Part-Time Michigan Legislature Ballot Drive Moves Ahead

[mibrains]

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140206/POLITICS02/302060134/Part-time-Michigan-Legislature-ballot-drive-moves-ahead

 

Lansing— Advocates wanting to make Michigan’s Legislature meet part-time instead of year-round got the green light Thursday to begin collecting signatures in an attempt to qualify their measure for the November statewide ballot.

The constitutional amendment would limit lawmakers to meeting in a regular session for 60 days starting in early January. The governor could call them back for special sessions not exceeding 30 days, and their pay would be capped at $35,000 a year to start instead of the $71,685 they make now.

Michigan is among four states with a full-time legislature, though six others are considered near full-time because their lawmakers spend at least 80 percent of their time being legislators, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Matt Davis, the lawyer for the Committee to Restore Michigan’s Part-time Legislature, said the change would let people become lawmakers without having to give up their career and make the House and Senate more efficient.

“You’re going to diversify the type of lawmakers you get — real people with real-world experience,” he said.

The group has until July 7 to collect roughly 322,000 valid signatures. It could gather signatures with volunteers and paid circulators, Davis said.

The Michigan Chamber of Commerce’s board voted last week to oppose the part-time Legislature initiative, saying it would tip the balance of power to “bureaucracy” within the executive branch. Other critics have warned of more conflicts of interest with citizen legislators working multiple jobs.

“Imposing a part-time requirement on top of the most severe term limits in the country would seriously weaken the legislative branch of state government,” president and CEO Rich Studley said.

Lawmakers had more than 100 session days last year, though they also typically meet with constituents, attend speaking engagements or conduct other business. They gathered for more than 80 session days in 2012, an election year.

The proposed amendment also would change a rule so bills modified by one chamber could not be adopted by the other chamber until the new version is posted online for five days, regardless of whether an earlier version had won approval. No more than 250 staff members could be hired to assist the 148-member Legislature.

Efforts to make the Legislature part-time have failed in the past, including two separate drives in 2008 that never reached a statewide vote. Various efforts by lawmakers to make the switch also have fizzled.

Also Thursday, the Board of State Canvassers approved the form of a petition turned in by Put the Citizens in Charge, which wants to amend the constitution in November to ease the signature-gathering process for ballot initiatives.

The proposal would keep intact the ability to pay people per signature collected, let them circulate petitions regardless of residency and prohibit signatures or proposals from being tossed because of “inconsequential” technical defects such as the wrong paper size.

A key change would permit signatures to be collected within an 18-month period instead of the current six-month window.

“It’s about strengthening people’s access to the initiative process. It’s there as a voice for the people,” said Scott Tillman, the committee’s treasurer who also is a national petition drive specialist with the conservative Liberty Initiative Fund. “Too often we see that the restrictions are increased in the name of preventing fraud and abuse, but all it does is make it more difficult and costly for people to use the process.”

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20140206/POLITICS02/302060134#ixzz2sg397Dz4

[t-pain]

i support half'ing their pay, i guess i dont mind any consequences of that

[+Malamute]

they make like $70k a year in the house.

 

I want them to do more work myself, not less.

[mibrains]

Michigan is among four states with a full-time legislature,

 

that's the part that chaps my arsh..i had no idea most other states only need part time legislatures... Texas only meets twice a year??

 

hear that senator Richardville?

 

i say we should let them all go home and think about what they are doing to sick people...

 

they are after our Medical Use of Cannabis - how about we put them out of work?

[mibrains]

they make like $70k a year in the house.

 

I want them to do more work myself, not less.

 

and their pay would be capped at $35,000 a year to start instead of the $71,685 they make now.

[Norby]

I don't know enough of how it would pan out but it seems they aren't working for us now why not cut their pay.  Hit em where it hurts and send a message.  Sounds right to me.

[t-pain]

yeah, thats really how my thought process went.

 

do they do anything for michigan now? no, they only help special interests now.

 

would this harm michigan in any meaningful way? unknown.

 

would cutting their pay be good? yes.

 

have any of you watched the house or senate on tv? they start each day by praying. its like a making whoopee church!

then they introduce some kids from some school and clap

then they introduce some other group or random people who came to see them in person.

 

seriously, go watch a few hours of this nonsense they do all day.

its not on right now. they arent in session

http://www.senate.michigan.gov/default.html

http://house.michigan.gov/MHRTV/mhrtvwin_channel3.html

Edited February 8, 2014 by t-pain

[Restorium2]

I don't know enough of how it would pan out but it seems they aren't working for us now why not cut their pay.  Hit em where it hurts and send a message.  Sounds right to me.

I know enough about the guy behind this, Dave Agema ®, to know that you DO NOT support anything he touches. He's Snyder's buddy. He's on the black list. He's part of the faction that we need to defeat. Trounce. Stomp on their chances of f ing us up anymore. This guy hates cannabis. He's like a Romney Clone. Terrible person to have running anything and he's way up there in our grill here in Michigan. We have enabled this clown to be on the national stage. We, as Michigan voters, all should be deeply ashamed of that. Edited February 8, 2014 by Restorium2

[t-pain]

I know enough about the guy behind this, Dave Agema ®, to know that you DO NOT support anything he touches.

 

ok, then whats your plan? does the current system work ?

 

i do think that any part time legislature should be all year tho. theres no reason to quit after 4 months.

Edited February 8, 2014 by t-pain

[Restorium2]

ok, then whats your plan? does the current system work ?

they make like $70k a year in the house.

 

I want them to do more work myself, not less.

[t-pain]

so you're saying they should be in session for 140 days of the year?

[SlowJustice]

$30k for working 2 months and have the rest of the year off sounds like sweet deal to me. If they don't want to work maybe they should all just retire.....

[Restorium2]

We need to do everything looking at the 'Big Picture'. Always see who sponsors an idea and work from there, especially when we want change. People who are working towards this ballot know they f ed up when they chose Agema to push it. It's been on the news. We need to show them how bad of a mistake they made by associating with this type of candidate. This is an opportunity. We must take advantage of every single opportunity we can to send a message. Even the smallest things you do help. If someone asks you to sign it just tell them you might have if that terrible legislator Agema ® had nothing to do with it. Send a message.

[Restorium2]

$30k for working 2 months and have the rest of the year off sounds like sweet deal to me. If they don't want to work maybe they should all just retire.....

You need to ask yourself what kind of person can afford to take that job at $30,000 as compared to the one who needs the $70,000 to pay bills.

 

When you lower the pay you end up with crooked rich folks in all the seats.

[Restorium2]

so you're saying they should be in session for 140 days of the year?

I'm saying if Agema is for it we should be against it. That part doesn't take a lot of thinking if you know Dave.

[cristinew]

Why do i need to send someone to Lansing to represent me ? Most of the time they do not represent me or anyone else.   This  Representative structure was set up years ago , When there was no tv  internet or phones,  We can do the representing  ourselves now, And do a much better job,

[+Malamute]

Because the Constitution created a Republic?

[t-pain]

i think he means we can get rid of the legislature and have every citizen of michigan be able to propose laws and vote on them, online. and we dont even have to pay ourselves to do it.

 

why should we have a represenative we've never met, who doesnt answer our emails or calls, and when confronted acts like a complete lunatic?

Edited February 8, 2014 by t-pain

[+Malamute]

Millions of people do not use the internet. 

 

And I guess if ya go by internet voting, we would spend 17 million to save a cute cats life and 100 million to build a statue to Kid rock.....

 

Pure democracy does not work.  We cant even elect one representative very well, let alone make 3000 votes on something every year.

[+Malamute]

I guess I will stand up for the constitution.... heh.

[Restorium2]

i think he means we can get rid of the legislature and have every citizen of michigan be able to propose laws and vote on them, online. and we dont even have to pay ourselves to do it.

 

why should we have a represenative we've never met, who doesnt answer our emails or calls, and when confronted acts like a complete lunatic?

Then go and meet them! It's an absolutely excellent concept. Study them like a bug under a microscope.

[t-pain]

malamute, are you paid to be a lobbyist? i forgot if thats your job? maybe i am thinking of someone else?

 

i only ask because this ballot initiative would probably shrink the job of lobbyists (and political reporters) as well.

[+Malamute]

Also, how many of you have actually read the bills that are voted on?  Ya have no clue what is actually going on, yet ya wanna vote on bills you have never read in your life. hahaha.

[+Malamute]

I wouldn't shrink lobbyists one iota.

[Restorium2]

malamute, are you paid to be a lobbyist? i forgot if thats your job? maybe i am thinking of someone else?

 

i only ask because this ballot initiative would probably shrink the job of lobbyists (and political reporters) as well.

LOL You gotta be kidding.