STATE OF MICHIGAN
JOURNAL
OF THE
House of Representatives
102nd Legislature
REGULAR SESSION OF 2024
House Chamber, Lansing, Tuesday, February 13, 2024.
1:30 p.m.
The House was called to order by the Speaker.
The roll was called by the Clerk of the House of Representatives, who announced that a quorum was present.
Aiyash—present Dievendorf—present Maddock—present Schmaltz—present
Alexander—present Edwards—present Markkanen—present Schriver—present
Andrews—present Farhat—present Martin—present Schuette—present
Aragona—present Filler—present Martus—present Scott—present
Arbit—present Fink—present McFall—present Shannon—present
Beeler—present Fitzgerald—present McKinney—excused Skaggs—excused
BeGole—present Fox—present Meerman—present Slagh—present
Beson—present Friske—present Mentzer—present Smit—present
Bezotte—present Glanville—present Miller—present Snyder—present
Bierlein—present Grant—present Morgan—present St. Germaine—present
Bollin—present Green, P.—present Morse—present Steckloff—present
Borton—present Greene, J.—present Mueller—present Steele—present
Brabec—present Haadsma—present Neeley—present Tate—present
Breen—present Hall—present Neyer—present Thompson—present
Brixie—present Harris—present O’Neal—present Tisdel—present
Bruck—present Hill—present Outman—present Tsernoglou—present
Byrnes—present Hoadley—present Paiz—present VanderWall—present
Carra—present Hood—present Paquette—present VanWoerkom—present
Carter, B.—present Hope—present Pohutsky—present Wegela—present
Carter, T.—present Hoskins—present Posthumus—present Weiss—present
Cavitt—present Johnsen—excused Prestin—present Wendzel—present
Churches—present Koleszar—present Price—present Whitsett—present
Coffia—present Kuhn—present Puri—present Wilson—present
Conlin—present Kunse—present Rheingans—present Witwer—present
DeBoer—present Liberati—present Rigas—present Wozniak—present
DeBoyer—present Lightner—present Rogers—present Young—present
DeSana—present MacDonell—present Roth—present Zorn—present
e/d/s = entered during session
“Lord God, Heavenly Father,
You are a good and gracious God!
Thank You for the blessing, beauty and abundance of our Nation, and the great state of Michigan in which we reside, and whose citizenship we serve. We pray this day for the favor of Your providence and provision, that we would be wise and gracious stewards of all the resources You have provided for us, so that we can best help those You have entrusted to our care and leadership.
We pray for the wisdom, timing, and direction of Your Holy Spirit, that our discussions and decisions would be pleasing to You, and that our work together would serve the greater good of those whom we represent.
Finally, Lord, may this House of Representatives reflect the light and love of Your Son, our Savior, Jesus; that the people of this pleasant peninsula would be encouraged, uplifted and strengthened because of our selfless service to them. We offer this prayer in Jesus’ name, and all of God’s people said. Amen.”
______
Rep. Aiyash moved that Reps. Johnsen, McKinney and Skaggs be excused from today’s session.
The motion prevailed.
Motions and Resolutions
Rep. Aiyash moved that Rule 71 be suspended and the resolution be considered at this time.
The motion prevailed, 3/5 of the members present voting therefor.
By unanimous consent the House considered House Resolution No. 185 out of numerical order.
Reps. Brixie, Hope, Dievendorf, Roth, Aiyash, Alexander, Bezotte, Brabec, Byrnes, Fitzgerald, Glanville, Haadsma, Hill, Hood, Hoskins, Mentzer, Morgan, Paiz, Rheingans, Schuette, Shannon, Wilson, Witwer and Young offered the following resolution:
House Resolution No. 185.
A resolution to recognize the 1st anniversary of the tragic shooting at Michigan State University.
Whereas, On February 13th, 2023, a senseless and horrific tragedy occurred at Michigan State University in the form of a mass shooting which claimed the lives of three innocent individuals, injured five others and impacted the students, faculty, alumni, and family members of the entire Michigan State University community; and
Whereas, The victims of this senseless act of violence were students, faculty, and members of the Michigan State University community, whose lives were irreparably altered or tragically and unjustly cut short; and
Whereas, This attack exemplifies an incomprehensible disregard for the value of life. The Michigan State University community, as well as the greater Michigan community, has been profoundly impacted by this catastrophe, experiencing grief, shock, and a profound sense of loss; and
Whereas, A remarkable debt of gratitude is
owed to the first responders, law enforcement officers,
9-1-1 dispatchers, medical and mental health professionals, and community
members during and after the shooting whose heroic actions demonstrated
remarkable courage in the face of adversity. To the law enforcement officers
and first responders who risked their lives to ensure the safety of campus and
well-being of students. To the medical and mental health professionals who have
provided ongoing care to those impacted by the shooting. To the students,
faculty, staff, and other members of the Michigan State University community
who stepped up to comfort and protect those around them. We commend your
remarkable courage, compassion, and resilience in the face of impossible odds;
and
Whereas, On the one-year anniversary of
this tragedy, it is imperative for us as a legislative body to come together in
solidarity with the victims, their families, and the entire Michigan State
University community to offer our support; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body recognize the 1st anniversary of the tragic shooting at Michigan State University. We extend this heartfelt tribute in memory of the victims on the one-year anniversary of the Michigan State University shooting and express our unwavering support for the Michigan State University community as it continues to heal from this tragedy; and be it further
Resolved, That we honor the memory of the victims by reaffirming our dedication to preventing future acts of gun violence, ensuring the safety of all, promoting mental health awareness and support, and fostering a culture of peace, respect, and compassion in our society.
The question being on the adoption of the resolution,
The resolution was adopted.
______
The Speaker called the Speaker Pro Tempore to the Chair.
Reps. Markkanen, Hill, Prestin, Cavitt, Alexander, Bezotte, Fitzgerald, Glanville, Haadsma, Paiz, Rheingans and Young offered the following resolution:
House Resolution No. 184.
Whereas, The United States Postal Service has a long and venerable tradition of serving as a great equalizer between the people of our nation. Both the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution of the United States gave Congress the power to establish a system of post offices, and a Post Office Department was first established by the Second Continental Congress in 1775, with Benjamin Franklin appointed to serve as the Postmaster General. Throughout its 250-year history, the Post Office has chosen time and time again to prioritize service over profit, from President Washington’s support for the subsidization of stagecoaches in the 1780s, to the construction of money-losing postal routes to encourage settlement in the west during the mid-19th century, to the creation of the Pony Express to deliver the mail through extreme environments in 1860, to the elimination of price differences based on the distance a letter was to travel in 1863. While free home delivery began in cities in 1863, it was not initially offered in rural areas, though they paid the same rates. After initial experiments showed how happy rural customers were to be given the same attention as city-dwellers, rural free delivery became a permanent service in 1902. It is the mission of the United States Postal Service “to bind the Nation together through the personal, educational, literary, and business correspondence of the people”; and
Whereas, The Post Office is a service that we, as a society, have chosen to provide to our people. There is no constitutional mandate that the Post Office be run as a profitable business enterprise; to the contrary, our history shows that we have repeatedly used the Post Office to ensure that every American, no matter where they live, is connected through the post. The people can choose the level of postal service that they want the United States Postal Service to provide, and they can decide what costs they are willing to bear to provide that service; and
Whereas, Contrary to the desires of many that the United States Postal Service put service first, there are those who insist that it must be run like a business. The “Delivering for America” plan, published in March 2021, emphasizes the financial viability of the Postal Service, with a focus on raising enough revenue to cover their operating costs and fund new investments. The plan proudly proclaims that it will enable the United States Postal Service to operate with a positive net income, and the most recent report boasts that it has reduced projected ten-year losses from 160 billion dollars to 70 billion dollars. These publications read like a corporate marketing pitch, establishing goals such as a “more rational pricing approach,” a “stable and empowered workforce” and a “bold approach to growth, innovation and continued relevance.” What these profit-minded advocates seemingly fail to recognize is that lower-quality service and higher prices drive customers away, decreasing use of the postal service and thus decreasing revenue, while simultaneously undermining the Postal Service’s mission of binding the nation together; and
Whereas, The United States Postal Service’s focus on financial optimization has already had negative impacts on those living in rural areas, such as Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Local post offices have changed the time when mail is gathered for delivery from the afternoon to the early morning, meaning that a piece of mail dropped off during the day will remain at the post office for far longer before the shipping process begins. In practical effect, this adds one day to shipping times even while allowing the Postal Service to deny having done so for accounting purposes. Additionally, one-day Priority Mail Express shipping, which was available as recently as early January 2024, is no longer available from the UP to anywhere in Michigan; instead, citizens are being charged the same rate for two-day shipping. Combined with the change in collection time above, next-day shipping has essentially been transformed into three-day shipping. This is extremely problematic for businesses and health departments that need to collect samples of drinking water and have them delivered to a laboratory for bacterial testing within 24 hours of sampling. Delays in shipping also have negative consequences for patients who receive medications through the mail, for people who need to ensure their bills are paid on time, and for businesses delivering frozen foods such as the UP’s beloved pasties. Focusing too much on the postal network as a whole while ignoring the importance of timely local shipping is not modernization; it is regression. The people of the Upper Peninsula want what’s best for their communities, not what’s best for the pocketbooks of those in Washington; and
Whereas, In January 2024, the United States Postal Service announced plans to transfer some mail processing services, including outgoing mail operations, from the Iron Mountain Processing and Distribution Center in Kingsford, Michigan, to the Green Bay Processing and Distribution Center in Wisconsin. The Postal Service has justified this plan based on the fact that a majority of the mail and packages sent from the Iron Mountain area are destined for locations outside the local area. While this might make sense from the standpoint of the Postal Service as a nationwide business, it does not make sense for the people of the Upper Peninsula, for whom timely local delivery is essential. The notices that have been published about this plan assure that, while five craft employee positions will be eliminated, no management positions will be eliminated. But the notices also indicate that there will be reassignments, which means that some employees could be left without a job if they are unwilling to be reassigned to a post office far away. Furthermore, recent changes to the Iron Mountain facility may have led to inaccurate conclusions about the need for it, stacking the deck so that the evidence would support the conclusion the government was looking for. The capacity of the Green Bay facility to handle the mail from the Iron Mountain area is curiously left out of the government’s preliminary findings. When similar notices across the country all use identical, buzzword-riddled language about efficiency, cost-effectiveness, modern strategies, and “rightsizing” the postal workforce, it becomes difficult to trust that they have made a careful, informed decision about the proper level of services to provide at the Iron Mountain facility; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we vehemently oppose the transfer of mail processing operations from the Iron Mountain Processing and Distribution Center to the Green Bay Processing and Distribution Center in Wisconsin; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Governor of Michigan, the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the members of the Michigan congressional delegation, and the United States Postmaster General.
The question being on the adoption of the resolution,
The resolution was adopted.
Second Reading of Bills
Senate Bill No. 388, entitled
A bill to amend 2003 PA 215, entitled “Credit union act,” by amending section 355 (MCL 490.355), as amended by 2016 PA 152.
The bill was read a second time.
Rep. Aiyash moved that the bill be placed on the order of Third Reading of Bills.
The motion prevailed.
Senate Bill No. 389, entitled
A bill to amend 1995 PA 29, entitled “Uniform unclaimed property act,” by amending sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 15, 17, and 18 (MCL 567.225, 567.226, 567.227, 567.228, 567.233, 567.235, 567.237, and 567.238), sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 15, and 17 as amended by 2010 PA 197 and section 18 as amended by 2020 PA 79, and by adding section 17a.
The bill was read a second time.
Rep. Aiyash moved that the bill be placed on the order of Third Reading of Bills.
The
motion prevailed.
A bill to amend 1939 PA 288, entitled “Probate code of 1939,” by amending section 2f of chapter XIIA (MCL 712A.2f), as amended by 2023 PA 301.
The bill was read a second time.
Rep. Hope moved that the bill be placed on the order of Third Reading of Bills.
The motion prevailed.
By unanimous consent the House returned to the order of
Third Reading of Bills
Rep. Aiyash moved that Senate Bill No. 388 be placed on its immediate passage.
The motion prevailed, a majority of the members serving voting therefor.
Senate Bill No. 388, entitled
A bill to amend 2003 PA 215, entitled “Credit union act,” by amending section 355 (MCL 490.355), as amended by 2016 PA 152.
The bill was read a third time and not passed, a majority of the members serving not voting therefor, by yeas and nays, as follows:
Roll Call No. 7 Yeas—52
Aiyash Edwards Martus Rogers
Andrews Farhat McFall Scott
Arbit Fitzgerald Mentzer Shannon
Brabec Glanville Miller Snyder
Breen Grant Morgan Steckloff
Brixie Haadsma Morse Tate
Byrnes Hill Neeley Tsernoglou
Carter, B. Hood O’Neal Wegela
Carter, T. Hope Paiz Weiss
Churches Hoskins Pohutsky Whitsett
Coffia Koleszar Price Wilson
Conlin Liberati Puri Witwer
Dievendorf MacDonell Rheingans Young
Nays—49
Alexander DeSana Markkanen Schriver
Aragona Filler Martin Schuette
Beeler Fink Meerman Slagh
BeGole Fox Mueller Smit
Beson Friske Neyer Steele
Bezotte Hall Outman Thompson
Bierlein Harris Paquette Tisdel
Bollin Hoadley Posthumus VanderWall
Borton Kuhn Prestin VanWoerkom
Carra Kunse Rigas Wendzel
Cavitt Lightner Roth Wozniak
DeBoer Maddock Schmaltz Zorn
DeBoyer
In The Chair: Pohutsky
“Mr. Speaker and members of the House:
This bill does little to actually fix an issue with military members. We should be focused on bi-partisan bills to strengthen school safety.”
Rep. Schuette, having reserved the right to explain his protest against the passage of the bill, made the following statement:
“Mr. Speaker and members of the House:
I voted against SB 388 because I felt the bill had been given inadequate deliberation in the House of Representatives. I was unable to hear from the bill sponsor why this change was necessary. Neither the provided bill analysis nor supporters of the bill could point to instances where this bill would have resolved an issue. Further, they did not provided evidence that harm would be caused without the change mandated by this bill. Without such evidence or further deliberation, I did not feel it appropriate to vote for this legislation at this time.”
Rep. Aiyash moved that Senate Bill No. 389 be placed on its immediate passage.
The motion prevailed, a majority of the members serving voting therefor.
Senate Bill No. 389, entitled
A bill to amend 1995 PA 29, entitled “Uniform unclaimed property act,” by amending sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 15, 17, and 18 (MCL 567.225, 567.226, 567.227, 567.228, 567.233, 567.235, 567.237, and 567.238), sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 13, 15, and 17 as amended by 2010 PA 197 and section 18 as amended by 2020 PA 79, and by adding section 17a.
The bill was read a third time and not passed, a majority of the members serving not voting therefor, by yeas and nays, as follows:
Roll Call No. 8 Yeas—52
Aiyash Edwards Martus Rogers
Andrews Farhat McFall Scott
Arbit Fitzgerald Mentzer Shannon
Brabec Glanville Miller Snyder
Breen Grant Morgan Steckloff
Brixie Haadsma Morse Tate
Byrnes Hill Neeley Tsernoglou
Carter, B. Hood O’Neal Wegela
Carter, T. Hope Paiz Weiss
Churches Hoskins Pohutsky Whitsett
Coffia Koleszar Price Wilson
Conlin Liberati Puri Witwer
Dievendorf MacDonell Rheingans Young
Nays—48
Alexander DeBoyer Maddock Schmaltz
Aragona DeSana Markkanen Schriver
Beeler Filler Martin Schuette
BeGole Fink Meerman Slagh
Beson Fox Mueller Smit
Bezotte Friske Neyer Steele
Bierlein Hall Outman Tisdel
Bollin Harris Paquette VanderWall
Borton Hoadley Posthumus VanWoerkom
Carra Kuhn Prestin Wendzel
Cavitt Kunse Rigas Wozniak
DeBoer Lightner Roth Zorn
In The Chair: Pohutsky
“Mr. Speaker and members of the House:
This bill does little to actually fix an issue with military members. We should be focused on bi-partisan bills to strengthen school safety.”
Rep. Schuette, having reserved the right to explain his protest against the passage of the bill, made the following statement:
“Mr. Speaker and members of the House:
I voted against SB 389 because I felt the bill had been given inadequate deliberation in the House of Representatives. I was unable to hear from the bill sponsor why this change was necessary. Neither the provided bill analysis nor supporters of the bill could point to instances where this bill would have resolved an issue. Further, they did not provided evidence that harm would be caused without the change mandated by this bill. Without such evidence or further deliberation, I did not feel it appropriate to vote for this legislation at this time.”
______
Rep. Aiyash moved that House Committees be given leave to meet during the balance of today’s session.
The motion prevailed.
By unanimous consent the House returned to the order of
Motions and Resolutions
The motion prevailed.
Announcement by the Clerk of Printing and Enrollment
The Clerk announced that the following bills had been reproduced and made available electronically on Wednesday, February 7:
House Bill Nos. 5421 5422 5423 5424 5425 5426 5427 5428 5429 5430 5431
The Clerk announced that the following bills had been reproduced and made available electronically on Tuesday, February 13:
Senate Bill Nos. 717 718
The Clerk announced that the following Senate bill had been received on Tuesday, February 13:
Senate Bill No. 465
Reports of Standing Committees
The Committee on Insurance and Financial Services, by Rep. Brenda Carter, Chair, reported
House Bill No. 4944, entitled
A bill to amend 1956 PA 218, entitled “The insurance code of 1956,” (MCL 500.100 to 500.8302) by adding section 3406z.
With the recommendation that the substitute (H-2) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
The bill and substitute were referred to the order of Second Reading of Bills.
Favorable Roll Call
To Report Out:
Yeas: Reps. Brenda Carter, McFall, Breen, Rogers, Scott, Young, Fitzgerald, Grant, Hoskins, Tsernoglou and Bruck
Nays: None
The Committee on Insurance and Financial Services, by Rep. Brenda Carter, Chair, reported
House Bill No. 4963, entitled
A bill to amend 1956 PA 218, entitled “The insurance code of 1956,” (MCL 500.100 to 500.8302) by adding section 3406aa.
With the recommendation that the substitute (H-3) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
The bill and substitute were referred to the order of Second Reading of Bills.
Favorable Roll Call
To Report Out:
Yeas: Reps. Brenda Carter, McFall, Breen, Rogers, Scott, Young, Fitzgerald, Grant, Hoskins, Tsernoglou and Bruck
Nays: None
COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE REPORT
The following report, submitted by Rep. Brenda Carter, Chair, of the Committee on Insurance and Financial Services, was received and read:
Meeting held on: Wednesday, February 7, 2024
Present: Reps. Brenda Carter, McFall, Breen, Rogers, Scott, Young, Fitzgerald, Grant, Hoskins, Tsernoglou, Harris, Markkanen, Aragona, Bruck, Neyer and Smit
Absent: Rep. Bezotte
Excused: Rep. Bezotte
Senate Bill No. 393, entitled
A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled “Natural resources and environmental protection act,” by repealing part 26 (MCL 324.2601 to 324.2611).
Adverse Roll Call
To Report Out:
Yeas: Reps. Pohutsky, Hill, McFall and Paiz
Nays: Reps. Martin, Prestin and Schriver
COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE REPORT
The following report, submitted by Rep. Pohutsky, Chair, of the Committee on Natural Resources, Environment, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation, was received and read:
Meeting held on: Thursday, February 8, 2024
Present: Reps. Pohutsky, Hill, McFall, Paiz, Martin, Prestin and Schriver
Absent: Rep. Arbit
Excused: Rep. Arbit
The Committee on Education, by Rep. Koleszar, Chair, reported
Senate Bill No. 518, entitled
A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled “The revised school code,” by amending section 1531i (MCL 380.1531i), as amended by 2020 PA 316.
Without amendment and with the recommendation that the bill pass.
The bill was referred to the order of Second Reading of Bills.
Favorable Roll Call
To Report Out:
Yeas: Reps. Koleszar, Churches, Shannon, Weiss, Glanville, Conlin, Wegela and Paquette
Nays: None
COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE REPORT
The following report, submitted by Rep. Koleszar, Chair, of the Committee on Education, was received and read:
Meeting held on: Tuesday, February 13, 2024
Present: Reps. Koleszar, Churches, Shannon, Weiss, Glanville, Conlin, Wegela, Greene, Markkanen and Paquette
Absent: Reps. Edwards, Wendzel and Johnsen
Excused: Reps. Edwards, Wendzel and Johnsen
COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE REPORT
The following report, submitted by Rep. Hope, Chair, of the Committee on Criminal Justice, was received and read:
Meeting held on: Tuesday, February 13, 2024
Present: Reps. Hope, Andrews, Tyrone Carter, Breen, Young, Arbit, Dievendorf, Tsernoglou, Filler, Mueller, Bezotte, Harris and BeGole
COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE REPORT
The following report, submitted by Rep. Hoskins, Chair, of the Committee on Economic Development and Small Business, was received and read:
Meeting held on: Tuesday, February 13, 2024
Present: Reps. Hoskins, Grant, Whitsett, Neeley, Liberati, Coffia, Farhat, Miller, Tisdel, VanWoerkom, Martin, Roth and St. Germaine
Messages from the Senate
A bill to amend 1949 PA 300, entitled “Michigan vehicle code,” (MCL 257.1 to 257.923) by adding section 643b.
The Senate has passed the bill.
The bill was read a first time by its title and referred to the Committee on Transportation, Mobility and Infrastructure.
House Concurrent Resolution 12.
A concurrent resolution to vehemently oppose the transfer of mail processing operations from the Iron Mountain Processing and Distribution Center to the Green Bay Processing and Distribution Center in Wisconsin.
(For text of resolution, see House Journal No. 12, p. 74.)
The Senate has adopted the concurrent resolution.
The concurrent resolution was referred to the Clerk for record.
Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 14.
A concurrent resolution to vehemently oppose the transfer of mail processing operations from the Iron Mountain Processing and Distribution Center to the Green Bay Processing and Distribution Center in Wisconsin.
Whereas, The United States Postal Service has a long and venerable
tradition of serving as a great equalizer between the people of our nation.
Both the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution of the United States
gave Congress the power to establish a system of post offices, and a Post
Office Department was first established by the Second Continental Congress in
1775, with Benjamin Franklin appointed to serve as the Postmaster General.
Throughout its 250-year history, the Post Office has chosen time and time again
to prioritize service over profit, from President Washington’s support for the
subsidization of stagecoaches in the 1780s, to the construction of money-losing
postal routes to encourage settlement in the west during the mid-19th century,
to the creation of the Pony Express to deliver the mail through extreme
environments in 1860, to the elimination of price differences based on the
distance a letter was to travel in 1863. While free home delivery began in
cities in 1863, it was not initially offered in rural areas, though they paid
the same rates. After initial experiments showed how happy rural customers were
to be given the same attention as city-dwellers, rural free delivery became a
permanent service in 1902. It is the mission of the United States Postal
Service “to bind the Nation together through the personal, educational,
literary, and business correspondence of the people”; and
Whereas, The Post Office is a service that we, as a society, have chosen to provide to our people. There is no constitutional mandate that the Post Office be run as a profitable business enterprise; to the contrary, our history shows that we have repeatedly used the Post Office to ensure that every American, no matter where they live, is connected through the post. The people can choose the level of postal service that they want the United States Postal Service to provide, and they can decide what costs they are willing to bear to provide that service; and
Whereas, Contrary to the desires of many that the United States Postal Service put service first, there are those who insist that it must be run like a business. The “Delivering for America” plan, published in March 2021, and particularly its ‘optimized collections plan’, emphasizes the financial viability of the Postal Service, with a focus on raising enough revenue to cover their operating costs and fund new investments. The plan proudly proclaims that it will enable the United States Postal Service to operate with a positive net income, and the most recent report boasts that it has reduced projected ten-year losses from 160 billion dollars to 70 billion dollars. These publications read like a corporate marketing pitch, establishing goals such as a “more rational pricing approach,” a “stable and empowered workforce” and a “bold approach to growth, innovation and continued relevance.” What these profit-minded advocates seemingly fail to recognize is that lower-quality service and higher prices drive customers away, decreasing use of the postal service and thus decreasing revenue, while simultaneously undermining the Postal Service’s mission of binding the nation together; and
Whereas, The United States Postal Service’s focus on financial optimization has already had negative impacts on those living in rural areas, such as Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Local post offices have changed the time when mail is gathered for delivery from the afternoon to the early morning, meaning that a piece of mail dropped off during the day will remain at the post office for far longer before the shipping process begins. In practical effect, this adds one day to shipping times even while allowing the Postal Service to deny having done so for accounting purposes. Additionally, one-day Priority Mail Express shipping, which was available as recently as early January 2024, is no longer available from the UP to anywhere in Michigan; instead, citizens are being charged the same rate for two-day shipping. Combined with the change in collection time above, next-day shipping has essentially been transformed into three-day shipping. This is extremely problematic for businesses and health departments that need to collect samples of drinking water and have them delivered to a laboratory for bacterial testing within 24 hours of sampling. Delays in shipping also have negative consequences for patients who receive medications through the mail, for people who need to ensure their bills are paid on time, and for businesses delivering frozen foods such as the UP’s beloved pasties. Focusing too much on the postal network as a whole while ignoring the importance of timely local shipping is not modernization; it is regression. The people of the Upper Peninsula want what’s best for their communities, not what’s best for the pocketbooks of those in Washington; and
Whereas, In January 2024, the United States Postal Service announced plans to transfer some mail processing services, including outgoing mail operations, from the Iron Mountain Processing and Distribution Center in Kingsford, Michigan, to the Green Bay Processing and Distribution Center in Wisconsin. The Postal Service has justified this plan based on the fact that a majority of the mail and packages sent from the Iron Mountain area are destined for locations outside the local area. While this might make sense from the standpoint of the Postal Service as a nationwide business, it does not make sense for the people of the Upper Peninsula, for whom timely local delivery is essential. The notices that have been published about this plan assure that, while five craft employee positions will be eliminated, no management positions will be eliminated. But the notices also indicate that there will be reassignments, which means that some employees could be left without a job if they are unwilling to be reassigned to a post office far away. Furthermore, recent changes to the Iron Mountain facility may have led to inaccurate conclusions about the need for it, stacking the deck so that the evidence would support the conclusion the government was looking for. The capacity of the Green Bay facility to handle the mail from the Iron Mountain area is curiously left out of the government’s preliminary findings. When similar notices across the country all use identical, buzzword-riddled language about efficiency, cost-effectiveness, modern strategies, and “rightsizing” the postal workforce, it becomes difficult to trust that they have made a careful, informed decision about the proper level of services to provide at the Iron Mountain facility; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That we vehemently oppose the transfer of mail processing operations from the Iron Mountain Processing and Distribution Center to the Green Bay Processing and Distribution Center in Wisconsin; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Governor of Michigan, the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the members of the Michigan congressional delegation, and the United States Postmaster General.
The Senate has adopted the concurrent resolution.
Reps. Alexander, Bezotte, Brabec, Brabec, Byrnes, Glanville, Haadsma, Hill, Paiz, Rheingans, Rogers, Young were named co-sponsor of the concurrent resolution.
The
concurrent resolution was referred to the Committee on Government Operations.
Mr. Rich Brown, Clerk
Michigan House of Representatives
State Capitol Building
Lansing, MI 48913
Dear Mr. Clerk:
I am making the following changes to committees for the 102nd Legislature:
Representative Josh Schriver will be removed from Natural Resources, Environment, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation
Sincerely,
Joe Tate
Speaker of the House
I hereby give notice that on the next legislative session day I will move to discharge the Committee on Education from further consideration of House Bill No. 4088.
Rep. Hall
I hereby give notice that on the next legislative session day I will move to discharge the Committee on Education from further consideration of House Bill No. 4089.
Rep. Hall
I hereby give notice that on the next legislative session day I will move to discharge the Committee on Education from further consideration of House Bill No. 4090.
Rep. Hall
I hereby give notice that on the next legislative session day I will move to discharge the Committee on Education from further consideration of House Bill No. 4091.
Rep. Hall
I hereby give notice that on the next legislative session day I will move to discharge the Committee on Education from further consideration of House Bill No. 4092.
Rep. Hall
I hereby give notice that on the next legislative session day I will move to discharge the Committee on Education from further consideration of House Bill No. 4093.
Rep. Hall
I hereby give notice that on the next legislative session day I will move to discharge the Committee on Education from further consideration of House Bill No. 4094.
Rep. Hall
I hereby give notice that on the next legislative session day I will move to discharge the Committee on Education from further consideration of House Bill No. 4095.
Rep. Hall
I hereby give notice that on the next legislative session day I will move to discharge the Committee on Education from further consideration of House Bill No. 4096.
Rep. Hall
I hereby give notice that on the next legislative session day I will move to discharge the Committee on Education from further consideration of House Bill No. 4097.
Rep.
Hall
Rep. Hall
I hereby give notice that on the next legislative session day I will move to discharge the Committee on Education from further consideration of House Bill No. 4099.
Rep. Hall
I hereby give notice that on the next legislative session day I will move to discharge the Committee on Education from further consideration of House Bill No. 4100.
Rep. Hall
Introduction of Bills
House Bill No. 5432, entitled
A bill to amend 1967 PA 281, entitled “Income tax act of 1967,” (MCL 206.1 to 206.847) by adding section 280.
The bill was read a first time by its title and referred to the Committee on Tax Policy.
House Bill No. 5433, entitled
A bill to create a Tricare premium reimbursement program; and to provide for the powers and duties of certain state governmental officers and entities.
The bill was read a first time by its title and referred to the Committee on Military, Veterans and Homeland Security.
House Bill No. 5434, entitled
A bill to amend 2001 PA 142, entitled “Michigan memorial highway act,” (MCL 250.1001 to 250.2092) by adding section 114.
The bill was read a first time by its title and referred to the Committee on Transportation, Mobility and Infrastructure.
House Bill No. 5435, entitled
A bill to amend 1956 PA 218, entitled “The insurance code of 1956,” (MCL 500.100 to 500.8302) by adding section 3406tt.
The bill was read a first time by its title and referred to the Committee on Health Policy.
House Bill No. 5436, entitled
A bill to amend 1978 PA 368, entitled “Public health code,” by amending sections 17703, 17704, 17707, 17708, 17709, 17744, 17751, and 17757 (MCL 333.17703, 333.17704, 333.17707, 333.17708, 333.17709, 333.17744, 333.17751, and 333.17757), sections 17703, 17707, 17708, 17751, and 17757 as amended by 2023 PA 97, section 17704 as amended by 2018 PA 41, section 17709 as amended by 2020 PA 142, and section 17744 as amended by 2020 PA 136, and by adding section 17744g.
The
bill was read a first time by its title and referred to the Committee on Health
Policy.
House Bill No. 5437, entitled
A bill to amend 1991 PA 180, entitled “An act to assist in the financing of stadia or convention facilities; to permit eligible municipalities to impose and collect an excise tax on businesses engaged in the preparation and delivery of food and beverages for immediate consumption, in leasing or renting motor vehicles in the eligible municipality, and in providing accommodations for dwelling, lodging, or sleeping purposes; to limit the rate of that excise tax; to authorize voter approval in a single ballot question of the excise tax authorized by this act and of certain purposes for which the excise tax is imposed; to provide for the establishment of procedures for the collection, administration, and enforcement of the excise tax; to prescribe the powers and duties of certain state departments and state and local officials; to provide for the disposition and transmittal of the revenues from the tax for stadia or convention facility development and other purposes and authorize the pledge of those revenues; to authorize the appointment of employees and officials of a local governmental unit to an authority to which revenues from the tax may be pledged; to prescribe penalties and provide remedies; and to repeal certain acts and parts of acts,” by amending the title and sections 1, 2, and 6 (MCL 207.751, 207.752, and 207.756), section 1 as amended by 2008 PA 532.
The bill was read a first time by its title and referred to the Committee on Regulatory Reform.
House Bill No. 5438, entitled
A bill to provide for the registry, promotion, and regulation of certain short-term rentals and hosting platforms; to create certain databases; to provide for the imposition and collection of a statewide excise tax; to provide for the disbursement of the excise tax; to provide for the powers and duties of certain state and local governmental officers and entities; and to prescribe penalties and remedies.
The bill was read a first time by its title and referred to the Committee on Regulatory Reform.
House Bill No. 5439, entitled
A bill to amend 2010 PA 254, entitled “Regional convention and tourism promotion act,” by amending the title and sections 2, 3, 4, and 7 (MCL 141.1432, 141.1433, 141.1434, and 141.1437), the title and section 2 as amended by 2018 PA 465.
The bill was read a first time by its title and referred to the Committee on Regulatory Reform.
House Bill No. 5440, entitled
A bill to amend 1989 PA 244, entitled “Regional tourism marketing act,” by amending the title and sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 9 (MCL 141.892, 141.893, 141.894, 141.895, 141.898, and 141.899), the title and section 2 as amended by 2018 PA 466.
The bill was read a first time by its title and referred to the Committee on Regulatory Reform.
House Bill No. 5441, entitled
A bill to amend 1980 PA 395, entitled “Community convention or tourism marketing act,” by amending the title and sections 2, 3, 3a, 4, and 8 (MCL 141.872, 141.873, 141.873a, 141.874, and 141.878), the title and section 2 as amended by 2018 PA 626, section 3 as amended by 2010 PA 283, section 3a as amended by 1993 PA 224, and sections 4 and 8 as amended by 1984 PA 59; and to repeal acts and parts of acts.
The
bill was read a first time by its title and referred to the Committee on
Regulatory Reform.
House Bill No. 5442, entitled
A bill to amend 1985 PA 106, entitled “State convention facility development act,” by amending the title and sections 3, 4, 8, 9, and 19 (MCL 207.623, 207.624, 207.628, 207.629, and 207.639), sections 3 and 9 as amended by 2022 PA 276 and sections 4 and 8 as amended by 2009 PA 61.
The bill was read a first time by its title and referred to the Committee on Regulatory Reform.
House Bill No. 5443, entitled
A bill to amend 1974 PA 263, entitled “An act to permit counties to impose and collect an excise tax on persons engaged in the business of providing rooms for dwelling, lodging, or sleeping purposes to transient guests; to provide for the disposition of the revenues thereof; and to prescribe penalties,” by amending the title and sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 (MCL 141.861, 141.862, 141.863, 141.864, 141.866, and 141.867), section 2 as amended by 2004 PA 118, section 4 as amended by 2014 PA 284, and section 7 as amended by 1989 PA 13.
The bill was read a first time by its title and referred to the Committee on Regulatory Reform.
House Bill No. 5444, entitled
A bill to amend 2020 PA 340, entitled “Regional event center financing act,” by amending the title and sections 2, 3, and 5 (MCL 141.1442, 141.1443, and 141.1445).
The bill was read a first time by its title and referred to the Committee on Regulatory Reform.
Reps. Arbit, Brixie, McKinney, Paiz, Hill, Byrnes, Rheingans, Scott, Dievendorf, Grant, O’Neal, Neeley, Brabec, Conlin, Morgan, Wilson, Hope, Tyrone Carter, Price, Wegela and Aiyash introduced
House Bill No. 5445, entitled
A bill to amend 1980 PA 383, entitled “Convention and tourism marketing act,” by amending the title and sections 2, 3, 4, and 8 (MCL 141.882, 141.883, 141.884, and 141.888), the title and section 2 as amended by 2018 PA 625.
The bill was read a first time by its title and referred to the Committee on Regulatory Reform.
Reps. Grant, Arbit, McKinney, Paiz, Hill, Byrnes, Rheingans, Scott, Miller, Dievendorf, O’Neal, Neeley, Brabec, Morgan, Wilson, Hope, Tyrone Carter, Price, Wegela and Aiyash introduced
House Bill No. 5446, entitled
A bill to amend 2007 PA 25, entitled “Convention and tourism promotion act,” by amending the title and sections 2, 3, 4, and 8 (MCL 141.1322, 141.1323, 141.1324, and 141.1328), the title and section 2 as amended by 2018 PA 464.
The bill was read a first time by its title and referred to the Committee on Regulatory Reform.
Announcements by the Clerk
February 6, 2024
Received from the Auditor General a copy of the:
·
Report on Internal Control,
Compliance, and Other Matters of the State of Michigan 401K Plan
(071-0156-24), Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2023.
·
Report on Internal Control,
Compliance, and Other Matters of the State of Michigan 457 Plan
(071-0157-24), Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2023.
February 9, 2024
Received from the Auditor General a copy of the:
· Report on Internal Control, Compliance, and Other Matters of the Michigan Legislative Retirement System (900-0140-24), Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2023.
Richard J. Brown
Clerk of the House
______
Rep. Conlin moved that the House adjourn.
The motion prevailed, the time being 3:25 p.m.
The Speaker Pro Tempore declared the House adjourned until Wednesday, February 14, at 12:00 Noon.
RICHARD J. BROWN
Clerk of the House of
Representatives