Several Democratic Senators have received additional or new Senate committee assignments for the 2009-2010 Legislative Session. The assignments are as follows:

Sen. Gilda Z. Jacobs has been promoted to Minority Vice Chair of the Finance Committee. Sen. Deb Cherry has been appointed to the Finance Committee; Sen. Hansen Clarke to the Energy Committee; Sen. Whitmer and Sen. Basham to the Judiciary Committee; Sen. Olshove to the Campaign and Elections Oversight Committee; and Sen. Gleason to the Natural Resources Committee. Democratic Leader Sen. Mike Prusi has new assignments on the Government Operations Committee and Legislative Council.

These Senate Democrats are very excited to serve in these new positions and look forward to getting to work to turn our economy around and keep fighting for the needs of Michigan families.

RealtyTrac issued a report today with the newest foreclosure data, indicating that filings were up 81% in 2008: http://tinyurl.com/833qez. RealtyTrac CEO James Saccacio even went as far as saying,"Clearly the foreclosure prevention programs implemented to date have not had any real success in slowing down this foreclosure tsunami.”

Senate Democrats recognized the urgency of the foreclosure situation even before rates reached record highs. Last year Sen. Hansen Clarke introduced SB 1306, a bill co-sponsored by nine other caucus members including Sen. Olshove and Sen. Gleason, that would place a two year moratorium on foreclosures and allow homeowners to make reduced mortgage payments while staying in their homes: http://tinyurl.com/7r4aox.

President-elect Obama supports enacting a 90-day foreclosure moratorium for some homeowners, allowing bankruptcy judges to alter the terms of home loans and enacting a 10 percent refundable tax credit on mortgage interest. His newly-nominated housing secretary is committed to aggressively pursuing a solution to the nation’s foreclosure crisis: http://tinyurl.com/7hux6c.

Senate Democratic Leader Mike Prusi has indicated that foreclosures will be a caucus priority during the new legislative session, and Sen. Clarke plans to reintroduce the moratorium bill, along with a bill protecting tenants from foreclosure evictions, as soon as the State Senate reconvenes.

As the legislative year comes to a close, the Senate has been working hard to put the finishing touches on legislation before the New Year. Last week during a marathon session day, the Senate tackled many large issues including legislation regarding Ccobo Hhall, a light rail system along Woodward Avenue, returnable cans, copper theft and computer recycling. This Thursday, December 18, marks the last session day of the year and there are still numerous issues that may come up. Legislation that may be addressed includes a package of bills to reform the individual health insurance market, legislation to create smokefree workplaces in Michigan, and several transportation issues. Below is a quick legislative update on legislation already completed, and we’ll keep you posted as progress continues with these other issuesly.

SENATE PASSES RETURNABLE CONTAINER BILLS

During session last week, the Senate passed legislation aimed at halting all out-of-state cans from being redeemed for 10 cents. The legislation, which includes Senate Bills 1392, 1648, 1532, 1394, 1532, and 1648, SU1392, 1394 and House Bills 5147, 6441 and 6442, would require the installation of reverse vending machines to make sure that only Michigan-originated bottles and cans are redeemed in border counties along Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin. The state also committed $1 million to help businesses cover the costs of the machines that will scan containers to see if they are from Michigan or another state.

When cans are brought in from other states, more money is paid out on returns than cans sold in Michigan, leaving less money for environmental cleanup. This legislation will not only help reduce the costs of state cleanup but also aid retailers by defraying the costs of handling the returnables. The House is expected to send the bills to Governor Granholm for her signature before the end of the year.

LEGISLATURE CREATES STATE’S FIRST COMPUTER TAKEBACK PROGRAM
During In last week’s Senate session last week, the Legislature created Michigan’s first computer and monitor takeback program which is designed to increase the recycling of old, unwanted electronics. The package of legislation includes House Bills 6714 and 6715 and Senate Bills 897 and 898, and requires computer manufacturers to create a computer takeback program by April 2010 and be registered with the Department of Environment Quality (DEQ) by 2015. The waste industry as well as Dell Computers, Hewlett Packard and the DEQ support this legislation that would help reduce pollution, recover valuable materials and conserve resources.

BILLS TO REDUCE COPPER THEFT, REGULATE SALES PASS SENATE

Also on the legislative agenda last week were as bills that address copper theft and sales. The Senate unanimously passed House Bills 5694 and 6181 which call for stricter regulations on how junk dealers track the people who sell them copper, a metal that is increasingly being stolen from utility lines, cars and vacant houses and sold as scrap. Under this legislation, junk dealers who accept copper from customers must make a copy of the person's state ID card and provide details to law enforcement officials once a week on who is selling the product.

With the holiday season now upon us, many people will experience holiday stress that can make it easy to lose sight of what the holidays are really about: giving, sharing, and spending time with those we love.

Sometimes it isn’t so easy to be jolly when our children are scattered across the country, or we are worrying about the economy and declining stock values, or when an illness has limited our abilities to celebrate as we did in past years. But just because your life situation has changed, that doesn’t mean you can’t embrace the holiday spirit.  By focusing on giving back to the community we can reshape old traditions into rewarding new ones.  Here are some ideas to try:

• Volunteer your time to a worthy holiday cause. Even if you are busy, just one hour can make a difference in helping those who are less fortunate than yourself. Help organize a drive in your neighborhood or collect food and personal items and donate them to a local shelter for the homeless or for battered women.

• Fight hunger by volunteering at a local soup kitchen. Soup kitchens provide hot meals to those who need it the most and can always use volunteers. Offer to prepare or serve food, set up tables, pick up donations, or collect special holiday treats for soup kitchen guests.

• To held build the sense of community in your neighborhood, organize an outing to go caroling. Caroling has a long history as a holiday tradition.  It’s a fun, easy and inexpensive way to spread the spirit of the holidays with songs people have enjoyed hearing throughout their lives. 

• Make a child’s holiday special by donating new, unwrapped toys to Toys for Tots, a program that collects toys during October, November and December each year and distributes them as Christmas gifts to needy children in the community.

• Locate a Salvation Army or church that participates in the Angel Tree program, a program that provides new clothing or toys for needy families. The tree is decorated with numbered paper angel tags with the first name, age and gender of a child who will receive the gift. Contributors remove one or more tags from the tree and purchase appropriate gifts for the child or children described on the tags.

Small, selfless acts bring hope, comfort, and happiness to others, whether it's donating toys for less fortunate kids or volunteering to help local charities in your neighborhood. Taking part in these traditions, visiting your family, caring for others and giving back to the community are all ways to share the spirit and joy of the holidays. This season, be grateful for the gifts you have and take time out of your busy holiday schedule to spread the joy of the season to others.

Yesterday’s Senate Session was adjourned prematurely, leaving frustration in the chamber as the senators began their fall recess. After trying to punish Senate Democrats for speaking out against political maneuvering and not allowing them to offer opposing viewpoints on proposals, the Senate Republican Majority ended session for the day.

Much of the debate centered around opposing views on legislation related to the Michigan Business Tax. As the Majority moved to adjourn, Sen. Buzz Thomas attempted to keep session going until business was finished. His efforts failed, and Senate Democrats were left in the lurch, including Sens. Martha G. Scott (D-Highland Park) and Irma Clark-Coleman (D-Detroit) who had prepared floor statements for the day. Sens. Scott and Clark-Coleman decided to deliver their scheduled floor statements anyway, into a dead microphone, while Senate Republicans packed up and cleared the chamber. You can read more about this, and the full text of Sen. Scott’s statement, here: http://www.senate.mi.gov/scott/pr.php?id=1087

Some other glimpses of yesterday’s action as Senate Democrats sought to keep the discourse going on the important issues before the chamber:

On September 16, I had the honor of welcoming a special visitor from my city to the Capitol. Reigning Miss Michigan Ashlee Baracy, who represents Westland as well as the entire state, came to speak at a Smokefree Michigan rally in the rotunda. She was crowned Miss Michigan in June, and travels around the state promoting her platform of breast cancer awareness and education.

Ms. Baracy was well-received as she discussed the dangers of second-hand smoke to bar and restaurant patrons and workers. She explained that hospitality workers are 50% more likely to develop lung cancer due to long-term exposure to smoke in the workplace.

State Representative Richard LeBlanc and I met with her personally and I had the opportunity to introduce her to the Senate as she visited the chamber gallery. I also made sure to wish her luck in the Miss America competition, where she will compete in January.

Me with Miss Michigan 2008 Ashlee Baracy, also from Westland

Yesterday Governor Granholm and I joined Jerry Keck and Bruce Levey from the Michigan Bowhunters Association to celebrate a victory for disabled deer hunters in Michigan. Senate Bill 572, a bill I sponsored that will allow those hunters to use a modified bow that can be shot with one arm, was passed by the House in June and is now Public Act 169-08. This law offers another alternative for hunters who are unable to hunt with a standard bow and don’t meet the disability requirements to use a crossbow.

The bill signing marks an important step in removing barriers for Michigan residents with disabilities. It's easy to take our pastimes and hobbies for granted when there is nothing preventing us from enjoying them. With this new law, hunters who have not been able to participate in bow season in the past because of an injury or medical condition will now have that chance.

TUESDAY

• The Transportation Committee met at 1:00 p.m. in the Farnum Building to discuss Sen. Olshove’s SB 1414 and SB 1415, bills that relate to drivers in Michigan with medical conditions. SB 1414 provides reporting requirements to the Secretary of State for individuals with specific medical conditions that may affect their ability to drive safely. SB 1415 revises the driver’s license exam in regards to medical conditions that may prevent safe driving. Both of these bills aim to make Michigan’s highways safer for all drivers. The committee passed both bills. Sen. Basham’s SCR 31 was also discussed. The resolution urges Congress to reduce passport fees or to provide a tax deduction for people living in border states like Michigan. There are many people in our state who drive to Canada regularly for work and are required to have a passport, but may need help with the cost of obtaining one. The committee passed this resolution.

• The Commerce and Tourism Committee met at 2:30 in the Farnum Building for a presentation on a proposed Aerotropolis project in Detroit. The Aerotropolis concept would bring new businesses—and new jobs—to the Detroit area by providing tax incentives for moving near Detroit’s two airports, spurring economic development in a high-traffic area.

WEDNESDAY

• The Agriculture and Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Recreation Committees will meet at 1:00 p.m. in the Senate Hearing Room. Rebecca Humphries, Department of Natural Resources Director, will give a presentation on Chronic Wasting Disease and its potential impact on Michigan’s deer population and hunting industry. Sen. Barcia, a long-time hunter advocate and chair of the newly created Hunting, Fishing, and Outdoor Recreation Committee, hopes the state will be able to strike a balance between managing this potentially devastating disease and minimizing the economic impact of a deer baiting ban put into place for the upcoming hunting season.

• The Appropriations Committee will meet at 2:00 p.m. at the Capitol. Sen. Basham’s SR 200 is on the agenda, a resolution that asks for Congress to support funding to expand Amtrak capacity and routes in Michigan. With skyrocketing gasoline prices, traffic congestion and limited public transportation alternatives, ridership on all three Amtrak routes in Michigan has increased nearly 50 percent. Sen. Basham sees a window of opportunity for supporting greener, cheaper transportation alternatives and economic growth.

• The Health Policy Committee will meet at 3:00 p.m. in the Senate Hearing Room to discuss Sen. Gleason’s SB 800, which requires hospitals to offer information and flu shots to elderly persons, and Sen. Clarke’s SB 956, which modifies provisions for individuals eligible to dispense a drug prescription received via electronic means. Both of these bills aim to protect vulnerable citizens in Michigan from disease, abuse, and the high cost of health care.

THURSDAY

• The Agriculture Committee will meet at 9:00 a.m. in the Farnum Building. The committee will discuss six House bills dealing with renewable fuel and energy production. Senate Democrats support the goals of these House bills, which will facilitate the development of the next generation of alternative fuels.

I delivered the following floor statement to my colleagues on the afternoon of July 17:

In the wee hours of the morning during our last session before we broke, the Majority party and the Senate leader passed a resolution to punish certain members of the Senate because he stated “their actions did not reflect well on the Senate.” Did those members break any laws? No. Did they break any rules? No. What was their crime? They moved bills to the floor. Bills that have been bottled up in committee for a long time. Their “shenanigans,” as it was called, was to do their job. Only to bring bills to the floor for full Senate consideration.

I have heard some of my colleagues on the other side say they were not operating in a cooperative manner. But the question is, “what is cooperation?” From the Majority’s viewpoint it is cooperation based on the Majority’s will and conditions. From the Minority’s standpoint, little cooperation exists; it’s more an issue of requesting, cajoling, and maybe begging. Therefore when an opportunity exists to move legislation along, legislation that has been pent up in committee, it’s important that we use the opportunity when presented with it. As we all know it is our job to serve our constituents and sometimes that means moving bills that the leadership does not want moved.

I keep a copy of President John F. Kennedy’s Profiles in Courage on my desk at home and in that book is the story of Senator George Norris. Senator Norris had the courage and the conviction of his beliefs to stand up to leadership so that certain legislation he believed in could get passed. President Kennedy recognized it is sometimes important to take action that is contrary to leadership in order to follow your conscience. Instead of shenanigans, I believe that the actions of my colleagues were that of members acting positively for what they believed.

It is the job of all of us to stand up for what we believe and sometimes that means that we must put that belief above institutional leadership and party loyalty. I am disappointed that the leaders of this Senate think that doing our job, following our conscience, and doing the work of the Senate requires punishment. Contrary to the belief that removing members from committees will stop them from doing their job, I believe that such action only reinforces the will of many members to fight for what they believe is right. I am proud of the members who took action to consider bills that need to be considered by this body and I am proud to have been a part of that effort. I am sorry the leadership of the Senate chooses to view colleagues as children. It does not serve them well.

• Last week the Great Lakes Compact was signed by Gov. Granholm at Oval Beach in Saugatuck. The legislation bans major water diversions and increases oversight of large quantity users, and will help preserve our waters while keeping them available for recreational, agricultural and business purposes. Additional bills were signed that will monitor and protect Michigan’s surface and groundwater resources. Legislation to implement the Compact is still awaiting the Governor's signature, but it is expected soon.

• Senators Hansen Clarke and Dennis Olshove both had bills in a greater Terrorist Nations Divestment package that was presented to the Governor for signing last week. Olshove’s SB 850 prohibits community colleges from investing in nations that sponsor terror. Clarke’s SB 853 prohibits investment of the Children's Trust Fund in nations that sponsor terror.

• The Senate will meet for session on Thursday morning, July 17. A vote is expected on the increase in per pupil funding to K-12 schools in the School Aid budget. The House has recommended an increase of $55 per pupil for higher funded schools, and as much as $110 for lower funded schools.

• The Department of Community Health Appropriations Subcommittee will hear a presentation Thursday at 1:30 p.m. on hospital Quality Assurance Assessment Programs. The meeting will take place in the Senate Hearing Room on the ground floor of the Boji Tower.

Michigan legislators worked into the wee hours of the morning last week, holding a marathon Friday session to get as much accomplished as possible before their summer recess. Here are some highlights from the action in the Senate:

GREAT LAKES:

• The Senate Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee and the House Great Lakes and Environmental Affairs Committee reached a compromise to protect our water and passed the Great Lakes Compact. The agreement bans major water diversions and increases oversight of large quantity withdrawers. Sen. Ray Basham’s bill in the new package, SB 727, increases the regulatory oversight of water bottlers by strengthening the permit threshold. Sen. Liz Brater was the primary sponsor of SB 723, which establishes the Water Resources Conservation Advisory Council and specifies its duties. As Michigan moves forward in protecting our waters, this group will continue to evaluate the science and the process to ensure adequate protection.

 ENERGY:

• The Senate passed House Bill 5524, which reforms Public Act 141 to provide for Michigan’s future power generation by promoting security and reliability in our electrical system. Senate Democrats fought to provide a cost-cap on rate increases during realignment while Republicans wanted to offer bonds to pay for the realignment of rates. This decision was moved to the Public Service Commission, based on the standard of what is best for residential ratepayers.

• Senate Bill 213 was passed with a weaker Renewable Portfolio Standard than originally proposed. Throughout the energy debate, the legislation went through drastic changes from the Senate Republicans, such as lowering renewable energy requirements, gutting efficiency programs that would have provided the most bang for our investment buck, and providing loopholes to allow energy providers to file for extensions and other paths out of generating renewable energy. This bill heads to the House of Representatives, and Senate Democrats hope the RPS will be raised to help create a strong and vibrant renewable energy infrastructure and new jobs for Michigan.

2008-2009 BUDGET:

• Senate Democrats helped pass the Community College, Higher Education, Department of Education, Department of Labor & Economic Growth, Department of Human Services, Department of Community Health, Department of Corrections, Judiciary, Department of State Police, Department of Military & Veterans Affairs, Department of Environmental Quality, Department of Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture and the Department of History, Arts and Libraries budgets. Highlights include:

• No Worker Left Behind program: $65 million, $15 million of which comes from the state’s General Fund, to help train workers to compete in the 21st Century economy.
• Mental Health Courts: $550,000 in the Judiciary Budget for the operation of pilot programs, and $1,126,900 in the Department of Community Health Budget for program implementation.
• $300 million for community colleges, and nearly $1.8 billion for universities. This is an increase in funding from the previous fiscal year.

Here are some of the highlights on this week’s agenda. For more complete information, be sure to visit www.legislature.michigan.gov.

Last week the Energy Policy and Public Utilities Committee met to discuss and continue working on a long range energy plan for Michigan, and are scheduled to continue analyzing and negotiating the package this week. Senate Democrats are focused on protecting consumers and saving people money through improved energy efficiency while also supporting the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) that will create thousands of jobs and create a cleaner, greener Michigan.

Legislation sponsored by Sens. Hunter and Thomas to support autism research was reported out favorably by the Finance Committee with a unanimous vote last week. The bills, SB 957 and SB 958, would establish an autism research fund and enable a check-off to occur on an individual income tax form. The package now moves to the full Senate for consideration.

SB 493, sponsored by Sen. Jacobs, will be up for review in the Health Policy committee on Wednesday. Testimony will be heard on this bill, which establishes a framework for the licensure of speech pathologists.

The House passed the Great Lakes Compact and its implementing legislation last week, and it contains the five principles that the Senate Democrats worked for in the Senate Republicans’ package. The House package is slated to return to the Senate for concurrence, where the Senate Democrats will continue to fight for the ecological health and recreational use of our precious water resources.

Here are some of the highlights on this week’s agenda. For more complete information, be sure to visit www.legislature.michigan.gov.

Tuesday, June 3

• The Commerce and Tourism Committee will meet at 2:30. SB 971, sponsored by Sen. Clarke, is on the agenda. Sen. Clarke’s legislation focuses on the designation and management of retail redevelopment zones for economic development purposes.

• The Energy Policy and Public Utilities Committee will meet at 2:30 to continue working on a long range energy plan for Michigan.

Wednesday, June 4

• The Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee will meet at 1:00. SB 1077, sponsored by Sen. Prusi, is on the agenda. Sen. Prusi’s legislation would allow owners of domestic animals and livestock to remove, capture, or kill gray wolves that threaten their animals. A rise in the wolf population has led to an increase in attacks on domestic animals, and this legislation would give animal owners the authority and guidelines to defend their animals.

This week in the Senate we are expecting to see a lot of committee action on the 2009 budget. For more specific information on which committees will be meeting this week, be sure to check out the Legislature’s website.

Senate Democrats remain committed to supporting additional funding for the No Worker Left Behind program, nursing corps programs and capital outlay projects, as well as avoiding cuts to schools, higher education and public safety.

Back in March, Sen. Mickey Switalski (D-Roseville), Democratic Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee, wrote about the status of the Senate-originated budget bills for ‘Call of the Senate Dems.’ You can read his update here.

As always, we plan to keep our readers informed as the budget process moves forward, so check back for more updates.

Here are some of the highlights on this week’s agenda. For more complete information, be sure to visit www.legislature.michigan.gov.

Expected Floor Action This Week

• Last week HB 4854 and HB 4903 were voted out of the Senate Homeland Security & Emerging Technologies Committee, and may be passed on the floor this week. Sen. Hansen Clarke (D-Detroit) has been a leading advocate for similar legislation in the Senate to divest state funds from terrorist nations. You can read more about his efforts here.

• Sen. Switalski’s SB 834 regarding financial literacy may receive some action on the floor this week. This bill would allow financial literacy courses to count toward high school graduation requirements, allowing students the flexibility to choose a course that would benefit them in the future.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

• The American Cancer Society will gather on the Capitol lawn this Tuesday for a 10:00 a.m. press conference regarding HB 4163, a bill to make Michigan workplaces smokefree. Supporters of the American Cancer Society, Campaign for Smokefree Air, and BREATH will call upon the House to finalize legislation passed by the Senate last Thursday.  

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

• The Health Policy Committee will meet this Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. to consider several bills sponsored by Senate Democrats. The bills up for testimony include: SB 41 by Sen. Scott;  SB 42, SB 332, SB 695, and SB 696 by Sen. Jacobs; SB 333 by Sen. Whitmer; SB 334 by Sen. Brater; SB 335 by Sen. Clarke; SB 762 and SB 763 by Sen. Switalski; and SB 784 and SB 785 by Sen. Hunter.

Here are some of the highlights on this week’s agenda. For more complete information, be sure to visit www.legislature.michigan.gov.

MONDAY, MAY 5, 2008

• Today the Senate Democrats announced a ten-bill package designed to protect senior citizens from predators to kick off “Older Americans Awareness Month” in May. The package is sponsored by Senators Glenn S. Anderson (D-Westland), Jim Barcia (D-Bay City), Ray Basham (D-Taylor), Deb Cherry (D-Burton), Irma Clark-Coleman (D-Detroit), Tupac A. Hunter (D-Detroit), Dennis Olshove (D-Warren), Mike Prusi (D-Ishpeming) and Mark Schauer (D-Battle Creek). You can read more about this legislation here.

TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2008

• Tomorrow morning Senators Hansen Clarke (D-Detroit), John Gleason (D-Flushing) and Dennis Olshove (D-Warren) will hold a press conference in Room 405 of the State Capitol Building to formally announce new legislation that will establish a two-year freeze on all mortgage and tax foreclosures in Michigan. Sen. Clarke hosted a similar press conference in Detroit last month with representatives from several community housing agencies. You can read more about the legislation here, and watch a short clip of Sen. Clarke discussing the foreclosure freeze here.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 2008

• This Wednesday Sen. Mickey Switalski (D-Roseville) will be hosting a press conference in the Capitol to discuss legislation he is introducing that will lower the voting age to 16 for non-bond, non-millage school elections. Again, we will be posting more information about this legislation later in the week, so be sure to keep an eye on our caucus press room for more details.
• The Appropriations Subcommittee on Economic Development will be meeting at 8:30 a.m. this Wednesday to hear from the Department of Labor and Economic Growth (DLEG) about the No Worker Left Behind (NWLB) program. This worker development initiative was supported by Senate Dems last summer, and the $40 million in funding that was included in the House-passed DLEG budget for this year will help ensure that Michigan workers have the skills they need to compete for 21^st Century jobs.

Here are some of the highlights on this week’s agenda. For more complete information, be sure to visit www.legislature.michigan.gov.

MONDAY, APRIL 21, 2008

• Today is National Kindergarten Day, and to mark the occasion Sen. Irma Clark-Coleman (D-Detroit) hosted a press conference on SB 162, her legislation that would mandate all-day Kindergarten for Michigan students, at the John R. King Academic and Performing Arts Academy in Detroit. You can watch a floor statement Sen. Clark-Coleman gave on the issue last week here.

TUESDAY, APRIL 22, 2008

• April is National Autism Awareness Month. Tomorrow at approximately 11:30 a.m., Sen. Tupac A. Hunter (D-Detroit) will speak at a Capitol rally hosted by the advocacy group “Autism Votes Michigan” to call for action on legislation to support autism-related services. Last December, Sen. Hunter introduced Senate Bills 784 and 785, which would require insurance companies to provide coverage for autism-related services. He also introduced SB 957, which would create a check-off box on the state income tax form for filers to donate to the newly proposed Autism Research Fund. You can read more about his efforts here, and watch a short video of the Senator discussing his legislation here.
• The Joint Capital Outlay Committee will meet at 2:30 p.m. (or immediately following House session, whichever is later) this Tuesday to consider state building projects under the Governor’s proposed budget. You can read more specific details in the non-partisan Senate Fiscal Analysis.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 2008

• Sen. Mark Schauer (D-Battle Creek) will host a town hall meeting in Jackson at 6:00 p.m. this Wednesday to discuss the need for more affordable health care. The ongoing health care crisis is bankrupting consumers and making our companies less competitive. Experts will be on hand to answer questions and provide information about how struggling consumers can find assistance. The event will be held at Lifeways Meeting Rooms (entrance in back under green awning), 1200 N. West Avenue, Jackson.

This week the Senate Dems were invited to contribute to a guest blog series on the Michigan Municipal League’s website, www.mml.org. As the first legislative caucus in Michigan to launch a blog earlier this year, our members were more than happy to participate. In case you missed it, here are some highlights from our five entries:

Sen. Hunter: New Economic Development Programs, Incentives Can Energize Michigan Communities
“By giving downtowns the tools they need to make local improvements, and offering businesses incentives to invest in high tech jobs, we will be helping to create the type of vibrant communities that are capable of driving economic growth for a generation.”

Sen. Basham: Safe Roads, Infrastructure Key to Stimulating Economy
“Orange barrels can be frustrating for summertime drivers, but they are a positive sign of long-term investment in our state’s infrastructure. Safe roads provide a secure medium for commerce in Michigan, and will be a key factor in re-energizing the state’s economy.”

Sen. Anderson: Revenue Sharing Increases Will Help Locals Continue Michigan’s Economic Transformation
“As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and as a former councilman, I understand the challenges associated with producing a fiscally responsible budget that balances government efficiency and the need to provide quality public services. That’s why I’m proud of the work being done by municipal governments across the state to serve their communities, and will continue to fight for the proposed revenue sharing increases in the state budget.”

Sen. Jacobs: The Legislative Talent Caucus
“No, it’s not a new TV show called “Michigan Idol.”  And no, we’re not looking for tap dancers. But we ARE looking for talent.  That talent may be in engineering, alternative energy, or computer technology. It may be in research, advanced manufacturing, or the life sciences. It may be product innovation or some other entrepreneurial effort. And we are looking for these talented people to make them a part of the twenty-first century workforce in our state.”

Sen. Schauer: Preventing Foreclosures, Creating Vibrant Cities Key to Long-Term Economic Success
“This crisis affects real people of all social and economic backgrounds. Everyone from lenders to community service groups agree that the key to avoiding foreclosure is to act early and communicate with your mortgage provider. Unfortunately, a big part of the problem is that homeowners are often embarrassed or afraid to seek help, which only makes their situation worse. That’s why education on this critical issue is so important.”

Here are some of the highlights on this week’s agenda. For more complete information, be sure to visit www.legislature.michigan.gov.

TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 2008

• The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee will meet on Tuesday to consider House bills from the bipartisan, bicameral film package that started moving on the floor last week. The committee will also discuss the four-bill Michigan Economic Growth Authority package to create new economic development incentives that will help MEDC attract business investment and jobs to Michigan. Senators Hansen Clarke (D-Detroit) and Tupac A. Hunter (D-Detroit) both have bills in the package: SB 1189 and 1190.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2008

• The full Senate Appropriations Committee will be meeting on Wednesday and Thursday this week to begin considering several budget bills. More details can be found here and here.

EXPECTED FLOOR ACTION THIS WEEK

• SB 218 by Sen. Ray Basham (D-Taylor) would allow an industrial facilities exemption certificate to be approved for a facility located in an industrial development district that had received approval from the board of the Michigan Strategic Fund and the State Tax Commission.
• SB 1173 and 1178 by Sen. Hansen Clarke and Sen. Tupac A. Hunter are part of the film package that passed last week, and are expected to be up for a floor vote in the House this week. You can watch a short video of Sen. Hunter and Sen. Clarke discussing this legislation here.

Here are some of the highlights on this week’s agenda. For more complete information, be sure to visit legislature.michigan.gov.

TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 2008

• The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee will meet to consider a bipartisan legislative package that will offer incentives for the film industry to bring motion picture productions and jobs to Michigan. Senators Jim Barcia (D-Bay City), Dennis Olshove (D-Warren), Hansen Clarke (D-Detroit) and Tupac A. Hunter (D-Detroit) each have bills in the package: SB 1169, 1170, 1173 and 1178. You can watch a short video of Sen. Hunter and Sen. Clarke discussing this legislation here.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2008

• The Michigan Nurses Association will be in Lansing this Wednesday to bring together hundreds of nurses and nursing students to discuss legislation, meet with legislators, and rally on the Capitol steps for issues affecting the nursing practice. Senators Mark Schauer (D-Battle Creek) and Dennis Olshove (D-Warren) will be speaking with various groups throughout the day. For more information on the rally, click here (PDF).
• The Senate Finance Committee will meet at 11:30 a.m. this Wednesday to hear testimony on SB 1135 by Sen. Gilda Z. Jacobs (D-Huntington Woods). This legislation is designed to protect the Detroit Zoo by allowing counties to form a zoological authority, contract for services and pass a millage to fund the authority.

EXPECTED FLOOR ACTION THIS WEEK

• SB 749 by Sen. Dennis Olshove has been co-sponsored by nearly every member of the Michigan Senate, and would offer additional foreclosure protections to members of the armed forces.

• SB 972 by Sen. Tupac A. Hunter is part of a broader bipartisan effort to improve downtown development authorities (DDA) in Michigan. The bill would allow the board of a DDA to create, operate and fund a loan program to pay for improvements of existing buildings located in a downtown district, in order to make them marketable for sale or lease.
• SB 120 by Sen. Martha G. Scott would amend the Social Welfare Act to require the Department of Human Services to issue an individual's regular food assistance benefits twice each month, if the Department determined that the individual was eligible for food assistance benefits of $150 or more per month. The DHS could continue to issue food assistance benefits once monthly to recipients receiving benefits that were less than $150 per month.

NEWS & NOTES

• Last week the Stem Cell Ballot Campaign launched the website www.CureMichigan.com to provide the latest news and compelling human stories about the promise of stem cell research. Sen. Gretchen Whitmer (D-East Lansing), a strong proponent of embryonic stem cell research, is featured in the welcome video on the website.

Here are some of the highlights on this week’s agenda. For more complete information, be sure to visit legislature.michigan.gov.

TUESDAY, FEBURARY 26, 2008

• The Senate Families and Human Services Committee will meet at 1:30 p.m. today to consider SB 120 by Sen. Martha G. Scott (D-Highland Park). The bill would amend the Social Welfare Act to require the Department of Human Services (DHS) to issue an individual's regular food assistance benefits two times each month, if it determined that the individual was eligible for food assistance benefits.
• The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee will meet at 2:30 p.m. today for the confirmation hearing on the appointment of M. Scott Bowen as the Commissioner of the State Bureau of the Lottery.

WEDNESDAY, FEBURARY 27, 2008

• The Senate Senior Citizens and Veterans Affairs Committee will meet at 9:00 on Wednesday to consider two bills, including SB 749 by Sen. Dennis Olshove (D-Warren). This bipartisan legislation would offer additional foreclosure protections to service members.
• The Senate Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee will meet this Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. to consider several bills relating to water withdrawals, including SB 727 by Sen. Ray Basham (D-Taylor). To read more about our ongoing efforts to protect Michigan water, click here.

THURSDAY, FEBURARY 28, 2008

• The Senate Energy Policy and Public Utilities Committee will meet at 1:00 p.m. for a discussion of energy issues by General Motors, Ford Motor Company, and Chrysler LLC. The committee will also discuss the findings of the Renewable Fuels Commission Report. For more information on Senate Democrats’ continuing efforts to encourage investment in alternative energy, click here.

IN THE HOUSE THIS WEEK

• The House is expected to take up four worker protection bills during session today (HB 4532, 4887, 4926 and 4927) that are similar to the “Workers First” initiative introduced by Senate Democrats last spring. You can read more about our efforts here.

SPECIAL EVENTS

• Senate Democratic Leader Mark Schauer will host two town hall meetings this week to discuss Michigan’s home foreclosure crisis. Experts will be on hand to answer questions and provide information about how struggling consumers can find assistance. The first event will take place in Jackson at the Lily Missions Center, 1117 W.G. Wade Dr., on Tuesday, February 26 at 6:00 p.m. The second event will take place in Battle Creek at Burnham Brooke Community Center, 200 W. Michigan Avenue, on Thursday, February 28 at 7:00 p.m.

Here are some of the highlights on this week’s agenda. For more complete information, be sure to visit legislature.michigan.gov.

WEDNESDAY, FEBURARY 20, 2008

• The Senate Banking and Financial Institutions Committee will meet on Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. to consider House Bills 4596, 5287-5291. These bills are part of a bipartisan, bicameral package that would register and regulate mortgage loan officers and protect consumers from unfair lending practices. This is part of an ongoing effort to combat the state’s foreclosure crisis. Complementary Senate Bills—including SB 828 (Clarke), SB 830 (Hunter) and SB 831 (Olshove)—passed the House by unanimous vote last week, and now head to the Governor’s desk for final approval.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2008

• The Senate Economic Development and Regulatory Reform Committee will hold its next meeting in Detroit on Friday, February 22, 2008. The meeting, which begins at 11:00 a.m., will be held at the Northwest Activities Center, located at 18100 Meyers Road on the city’s northwest side. The committee will hear testimony on SB 270 by Sen. Buzz Thomas (D-Detroit). The bill strengthens regulation and recording requirements on scrap metal processors throughout the state of Michigan. The bill is designed, in part, to address the recent rash of copper thefts that are negatively affecting many cities, including the Detroit metropolitan area.

LOOKING AHEAD

• Senate Democratic Leader Mark Schauer will host two town hall meetings next week to discuss Michigan’s home foreclosure crisis. Experts will be on hand to answer questions and provide information about how struggling consumers can find assistance. The first event will take place in Jackson at the Lily Missions Center, 1117 W.G. Wade Dr., on Tuesday, February 26 at 6:00 p.m. The second event will take place in Battle Creek at Burnham Brooke Community Center, 200 W. Michigan Avenue, on Thursday, February 28 at 7:00 p.m.

Here are some of the highlights on this week’s agenda. For more complete information, be sure to visit legislature.michigan.gov.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2008

• The Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee will meet at 2:30 pm to consider several bills, including SB 972. This bipartisan bill by Sen. Tupac A. Hunter (D-Detroit) would allow Downtown Development Authorities to create a loan program to fund improvements for existing buildings located in a downtown district to make them marketable for sale or lease.

ALSO THIS WEEK

• While the Senior Citizens and Veterans Affairs Committee has not posted a meeting time yet, we are expecting the panel to meet this week to consider SB 749 by Sen. Dennis Olshove (D-Warren). This bipartisan bill would provide for a court to delay mortgage foreclosure proceedings for six months after the end of a defendant's military service, if the defendant were a service member.
• This Saturday from 10:00 to 11:30 am Sen. Gilda Z. Jacobs (D-Huntington Woods) will host a free “Toxic Toy Testing” event at the Gerry Kulick Community Center, located at 1201 Livernois, Ferndale. The testing will be done by the Ecology Center of Ann Arbor. Noted authority  Michael R. Harbut, M.D., M.P.H., will discuss the growing problem of dangerous toys and what can be done to keep families safe. We will have more information to share about this event later in the week.

We just wanted to share a few observations about what it’s like here at the Capitol today as everyone gears up for the Governor’s State of the State address.

• There have been a number of billboard trucks representing various issue groups parked in front of the Capitol (but no pink pigs).
• TV trucks from all over the state are here, including Channels 4, 6, 7, 8, 10 and 13 (possibly even more than that). Reporters are setting up for live reports from the Capitol.
• Guests of the Senators and Representatives have been floating around the Capitol all day. Each member of the Legislature is allowed to bring one guest to the speech. Many bring constituents or local community leaders from their districts. One example is Sen. Glenn S. Anderson, who invited Livonia Chamber of Commerce President Dan West as his guest today. Another is Sen. Gilda Z. Jacobs, who invited Ferndale Mayor Craig Covey as her guest.
• This is about as full as the Capitol gets, and consequently the building feels extremely warm. It’s difficult to move anywhere without bumping into someone.
• Senate Democratic Leader Mark Schauer (D-Battle Creek) hosted a reception this afternoon in his office at the Capitol with guests from across the state. That’s where I—and many other staffers and guests—will watch the Governor’s speech.
• Senators will report back to the Senate Chamber at 6 pm. They will reconvene briefly before being escorted over to the House chamber to take their seats for the Governor’s address. Members are seated according to seniority.
• Following the speech, Senators will meet up with local reporters to share their thoughts on what the Governor said.

We’ll have responses from our Senators and more coverage of the Governor’s speech over the coming days. Check back for more updates, and if you haven’t already done so, be sure to subscribe to our RSS feed.

Here are some of the highlights on this week’s agenda. For more complete information, be sure to visit legislature.michigan.gov.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2008
*Senate convenes at 10 am. You can find the day’s official calendar here.
*The Senate will go into recess after the day’s business is completed until 6 pm, when we will reconvene to join the House members for the Governor’s State of the State address.
*The State of the State will begin at 7 p.m. this evening. For broadcast information, check your local listings.
*The Commerce and Tourism Committee will meet this afternoon to consider two bills, including SB 192, a bill by Senator Barcia that would improve job security for returning military personnel.
*The Homeland Security and Emerging Technologies Committee will also meet this afternoon for the confirmation hearing of Kenneth D. Theis' as Director of the Department of Information Technology.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2008
*The Banking and Financial Institutions Committee will meet to discuss numerous bills, including SB 952 (Olshove), SB 951 (Thomas), SB 950 (Clarke), SB 949 (Anderson) and SB 948 (Hunter). These bills are part of a broader bicameral effort to implement the Michigan State Housing Development Authority’s “Save the Dream” Program, which would allow homeowners with adjustable rate mortgages, and those who had missed a payment, to refinance with a fixed-rate loan. For more detailed information on the committee meeting and the bills, click here.
*The Health Policy Committee will meet to hear testimony from several groups on the “Blue Cross” legislation. For scheduling information, click here.

Looking ahead…

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2008
*The Joint House and Senate Appropriations Committees will meet to hear the FY 2009 Executive Budget Recommendations, presented by State Budget Director Bob Emerson. Democratic members of the Senate Appropriations Committee include Senators Switalski (MVC), Anderson, Barcia, Brater, Cherry, Clark-Coleman, and Scott. We will have more information on this meeting next week.

Welcome to “Call of the Senate Democrats,” the first legislative caucus blog in the state of Michigan! Last June we re-launched this website with the intent of giving our constituents better access to state government. Today our hope is that this blog will serve as an interactive forum where members of our caucus can communicate directly with the people of Michigan.

For the uninitiated, a blog is essentially a running log of short 200-400 word diaries, posted in reverse chronological order. Some of the advantages of this format include its immediacy—new diaries can be written and posted in a matter of minutes—and the ability to interact directly with content creators through comments Click here to read our comment policy.

Over the past year our caucus has been working hard to reach out to constituents through new media, including social networking sites like Facebook and YouTube. There are currently only a handful of other legislative caucuses in the country that have a blog—Ohio, Hawaii, Iowa, Alaska—but few that focus exclusively on legislative issues.

Which brings us to the focus of this blog: members of our caucus and staff will be posting several times a week about everything that’s going on in the State Senate. We will cover day-to-day Senate business, committees, bills, resolutions and other key issues affecting state government.

As legislators, we understand how important it is to communicate with the citizens who elected us to serve in Lansing. Active civic participation is the cornerstone of a healthy democracy, and while face-to-face conversations will always be the preferred method of communication for our caucus, we hope that this blog can be an effective new tool to help us interact with the people of Michigan.

Thanks for visiting. Don’t forget to add Call of the Senate Dems to your bookmarks and subscribe to our RSS feed.

Our new blog carries the title “Call of the Senate Democrats,” and some of our readers might be wondering what this name means.

In a literal sense, it references a “Call of the Senate” in the official Senate Rules, which is a motion that encourages all Senators to be present in the chamber to carry out the people’s business.

And that’s what this blog is all about… Senate Democrats are here in Lansing, ready to serve the people of Michigan and carry out the work of transforming our economy and creating jobs.

The name is also a call to action for Michigan citizens to join us in advancing the Democratic priorities for 2008 and beyond. We want constituents to get involved and support our efforts to invest in education, health care and renewable energy, while protecting vital public services like police and public safety. Following Governor Granholm’s State of the State address, we will be focusing on these initiatives in greater detail throughout the week.