Capitol Update

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Capitol update for October 16 through December 10, 2010- Proposals to restrict all local public employee pensions, changes to PA 312, a package to provide additional funding to schools in a deficit funding situation (it contained negative school employee reforms) and reforms to Michigan's tenure law all fail. Legislation to allow liquor sales on Sunday, to disburse additional federal educational money, a capitol outlay budget to fund infastructure projects for many of the universities, colleges and the state police, and the pure Michigan advertising campaign all passed. The Dream Act passsed Congress 216/198 and a repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" fell three votes short of passage in the US Senate. And more, much, much more. Happy Holidays from the SEIU Michigan State Council!

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Capitol Update for September 8th through October 15th, 2010- The state employee retirement incentive legislation signed into law, suta dumping light passes the Senate and the budget deal and all of the budgets are signed into law. An Administrative Law Judge rules that the Granholm administration committed an unfair labor practice when it took the 3% raise away from the un-organized state employees and a federal District Court upholds the federal health care reform legislation.

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Capitol Update for June 25th through September 7th, 2010-Home care worker codification legislation passes the House; the House and Senate passed and the Governor signed next year's K-12 budget; Governor Granholm and legisltive leaders reach a budget deal to resolve this year's and next year's shortfall, which contains 3% across the board cuts to all departments; the federal government passes the jobs bill, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Bill and the Education Jobs and Medicaid Assistanct Act. Michigan's Supreme Court has a new Judge, Alton Davis; the MI Supreme Court also ruled that credit scoring is legal and reversed the Kreiner decision.

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Capitol Update for June 1 through June 24, 2010- The MEA files suit over the the school employee retirement bill, the attorney general issues an opinion requiring school districts to allow non-instructional employees to bid on non-instructional services or open it up collective bargaining. FMLA children and Medicare and Medicaid rules clarified to allow for domestic partners and the Jobs bill fails in the Senate.

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Capitol Update for April 3 through May 31, 2010- School Retirement Bill signed into law, Governor Granholm signs texting bill on Oprah Winfrey show, the Public Private Partnerships pass the House and Speaker Dillon unveils his substitute for his healthcare pooling bill and many other reforms are proposed.

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Capitol update for March 8 through April 2, 2010-Reforms, budget updates, DMC sale and much, much more.

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Capitol Update for January 29th through March 7th, 2010-The Senate votes to take away the state employee 3% pay raise, House votes to tie bar "right to work" zone bill to an economic development bill, many reforms introduced and moving, Michigan Denied "Race to the Top" money, the Governor's last "State of the State" speech and her budget recommendations for next year.

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Capitol update for November 30, 2009 through January 28, 2010-"Race to the top" passes the House and Senate and is signed into law reforming Michigan's schools; smoking ban passes the House and Senate and is signed into law; texting while driving passes the House and Senate; DEQ's renewable operating permit program becomes a political football thanks to the building trades; business leaders, Governor Granholm and Senate Majority Leader Bishop propose reforms attacking public employees; Oregon voters pass a tax increase on the rich and businesses; and the US Supreme Court issues landmark decision on independent expenditures; and more, much, much more...

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Capitol Update from October 12 through November 29th, 2009. Governor Granholm signs remaining 9 budgets, campaign finance legislation moves throught the House, state retiree dependent change, House Corrections Sub-Committee explores restoring "good time" credits in the corrections system, Senate and House exploring allowing individuals to bring properly stowed guns to work. Immediate action need on the renewable operating permit program. Board of Canvasser approves three ballot initiative petition forms. And more, much, much more.

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The budget deal for the 2009-2010 fiscal year drastically cuts many programs throughout the state departments. In particular, the DCH budget contains an 8% Medicaid reimbursement rate cut leaving many healthcare workers unemployed and many seniors and disabled individuals without the care they need, local municipalities will be cut by 11.06%, pushing around 30 municipalities into recievership, promise grants and other financial aid has been eliminated and local schools are facing a $165 per pupil cut and many, many, many more cuts.

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Capitol Update for August 8 through October 12, 2009- The Court of Appeals decides Detroit Living Wage Ordinance Case, House Labor reports out Correctional Officer Early Out Bill, HAL eliminated via Executive Order, DNR and DEQ merged via Exective Order, Wetlands Regulation passed and action needed on air quality fee legislation.

Professor Ballard Releases Report

State Employees-Professor Ballard Press

On August 17, 2009 a press conference was held at the Capitol. Michigan State University Economics Professor Charles Ballard presented a White Paper entitled “The Retrenchment of the State Employee Workforce in Michigan.” Several state employees spoke on what sacrifices they have made over the years and how the cost cutting to balance budgets has hurt the citizens of Michigan.

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Capitol Update for July 1 thru August 7, 2009. Campaign Finance bills taken up in committee, Dillon public employee health care plan proposal unveiled, identity theft and wrongful insurance denial legislation taken up and mortgage protection signed into law and more, much more.

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Capitol update, April 7 thru June 30, 2009- Inlcuding details on our lobby day, the UI Modernization package, worker freedom act, several bills impacting our correctional employees, the committtee on Government Efficiency, the committee resizing our state depts, State Health care reform, the budget cutting executive order, budget information and more.....

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Capitol Update for March 13 through April 6th, 2009. Foreclosure and drug immunity bill packages move the state House, SEIU fights to keep the wetlands program under state control and the US House and Senate pass versions of Obama's budget blueprint.

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Capitol Update for February 7 through March 12, 2009- Employee Free Choice Act resolutions, Meadows public retiree package moves, the Governor gives her budget recommendations, SEIU testifies before the Commission on Government Efficiency and the stimulus package passes on the federal level.

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Capitol update for January 1 through February 6th, 2009- The State's revenue estimating conference, ergonomics, house commiittee makeup, the Governor's 7th state of the state speech. On the federal level- Obama signs Ledbetter, SCHIP, and pushing to get his stimulus package passed.

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Capitol Update for October 7 through December 31, 2008- Detroit Police forensic scientist need you help, audits on the Dept. of Corrections released, bills concerning right to work and taking overtime away from home care workers get a hearing (testimony only), execuitive orders adding "energy" to Department of Labor and Economic Growth and cutting this year's budget.

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Capitol Update for August 4 through October 6th, 2008- Governor signs school aid, general government and transportation budgets and an Energy Package. The House passes SEIU Healthcare Local's nursing home regulation package. Ergonomics standards turned over to MIOSHA's General Industry Safety Commission and Occupational Health Standards Commission. SEIU launches major campaigns to protect the Wayne County Sheriff Deputies' and Detroit Police forensic scientists' jobs.

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Capitol update for June 17 through August 1, 2008- binding arbitration for county correction officers passes the House, nearly all of the budgets clear conference committee and SEIU Healthcare Michigan nursing home reform package clears the Senior Health committee.

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Lobby Day 3

Lobby Day 3

Capitol Update from April 19th through June 17th, 2008-Aramark campiagn successful, SEIU Local 517M's lobby day makes a difference, SEIU Michigan State Council launches new website, the Court of Appeals grants SEIU Local 3 and Michigan State Council's motion to submit an amicus brief to protect Detroit's Living Wage ordinance, a bill to restore county correction officers binding arbitration rights on the move, and much, much more.

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Capitol Update, February 9 thru April 18, 2008 - Aramark campaign, the House Healthcare Reform Committee and the CMS regulations get active letter writing campaigns, nursing home criminal background check revision and all but two budgets clear one chamber of the legislature.

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Capitol Update, December 11, 2007 thru February 8, 2008- The Governor's sixth state of the state speech, her proposed budgets for the 08-09 fiscal year, the federal stimulus package and Bush's bad budget deal.

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Capitol Update, October 23 thru December 11, 2007 - The legislature repeals the service tax and replaces it with a surcharge and budgets come out of conference committee.

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Capitol Update, August 16 thru October 22, 2007- Legislators reach a budget deal and budgets clear one chamber to be zeroed out by the other chamber and sent into conference committee.

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Capitol Update for June 8 thru July 10, 2007. LSJ publishes state employee payroll, Republicans go after state employees (again) and public service accountability resolution passes the House of Representatives unanimously.

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Capitol Update for August 6 thru August 15, 2007, Secretary of State Branch office closure stopped and Koivisto tapped to lead the Dept. of Agriculture.

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Capitol update for July 10 thru August 6th, 2007. Governor signs Michigan business tax, a bill to allow non-instructional school employees to negotiate outsourcing decisions passes the House and testimony on the patient safety legislation continues.

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Capitol Update for May 16 thru June 8, 2007. The '07 budget is worked out, DHS office closures, House moves some reforms and Department of Civil Service elminiated.

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Capitol update May 1 thru May 15, 2007. Governor threatens massive cuts to schools and Medicaid providers, the campaign finance omnibus bill moves out of the House.