| I’m writing today with an update on the Lame Duck legislative period here in Lansing. It’s been a roller coaster, it’s been a rumor mill, and it’s certainly been a swampy mess. This email contains good news, bad news, and a call to action. This week, hundreds of corporate lobbyists, and thousands of ordinary Michiganders, swarmed the Michigan Capitol to compete for the attention of the outgoing legislature. Rent Is Too Damn High coalition members were among them, working to advance essential Rights for Renters. Here’s the bad news: Governor Whitmer, House Speaker Tate, and Senate Leader Brinks have offered zero leadership to the Lame Duck session. It’s almost as if they want their caucuses divided and fighting among each other…or they don’t know any better…or they just don’t care. I’m not sure which is worse. As one journalist wrote, “If Whitmer, Tate and Brinks assembled a list of what they want to get done, it must be under lock and key and hidden under the catalpa tree on the Capitol lawn because no one seems to have seen it.” (See quote in this article.) The result is chaotic disorganization within the narrow Democratic majority, and uncertainty about whether both chambers will be able to pass anything at all. Here’s the good news: Amidst this uncertainty, we and our allies have managed to push forward several bills that would improve the lives of tenants.Fair Chance Access to Housing for returning citizens (HB 4878) and Eviction Expungement (HB 5238) both passed through the House Housing subcommittee this Thursday. Now they go to the Economic Development and Small Business Committee, which will meet on Tuesday.Rumor has it that several additional bills from our Housing Homestretch package will also be heard at that same Economic Development and Small Business Committee hearing. Calls to action: We’ve made progress, but we have a long way to go in a short amount of time. Here’s what you can do to help push these bills forward.ACTION 1: Send an email to Speaker Tate, Leader Brinks, and Committee Chair Jason Hoskins, asking them to advance these bills and put them on the floor in both chambers. Send your email using this helpful tool built by We the People Action Fund.ACTION 2: Attend the House Economic Development and Small Business Committee hearing at 9:00am on Tuesday December 10. The hearing will be held in the Anderson House Office Building, Room 326. If you’re free that day, plan to stick around Lansing after the hearing, for additional opportunities to advocate for our priorities. That’s all for now. I’ll send another email with updates at the end of this week. Send those emails, and hope to see you on Tuesday! Renters deserve better, Will |
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