The House and Senate are on a two week spring break, so rather than votes this report contains some recently proposed constitutional amendments of interest. To become law these require a two-thirds vote in the House and Senate and approval by voters.

House Joint Resolution A: Establish part time legislature

Introduced by Rep. Michael Webber (R), to place before voters in the next general election a constitutional amendment that would limit annual legislative sessions to 90 consecutive days. Since 2001 more than 20 part time legislature proposals have been introduced, many attached to measures that would extend or repeal term limits. This one does not propose any term limit changes, but also contains no pay cut provision or exceptions allowing special emergency sessions. Referred to committee, no further action at this time.

House Joint Resolution B: Establish independent political redistricting commission

Introduced by Rep. Jon Hoadley (D), to place before voters in the next general election a constitutional amendment to create a 14 member citizens redistricting commission to redraw congressional and legislative boundaries after decennial census counts, with members selected in a process overseen by the legislature’s Auditor General office. Referred to committee, no further action at this time.

House Joint Resolution C: Protect "electronic data and communications" from unreasonable search and seizure

Introduced by Rep. Jim Runestad (R), to place before voters in the next general election a constitutional amendment to add “electronic data and communications” to the Article I provision that recognizes the right of the people to be secure from unreasonable government searches and seizures of their “person, houses, papers, and possessions.”

House Joint Resolution H: Assert right to equitable public education opportunities in constitution

Introduced by Rep. Darrin Camilleri (D), to place before voters in the next general election a constitutional amendment to assert that the premise of the state public education system is premised on “a recognition of full and equitable opportunities for education and access to literacy as fundamental human rights.” Referred to committee, no further action at this time.

Senate Joint Resolution D: Ban charter schools hiring for-profit management company

Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D), to place before voters in the next general election a constitutional amendment to ban charter public schools from hiring a for profit education management company to “provide comprehensive educational, administrative, management, or instructional services or staff for the public school.” Referred to committee, no further action at this time.

Senate Joint Resolution I and House Joint Resolution K: Repeal constitutional prohibition on graduated state income tax

Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) and Rep. Tom Cochran (D), respectively, to place before voters in the next general election a constitutional amendment to repeal an existing prohibition on imposing a graduated income tax (as opposed to Michigan's current flat tax). Referred to committee, no further action at this time.

SOURCE: MichiganVotes.org, a free, non-partisan website created by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, providing concise, non-partisan, plain-English descriptions of every bill and vote in the Michigan House and Senate. Please visit https://www.michiganvotes.org.

Permission to reprint this blog post in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided that the author (or authors) and the Mackinac Center for Public Policy are properly cited. Permission to reprint any comments below is granted only for those comments written by Mackinac Center policy staff.