(Source: MIRS.news, Published 07/19/2023) Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed nine bills Tuesday that ranged from legislation changing rules for the sale of alcohol to bills concerning issues like healthcare and auto sales.
Sen. Sean Mccann (D-Kalamazoo) sponsored SB 247, which allows public universities to sell alcohol at sporting events and the Sen. Mallory Mcmorrow (D-Royal Oak) introduced SB 141, which makes to-go liquor sales permanent. Both were touted as helping generate more revenue for the impacted events.
“Authorizing the legal sale of alcohol at sporting events will bring us on equal footing with other universities, help reduce the likelihood of binge drinking before games and bring in a heck of a lot more revenue that we can use to improve the student experience,” Whitmer said.
She said the legislation would put the University of Michigan and Michigan State University in the pool of Big Ten schools that allow the sale of alcohol, leaving Nebraska as the lone university that doesn't allow alcohol sales at university stadiums.
Whitmer also claimed the sale of alcohol at college stadiums would reduce the amount of binge drinking at tailgating events prior to the events, and cited reports from universities to back-up that claim.
However, a report published in February found there was no statistical difference in the amount of binge drinking that occurred at schools that allow alcohol sales inside stadiums.
McCann said he saw the issue as one of fairness.
“It’s a basic issue of equality to patrons: why should VIPs get to enjoy the beverage of their choice and other attendees not? This levels the playing field and will allow patrons 21 and over at intercollegiate sporting events the ability to enjoy the event with the beverage of their choice,” he said.
The second alcohol bill gave permanency to a temporary policy that was made popular during the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses and restaurants will now be able to sell to-go cocktails.
“Necessity is the mother of invention,” McMorrow said.
Since the May 2020 legislation, she said many restaurant owners said it was “a lifeline that kept them in business.”
“Three years in, it’s proven to be a popular new way for customers to support their favorite restaurants and has resulted in zero reported violations or safety issues,” McMorrow said.
Whitmer also signed HB 4495, introduced by Rep. Will Snyder (D-Muskegon), that allows the Healthy Michigan Plan to continue to operate - despite operating costs.
“These changes, now law, to the Healthy Michigan Plan improve health care and reduce red tape. Eliminating the automatic trigger removes the possibility of a catastrophic loss of coverage for hundreds of thousands of Michiganders,” Snyder said.
The bill also cut some conditions and paperwork for enrolling in the Medicaid-backed program.
Michigan Association of Health Plans Executive Director Dominick Pallone praised the law as a way to help get poor communities health care.
“Since adopting the Healthy Michigan Plan nearly a decade ago, our uninsured and uncompensated care rates have significantly improved,” Pallone said.
Brian Peters, of the Michigan Health and Hospital Association, also praised the new law.
“Ensuring Michiganders continue to have options for affordable, accessible care is vital to the health and wellness of our state,” Peters said.
HB 4496 introduced by Rep. Graham Filler (R-St. Johns) repeals obsolete provisions and requirements.
“This bipartisan legislature improves access to health care for lower-income families and folks in rural communities, gets more people insured and saves taxpayers money,” Filler said.
People can now say they can be an organ donor on their state income tax returns, after the Rep. Felicia Brabec (D-Ann Arbor)-introduced HB 4362 was signed.
Two bills, HB 4363 and HB 4364, introduced by Reps. Cynthia Neeley (D-Flint) and Natalie Price (D-Berkley) make organ and tissue donation easier through changes to the public health code.
Sen. Sylvia Santana (D-Detroit) sponsored SB 219 which allows pharmacists to order and administer vaccines and laboratory tests, under certain circumstances.
“During the pandemic, pharmacists were on the front line and we learned access to care and life-saving vaccines was critical to personal and public health,” Santana said.
SB 362, introduced by Sen. Sam Singh (D-East Lansing), amends the Use Tax Act to allow vehicles to be tax exempt for dealers until ownership is transferred to a customer. The change is in preparation for the expected switch to electronic titling at the Secretary of State’s Office in October.
“Automobile sales are a key driving force in Michigan’s economy and it’s vitally important to that industry that we ensure tax fairness,” Singh said.
