(The Center Square) – Michigan House Republicans introduced House Concurrent Resolution 9 aiming for lawmakers to adjourn in late December.
The resolution notes, according to session schedule, that House lawmakers are to meet until Dec. 21 and the Senate is scheduled to meet until at least Dec. 14.
The plan follows as the Democratic majority in the House and Senate plan to stop legislative business and break for the year on Nov. 14 instead of adjourning in late December. The early adjournment is because last week, the Michigan House deadlocked 54-54 until a special session is called after two Democratic lawmakers won mayoral races in Warren and Westland.
Bills require support from at least 56 representatives out of 110 or require 90 days to become law.
Reps. Donni Steele, R-Orion Township, Tom Kuhn R-Troy, and Jamie Thompson, R-Brownstown, introduced HR 9 House Concurrent Resolution 9.
“I drive to Lansing swerving potholes and hearing from local residents tired of blackouts and failing schools,” Steele said in a statement “Those are all issues I’ve been trying to fix since I was elected, but the majority has blocked our plans at every turn. Adjourning nearly two months early instead of working through complex issues and oversight is a complete waste of state resources. We need to stay here and do the people’s work.”
HCR 9 aims to keep the Legislature in session until Monday, December 28.
“Less work, less pay,” Thompson said in a statement. “Taxpayers shouldn’t be on the hook for the extended vacation Democrats have decided to award themselves. People I represent are struggling. They want their life to be more affordable, and they want their representatives to address the high costs of groceries, health care, and electricity. There’s still work to get done. If legislators aren’t willing to work, they shouldn’t get paid.”
Even if Democrats controlling the House and Senate continued to meet through December, despite holding the Speaker’s gavel, they couldn’t enact legislation without Republican votes.
“House Democrats apparently want a part-time legislature with full-time pay,” Kuhn said in a statement. “House Democrats want to ignore important issues facing our communities and take an early Christmas holiday. But state lawmakers earn their wages by doing the people’s work, not sitting at home watching Christmas movies. If anyone else stopped showing up to work, they wouldn’t just stop receiving pay, they would be fired.”
