State House passes wave of legislation in first week of “lame duck” – News 9&10

Michigan’s legislative session is off to a busy start as Democrats strategize how to best use their final weeks of total control in Lansing.

Bills dealing with contraceptive access and gun safety training passed on a party-line vote Wednesday, while bills expanding Michigan’s hate crime statute passed by a single Republican vote. A number of economic development bills passed with modest bipartisan support.

“All of us in this chamber agree that we need to stimulate our state’s economy,” said Congressman Alabas Farhat, D-Dearborn. “We’re in a competitive job market right now, with employers looking for states to start work. They’re looking for states to invest in, and they’re looking for talent to hire. And there’s no better place than Michigan.”

The economic bills establish the Michigan Innovation Fund, which will receive $60 million in revenue from other economic programs and provide early-stage support to Michigan startups.

The House also passed a bill to provide tax incentives to tech companies that want to open data centers and server farms in Michigan. The proposal provides about $100 million in incentives through 2065.

“Both sides have agreed on this — we’ve worked very hard to make sure we hit the ground running to make sure everyone is treated fairly across the state,” said Rep. Kurt VanderWall, R-Ludington.

The hate crime legislation amends Michigan’s ethnic intimidation statute to clarify the offense and add explicit protections for sexual orientation.

The bills have been subject to a wave of misinformation since they were introduced earlier this year, with commentators arguing that misgendering or using the wrong pronouns would be criminalized under the measures.

“Protecting people from targeted physical assault or other violent crimes because of their gender — yes, that’s in the bill, just like religion, race, ethnicity, etc.,” said the bill’s author, Congressman Noah Arbit, D-West Bloomfield. . “But mistreatment of someone, whether intentional or not, is not a hate crime. It’s not even a crime. This is not in the draft law and never was.”

Republicans say the legislation is redundant because Michigan’s ethnic intimidation statute is still in effect.

“My concern is that this is an overreach,” said Rep. Tom Coons, R-Clare. “We already have laws on the books. You can’t go to beat someone, you can’t threaten with reprisals. We already have that now, so it seems like it’s being duplicated. I don’t know what the purpose is because we already have laws on the books.”

Democrats will control the chamber until January, when 58-52 Republicans take control. Until then, expect busier days at the Capitol.