(Source: MIRS.news, Published 11/09/2023) The first Democratic-majority Legislature in 40 years will officially end its session on Tuesday, the first time the House and Senate has adjourned before Thanksgiving since 1968.
Both chambers passed resolutions Thursday setting Nov. 14 as its “sine die” session, in which the Legislature adjourns without date, meaning that, barring an unexpected special session called by the Governor, lawmakers won’t return until Jan. 10.
The early adjournment stems from a constitutional requirement that a bill cannot become law until 90 days after the session adjourns unless it receives support from two-thirds of the members of each chamber to give it “immediate effect.”
Senate Republicans withheld their immediate effect support from legislation setting next year’s presidential primary on Feb. 27. If the Legislature had waited until after Christmas to adjourn, as it's done the prior 55 years, the presidential primary law would not have gone into effect until late March.
Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) didn’t mention the early primary in her remarks to the Senate Thursday.
Rather, the early adjournment will give earlier life to the other bills the Senate Republicans declined to give immediate effect – a tax credit for working families, gun violence prevention measures, fewer abortion restrictions, equal rights for the LGBTQ community and tax relief for seniors.
“That is our job,” Brinks said. “Shame on anyone, especially those who forced this timeline who would weaponize a couple of session days at the expense of the health and safety of Michiganders and the forward momentum of our state.”
The Senate met for an active session 81 days in 2023, Brinks said. Between 1986 and 2022, the Senate met an average of 88 days, according to an analysis MIRS conducted last year. If you take it back to 1963, the average number of session days in the Senate was 99.
Senate Republicans took shots at the “paid vacation” when the adjournment resolution came up.
“Teachers in my district are still showing up to teach. Factory labor workers are still showing up to build our economy. Police officers are still standing up to protect our communities. It only seems fair that we do our part, as well,” said Sen. Mark Huizenga (R-Walker).
Over in the House, the Republicans put out a social media post entitled “’Twas the Night Before Veterans Day.” They also handed out candy canes to the media, poking fun at the fact that legislative session typically ends shortly before Christmas.
“No, your calendar isn’t wrong,” they wrote. “Tomorrow, we observe Veterans’ Day, but today your state Legislature went on Christmas break.”
Under HCR 10, the House adjourns without date after a brief ceremonial session at 11:30 a.m. Nov. 14 while the Senate adjourns without date after its 11:45 a.m. session. No attendance will be taken at these sessions and no voting will take place.
