Wasting no time, Democratic Michigan lawmakers announce 1st series of bills for 2023

The primary Democratic majority seen within the Michigan Legislature in a long time is kicking off 2023 by instantly introducing a sequence of payments to handle a number of scorching button points.

A variety of Democrats from the state Home and Senate launched six payments on Wednesday, Jan. 11, the primary day of the legislature’s first session. Losing no time with their newfound congressional majority, the Democrats formally launched the payments throughout their session on Thursday.

The six payments — every one backed by one Democratic Home consultant and one Democratic senator — deal with a wide range of present social and financial points. The precise payments themselves haven’t but been printed for the general public, however officers have publicly introduced the objectives of every invoice.

Right here’s what the Democratic lawmakers have introduced to this point, as written by the Michigan Senate Democrats:

• Laws sponsored by Rep. Angela Witwer (D-Delta Township) and Sen. Kevin Hertel (D-St. Clair Shores) to repeal the retirement tax on Michigan seniors;

• Laws sponsored by Rep. Nate Shannon (D-Sterling Heights) and Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Bay Metropolis) to allow employees to maintain extra of their hard-earned {dollars} via an elevated Earned Earnings Tax Credit score (EITC);

• Laws sponsored by Rep. Jason Hoskins (D-Southfield) and Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield) to develop Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to incorporate anti-discrimination protections for sexual and gender identification;

• Laws sponsored by Rep. Brenda Carter (D-Pontiac) and Sen. Veronica Klinefelt (D-Eastpointe) to revive the state’s prevailing wage legislation;

• Laws sponsored by Rep. Regina Weiss (D-Oak Park) and Sen. Darrin Camilleri (D-Trenton) to revive employees’ rights by repealing the so-called “Proper to Work” coverage;

• Laws sponsored by Rep. Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia) and Sen. Erika Geiss (D-Taylor) to repeal Michigan’s 1931 statute that criminalizes abortion care.

Controversy absolutely runs deep with many of those payments, as a few of these points have been on the middle of battles for years. For instance, Michigan lawmakers have repeatedly tried to repeal the state’s 1931 legislation banning abortions, however a Republican majority within the legislature continued to uphold the legislation. Now, after months of authorized battles over abortion regulation following the Supreme Courtroom’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, Michigan’s practically century-old abortion ban could meet its finish.

The Democratic majority can be seizing on the chance to repeal Michigan’s Proper to Work coverage, formally often called the Freedom to Work legislation, which was handed by Republican lawmakers and took impact in 2013. The legislation prohibits unionized workplaces from requiring workers to pay union dues and costs. Michigan is certainly one of 27 states to hold the so-called non-union follow, and will turn out to be the primary state in a number of a long time to repeal such a legislation.

Nonetheless, the brand new state legislative physique — full with a extra various and younger freshman class — is vowing to succeed in throughout the aisle and work collectively in an effort to do what’s greatest for Michigan.

In accordance with Rep. Joseph Tate (D-Detroit), the state Home’s new speaker, the Democrats intend to give attention to a number of completely different points this session, together with supporting employees, defending households and addressing monetary strains. Republican state lawmakers say they’ll be specializing in decreasing taxes and bringing extra manufacturing to Michigan.

See extra right here: Michigan lawmakers return to Lansing, vow to work collectively