We’ve scratched our heads and asked this question several times over years of following the Michigan Legislature; but lately we’ve seen more and more of this tactic.
Those of you who work on legislative matters know that things can happen suddenly and one’s schedule is determined by outside forces. However, the past few months have seen an usual number of bills this early in the session (which doesn’t end until December 2022) that are rushed to a committee hearing within days — or sometimes hours — of being introduced. We’d likely not be writing this if the bills being rushed to a hearing were ones we support (it occasionally does happen). But the following bills are all ones that AFA’s board has voted to oppose:
- Senate Resolutions 15 and 20, calling for hunting of the gray wolf and Sandhill crane; both were on the Natural Resources Committee agenda the week following their introduction (of note, AFA joined other organizations in submitting letters in opposition despite the time crunch)
- The horse racing bill packages, one in the Senate and one in the House, were introduced less than 24 hours before they were heard in both Agriculture Committees; in fact, the committee agenda was published before the bills were publicly available. These are SBs 396 — 399 and HBs 4823 — 4924:
- First, a shout-out to AFA’s board who reviewed and voted on the bills within hours, so that our opposition could be registered
- Second, these bill packages just happened to be introduced — and then heard — the week before the Kentucky Derby (Senate) and the Preakness (House)
- Third, at each hearing, there were at least two witnesses from the horse racing industry who were available via zoom (full disclosure: AFA asked to testify at the initial hearing and was not able, but did testify at the next hearing at which the vote was taken)
- Both bill packages were reported favorably from committee; the Senate bills by a 5-0 vote, the House by 8-3.
- Continuing into June: last week SB 486 was introduced, with a hearing set for Wednesday, June 2, in the Senate Natural Resources Committee. The bill would re-write the statute that creates the Wolf Management Advisory Council to require all members be residents of the Upper Peninsula. AFA’s board has voted to oppose and we will submit testimony for this week’s hearing. (Full disclosure: we have a special interest in this bill, having been appointed recently to the WMAC to represent animal advocacy interests, and not being UP residents.)
If you are interested in more information about this subject, be sure to join our Lunch + Legislation next Monday, June 7, from 12 noon to 12:15PM (Eastern).