Michigan House Democrats wait as lengthy attendance call ends in failure to reach a quorum. Dec. 18, 2024 | Kyle Davidson
As the House and Senate reconvened Wednesday, Democratic absences in both chambers dashed the day’s policy making plans.
Wednesday marked the second-to-last session on the schedule for the Michigan House of Representatives. However, with Republicans refusing to attend sessions in the House after Democrats opted not to act on changes to the minimum wage laws, earned sick leave and road funding and both state Sen. Sylvia Santana (D-Detroit) and Rep. Karen Whitsett (D-Detroit) telling the Detroit News they would not attend legislative sessions until the House takes action to retain the tipped wage, adjust changes to paid sick leave laws, solidify a road funding plan, and pass a water affordability package. Whitsett also said she would like to see action on legislation to establish a public safety trust fund.
Without Whitsett and Republicans in attendance, the House did not have the majority needed to establish a quorum and conduct business and stood at ease shortly before 3 p.m.
Republicans said they were ready to work with Democratic leaders including Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, but House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit) is halting progress, Speaker-elect Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.) told media members Wednesday morning.
“We need to bring this madness to an end, and if Joe Tate will put up bills that matter to the people of Michigan, like fixing our roads, improving our sick leave policies for workers and fixing the tip system and saving our restaurant workers, we’ll come in and vote,” Hall said.
This summer the Michigan Supreme Court determined that the Republican-led legislature in 2018 had failed to uphold their role in the democratic process by adopting and amending two ballot initiatives to change the state minimum wage and paid sick leave, changing the policies from the ballots’ intents through amendments during lame duck session. Effectively the state is now set to eliminate tipped wages over the next few years and expand paid sick leave, to the dismay of many in the business community.
This is the second session day in a row that House Republicans have declined to come to the floor for votes, with Democrats able to pass dozens of bills last Friday using their 56 members. However, one lawmaker in the House declined to attend the session Wednesday.
At around noon on Monday, the attendance board remained open as Democrats broke for lunch with plans to return an hour later. While not all Democrats had checked in on the board, Whitsett was the sole member who hadn’t been spotted at the Capitol.
With chaos in the House prompting criticism of Speaker Tate’s leadership, Reps. Tyrone Carter (D-Detroit), Brenda Carter (D-Pontiac) Amos O’Neal (D-Saginaw), Laurie Pohustky (D-Livonia) and Helena Scott (D-Detroit) held a press conference Wednesday morning in his defense.
“We all took an oath, and folks need to understand that the speaker was elected by his peers, meaning he cannot make anybody do anything. This is not football where Dan Campbell can say ‘Either run these plays or I’m going to cut you.’ We came in with a 56 on paper, majority 56 on paper, but we quickly discovered that everybody doesn’t have that team mentality,” Carter said.
O’Neal emphasized that legislators are mandated to legislate.
“If you’re not here, if you’re not present, then you’re not doing your job,” O’Neal said.
“We can all be critical on any thing, any situation we want, but being critical really doesn’t solve the problem. Solving a problem means you might have a difficulty with some situations, but you gotta come to the table and talk through it, not take your marbles and go home. That’s not the way you can do business in Lansing,” O’Neal said.
In a post to Facebook, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat, stressed a similar point.
“Article IV of the Michigan Constitution defines the role of the Legislature and how it is to be constituted. The chief purposes of the Legislature are to enact new laws and amend or repeal existing laws…What Rep. Whitsett and the MI House Republicans have chosen to do today is literally criminal,” Nessel said.
In a statement, Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) called on Hall to bring House Republicans back to session.
“Matt Hall – you’ve made your point. Now it’s time to show up and negotiate. If you’re serious about getting a better deal on wages, sick time, and roads, I’m at the table and there’s a chair for you. We have the time, and the Senate has the session days to get it done,” Brinks said. “The people of Michigan are counting on us to be present and do our jobs. Setting a precedent of walking out when things aren’t going your way is not how you want to start your speakership.”
Hall is set to serve as Speaker of the House when Republicans take control of the House in January with a 58-52 majority.
Hall responded to Brinks’ statement in a thread on X, saying Tate had been an obstacle to working with the Senate majority leader.
“He has lied over and over. He’s been unable to deliver votes he promised,” Hall said.
“The speaker has failed to follow through, and from his number one priority — the land value tax — all the way to roads, he has repeatedly shown himself unable or unwilling to honor his commitments,” Hall said. “ Then last week, he failed again, making it clear to the press that plans to protect restaurant workers and workable earned sick time are dead. Speaker Tate’s weak leadership has left Michigan workers without the actions they need.”
Democrats and Republicans deadlocked earlier this year when Hall claimed Tate failed to deliver on a deal to put forward several Republican-sponsored bills in exchange for GOP votes on a a Land Value Tax (LVT) which would give Detroit homeowners a permanent property tax beginning in 2025. The bills have sat untouched after failing to secure enough Democratic votes in October 2023.
Democrats hold a 20-18 majority in the Senate, however 20 votes are needed to pass legislation, leaving Democrats one vote short of the needed threshold.
Santana seemingly responded to Nessel’s comments on social media saying “It would be a Progressive Tough on Crime AG to call 2 Black women criminals for taking a principled stand on behalf Black people.”
Under the House rules a call of the House can be ordered to bring all members of the House to the floor. Under the order, the roll of the House shall be called by the Clerk and The Sergeant at Arms may be dispatched after the absentees, who shall deliver such absentees to the House “with all possible speed.”
Pohutsky, who serves as speaker pro tem, said she had supported a call of the House, and that she wasn’t alone. However, Carter questioned how that process would be executed.
“With the limited police resources, what does it look like going out and getting 55 to 60 members when they don’t show up,” Carter asked.
Per the House rules, the Speaker or presiding officer may, upon motion, deputize any person properly qualified should the sergeant at arms need assistance in delivering lawmakers to the floor, including any member of the Michigan State Police.
But in the end that threat was not carried out and the day’s activities sputtered to a halt.
Thursday is the only other session day on the House’s calendar, and there aren’t plans to add days to the calendar, spokesperson for the Michigan House Democratic Caucus, Jess Travers told members of the media.
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