There’s a lot zipping around the state Capitol these days. Here’s the latest. I’ll leave to you to decide whether you’re on the winning or losing side….
-- House Democrats accused the Republicans of foul play Thursday for placing a $100 “place marker” in legislation implementing Gov. Rick Snyder’s business tax reform plan.
Democrats say the $100 appropriation is clearly designed to prevent voters from trying to repeal the law, if passed, sometime later. But Republicans deny wrongdoing, saying the $100 amount is merely a token amount that will be increased later as the real cost of implementing the plan is determined.
-- House Republicans approved a bill Thursday that would freeze pay and benefits for unionized public school teachers working under expired contracts.
Democrats say the bill is part of an ongoing Republican assault on workers and would erode employers' incentive to bargain new contracts. Republicans say the changes would give unions more incentive to resolve contracts quickly.
-- The Senate has passed a bill stating that teenagers who have consensual sex with minors would no longer be listed on Michigan’s sex offender registry.
Known as the “Romeo and Juliet” law, the law would create a petition process under which the youthful offenders could be removed from the list if there is a determination the sex was consensual.
