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Dear Friends:
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you and provide updates about what is going on at Michigan’s Capitol.
I am the state senator for the 18th District – covering all of Barry County and parts of Allegan, Calhoun, Kalamazoo, Kent and Ionia counties. Please feel free to contact me with any issues related to state government at [email protected], or by calling 517-373-1734 (toll-free at 855-347-8018).
Sincerely,
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Thomas Albert
State Senator
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‘Lame duck’ session update
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Hundreds of bills already have been voted on and hundreds more remain under consideration as the so-called “lame duck” session of the Michigan Legislature continues this week. Meanwhile, a few proposals that should be taken up appear stalled. Here is a non-comprehensive status report of some of the bigger issues that are pending before the 2023-24 legislation session wraps up at the end of the month:
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Wages and sick leave: Unfortunately, the Legislature so far has not acted on bills to address the Michigan Supreme Court’s ruling related to minimum wage, sick leave, and the elimination of the tipped wage credit. That makes action by the end of this year unlikely unless something changes in a hurry. I have introduced legislation to keep the tipped wage system and other current minimum wage and sick leave laws in place, and other proposals have been introduced that would strike a compromise and preserve the tipped credit in some form. If the Legislature does not act, these court-ordered changes would start to take effect in February. The restaurant industry is the most vulnerable, as the costly mandates may prompt some to reduce hours, lay off employees or close completely. Customers would face higher prices. |
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Pensions for teachers and more state employees: The House last week approved legislation, now pending in the Senate, that would allow school employees who previously elected a defined contribution plan to retroactively join a pension plan. Multiple other bills would allow corrections officers and others to join the state police pension system. Another plan that proposes to reopen the state employees’ pension seems to not be advancing. We cannot return to debt-ridden pension systems that will either put retirement benefits at risk or leave taxpayers with significantly higher bills to fund them in the decades ahead. It is impossible to do the due diligence required to uncover the true costs of this massive policy change in the limited time available in “lame duck.” Democrats also advanced legislation that would shift more costs for public employee health care to taxpayers. I spoke against this elimination of the “hard cap” on the Senate floor. |
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Workers’ compensation and unemployment benefits: The positive news is that so far the Senate has not advanced costly mandates that would raise the cost of workers’ compensation insurance in Michigan. However, changes to the unemployment benefits system have been approved and would raise costs on job providers. The main bill is awaiting action by Gov. Whitmer. |
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Price controls: Michigan already has laws against price gouging, but Senate Democrats advanced a measure that goes well beyond that and strays into price controls during declared states of emergency. I opposedSenate Bill 954, which advances to the House. |
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Raising costs for taxpayers: I opposed Senate Bill 170, which could mandate higher costs for publicly funded construction projects, and Senate Bill 1173, which would allow higher wages and costs related to certain publicly funded contracts. These measures — which advance to the House — would funnel more money to projects with union ties without any corresponding benefit to taxpayers. |
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Mandates on septic tank owners: I opposed legislation mandating a state-run septic system inspection program for homeowners. The plan would establish fines for noncompliance, allowing bureaucrats to create a statewide code and database tracking people’s private property. This is textbook government overreach — aimed squarely at the more than one million Michigan homeowners with septic tanks. There already are septic codes governed at the local level, which cover the state. The legislation was approved by the Senate and advances to the House. Please watch my opposition speech |
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School choice: I opposed Democrats’ thinly veiled plan to shut down public charter schools. Their goal is not transparency or good governance. They are trying to close down charters and leave traditional K-12 schools as the only public school option. The legislation was approved by the Senate and advances to the House. |
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Criminal justice: I voted against “productivity credits” that would allow prisoners to be released before serving their minimum sentence. I believe this weakens Michigan’s Truth in Sentencing Law and is a disservice to victims. Michigan’s prison population is down nearly 40% from its peak in 2007 and five prisons have been closed since 2017. We don’t need any more incentives to turn people out of prison early. We need to refocus the system on justice for victims. The bills were approved by the Senate and advance to the House. |
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Taxpayer-funded gender reassignment and contraceptives: Senate Democrats approved contraception mandates without religious exemptions. I proposed substitute bills that would have prohibited insurance or Medicaid coverage of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and “gender reassignment” surgeries for minors. Democrats rejected my proposals. Their legislation advances to the House. |
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Prescription drug costs: I voted in favor of Senate Bill 1179, which is designed to help low-income patients get the medicine and medical help they need. I supported the measure because it now has a companion billpromoting hospital pricing transparency. |
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Gun laws: Several gun-related bills have been considered in the Senate this month. I opposed Senate Bills 857and 858, which would expand “no carry” zones. I opposed Senate Bills 1149 and 1150, which prohibit so-called “ghost guns” and would require a person who manufactures their own gun to receive a valid serial number. The bills would also establish licensing requirements for manufacturing based on the number of guns made or how the guns were made. I supported Senate Bill 942, which would implement a state law patterned after a 2018 ATF rule put in place by President Trump banning bump stocks. Bump stocks enable a semi-automatic firearm to simulate a rate of fire at or near that of an automatic firearm. This technology enabled a mass shooter in Las Vegas to fire over 1,000 rounds into a crowd — killing 60 people and injuring over 800 in 2017. House Bills 6183 through 6185, which would open gun manufacturers to legal liabilities, appear to not be advancing. I will oppose these bills if they come up for a Senate vote. |
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Government transparency: The Senate long ago approved measures that would bring the Legislature and the governor’s office under freedom of information laws. I support these transparency measures, which are still awaiting a House vote. |
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State snowmobile trails now open
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Michigan’s 6,000 miles of state-designated snowmobile trails are open now through March 31. Trails are groomed when there is enough snow on the ground. The state’s extensive trail network is made possible by the nearly 1,900 private landowners who allow use of their land, connecting DNR trails to communities across the state. Interactive maps of the trail network are available, which show designated snowmobile trails, shared-use trails, closures, parking lots, and more.
Trail permits for the 2024-25 season are now available and enable you to ride authorized, state-designated trails and thousands of miles of public roads. Permits can be purchased:
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Online through eLicense (mailed within 7-10 days). |
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Michigan will host its third annual Free Snowmobile Weekend on Jan. 17-19. During this weekend, riders can enjoy DNR-designated trails without needing a snowmobile registration or trail permit.
For more information on snowmobile regulations, visit Michigan.gov/snowmobiling.
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This is a busy season but a wonderful one. From my family to yours, Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and Happy New Year.
I wish you and yours all the best as we prepare to head into 2025.
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Michigan's 18th Senate District
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Senator Thomas A. Albert
4500 Connie B. Binsfeld Office Building
P.O. Box 30036
Lansing, MI 48909-7536
Visit my website at: SenatorThomasAlbert.com
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