LANSING – The Michigan legislature finished its 2023 session Tuesday, just in time for hunting season. But it wrapped up early to allow for Michigan’s new presidential primary election date next February.
As legislators head home for the year, some are saying it is really a good idea. They want the state to move to a part-time legislature to go along with the quicker legislative session.
The legislative week is usually three days while they are in session on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
There are usually under 100 sessions a year, and some Lansing Republicans say that’s just fine with them as less is more when it comes to making lawmaking a part-time job.
Michigan senators and representatives make just under $72,000 a year with an expense account and mileage. They average under 100 sessions a year.
Michigan is among only four states with full-time legislatures. The other three are New York, Pennsylvania, and California. Some Lansing Republicans believe Michigan should join the additional 46.
State Representative Brad Paquette of Niles says it is about rebuilding trust with a skeptical electorate.
“We have a recent speaker going to jail for accepting bribes, a recent speaker who was living the high life with dark money, going on trips and all kinds of random things,” said Paquette. “We need to make a sincere effort to start tracking on some of these dishonorable actions.”
If passed, the Michigan constitution would limit legislative sessions to 90 days, and Paquette says it could save taxpayers money by reducing legislative salaries and separating lawmakers from lobbyists.
“Any way we can track being closer to our constituents rather than the lobby core, that’s a win in my book,” Pacquette said.
There’s a lot of support on the other side of the aisle. State Representative Laurie Pohutsky of Livonia believes the proposal changes Lansing in a less than helpful way.
“Force out people who are more representative of the actual working people of Michigan and going to make it so people who can afford to take time off of work are the only ones, or don’t have to work, are the only ones able to actually take up that role of an elected official and I think it’s bad overall,” said Pohutsky.
And it appears a part-time legislature is likely dead on arrival because the governor’s office Wednesday afternoon sent a statement to Local 4, saying:
“It’s curious that republican legislators now want to push a proposal that would allow them to work less and take most of the year off.”
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer
Whitmer added there have been previous pushes for a part-time legislature that have failed.