(The Center Square) – House Republican Leader Matt Hall called on Democrat House Speaker Joe Tate of Detroit to “address major issues” including criminalizing fertility fraud.
The Richland Township lawmaker called for “balanced committees” to vet bills and claimed the speaker reneged on promised actions on five bills in October.
Hall claimed Democrats “rejected” collaboration proposals after adjourning in November.
“The chamber has passed only one bill since we reconvened in January. One week, you gave Republican representatives minimal time to review a proposed amendment and expected our members to post their votes without a full understanding of the change.”
Tate spokesperson Amber McCann told The Center Square in an email, “Matt Hall’s attempt to hold the House of Representatives hostage by rewriting history has been received and will be filed accordingly.”
Hall said House Republicans committed 10 votes in support of allowing the city of Detroit to create a land value tax that eventually failed in exchange for Democrat support of the following five bills.
House Bill 4578 aims to fully exempt the retirement and pension benefits of retired state corrections officers from the income tax. House Bill 4011 seeks to reduce penalties and help relieve grieving family farmers who fail to file state paperwork on time after a family member’s death on the farm.House Bills 4178–4182, aims to criminalizing fertility fraud — deceit about sperm donors and other details related to assisted reproduction.House Bill 4694 seeks to require a percentage of benefits for a foster youth to be deposited into an account until the youth is 18.
Hall also offered Republican caucus support for House Bill 4028, which aims to exempt tow trucks from seasonal weight restrictions when towing a broken-down vehicle.
Hall said it is “well past time” for the Michigan Legislature to pass these bills.
“The people we represent have waited long enough,” Hall wrote in the letter. “We hope that you will bring up these common-sense bills for votes this week.”
For the first time in 40 years, voters gave Democrats a political trifecta until two lawmakers won local mayoral races.