The County Press

Rep. Howell: Abolish lame-duck sessions


Rep. Gary Howell R-Deerfield Township

Rep. Gary Howell R-Deerfield Township

Editor’s note: The following guest opinion was written by Rep. Gary Howell, R-Deerfield Township — who was recently instrumental to stopping lame-duck legislation that could’ve prevented communities like Metamora Township from having local control to restrict new gravel mining. T wenty-one months ago I introduced my proposed House Joint Resolution I to permanently abolish lame duck legislative sessions. As most voters know, lame duck is the seven-week period between the November election and the January 1st date when newly-elected officials take office.

This year 45 out of 110 members will not be returning to the House. In the Senate, 26 out of 38 members will be out of office on Jan. 1. It is unfortunate that legislators who are leaving office in two weeks are making long term decisions instead of the legislators elected by the people on Nov. 7.

I initially became an opponent of lame duck after the 2016 session where we were forced to vote on an energy bill consisting of an ever-changing 250 pages after a session that extended from 10 a.m. on one day to 6:00 a.m. the next day. Bleary eyed legislators who are given minimal information do not make good decisions. One of the reasons I voted “no” on that bill was to protest the ridiculous process.

In this year’s lame duck session we are being presented with an avalanche of bills — many of which were not even introduced until after the election. I am working hard to prevent passage of the worst of these bills.

Australia, as well as many other rational democracies, do not allow any bills to be passed during a lame duck period. Michigan should do the same.

I will be reintroducing my Joint Resolution again in the new legislative session. I challenge the political parties to show leadership on this issue. In past years, both Republican and Democratic legislative majorities have declined to take action to eliminate lame duck sessions. It is time for Republicans and Democrats to join together and take action to end this dysfunctional practice.

Let’s abolish lame duck and strengthen our democracy!