focuses for the legislature during the fall session.
Although the eventual final bill package was revised, not without debate and its fair share of drama, the now signed Clean Energy and Climate Action Package sets out to make Michigan a national leader with a 100% clean energy standard, strong labor provisions to build clean energy and streamlining construction of energy projects. Senate Bill 271 sponsored by Senator Erika Geiss (D-Taylor) establishes that, by 2040, Michigan will produce all its energy from clean sources. By 2030, Michigan will produce 50% of its energy from renewable sources and 60% from renewables by 2035. It remains to be seen what economic effect these bills will have on electricity costs, but ratepayers will likely see a large spike in costs for this bold legislative endeavor.
Another landmark package that Dems were hoping to pass was surrounding Reproductive Rights. In its original language, the package would have codified reproductive rights into law in Michigan, allowed access to abortions through Medicaid, and repealed the decades-old abortion ban still on the books for the state. However, when the package made its way to a packed House Committee on Health Policy, Representative Karen Whitsett (D-Detroit) shocked party leadership and voted in opposition to the entire package. Whitsett, who voted in opposition because of the allowed access to abortions through Medicaid, ultimately wound up being the deciding factor in the vote. While the Reproductive Rights Package passed with eight bills in total, it did not include the Medicaid provision as some groups, such as Planned Parenthood Michigan, had hoped for. Governor Whitmer said that the package was a vital step forward, citing amendments Michigan voters’ strong support of Proposition 3 last election cycle.
2024 will hopefully bring more bipartisanship and cooperation with the house evenly divided, but many pundits speculate that it could bring even more division to the legislative session as this is a big election year for Michigan and America. Stay Tuned!
