Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Podcast 83 Legislative Update June 11, 2024
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Podcast 83 Legislative Update June 11, 2024
While the Legislature’s work on the fiscal 2025 state budget
remains behind closed doors, MAC’s advocates at the State Capitol have been shepherding forward policy reforms to boost county hiring, investments in public services and assist jurors.
Podcast 83 host Stephan Currie and guests Deena Bosworth, Madeline Fata and Samantha Gibson engaged in a wide-ranging discussion on policy in Lansing in the podcast’s newest episode on June 11.
County hiring legislation
“(House Bill 5203) would allow those counties that have
their own retirement system that are not a member of MERS … to rehire sheriff's people for the sheriff's department. And MAC was supportive of the endeavor (since) all those counties that are in the MERS system already have that ability. But it was those 13 counties that are not in that system that this would extend that ability to them,” Bosworth explained.
MAC worked to expand the legislation, though, so it can be
used to bolster employment in other departments. “There are situations where you've got experts who have retired and the county really needs to bring them back without any significant limitations on it,” Bosworth noted.
MAC’s expectation is HB 5203 will clear the Senate committee this week and may reach the governor’s desk for signature before the Legislature leaves Lansing for the summer.
Economic/public investment strategies
The lion’s share of legislative attention in Lansing right
now surrounds a Democratic proposal to revamp the state’s economic development strategic into a two-pronged approach that could mean billions of dollars for mobility
investments by local governments.
The complicated legislative package involves bills from both
the Senate (SBs 599/562) and House (HBs 5768-70) that are “tie-barred,” or required to move together.
A major portion of the work of interest to MAC, “Michigan
360,” was suddenly and unexpectedly junked this week, Bosworth said.
What remains is the “Michigan Mobility Trust Fund,” which
would be provided with $200 million a year for 10 years, for total of $2 billion.
Local governments will be eligible for these funds, as would regional transit authorities and public transportation providers.
Juror compensation
“So, a while back, a jury reform task force met and came up
with a set of policy recommendations,” said Gibson. “House Bills 5689-5693 do a wide variety of things to reform the jury process; but most importantly to counties is the bills would increase the hourly rate that you would receive as a juror, and it ties it to minimum wage.
“That in and of itself, not an issue. The issue lies in
what's called the juror compensation fund. That is quickly dwindling. … So, when you have an ever-decreasing pot of money, and an attempt to increase the hourly rate that jurors are receiving, it begs the question: Who is then responsible for making up the difference? …
“(M)y goal is to ensure that that responsibility does not fall onto the county,” Gibson added.
Negotiations continue on the bills, which won’t be taken up
until the fall.
View all episodes
By DerekWhile the Legislature’s work on the fiscal 2025 state budget
remains behind closed doors, MAC’s advocates at the State Capitol have been shepherding forward policy reforms to boost county hiring, investments in public services and assist jurors.
Podcast 83 host Stephan Currie and guests Deena Bosworth, Madeline Fata and Samantha Gibson engaged in a wide-ranging discussion on policy in Lansing in the podcast’s newest episode on June 11.
County hiring legislation
“(House Bill 5203) would allow those counties that have
their own retirement system that are not a member of MERS … to rehire sheriff's people for the sheriff's department. And MAC was supportive of the endeavor (since) all those counties that are in the MERS system already have that ability. But it was those 13 counties that are not in that system that this would extend that ability to them,” Bosworth explained.
MAC worked to expand the legislation, though, so it can be
used to bolster employment in other departments. “There are situations where you've got experts who have retired and the county really needs to bring them back without any significant limitations on it,” Bosworth noted.
MAC’s expectation is HB 5203 will clear the Senate committee this week and may reach the governor’s desk for signature before the Legislature leaves Lansing for the summer.
Economic/public investment strategies
The lion’s share of legislative attention in Lansing right
now surrounds a Democratic proposal to revamp the state’s economic development strategic into a two-pronged approach that could mean billions of dollars for mobility
investments by local governments.
The complicated legislative package involves bills from both
the Senate (SBs 599/562) and House (HBs 5768-70) that are “tie-barred,” or required to move together.
A major portion of the work of interest to MAC, “Michigan
360,” was suddenly and unexpectedly junked this week, Bosworth said.
What remains is the “Michigan Mobility Trust Fund,” which
would be provided with $200 million a year for 10 years, for total of $2 billion.
Local governments will be eligible for these funds, as would regional transit authorities and public transportation providers.
Juror compensation
“So, a while back, a jury reform task force met and came up
with a set of policy recommendations,” said Gibson. “House Bills 5689-5693 do a wide variety of things to reform the jury process; but most importantly to counties is the bills would increase the hourly rate that you would receive as a juror, and it ties it to minimum wage.
“That in and of itself, not an issue. The issue lies in
what's called the juror compensation fund. That is quickly dwindling. … So, when you have an ever-decreasing pot of money, and an attempt to increase the hourly rate that jurors are receiving, it begs the question: Who is then responsible for making up the difference? …
“(M)y goal is to ensure that that responsibility does not fall onto the county,” Gibson added.
Negotiations continue on the bills, which won’t be taken up
until the fall.