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The Senate today passed a ban on the so-called lifetime benefits for future lawmakers, HB 4194 sponsored by Sen. Dian SLAVENS (D-Canton). The bill moved from the Reforms and Restructuring Committee earlier today. On the floor, it passed 28-10. It was vociferously opposed by Sen. Bruce PATTERSON (R-Canton), whose statement was adopted by many senators as their "no" vote explanation. "We are destroying this institution and we should be ashamed," Patterson declared.
Sen. Mickey SWITALSKI (D-Roseville) offered an amendment to tie-bar the bill to SB 0133 Sen. Wayne KUIPERS (R-Holland) that establishes a graded premium.
It failed on a mostly party-line 16-22 vote. Switalski said that the Kuipers bill was better reform that put lawmakers on the same footing as other public employees. "This bill goes too far," said Switalski of HB 4194. "I think lifetime health care benefits are wrong and must end." Kuipers said he didn't support the amendment. Switalski's amendment would "weaken" HB 4194, he said. "I think the drastic time that we're in . . . requires us to take drastic measures,” Kuipers said.
Sen. John PAPPAGEORGE (R-Troy) said it didn't make sense to tie-bar the legislation because it was a different issue.
He said there should be a substitute. Switalski said he had a substitute and would offer it Pappageorge would back him, but there didn't appear to be any interest in doing so. Sen. Deb CHERRY (D-Burton) said no lawmaker gets lifetime benefits, as lawmakers qualify for health care from ages 55 to 65 until they are Medicare-eligible. "It's part of the rhetoric, but it's not the truth," she said.
Sen. Gilda JACOBS (D-Huntington Woods) said that there might be public pressure for things that aren't the right policy. What lawmakers really should be focusing on is eradicating poverty, she said. "We know how angry and rightfully so people are in Michigan. We know what the pollsters are saying." She asked lawmakers to remember an old saying: “Don't spit in the water because someday you might have to drink it.” HB 4194 is tie-barred to SB 0132 sponsored by Kuipers, which would eliminate health care coverage for the retired judges and state executive officials who are elected after Nov. 1, 2010.
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