Lansing Update: January 30, 2009

Posted January 30, 2009

In this issue of Lansing Update:

  1. Catholic Conference Releases 2009–2010 Advocacy Priorities
  2. Committee Assignments Announced, Legislature Begins New Session
  3. State Senate Adopts Resolution Honoring Catholic Schools Week
  4. Legislation of Interest

Catholic Conference Releases 2009–2010 Advocacy Priorities

Recognizing the state’s $1.3 billion deficit for the 2009–2010 fiscal year, Michigan Catholic Conference announced this week that protecting vital state programs will top its advocacy agenda for the 95th legislative session. The Conference also pointed out that, considering the passage of the embryo destruction constitutional amendment in November, it will lend its support to any legislation that seeks to protect and defend the human embryo.

“Michigan’s significant budget deficit in the coming fiscal year certainly presents a major obstacle to protecting critical programs, but it is the mission of our organization to give a voice in the legislative process to the vulnerable and those who live on the margins of society,” said MCC Vice President for Public Policy Paul A. Long. “These legislative priorities, including protecting the poor and regulating the embryo destruction business that was created in November, illustrate the Conference’s mission to protect the dignity and life of each and every human person from conception until natural death.”

Michigan Catholic Conference’s advocacy agenda was approved in December by its Board of Directors and released through Focus, a periodic essay distributed to all Catholic parishes, schools, institutions and other locations and individuals across the state. Below is a detailed listing of additional public policy issues that are of interest to the Conference in the categories of Religious Freedom, Human Life, Children and Families, Health Care, Education, Economic Justice and Regulatory Policies, Restorative Justice and Federal Issues:

I. Religious Freedom

II. Human Life

III. Children and Families

IV. Health Care

V. Education

VI. Economic Justice and Regulatory Policies

VII. Restorative Justice

VIII. Federal Issues

When addressing federal legislative issues, the Michigan Catholic Conference works in collaboration with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Only when the USCCB has taken a position on an issue will the MCC engage with the Michigan congressional delegation.

Committee Assignments Announced, Legislature Begins New Session

With a primary focus on resolving a $1.3 billion budget deficit for the 2009–2010 fiscal year, the Michigan Legislature has kicked-off the 95th legislative session. This week the Speaker of the House announced committee assignments for the House of Representatives, which are listed here:

Agriculture [Link no longer available —Ed.] (7 Democrats, 4 Republicans)
Simpson (chair), Huckleberry (majority vice chair), Barnett, Haase, Mayes, Nerat, Valentine, Tyler (minority vice chair), Daley, Hansen and Kurtz.
Appropriations [Link no longer available —Ed.] (19 Democrats, 11 Republicans)
Cushingberry (chair), Hammel (majority vice chair), Bauer, Bennett, T. Brown, Dean, Espinoza, Durhal, Gonzales, Gregory, Jackson, Lahti, LeBlanc, McDowell, Miller, Smith, Spade, Switalski, Tlaib, Moss (minority vice chair), Agema, Booher, Caul, Genetski, Green, Haines, Lori, Proos, Rogers and Schuitmaker.
Banking and Financial Services [Link no longer available —Ed.] (6 Democrats, 4 Republicans)
Coulouris (chair), Scripps (majority vice chair), Clemente, Johnson, Mayes, Nathan, Booher (minority vice chair), Calley, Kowall and Marleau.
Commerce [Link no longer available —Ed.] (12 Democrats, 7 Republicans)
Robert Jones (chair), R. Schmidt (majority vice chair), Byrum, Clemente, Haase, Haugh, Huckleberry, Lemmons, Nathan, Nerat, Sheltrown, Womack, Hansen (majority vice chair), DeShazor, Knollenberg, Meekhof, Meltzer, Opsommer and Walsh.
Education [Link no longer available —Ed.] (14 Democrats, 9 Republicans)
Melton (chair), L. Brown (majority vice chair), Bledsoe, Byrum, Corriveau, Geiss, Haase, Kennedy, Lindberg, Nathan, Polidori, Roberts, Sheltrown, Valentine, Pavlov (minority vice chair), Amash, Ball, DeShazor, McMillin, Pearce, P. Scott, Tyler and Walsh.
Energy and Technology [Link no longer available —Ed.] (12 Democrats, 7 Republicans)
Mayes (chair), Geiss (majority vice chair), L. Brown, Clemente, Lipton, Ebli, Huckleberry, Johnson, Lindberg, Melton, Roberts, Scripps, Horn (majority vice chair), Crawford, Marleau, Opsommer, Proos, Schuitmaker and W. Schmidt.
Ethics and Elections [Link no longer available —Ed.] (6 Democrats, 3 Republicans)
Angerer (chair), Haase (majority vice chair), L. Brown, Donigan, Scripps, Slavens, Meltzer (minority vice chair), Kurtz and Pearce.
Families and Children’S Services [Link no longer available —Ed.] (5 Democrats, 4 Republicans)
Valentine (chair), Womack (majority vice chair), Neumann, Slavens, Liss, Pearce (minority vice chair), Kurtz, McMillin and Moore.
Government Operations [Link no longer available —Ed.] (5 Democrats, 3 Republicans)
Constan (chair), Liss (majority vice chair), Corriveau, Simpson, Slezak, Walsh (minority vice chair), Daley and McMillin.
Great Lakes and Environment [Link no longer available —Ed.] (9 Democrats, 6 Republicans)
Warren (chair), Nerat (majority vice chair), Bledsoe, Ebli, Kennedy, Leland, Meadows, Roberts, Scripps, Meekhof (minority vice chair), Daley, Haveman, Rick Jones, Pavlov and W. Schmidt.
Health Policy [Link no longer available —Ed.] (13 Democrats, 8 Republicans)
Corriveau (chair), Segal (majority vice chair), Byrum, Coulouris, Donigan, Johnson, Liss, Neumann, R. Schmidt, Simpson, Slavens, Valentine, Womack, Marleau (minority vice chair), Ball, Calley, Crawford, Denby, Green, Moore and P. Scott.
Insurance [Link no longer available —Ed.] (9 Democrats, 7 Republicans)
Byrum (chair), Young (majority vice chair), Lipton, Constan, Lemmons, Neumann, Polidori, Segal, Sheltrown, Denby (minority vice chair), Green, Haveman, Lund, Marleau, Moore and Rocca.
Intergovernmental and Regional Affairs [Link no longer available —Ed.] (7 Democrats, 4 Republicans)
Donigan (chair), Barnett (majority vice chair), Bledsoe, Haugh, Robert Jones, Kennedy, Young, Lund (majority vice chair), Denby, Meekhof and W. Schmidt.
Judiciary [Link no longer available —Ed.] (9 Democrats, 6 Republicans)
Meadows (chair), Lipton (minority vice chair), L. Brown, Constan, Corriveau, Coulouris, Kandrevas, B. Scott, Warren, Schuitmaker (minority vice chair), Amash, Haveman, Rick Jones, Kowall and Rocca.
Labor [Link no longer available —Ed.] (6 Democrats, 4 Republicans)
Lindberg (chair), Kennedy (majority vice chair), Kandrevas, B. Scott, Slezak, Young, Amash (minority vice chair), Daley, Haveman and McMillin.
Military and Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security [Link no longer available —Ed.] (5 Democrats, 4 Republicans)
Polidori (chair), Roberts (majority vice chair), Byrnes, Liss, R. Schmidt, Rick Jones (minority vice chair), Agema, Amash and Kurtz.
New Economy and Quality Of Life [Link no longer available —Ed.] (7 Democrats, 4 Republicans)
Clemente (chair), Stanley (majority vice chair), Byrnes, Geiss, Griffin, Leland, Segal, Knollenberg (minority vice chair), Bolger, Denby and Tyler.
Oversight and Investigations [Link no longer available —Ed.] (4 Democrats, 2 Republicans)
Griffin (chair), Bledsoe (majority vice chair), Angerer, Warren, Bolger (minority vice chair) and Horn.
Regulatory Reform [Link no longer available —Ed.] (7 Democrats, 4 Republicans)
Johnson (chair), Haugh (majority vice chair), Byrnes, Griffin, Melton, B. Scott, Stanley, Rocca (minority vice chair), Crawford, Rick Jones and Stamas.
Senior Health, Security and Retirement [Link no longer available —Ed.] (5 Democrats, 4 Republicans)
Neumann (chair), Slavens (majority vice chair), Constan, Robert Jones, Lemmons, Ball (minority vice chair), DeShazor, Moore and Tyler.
Tax Policy [Link no longer available —Ed.] (10 Democrats, 7 Republicans)
Ebli (chair), Melton (majority vice chair), Barnett, Lipton, Coulouris, Robert Jones, Kandrevas, Mayes, Slezak, Warren, Calley (minority vice chair), Kowall, Lund, Meekhof, Meltzer, Stamas and Walsh.
Tourism, Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resources [Link no longer available —Ed.] (7 Democrats, 4 Republicans)
Sheltrown (chair), Slezak (majority vice chair), Ebli, Huckleberry, Lindberg, Simpson, Stanley, Stamas (minority vice chair), Bolger, Hansen and Horn.
Transportation [Link no longer available —Ed.] (10 Democrats, 7 Republicans)
Byrnes (chair), Kandrevas (majority vice chair), Donigan, Geiss, Griffin, Haugh, Leland, Nerat, R. Schmidt, Young, Opsommer (minority vice chair), Bolger, DeShazor, Knollenberg, Pearce, W. Schmidt and P. Scott.
Urban Policy (8 Democrats, 3 Republicans)
Leland (chair), Nathan (majority vice chair), Barnett, Meadows, Segal, Stanley, Womack, P. Scott (minority vice chair), Hansen, Meltzer and Pavlov.

State Senate Adopts Resolution Honoring Catholic Schools Week

In an effort to recognize the role Catholic schools play in the State of Michigan, the State Senate this week adopted a resolution that honors Catholic Schools Week, which runs from January 25–January 31. According to Senate Resolution 4, which was sponsored by the chair of the Senate Education Committee Sen. Wayne Kuipers (R-Holland), “The Catholic Church sees the parents as the primary educators and that parental supervision and involvement play a major role in the education of students.”

According to official estimates, there are approximately 16,621 students who attend a Catholic high school and some 50,836 students who attend a Catholic elementary school, with the parents saving taxpayers and the State of Michigan some $493 million annually.

“Michigan Catholic Conference is grateful to the State Senate for recognizing Catholic Schools Week, and for reminding all elected officials of the public savings realized by the presence of a strong non-public education system in Michigan,” said Paul Stankewitz, MCC Associate for Public Policy. “Catholic schools are among the best in the state not only because of their excellent curriculum, but also because of their dedication to teaching morals and providing parents with a disciplined and structured learning environment for their children.”

According to SR 4: “Based upon Michigan’s minimum public school foundation allowance of $7,316, the Catholic schools of our state save taxpayers in excess of $493,515,412 annually.” The resolution also states: “Catholic educators are dedicated to producing academically strong students who also commit themselves to service.”

Legislation of Interest

The following bills have been introduced since the beginning of the new legislative session and are of interest to the Michigan Catholic Conference: