LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Senate has passed a resolution that could lead to legal action against the Speaker of the House for failing to present bills to Governor Gretchen Whitmer for approval, a move that has sparked partisan tensions within the state legislature.
The resolution, which passed Wednesday, addresses concerns that the House of Representatives has deliberately delayed the presentation of nine bills to the Governor. According to the Michigan Constitution, every bill passed by the state legislature must be presented to the Governor for approval. Article IV, Section 33 of the state constitution mandates this procedure, but Senate leaders argue the House has failed in its constitutional duty.
The resolution specifically claims that the Speaker of the House, a Democrat, has instructed the House to withhold the bills, an action that Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) asserts violates the constitution. Brinks argued that the delays are unacceptable and that the Senate, as a co-equal chamber, has the right to pursue legal action to compel the Speaker to fulfill the constitutional requirement.
“The Constitution does not permit the House’s unilateral decision to delay presenting those bills to the Governor,” the resolution reads.
In response to the Senate’s move, Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R-Porter Township) sharply criticized the resolution, labeling it a “Democratic stunt.” Nesbitt argued that the Senate’s focus on the delayed bills was a partisan maneuver that ignored more pressing issues facing the state, such as the impending loss of 50,000 jobs in Michigan’s hospitality industry.
“Michigan is on the brink of economic disaster next month with 50,000 hospitality industry jobs at stake,” Nesbitt said in a statement. “While the House is working toward a bipartisan plan to avert this looming catastrophe, Senate Democrats are wasting time on a partisan political stunt.”
The tension between the two chambers highlights ongoing divisions within the state legislature, with both sides accusing the other of playing politics rather than addressing the state’s critical challenges. The resolution is expected to escalate the conflict, with the potential for further legal battles or negotiations to resolve the matter.
As Michigan continues to face economic uncertainty, the delay of important legislation and the partisan gridlock in the state government remain points of contention for both lawmakers and citizens alike.
