Weekly Capitol Report

Doug DeYoung - Your Legislative Expert
Lansing is a happening place! Do you have questions about how current legislative topics are being addressed and how they will affect you? If so, contact Doug DeYoung, Director of Government Relations of the Northern Michigan Regional Chamber Alliance at 231.995.7109 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Headlines from this week's Capitol Report include:

New Pension Tax Brings In $300M
In a revenue deal announced Tuesday by the state's three top Republican leaders, the "pension tax" would be modified to exclude those 67 and over, thus bringing in $600 million less for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 budget.
http://www.michamber.com/mirs-weekly-report-0#Tax

Senate Panel Moves 80/20 Bill
The Senate Reforms, Restructuring and Reinventing Committee Wednesday passed legislation requiring public employees to pay 20 percent of their health care costs -- not 25 percent.
http://www.michamber.com/mirs-weekly-report-0#Senate

'Live-in' Benefits Live On
Legislation (SCR 09) to override the so-called "live-in" decision fell eight votes short of the two-thirds majority (74) required for passage Thursday afternoon.
http://www.michamber.com/mirs-weekly-report-0#Live

MDE May Be Flooded With Broke School Districts
The Department of Education (MDE) is managing 41 districts with Deficit Elimination Plans (DEPs), and it's unclear how effective they'll be at managing larger numbers if cuts to education force more districts to report finances to the state.
http://www.michamber.com/mirs-weekly-report-0#MDE1