Hall’s Approach as Incoming Speaker: ‘I Don’t Think We Should Play It Safe’
As expected, Rep. Matt Hall (R-Richland) will lead Republicans of the 103rd Legislature in the 2025-26 term and serve as the next speaker of the House, Gongwer reported.

House Republicans elected Hall as their leader for the upcoming term during a caucus meeting after session on Thursday. As the majority party, the Republicans get to pick the speaker.

Once formally elected by the House at its opening session in January, he will preside over the term, during which Republicans will have a 58-52 majority.

"I think that one of the reasons Democrats lost their majority is because they were too afraid of losing it," he said. "The people of Michigan want us to take action. And we have some important issues that we need to work on, and I don’t think we should play it safe. I think we should take risks. I think we should push hard to get stuff done, even though it’s tough sometimes."

Hall defeated Rep. Tom Kunse (R-Clare) in the race.

Hall, the current minority leader, was first elected to the House in 2018 and served as the majority caucus chair during the 2021-2022 term.

During his first term in 2019-20, he was chair of the House Oversight Committee and the Joint Select Committee. Both committees scrutinized the state response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and were heavily critical of Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s administration. Notoriously, Hall brought then-President Donald Trump’s now-disbarred attorney Rudy Giuliani before the committee to testify regarding the disputed 2020 election.

In the 2021-22 term, Hall took a quieter, more policy focused role as chair of the House Tax Policy Committee .

For the past two years, Hall has held a tight grip on his caucus. House Republicans frequently voted as a united block against Democratic priorities, up to and including the state budget. When the House was temporarily tied at 54-54 earlier this year, Hall proved a thorn in the side of House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit), effectively putting the chamber in gridlock for the first four months of 2024.

Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks offered Hall her partnership in a statement Thursday afternoon.

"Caucus leaders in the majority are charged with both ushering through a productive legislative agenda and upholding the integrity of the institution we hold dear. I am proud that this has been our practice over the past two years, and I see no reason why that should change," she said. "I extend my congratulations to Speaker-elect Hall and offer him my partnership in running a legislature that effectively serves the people of Michigan."

ABC of Michigan congratulated Hall on his speakership in a statement Thursday afternoon.

"Speaker-elect Hall has been a champion of the merit shop philosophy during his tenure in the House of Representative," Shane Hernandez, president of ABC of Michigan said. "We look forward to working with the speaker-elect to close the talent gap in construction trades and to secure a prosperous future for the State of Michigan."

Governor Gretchen Whitmer also congratulated Hall and House Republicans in a statement issued Thursday.

"As governor, I’ve signed more than 1,400 bipartisan bills and enacted six balanced budgets. I’m willing to work with anyone who is serious about solving problems, and I look forward to collaborating with the incoming majority on our shared goals from infrastructure to economic development," she said. "Let’s keep centering our shared priorities – costs, roads, housing, economic development – and make Michigan a better state to live, work, and invest."

Next term, Hall said he wanted to prioritize road funding, saying that he was confident that Whitmer would be willing to work on the issue with the Republicans.

"Whitmer ran on fixing the roads," Hall said. "We need to prioritize how to permanently fund our roads. We need to do that for our local roads and bridges."

Whitmer and majority Republicans in her first four years could not come close to figuring out how to raise more revenue for roads. This term, her fellow Democrats – so far, with seven weeks remaining in the year – have done nothing on the subject even though they have the majority.

Other priorities include reducing the size of the state budget and the policy objectives outlined in the Republican Mission for Michigan plan put out before the election (See Gongwer Michigan Report, September 4, 2024).

Hall said he hoped to move forward in ways that would garner bipartisan support.

"As we’re working forward in the House, where there’s alignment with the Mission for Michigan that we’ve laid out, we’re going to make a lot of progress," he said.

Rep. Bryan Posthumus (R-Cannon Township), the current minority floor leader, was elected as majority floor leader. He was elected to the House in 2020.

"It’s imperative that we bring decorum back to the House floor," Posthumus said. "For too long, we’ve let rhetoric run the day throughout our entire country, and it’s my hope that we can calm the tempers a little bit and get back of statesmanship."

The rest of the Republican leadership team includes Rep. Rachelle Smit (R-Shelbyville) as speaker pro tempore, Rep. Jay DeBoyer (R-Clay) as associate speaker pro tempore, Rep. Brian BeGole (R-Perry) as assistant majority floor leader, Rep. Mike Harris (R-Waterford Township) as majority whip, Rep. Joe Aragona (R-Clinton Township) as deputy whip, Rep. Ken Borton (R-Gaylord) as caucus chair and Rep.-elect Nancy Jenkins-Arno of Clinton as caucus vice chair.

Rep. Bill Schuette (R-Midland) was notably absent from House Republican leadership for the next term. He was the chair of the House Republican Campaign Committee this term. With the departure of Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Bay City) to Congress, the Senate will have an open seat sometime early next year (See Gongwer Michigan Report, November 6, 2024). Schuette is widely expected to run in the special election.

"We just got Leader Hall elected, and then we’ve got deer season coming up. We’ve got lame duck," Schuette said. "I was proud to chair the campaign effort, and there’ll be time for discussions about elections."

Bills Introduced to Amend Paid Sick Leave, Minimum Wage Laws
Stakeholders have been clamoring for lawmakers to address Michigan’s gradual increase in the minimum wage and back a move to eliminate the lower wage for workers who earn tips as well as the requirement for workers to accrue paid time off, which is set to go into effect next year.

Some businesses remain worried that the laws approved by the high court in Mothering Justice v. Attorney General (MSC Docket No. 165325) would be catastrophic on the wage and sick time fronts and want the Legislature to make changes.

A bipartisan bill package was introduced Thursday that would do just that.

Rep. Graham Filler (R-Duplain Township) and Rep. Nate Shannon (D-Sterling Heights) co-sponsored HB 6056 and HB 6057, which would modify the laws.

"This is, to me, the No. 1 issue in the state of Michigan right now, form a policy-that-needs-to-get-done-in-lame-duck standpoint," Filler said in a statement. "It’s going to blow up the restaurant industry, small businesses and the business atmosphere in Michigan in general."

Business groups applauded the legislation as a good first step.

"While the bill that was introduced is limited in scope, it is a good first step toward making sure the Earned Sick Time Act is workable for employers and employees alike," Wendy Block, senior vice president of Business Advocacy at the Michigan Chamber of Commerce. "Absent action by the Michigan Legislature, employers will be forced to make drastic changes to their paid time off polices – even if they have a policy that meets or exceeds what’s required under the Act. While employers will be forced to make significant changes, it’s employees who will ultimately lose."

Advocates are asking lawmakers to exempt employers with paid leave policies that meet or exceed the number of hours required under the act, add a small employer exemption or expand the current small employee threshold, require notification prior to the start of the shift, remove language allowing a private right of action and reputable presumption and allow employers to frontload time off to avoid complicated accruals and allow for more flexibility.

"Our region’s businesses call on our legislators to take immediate action and draft clear, reasonable, and flexible legislation," said Caitlyn Stark, president and CEO of Traverse Connect in a statement. "Our business owners agree that this is not a partisan issue – without action, there will be devastating effects on the sustainability and growth of their businesses, which will cascade to the individuals and families dependent on their success."

Other Republican lawmakers pushed for the Legislature to address the issue Thursday.

"We have to solve this issue," Rep. Bill Schuette (R-Midland) said. "There is not a week that goes by where I don’t get multiple outreaches from my local small businesses and restaurants … We don’t want to be paying $35 for a slice of pizza and having everything be just a quick serve."

House Minority Leader Matt Hall (R-Richland), the speaker-elect, also said the issue should be a priority, calling it a crisis for the restaurant industry.

"We need to act on that," he said. "We also need to look at this paid leave program that the court is forcing on us, and we have to say, ‘What are the unintended consequences for the workers?’… My hope is to do it now. I think this is the biggest thing in the state right now to face in lame duck."

House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit) has not given any indication of what the House’s priorities will be before the end of the year.

Michigan House Only Chamber to Flip from D To R In Country
Republicans may have made gains in state Legislatures across the country, but Michigan is the only state that saw a legislative chamber change partisan hands in the Nov. 5 election, based on information from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and GOPAC, a pro-Republican political action committee that tracks legislative races across the country.

NCSL is reporting that – while Democrats lost control in the Minnesota House – the split is now even 67-67. But Republicans netting four seats in the Michigan House resulted in the GOP taking back control, and that’s the only place where a flip occurred.

In Maine, Senate and House Republicans bolstered their numbers, but Democrats will still retain majorities in both states, GOPAC reported.

And in Pennsylvania, Senate Republicans kept a 28-22 majority and the House majority remained 102-101 in favor of the Democrats, local media is reporting.

In Alaska, the Senate and House is projected to continue to be led by bipartisan coalitions, GOPAC reported.

ARTICLES OF POLITICAL INTEREST:

A Warning for Michigan Drivers: It’s Peak Season for Deer-Car Collisions

Michigan Worked to Speed Up Election Results. Here’s Why It Still Took A While

Michigan Remains a Purple State, But Change Could Be Coming

Arab Voters in Michigan Speak Out After Harris Election Loss: "Wanted to Send a Message"

What a Second Donald Trump Presidency Means for Michigan’s Environment

Marijuana News, Updates, & Articles of Interest

THE DCD MARIJUANA TEAM:  YOUR COMPETITIVE EDGE!

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ARTICLES OF CANNABIS INTEREST:

Michigan Voters Overwhelmingly Rejected New Marijuana Business Proposals

Howell Marijuana Dispensary Narrowly Fails

Local Cannabis Firm Pushes Back Against "Defamatory" Allegations from State Regulators

MI Court Prohibits Sale of Illegal Marijuana in a Ruling Straight Out of "Duh" Magazine

Detroit Wants to Restrict Where Weed Can Be Advertised

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DEMS SHATTER TV AD RECORDS FOR STATE HOUSE: ACE IN THE HOLE OR LIGHTING MONEY AFLAME?
Advertising on television, radio, streaming and digital for Democratic candidates for the state House is on track to nearly triple this year from 2022, while ad spending for Republican candidates will likely hold steady.

A Gongwer News Service analysis of data from AdImpact, which tracks advertising, shows that Democrats spent $9.5 million across 23 seats in 2022 compared to $6.2 million by Republicans on 22 seats.

As of this week, spending so far and reservations for Democratic candidates is $25.6 million to $5.1 million for the Republicans across 14 seats.

It appears the national funders who poured millions into the Michigan Senate races in 2022 reallocated those funds into the House races for 2024.

The most dramatic strategic change is that Democrats have targeted the extra resources into expensive broadcast advertising in the Detroit television market this year. In 2022, there were no broadcast ads in the Detroit market for the House. There are 56 House districts that fully or partially sit within the Detroit market, meaning an ad for a House race is only relevant for 1/56 of those watching.

Republicans this year have avoided the expensive Detroit market and instead targeted their broadcast advertising on six districts outside of the Detroit market where advertising is cheaper and dollars go further.

Additionally, because nearly half the Democratic spending is coming from the Michigan Democratic Party, the actual advantage in ads is not as lopsided as the dollars would make it seem. Ads purchased by candidate committees or their caucus PACs are cheaper and carry greater weight. Though it’s still a decided Democratic advantage.

From a gross ratings standpoint, the measure of how many times an ad actually airs, Democrats have a decided edge in five of these six races, the one exception being the 103rd District race between Rep. Betsy Coffia (D-Traverse City) and Republican Lisa Trombley of Traverse City.

In total across the six races, as of this week Democrats had 35,164 gross ratings points to 22,846 for the Republicans, according to AdImpact.

That is a big change from 2022 when statewide, Republicans had 21,616 gross ratings points to 21,389 for the Democrats in House races. Republicans aired nearly double the ads in the Coffia seat in 2022 as Democrats based on gross ratings points and had the edge in the 109th District seat won by now-Rep. Jenn Hill (D-Marquette) but lost both.

Democrats have spent and reserved a total of $15 million on Detroit broadcast television for seven candidates. It’s an astounding outlay given the small nature of a House seat and the challenge of competing against the blitz of commercials in the presidential, U.S. Senate and 7th and 10th U.S. House districts.

"How many people are they reaching because it’s one big media market in southeast Michigan? Hopefully that’ll be a good decision, it won’t be confusion for people where they see a whole bunch of candidates on these commercials," said former House Minority Leader Chris Greig, a Democrat, during a recent episode of the MichMash podcast. "I think it’s almost to the point where you have to do it. We’ll see. But I think it’s digital that’s what’s taken over because you can target it so much better."

Greig said she is interested to see if the Democratic advantage on broadcast in the Detroit market helps with straight ticket voting.

Former House Speaker Jase Bolger, a Republican, said during the same MichMash episode that it’s a big outlay of cash to reach such a small slice of the viewership.

"If you’re buying TV, you’re buying to advertise in 50 House seats," he said, quipping that for what the Democrats have spent in the Detroit market they might be able to buy the TV station in Marquette.

Bolger also noted the challenge of getting an ad for a state House candidate to stand out amid the noise.

Data from AdImpact shows that as of Friday, total spending on the presidential, U.S. Senate, Michigan Supreme Court and 7th U.S. House and 10th U.S. House races in the Detroit market since Labor Day totals $217.5 million with a combined 211,087 gross ratings points.

With an average of about 2,268 gross ratings points behind each state House ad in the Detroit market, that means only one out of 100 political commercials – at best – is for a single state House race.

"Is that spending scary? Absolutely," Bolger said. "Are Democrats going to spend way more than Republicans for the state House this time? You bet. But there are a lot of people who make a decision on a state House level because they know somebody, they like somebody, they met somebody."

189 TAX INCREASES, 12 MARIJUANA PROPOSALS ON NOVEMBER BALLOTS
Property tax increases for roads and school infrastructure face many voters across the state in the November 5 election.

Voters also will decide whether to authorize marijuana business in 12 cities or townships.

A Gongwer News Service analysis of ballots across the state found a total of 189 proposed property tax increases and 208 proposal property tax renewals for school districts, local governments and other taxing authorities.

There are 30 proposed tax increases for roads, an increasingly popular option among cities and townships given the lack of action at the state level to increase funding for local roads.

There are also 29 school bond proposals among 28 school districts seeking voter approval for borrowing to build or renovate school buildings and raise property taxes to repay the bonds. Among the largest ones:

L’Anse Creuse Public Schools (Macomb): $188.7 million
Crestwood School District (Wayne): $121 million
Lake Fenton Community Schools (Genesee): $68.25 million
Carman Ainsworth Community Schools (Genesee): $65.2 million
Marshall Public Schools (Calhoun and Jackson): Two bonds, one for $53.18 million and another for $37.07 million
Baldwin Community Schools (Lake and Newaygo): $48.8 million
Sault Ste. Marie Area Schools (Chippewa): $43.61 million
Plainwell Community Schools (Allegan, Barry and Kalamazoo): $39.84 million
Swartz Creek Community Schools (Genesee): $38.8 million

Voters have increasingly rejected school bond proposals, particularly in more rural, conservative areas, in recent years. Whether that pattern continues will be closely watched.

There’s a larger than usual number of requests for new sinking funds – millages school districts can seek for maintenance, infrastructure, transportation, technology and security needs. Voters in 18 school districts will decide whether to authorize new millages.

Of the 40 proposed tax increases for public safety services, 18 are for fire protection, seven are for emergency medical services, six are for fire protection and EMS, five are for police, two are for 9-1-1, one is for emergency management, and one covers all public safety functions.

There’s also nine millage increase proposals for libraries, 17 for parks and recreation and 10 for senior services.

Voters in five townships and five cities will decide whether to authorize marijuana businesses in their communities: Bedford Township in Monroe County, Clawson, Howell, Kenockee Township in St. Clair County, Lathrup Village (which has a two-part vote), Lodi Township in Washtenaw County, Mason, Muskegon Heights, Niles Township in Berrien County and Tobacco Township in Gladwin County.

Royal Oak Township in Oakland County will vote on whether to prohibit marijuana businesses.

For a complete and sortable list of all proposals, go to Gongwer’s Millage Monitor, which provides a tally of all types of proposals and includes an archive back to 2018. The monitor will be updated following the election to show which proposals passed and which ones failed.

TOP 10 STATE HOUSE DISTRICTS LIKELY TO FLIP
Campaign leaders are making final decisions on where to invest the last batches of campaign cash available into the race for House control, and those decisions have produced some movement in our latest list of the top 10 seats most likely to flip.

Both Democrats and Republicans have reallocated resources as Democrats seek to hold onto their 56-54 majority, and Republicans scrounge to find two seats they can flip red to seize control.

Democrats have outspent Republicans on television, radio and digital/streaming, $17.3 million to $3.85 million between the August primary and Tuesday in 13 key districts, according to data from the AdImpact tracking firm. That’s an astounding gap though $9.6 million of the gap stems from Democrats pouring $10.6 million so far into seven House seats in the Detroit media market to $1 million for the Republicans. Democrats have paid for expensive Detroit broadcast advertising. Republicans have not.

In six seats elsewhere in the state, the Democratic advertising advantage at this point is $6.7 million to $2.8 million, still lopsided, but more manageable for the Republicans.

That’s especially so when looking at gross ratings points instead of dollars. Much of the Democratic dollar advantage is from Michigan Democratic Party spending, but those dollars don’t go as far as funds from candidates and the caucus PACs. In these six races, Democratic ad spending has yielded 35,164 gross ratings points so far to 22,846 for the Republicans, meaning that while total Democratic spending is 239% greater than total Republican spending, the actual ad advantage is 54 percent more.

Of course, television is far from everything. There’s mail and the bread and butter of a state House campaign: door-to-door work.

This list might look different if ranking only based on environment or only based on candidate quality.

If only environment mattered, the order might be 58, 27, 55, 54, 61, 44, 109, 31, 46 and 103.

If we ranked based on the political strengths of the challenger, the order might be 83, 46, 109, 44, 58, 54, 103, 27, 31, 55.

But in the end, it’s a mixture of both. With that, here’s our latest list:

1. (UNCHANGED) CHURCHES, LINTING TO THE WIRE: There is a fundamental reason why we have ranked the race between Rep. Jaime Churches (D-Wyandotte) and Republican Rylee Linting of Wyandotte in the 27th District number one for 10 weeks: Churches has the district where former President Donald Trump did the best of any seat held by a first-term Democrat.

That hasn’t changed, and thus, this race remains at the top.

Trump won this seat by four points in 2020 and eight points in 2016. When Churches won her first term in 2022, Governor Gretchen Whitmer carried the district by 10.5 points. There could be 10,000 people voting in two weeks who didn’t vote in 2022 and are seeing Churches’ name on a ballot for the first time.

Downriver voters, however, have a long history of splitting their tickets, and Republicans quietly acknowledge Churches has run a good incumbency program. Linting is a political newcomer, and Downriver voters tend to like their incumbents, provided they know them. Ideology is less important.

Democrats have hammered Linting on abortion.

2. (UNCHANGED) IS IT SHANNON’S OR ROBINSON’S NEIGHBORHOOD? There’s a fundamental reason why this race for the 58th District has sat at No. 2 on our list for 10 weeks. Shannon has the district where Trump did the best of any seat held by a Democrat. We continue to rank Shannon a notch below Churches because unlike Churches, he’s won election three times, including in 2020 when Trump won his (slightly different shaped) district. Trump carried this seat by 6 points in 2020 and 10 points in 2016. The assessment of Republican challenger Ron Robinson of Utica depends on who’s doing the talking. Some say he has hit the doors hard and positioned himself well. Other sources say it’s not clear that’s the case.

It’s worth noting in the "who’s in bigger trouble, Churches or Shannon" debate that Democratic ads (both spent and future reservations) total $3.1 million for Shannon and $1.7 million for Churches. That Democrats have spent $2 million so far and have another million queued up speaks volumes about their concern level.

But Shannon has overcome top of the ticket drag before.

3. (UNCHANGED) DEM CONFIDENCE HIGH ON MAHONEY OVER SCHMALTZ: Based on the confidence emanating from Democratic ranks, if they were drawing up this list, they might make Rep. Kathy Schmaltz No. 1. Jackson Mayor Daniel Mahoney was one of the stronger recruits of the cycle for either party.

The 46th District is about as close to a 50/50 district as it gets. In 2020, Trump carried it by 0.26 percentage point while U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Township) won the seat by 2 points. In 2016, Trump had a 1.8-point victory margin. So, this should be a level playing field where candidate quality helps.

Republicans have battered Mahoney with a series of ads on his record and other issues.

There are two big unknowns owing to Democrats abandoning this seat in 2022 and Schmaltz getting a free pass: how exactly does this district perform under the 2021 map that paired Democratic Jackson and Chelsea with Republican suburbs and rural areas in between, and how good a candidate is Schmaltz. Had this been the matchup in 2022, with Whitmer winning the district by 11 points, it’s easy to see how Mahoney would have won.

Democrats have hit Schmaltz hard on abortion and now with a new ad about her votes against legislation expanding the statute of limitations in sexual assault cases.

Republicans have scoffed at the Democratic TV spending in the Detroit market, but another point in Mahoney’s favor is the yawning chasm in TV spending in this district in the much cheaper Lansing market – $1.8 million by or on behalf of Mahoney to $633,000 by or on behalf of Schmaltz with another $800,000 reserved for Mahoney still to air to $250,000 for Schmaltz. This is one of the seats though where the Democratic Party ad dollars don’t go as far. Mahoney still has a big advantage in gross ratings points over Schmaltz but it’s not three-to-one, more like 58 percent.

4. (UP FROM 6) REPUBLICANS PUTTING MORE PRESSURE ON HAADSMA: The 44th District has rocketed up the list from No. 9 in September. We’ve elevated it for two reasons: signs of continued Republican ascendancy in Calhoun County and massive spending increases on advertising by both parties.

Haadsma, as a third-term incumbent seeking a fourth term, is facing a district that continues to shift toward the Republicans. Trump won it twice but by 1.34 points in 2016 and just 1.14 points in 2020. It’s notable that – unlike the Churches and Shannon districts – Trump didn’t have much reduction in his victory margin here between 2016 and 2020. That means a 2016-style environment where Trump wins or comes close to winning statewide may not make the difference it would with Churches and Shannon.

However, there is concern in Democratic circles that Trump may perform better here this time. If that’s the case, it puts more pressure on Haadsma and opens the door for Republican Steven Frisbie of Battle Creek. It’s also worth noting that Haadsma is facing his toughest challenger in a while. He beat the same Republican in 2018, 2020 and 2022, and that candidate was not well regarded.

Spending by or on behalf of Haadsma on advertising is $1.7 million since the primary to $544,000 for Frisbie. Another $800,000 is reserved for Haadsma compared to $300,000 for Frisbie, who currently at $882,564 spent or reserved in advertising leads all Republicans, even Schmaltz. That says a lot about the opportunity Republicans sense.

5. (DOWN FROM 4) HILL, BOHNAK GOING THE DISTANCE: This race in the 109th District between Rep. Jenn Hill (D-Marquette) and former television meteorologist Karl Bohnak of Negaunee remains competitive as ever. We’re only moving it down because of the combination of spending and favorable environment for the Republicans in the Haadsma district.

From an environment standpoint, this is a 50/50 district. It’s also one where Republicans have fared the same as Charlie Brown when Lucy holds and then yanks away the football. Marquette is a Democratic city and while the outlying areas have become Republican, this isn’t like other U.P. districts where it didn’t take much for them to flip solidly Republican.

This seat sits where it sits because Bohnak was a great recruit, someone whose years on television forecasting the weather put him in residents’ homes every day. Republicans have never fielded a strong candidate here, so this is a big change. Advertising spending is relatively even here, $1.1 million spent or reserved for Hill and $864,617 for Bohnak. The Republicans will take it.

Should Hill fall, there will be a lot of questions as to why Democrats spent $1.6 million trying to take out Rep. Jamie Thompson (R-Brownstown) in a Trump +7 district.

6. (UP FROM 7) IFFY ENVIRONMENT MOVES MILLER UP: Exiting the top five with Rep. Reggie Miller (D-Van Buren Township) in the 31st House District, the likelihood of seats flipping declines. But this is a presidential year with Trump on the ballot in an expected close race and we could see more voters come out of the woodwork.

So, Miller, despite not seeing as much spending from Republicans as some other seats, moves up to number six. This is because it is a (sort of) Downriver seat where there is some uncertainty on what voters show up. Still, President Joe Biden and 2016 candidate Hillary Clinton both narrowly won this seat in 2016 and 2020, respectively.

This race, as we’ve mentioned before, is also a rematch of the 2022 contest against Dale Biniecki of Raisinville Township.

There was considerable debate on if the 31st should be ranked above or below the 103rd. We decided the environment is more favorable for a potential upset in the 31st for the reasons described above compared to the 103rd, even with the considerable spending Republicans are doing in the northern Michigan seat.

Democrats have outspent Republicans here, $1.3 million to $179,000, so far with another $500,000 queued up, so the Democrats don’t appear to be taking this one for granted.

7. (DOWN FROM 5) COFFIA STILL IN THE MIX: What we have said about this seat from the beginning remains true: the top-of-the-ticket environment in the 103rd House District does not seem to support the unseating of Rep. Betsy Coffia (D-Traverse City).

But, it is still a seat Coffia won by a razor thin margin in 2022 and Republicans are spending hard for Lisa Trombley of Traverse City. Despite the trending in the Democrats’ direction, it is still a contender.

Trombley’s ads and mail here are interesting: she is encouraging Republicans to vote early. After attacking Coffia about holding out on voting for a financial disclosure requirement, she moved on to a television ad where she calls Coffia "nice" but says Democratic policies are bad for the state.

Coffia is hitting hard on the environment and abortion. She also uncorked a bruising ad against Trombley using her words against her. Trombley flubbed at a forum and said "northern Virginia" instead of "northern Michigan." Trombley is a Michigan native but worked near Washington, D.C., for decades before retiring to Traverse City. That could be a damaging mistake in the 103rd, where residents are no strangers to those moving into the area from out of state.

Republicans in raw dollars have spent the second most on advertising here of the 13 competitive districts, though still have been outspent, $697,000 to $519,000.

Should Republicans come up short of majority and lose here, there will be a lot of questions about why they dug in so deep. Yes, Coffia had the closest win of any state House race in 2022 but the trend in this district is clearly blue.

8. (UP FROM 10) DEMS DRAMATICALLY UP THE ANTE AGAINST STEELE: Democrats must see something in the 54th House District where they are trying to unseat Rep. Donni Steele (R-Orion) with Democrat Shadia Martini of Bloomfield Hills. Outside groups have also gotten involved in spending for Martini.

In a major move, the Michigan Democratic Party pulled $1.3 million in advertising reservations from the Thompson district and reallocated it to help Martini. Two new ads launched attacking Steele this week (see related story). This doubled the money spent or reserved to help Martini in the district to $2.7 million. Republicans have just $219,000 spent or reserved for Steele.

The environment in Oakland County is likely a positive for Democrats. It is a rematch, and Steele is now an incumbent, a benefit for Steele. But Democrats are hoping to get some more magic out of Oakland, a one-time Republican stronghold that has moved fiercely to the left since 2016.

Vice President Kamala Harris will need to run up the score here to provide some lift for Martini. A two-point win in the district, like Biden’s 2020 margin, won’t cut it.

9. (DOWN FROM 8) STEADY AS SHE GOES IN 61ST: The story for Rep. Denise Mentzer of Mount Clemens hasn’t changed much since earlier this month. Republicans aren’t spending heavily – or even lightly, for that matter – for Robert Wojtowicz of Mount Clemens. Democrats and Republicans appear to agree she matches the district well and is doing the right things. It’s a seat in Macomb and in a Trump year, it stays on the board. But spending is incredibly lopsided for the Democrats and it’s hard to see anything shake loose.

Democrats continue to pour money into advertising here, perhaps mindful that this was a Trump +5 district in 2016 (though it was a much smaller Trump margin in 2020).

Democrats have spent more on advertising here than any other district though if the current reservations hold, Shannon will top Mentzer.

10. (DOWN FROM 9) GOP REMAINS HOPEFUL WITH BRANN: Although Republicans remain optimistic about former Rep. Tommy Brann of Wyoming against Rep. John Fitzgerald (D-Wyoming) in the 83rd House District, the environment here favors Democrats. Harris is expected to roll in the district, which was Biden +10 in 2020.

It’s very hard to imagine Brann overcoming that kind of tide.

However, Brann never fit the mold of a traditional Republican and his status as a popular former business owner in the district keeps him relevant. He is also working.

Many of the Kent County seats have dropped off the radar and are not competitive heading into November. Democrats admit this one is close. While Fitzgerald is working with a positive environment, Republican spending and enthusiasm won’t let him completely run away with it.

This one may come down to straight ticket voting. Brann needs voters to review individual races to have a chance.

Spending here is relatively light for a Grand Rapids area seat, $612,000 in advertising by or on behalf of Fitzgerald since the primary compared to $270,000 for Brann.

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THE DCD MARIJUANA TEAM:  YOUR COMPETITIVE EDGE!

DCD continues to exist as the premier resource helping municipalities navigate the waters of cannabis policy. We would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have regarding medical or recreational cannabis policy, procedure, and more. DCD is available for presentations to municipal boards, for one-on-one meetings, and for consultations.

We are here to help you with: municipal lobbying, license application writing and assistance, business plans, state required operations manuals and compliance, facility design, corporate structure, and design and branding. 

We are experts in both medical and recreational cannabis policy and have been in the space for over ten years.  We welcome any opportunity to work with you in the future!

ARTICLES OF CANNABIS INTEREST:

Brazen Thieves Steal $600 Worth of Weed from Michigan Corporate Cannabis Grower

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Detroit Wants to Restrict Where Weed Can Be Advertised

DCD is rebranding, and our bottom line is your bottom line. We are striving to create and foster strong relationships with clients and lawmakers, deliver results with strong ethics and class, but above all else, out-hustle and out-smart our competition every day to be the very best. We’re making chess moves while others are playing checkers. Everything we do is with you in mind, we’re doing things we’ve never done before and aggressively pursuing opportunities. The time is now. DCD has taken our firm to the next level and your involvement and investment paired with our knowledge and expertise is going to launch the great state of Michigan forward.

TRUMP IN DETROIT:  DETAILS ON 15% BUILD IN AMERICA CORPORATE TAX, EXPANDED R&D CREDITS
Former President Donald Trump talked up his economic plans for a potential second administration if he wins the November contest as he continued to blanket Michigan with visits.

Those plans included a 15 percent corporate tax rate if companies can commit to building American products at home with American labor, expanded research and development tax credits for businesses to write off heavy equipment and machinery for new factories, and making interest on car loans fully deductible.

Trump spoke to the Detroit Economic Club at the Motor City Casino’s Sound Board events hall, addressing a mix of business and political leaders. Crowd members included U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor), Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R-Porter Township) and House Minority Leader Matt Hall (R-Richland Township).

The former president addressed the Detroit Economic Club in 2016, which he said last Thursday "may have brought a little luck, and we’re looking to do it again."

This time around, he’s facing a tight race against Harris in Michigan. During the speech, Trump also took several swipes at the city’s economic and cultural renaissance, saying it wasn’t quite good enough – but could be so under a second Trump presidency.

"The goal is to see U.S. auto manufacturing at the center of the action," he said. "I’ve been reading for so many years that it’s coming around, it’s coming around, but it never got there. If you make your auto industry bigger, better, stronger, you won’t have to worry about Detroit. It will be very good. It will come by its own. … You make the auto industry thrive, bring it back to where it was 50 or 60 years ago. That’s my goal."

A key part of the economic policies discussed Thursday include Trump’s reliance on tariffs, similar to those he implemented during his first term on foreign nations. Trump said that if he didn’t impose those tariffs, which were eventually rescinded by President Joe Biden, Detroit wouldn’t have an auto industry, and the Detroit Three automakers would be out of business.

"Michigan, you’re welcome, because we have a good place to start on," Trump said.

He also claimed that corporate interests want to sell U.S. steel to foreign countries, but any such deal would not see the light of day under his watch, with a warning of potential conflict with China.

"We have to make army tanks even without wars," Trump said. "I don’t want to be in a position where we have a problem and we need China to help us out with steel. Do you think they would sell us steel in the middle of a conflict?"

Trump also said he believed the auto industry was failing under Biden, but that it hadn’t failed under his leadership.

On his renewed call for tariffs, Trump said he was willing to tax other nations on their goods as much as possible to make the deal work for the American economy.

"I want American companies to dominate the foreign market," Trump said. "I want foreign nations to worry about losing their jobs to America. It’s going to happen. We’ll get it done … one way or another."

He added that if these companies don’t take the deal, they’ll have to pay a tax or tariff if they want to send their products into the U.S.

The deal, Trump said, would be a commitment to make American products on American soil, and if those companies agreed, their corporate tax rate would fall to 15 percent.

Trump said much of the reason American companies were leaving to build elsewhere had to do with those countries’ own tariffs on products. One example, he said, was Harley-Davidson, which he claimed came to him during his presidency to address concerns about their dealings with nations like India.

Trump said Harley-Davidson told him India was particularly tough on tariffs and that they didn’t sell many units in the nation for that reason, but the nation’s leaders were willing to drop the tariffs if they built units inside India. Trump said Harley-Davidson then took that deal.

"We’re not doing that crap anymore," he said before referring to U.S. leaders and state politicians as stupid. "Biden let them do what they’re doing. The guy doesn’t have a clue. … That’s the real threat to democracy, stupid people."

Another plan Trump announced was his goal to make interest on car loans fully deductible, which he said would revolutionize the industry," but did not get heavy into the details of how it would work.

Touching more directly on Vice President Kamala Harris, he reupped his attacks on her intelligence, calling her "dumb as hell."

He also again attacked Detroit’s noted comeback story by saying that if Harris wins in November, "our whole country will be like Detroit," the city in which he was giving the remarks.

Democrats panned Trump’s remarks about the city.

"Detroit is the epitome of ‘grit,’ defined by winners willing to get their hands dirty to build up their city and better their communities — something Donald Trump could never understand," Governor Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement. "Detroit’s hard work and hustle built the best cars and trucks in the world. This city defined art, music, and culture for decades, from Aretha and Diana to Eminem and Stevie, who all called Detroit home. And Detroit is growing by the minute as people fall in love with this special place."

MICHIGANDERS TRUST THEIR LOCAL ELECTIONS, BUT DISTRUST ACCURACY OF OTHER AREAS
As Election Day approaches and messaging surrounding election protocols ramps up, new statewide polling from the Glengariff Group shows that although some 78 percent of Michiganders trust their local and county elections are run fairly and accurately, over half don’t feel the same about other parts of the state.

Commissioned by the Michigan chapter of the Defend Democracy Project, which is headed by a bipartisan group of former public officials, the poll results offer insight into the trust – and lack thereof – Michiganders have in their democracy as they prepare to head to the polls. Although some of the results were of concern to the DDP, others marked the potential for increased faith in elections.

Pollster Richard Czuba said the partisan divides within the data are telling as to which voters struggle the most with trusting Michigan’s elections.

"Seventy-five percent of strong Democrats think elections in other counties or communities are fair and accurate. Independents trust other communities by a margin of 44.1 to 21.5 percent trust them," Czuba said. "But Republican voters distrust other local elections by a margin of 26 to 46 percent, and in that case, 26 percent of those face Republican voters just don’t know."

By and large, the polling indicates that Michiganders believe the November general election will be fair and accurate. However, after breaking those numbers down based on confidence, Czuba said the trust is more tenuous.

"By a margin of 77 to 18 percent, Michigan voters believe that the upcoming November election is going to be fair and accurate," he said. "It’s not a really great number, but we also asked people, ‘are you very confident or just somewhat confident?’ 37 percent are very confident. 39 percent are somewhat confident. And we start to see the party differences again in that level of confidence."

The poll, which was conducted amongst 800 likely voters in September, showed only 11 percent of Republicans are "very confident that the upcoming election will be fair and accurate," compared to 60 percent of Democrats.

"So, we asked them, ‘why are you not confident?’" Czuba said. "Twenty-nine percent cited the 2020 election. Ten percent told us elections are rigged. Nine percent said they don’t trust government, and 7 percent said absentee ballots are too easy to manipulate."

One portion of the poll revealed that when presented with 12 different measures local clerks could take to further election security, voters’ confidence increased at a rate of 75 percent or higher at the idea of these measures being taken. However, a majority of the voters thought only two of the 12 measures were current election policy in Michigan, when in fact, all of them are either currently law or considered best practices.

Nineteen percent of respondents thought it was not the state’s policy to require identification for in person voting, while 17 percent didn’t know. Thirty-eight percent said it was not policy to require absentee ballot drop boxes to be monitored by video and for ballots to be collected daily by authorized personnel. Both of these measures are current Michigan law.

Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum said the results of the poll were largely unsurprising to her.

"I cannot say that I am surprised that to see the mistrust in our elections over the last several years, especially before respondents hear about the safeguards we have in practice," she said. "Election administration is an area that has seen an incredible amount of misinformation being disseminated in the press, on social media and at campaign rallies over the last four years. The fact is that most people have never thought about the safeguards that we have in place, and so they may have been open to misleading or untrue information."

Kent County Clerk Lisa Posthumus Lyons said local clerks have been working to dispel false or misleading information for years, and that progress can be made when people are educated about the safeguards in place.

"This is what we’ve been doing for four years. And even beyond educating folks and talking about how the process works is inviting them to come on in, and don’t just take my word for it, see it for yourself," she said. "But it’s also been really great leading up to this election to have organizations such as this. There are so many of these groups that are really focused and passionate about the democratic process and want to partner with us as election officials to get that message out. The media is a partner as well, making sure that the information you’re covering is involving the process from start to finish."

Former Governor John Engler, who is one of the DDP’s board members, said combatting misinformation must be a top priority for people who hope to preserve the integrity of American democracy.

"The conclusion is that while there are threats to our democracy from without, including from Russia and others, the threat of disinformation and misinformation is more likely to come from within," he said. "It is why we have to make sure that we are ready to push back on any of those who claim our elections aren’t safe, not accurate, not fair."

SANTANA: PENSION SYSTEM COULD ATTRACT NEW ELECTION WORKERS
As the Department of Corrections continues to grapple with a shortage of officers in the state’s prison, Sen. Sylvia Santana this week said moving to a pension system for retirement could help attract more workers.

Santana (D-Detroit) this week appeared on the MichMash, the podcast partnership between Gongwer News Service and WDET Detroit Public Radio.

She said the state is in a position where it is trying to hire new officers and retain them within the agency.

"There have been many conversations about trying to support that attraction of new talent to MDOC, which I think a portion of that is around looking at going back to the pension system," she said. "That is something from a state government standpoint people in the past looked for to be a carrot on a stick to be part of state government as well as public service. And I think we need to look at that."

Looking at the structure of the day and staffing ratios is also important, she said. To calls for the National Guard to come into the prisons, Santana said she didn’t that was necessary.

"The safety of our MDOC officers is really important, as well as the safety of those they oversee in the jails," she said. "This is always going to be a priority of mine. I think one of the things we have to look at is the best way to support our MDOC officers."

Santana also discussed criminal justice reform, saying the state still has work to do on that front.

On the upcoming presidential election, Santana said she believes the contest between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris will be close.

She said Democrats can’t take anything for granted, including the base of support the party generally receives out of the city of Detroit.

"I think the reason in that ’16 election (Trump) was able to garner support is because we did not take Detroit seriously," she said. "I think we have to make sure as a party we continue to uplift the issues that matter to people and that this campaign is about supporting the people in our communities. Making sure they have opportunity. Making sure that small business owners can be supported … and also making sure people have the ability to move forward. And I believe 45 does not care about people. He cares about himself, and he cares about the past and wants to take us back to the past."

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THE DCD MARIJUANA TEAM:  YOUR COMPETITIVE EDGE!

DCD continues to exist as the premier resource helping municipalities navigate the waters of cannabis policy. We would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have regarding medical or recreational cannabis policy, procedure, and more. DCD is available for presentations to municipal boards, for one-on-one meetings, and for consultations.

We are here to help you with: municipal lobbying, license application writing and assistance, business plans, state required operations manuals and compliance, facility design, corporate structure, and design and branding. 

We are experts in both medical and recreational cannabis policy and have been in the space for over ten years.  We welcome any opportunity to work with you in the future!

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DCD is rebranding, and our bottom line is your bottom line. We are striving to create and foster strong relationships with clients and lawmakers, deliver results with strong ethics and class, but above all else, out-hustle and out-smart our competition every day to be the very best. We’re making chess moves while others are playing checkers. Everything we do is with you in mind, we’re doing things we’ve never done before and aggressively pursuing opportunities. The time is now. DCD has taken our firm to the next level and your involvement and investment paired with our knowledge and expertise is going to launch the great state of Michigan forward.

DYSLEXIA SCREENING BILLS CLEAR FINAL HURDLE
Bills that would require schools to screen students for dyslexia as part of state-approved reading assessments received final votes Thursday in the Senate.

Senators concurred unanimously with substitute versions of SB 567 and SB 568, the final step before being sent to the governor.

Under SB 567, pre-screening for dyslexia would have to be provided in public schools. For SB 568, teacher preparation programs would be required to include instruction on identifying and addressing dyslexia.

Among the changes made by the House before it passed the bills Wednesday was a one-year delay for the implementation of the requirements.

Sen. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) said it has taken a long time to get to this point with the bills, thanking stakeholders and other members for their work.

"Taken together, these bills will improve our assessments that we’re giving in the classroom to make sure that we measure the foundational skills of literacy," Irwin said. "It is important that we get this legislation right, because reading is the fundamental skill that all other education is built upon."

Sen. Jim Runestad (R-White Lake) told members he was diagnosed with dyslexia while in elementary school and that he was lucky to be accepted into a program to help students with dyslexia.

"To get to this point where all these kids are going to get the intervention that has kept us at near the absolute bottom … this is going to, I believe, make an absolute difference, to take us to the very middle and then to the very top," Runestad said.

Sen. Dayna Polehanki (D-Livonia) said for years as a former high school teacher she wasn’t trained in identifying dyslexia, and it was virtually never spoken about at school.

"I wonder how many kids of mine, I can see them each year in my mind’s eye, struggling to read, actually had dyslexia and we didn’t catch it," Polehanki said.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer praised the Legislature’s efforts in a statement following the vote.

"Today’s commonsense, bipartisan package will allow teachers and tutors to use proven science of reading strategies to improve literacy," Whitmer said. "It will also strengthen professional development for our educators and more support and screening for dyslexia and other learning challenges."

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Michael Rice in a statement said that "kids won today" with the Legislature’s votes.

"This legislation will help educators substantially improve reading for children in the state," Rice said. "Literacy is the foundation of learning. Improving it will help children in school and throughout their adult lives."

Amber Arellano, executive director of Ed Trust-Midwest, called the bill passage "a moment of hope" in a statement.

"The passage of this legislation – more than several years in the making – is a real testament to what our state leaders and advocates can accomplish when we work together to focus on the needs of Michigan students."

Not all education groups support the bills. The Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators, the Michigan Association of School Boards and the Michigan Association of Superintendents & Administrators are among those that remain opposed. They have warned the bills are far too prescriptive and will be problematic to implement.

HOUSING DISCRIMINATION BILLS PASS IN DIVIDED SENATE
Last Thursday, the Senate, along party lines agreed to amended versions of bills that would prohibit housing discrimination based on a tenant’s source of income.

Senators moved three housing discrimination bills by 20-17 votes, SB 205, SB 206 and SB 207, which collectively would ban landlords from discriminating against a person based on their source of income.

Sen. Jim Runestad (R-White Lake) said the bills would have a negative effect on landlords, many of whom are barely getting by.

"There’s so many new regulations being piled upon them, and this is just another one," Runestad said.

Runestad said to force people to accept tenants using vouchers such as Section 8 can be destructive to landlords.

Sen. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) urged support for the package, saying it would provide more opportunities for lower-income families to get into good housing and have better access to good schools.

He said the proposal before the chamber was a solid compromise for both landlords and tenants.

"We need to make sure that low-income families have access to housing here in the state of Michigan," Irwin said.

Senators also voted Thursday to pass project funding through the Natural Resources Trust Fund. Passing 37-0 was SB 817, which contains $27.3 million in total spending. This is split between $17.5 million for 18 land acquisition projects and $9.8 million for 35 land development projects.

Senators also moved a slate of budget implementation bills: SB 926, SB 928, SB 929, SB 931, SB 932, SB 933, SB 934 and SB 935. Senators also voted 20-17 along party lines to concur with House substitutes for SB 929 and SB 931.

PSC ISSUES ORDER PUSHING UTILITIES TO IMPROVE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM PLANNING
The Public Service Commission issued an order last Thursday involving multiple utilities setting out methods through which they should improve their utility electric distribution planning efforts.

Thursday’s order stems from a September 2022 directive to Consumers Energy Company, DTE Electric Company and Indiana Michigan Power Company to file updated five-year electric distribution system investment and maintenance plans by September 29, 2023.

This directive was due to concerns over the performance of electric utilities in terms of reliability.

The order called on utilities to address climate risks in its scenario planning affecting the resilience of their distribution infrastructure in their next distribution plans filed with the commission.

The PSC on Thursday ordered more details from utilities supporting proposals for spending in the next round of distribution plans. It was added that distribution plans should also inform future utility rate cases.

The order also emphasized the importance of alternatives analyses as well as environmental justice analyses in distribution plans and rate cases to demonstrate customer affordability and cost effectiveness.

PSC staff were also directed to develop a protective order for confidential information in the case, with the opportunity for public comment on the order.

Public comment would also be sought on a straw proposal by PSC staff designed to clarify and improve the distribution plan process.

Commission staff have suggested a requirement that distribution plans be filed every three years, with yearly updates provided to reflect potential changes. PSC staff also suggested meetings be held between utilities and interested parties prior to the filing of distribution plans.

Comments on both the protective order and straw plan are due by 5 p.m. October 24, 2024, referencing Case No. U-20147. Written comments are to be mailed to Michigan Public Service Commission, P.O. Box 30221, Lansing, MI, 48909, sent through the commission’s e-docket system or emailed to LARA-MPSC-Edockets@michigan.gov.

In a separate order, the PSC ordered Consumers Energy Company and DTE Electric Company to files responses to the independent third-party audits of their distribution systems that were released earlier this week.

The audits found that the distribution systems for both utilities performed worse than average among utilities in the average time it takes to restore service (See Gongwer Michigan Report, September 23, 2024).

Interested parties can file comments regarding the audits, which are due by 5 p.m. December 16, 2024, with reply comments due by 5 p.m. on January 17, 2025. Written comments can be mailed to Executive Secretary, Michigan Public Service Commission, P.O. Box 30221, Lansing, MI, 48909, sent through the commission’s e-docket system or by email to mpscedockets@michigan.gov.

DCD OUT AND ABOUT:

Senator Mat and Jake German happily spent some time in Pontiac recently.  Jake was visiting clients at Honor Community Health’s Family Medicine Center at Pontiac General Hospital, while Mat attended the Pontiac State of the City address at the Flagstar Strand Theatre, where he was able to catch up with Pontiac Mayor Tim Griemel.

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THE DCD MARIJUANA TEAM:  YOUR COMPETITIVE EDGE!

DCD continues to exist as the premier resource helping municipalities navigate the waters of cannabis policy. We would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have regarding medical or recreational cannabis policy, procedure, and more. DCD is available for presentations to municipal boards, for one-on-one meetings, and for consultations.

We are here to help you with: municipal lobbying, license application writing and assistance, business plans, state required operations manuals and compliance, facility design, corporate structure, and design and branding. 

We are experts in both medical and recreational cannabis policy and have been in the space for over ten years.  We welcome any opportunity to work with you in the future!

ARTICLES OF CANNABIS INTEREST:

Appeals Court Keeps Local Marijuana Dispensary Question on the Howell Ballott

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Legal Weed Sales Are Now Higher in Michigan than California

After Cannabis Linked to Higher Stroke Risk, Michigan Doctor Calls for More Research

Unlicensed Marijuana Market Goes Unchecked Under Michigan’s Law

DCD is rebranding, and our bottom line is your bottom line. We are striving to create and foster strong relationships with clients and lawmakers, deliver results with strong ethics and class, but above all else, out-hustle and out-smart our competition every day to be the very best. We’re making chess moves while others are playing checkers. Everything we do is with you in mind, we’re doing things we’ve never done before and aggressively pursuing opportunities. The time is now. DCD has taken our firm to the next level and your involvement and investment paired with our knowledge and expertise is going to launch the great state of Michigan forward.

DEMS TOUT PRICE GOUGING BILLS AS A FALL PRIORITY
Democratic lawmakers said that strengthening price gouging protections for consumers is a fall priority and they hope to gain bipartisan support for law changes they said are several years in the making.

"The reality is, is that we have left Michiganders vulnerable for way too long, and it’s long overdue to strengthen Michigan’s price gouging statute," said Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield). 

During a Tuesday roundtable discussion inside the Capitol on price gouging with reporters, Moss, other bill sponsors and Attorney General Dana Nessel stressed the need to protect consumers from businesses and individuals seeking to take advantage of residents during emergency situations.

Moss said the issue for him goes back to a March 2017 windstorm that knocked out power for many state residents. He referenced constituents telling him of a local hotel in his district that was reportedly gouging residents, charging up to $400 per night for what was typically advertised as $59 per night rooms.

He said the governor later used the framework of bipartisan-sponsored legislation introduced in March 2020 for an executive order addressing price gouging during the early months of the coronavirus pandemic.

"We still have to codify the framework of that into law, because it was demonstrated to be effective and it was used as a safeguard for consumers from unreasonable price increases during the pandemic," Moss said.

Moss and Sen. Mary Cavanagh (D-Redford Township) introduced SB 954, SB 955, and SB 956 on June 26.

Collectively, the bills would set a 10 percent cap on price increases during a state of emergency before an individual or business would be liable for price gouging, with exceptions. The bills focus on lodging, the cost of goods and emergency supplies as well as energy products including gasoline.

The exception for lodgings is if the owner of the lodging can prove the increase is due to the increased cost of goods and labor in conducting business or a regularly scheduled seasonal adjustment. For the other products, the exception is if the person selling the items can prove the cost increase is based on the cost of bringing goods to market.

Individuals who commit violations under the bills would face a maximum misdemeanor penalty of one year’s imprisonment and a civil fine of $10,000, while business owners would face a maximum misdemeanor penalty and civil fine of $1 million.

The attorney general could also under the bills bring a class action lawsuit on behalf of those affected by price gouging to recover actual damages or $100, whichever is greater.

A similar House package (HB 5895, HB 5896 and HB 5897) was introduced on July 30 by

Rep. Jason Hoskins (D-Southfield) and Rep. Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia).

The legislation is similar to a bipartisan Senate bill package introduced in March 2020 during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic (See Gongwer Michigan Report, March 27, 2020).

Hoskins said 34 states and Washington, D.C.,have some form of price gouging laws in place. The Michigan bills are drawn from language from multiple states across the country.

"I think we have a piece of legislation that we can all be proud of, and I think would truly protect consumers around the state," Hoskins said.

Cavanagh said the proposed changes are much-needed improvements in statute.

"This legislation not only sends a clear message about the values of our state, but also around consumer protection but also gives the government the tools necessary to take on those bad actors," Cavanagh said.

Pohutsky called the early months of the pandemic "a case study in the weakness of our laws."

"There have been countless emergencies during my time in office, and each time there are consistently bad actors that engage in price gouging and take advantage of an already vulnerable situation," Pohutsky said.

Nessel said existing law only covers investigations and enforcement involving single sellers in which they raise their prices excessively above those of comparable sellers in the surrounding area. When a community of sellers is involved, she said it renders her office toothless.

"In the bills package, we equip the state attorney general’s office and local county prosecutors with additional investigative enforcement authority," Nessel said.

ADVOCATES CONTINUE TO MAKE THEIR CASE ON TIPPED WAGE
The discussion around tipped wage continues to generate a lot of buzz in Lansing, with supporters celebrating the Michigan Supreme Court’s decision earlier this summer that ruled the Legislature’s adopt and amend tactics in 2018 were unconstitutional and those who oppose the changes pleading with the Legislature to make changes before the law is set to go into effect in February.

This week on MichMash, the podcast partnership between Gongwer News Service and WDET Detroit Public Radio, both sides of the issue made arguments for and against the law.

Justin Winslow, president and CEO of the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association, said the law has the potential to destroy many of Michigan’s sit-down restaurants.

"The tip credit really means life or death for a lot of full-service restaurants, dine in restaurants," he said.

Winslow said that in states where there isn’t a tipped wage people tip less.

"West Coast states have a higher based wage, but a lower tip percentage," he said. "For servers, the cumulative income is higher with a lower base in Michigan than it is in a few of these other states, almost all of them."

Most servers would prefer the inconsistency with a higher earning potential, Winslow said.

"The upside opportunity to be an entrepreneur, to make that kind of cash – when they bring it, they usually get rewarded well, or doing their job well," he said. "They’ll take that over consistency with a lower ceiling every day of the week."

On the other hand, Chris White with the Restaurant Opportunities Center, which advocated for the ballot initiative in 2018, said the arguments that changing tipped wage would reduce take-home pay for servers were scare tactics.

"I have never asked a waiter or waitress how much they make an hour before I tip. I tip based upon service," White said. "If you ask the everyday citizen, do they know how much a waiter or waitress makes an hour, they would assume that they make minimum wage like everyone else."

The bottom line is that changing the laws set to go into effect in February would damage public trust, White said.

"The Legislature already adopted and amended it, and then we went through the courts all the way to the top, and they found it as unconstitutional," White said. It was done to us by a Republican Legislature, if it’s done to us again by a Democratic Legislature, then that erodes public trust. We’re concerned about what it would do about voter turnout and civic engagement."

MICHIGAN SCHOOL ATTENDACE IMPROVES SLIGHTLY FOR SECOND YEAR IN A ROW
During the 2023-24 school year, Michigan’s students increased their attendance rates and saw a decline in chronic absenteeism from school for the second year in a row, new data from the Department of Education shows.

The data released Friday shows the statewide attendance rate among Michigan students increased from 90.5 percent to 90.8 percent. The chronic absenteeism rate declined by 1.3 percentage points, from 30.8 percent to 29.5 percent. The state defines chronic absenteeism as a student missing 10 percent or more of the school year – roughly two school days a month – for any reason.

MDE officials said while the numbers are encouraging, there’s still a lot of work to be done, especially to further decrease the chronic absenteeism rate.

"Efforts by Michigan school staff, students, and parents continue to help improve attendance and reduce chronic absenteeism," Superintendent of Public Instruction Michael Rice said in a statement. "Our students need to attend school regularly to maximize their school experiences. Despite our progress, far too many students are chronically absent. We need to work together to redouble our efforts and remove barriers to school attendance."

Local school districts have engaged a variety of different methods to combat chronic absenteeism, including calls to parents, conferences with families, mental health interventions, and door-to-door outreach to visit students’ homes to "help reacclimate children to coming to school more frequently."

"We must continue to improve attendance to strongly address Goal 5 of Michigan’s Top 10 Strategic Education Plan, to increase the percentage of students who graduate from high school," Deputy Superintendent Delsa Chapman said in a statement. "Credit for the improvements in attendance goes to our local school districts."

Chronic absenteeism decreased across all grade levels and most racial and ethnic groups, but students who are economically disadvantaged still have a higher rate of chronic absenteeism at 40.1 percent.

In the 2022-23 school year, Michigan’s chronic absenteeism fell 7.7 percentage points compared to the year before, the biggest improvement from among 42 states and Washington, D.C., that released attendance data that year.

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