LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – Republicans are proposing a major change for lawmaker by calling for a constitutional amendment that would make the state legislature part-time.
Currently, Michigan is 1 of 10 states with a full-time legislature meaning that leaders are in session throughout the entire year. Republican leaders are now saying that it is time for a part-time legislature.
The terms of the new proposal indicate that the legislature wouldn’t meet for more than 90 days during each year and that yearly salaries would, correspondingly, be reduced. The challenge is that, since the Michigan legislature is a democratic majority, chances are it will be that much more difficult for the republican proposal to pass through both the house and senate.
Representative Brad Paquette averred that a part-time legislature will bring back trust in leaders.
“If we have full-time availability to do the same amount of work that we’ve already proved that we can do in a shorter amount of time, then you know there’s a lot of kind of just hanging out,” said Rep. Brad Paquette, (R) Niles. “Bringing back trust in this institution is important.”
A statement from Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Press Secretary, Stacey LaRouche, indicated, however, that the legislative term has been one of the most productive in state history.
The statement continues by saying that “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. It shows just how out of touch they are with Michiganders, especially after Michiganders rejected previous attempts to push a part-time legislature.”
If the proposal is approved by both the senate and house by a two-thirds majority, Michiganders will be presented with the proposal at the next general election.
— with files from wilx.com
