The Berrien County Board of Commissioners isn’t expecting more out of Lansing this year. That’s after commissioners were briefed this week by their Lansing liaison, Michael Krombeen.
The consultant told them the final week of legislative action was busy, but not necessarily productive.
“Never mistake movement for progress,” Krombeen said. “Just because things are moving doesn’t mean we’re actually progressing forward. So last week between the House and the Senate, like 300 bills moved in some form or fashion, either out of committee or from one chamber to the other.”
Krombeen said things went off the rails last Friday when House Republicans walked off the floor and refused to return due to Speak Joe Tate’s refusal to allow votes on the minimum wage. From there, the only way any bill could have passed would have been if all the Democrats had voted for it.
“Karen Whitsett of Detroit said, ‘I’ve had enough of this,’ and without voting, headed to her car and started driving to Detroit. That last vote on Friday failed, 55 yes, zero opposed, 55 not present. So without a majority, that bill did not pass.”
With her gone, no further action was possible.
Among the pieces of legislation to die were bills that involved short-term rental regulations, additional investments in the Outreach, Attraction, and Retention Fund, a fund to help low income residents pay their water bills, and an expansion of the state’s bottle return law. Some of those things may come up again after the new year.
