Hot Topics in
Legislative Issues
Presented by the MACRAO Legislative Issues Committee with special guest:
David Lossing, M.P.A., Ed.S.
Director of Government Relations
University of Michigan-Flint
November 6, 2014
“No one really cared to open the
black box, look inside and see
how things worked.”
-Barmak Nassirian, Director of Federal Relations for the American Association of State Colleges and
Universities (AASCU), Governing January 2014 issue.
MACRAO Legislative Issues Purpose
Statement:
This committee is responsible for keeping the membership updated on legislative
issues that impact higher education. This includes regular updates through the
monthly electronic newsletter and sponsoring other events pertaining to legislative
issues.
Legislative Issues Committee Members
Chair: Iris Shen-VanBuren, Admissions Counselor @ Michigan State University
Co-Chair: Deedee Stakley, Transfer Services Center Director @ Ferris State University
Matt Bohlen, Admissions Counselor @ University of Michigan-Flint
Cathryn Claerhout, Director of Admissions @ Northwestern Michigan College
Theresa Jacques, Registrar @ Michigan Tech University
Karen Klumpp, Vice President of Enrollment Management @ Alma College-Alma
Steve Linden, Registrar @ Oakland Community College
Sally Lindsley, Senior Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions @University of
Michigan-Ann Arbor
Dr. Nicole Rovig, University Registrar @ Michigan State University
Rhonda VanderZwaag, Admissions Counselor @ Eastern Michigan University
Hot Topics NOT being covered
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Michigan Transfer Agreement (MTA)
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Reverse Transfer: Gov. Snyder received his associates
degree from Kellogg Community College (9-22-14)
Michigan - Election 2014
What Happened?
State of Michigan:
Governor’s Race:
Attorney General:
Secretary of State:
Michigan House of Representatives:
Rick Snyder (I) or Mark Schauer
Bill Schuette (I) or Mark Totten
Ruth Johnson (I) or Godfrey Dillard
Current GOP:
59
Dems: 50
Ind: 1
2015
GOP:
63
Dems: 47
Michigan State Senate:
Current GOP:
26
Dems: 12
2015
GOP:
27
Dems: 11
Michigan State Board of Education:
Pamela Pugh (D) & Cassandra Ulbrich (D); Dems Lead 6-2
University of Michigan Regents:
Kathy White (D) & Mike Behm (D); Dems Lead 6-2
Michigan State University Board of Trustees: Melanie Foster (R) & George Perles (D); Dems lead 5-3
Wayne State University Board of Governors: Marilyn Kelly (D) & Dana Thompson (D); Dems Lead 6-2
Federal - Election 2014
What Happened?
State of Michigan:
U.S. Senate seat:
Control of the U.S. Senate:
Gary Peters or Terri Lynn Land
GOP:
45
DEM:
53 – 2013/2014
GOP:
52
DEM:
45 – 2015/2016
Still unknown: Alaska (D), Louisiana (D), Virginia (D)
2016 US Senate elections: Dems have 9 seats up; GOP have 22 seats up
Contested U.S. House Seats:
District #1:
District #6:
District #7:
District #8:
District #11:
Control of the U.S. House:
Rep. Dan Benishek (I) or Jerry Cannon
Rep. Fred Upton (I) or Paul Clements
Rep. Tim Walberg (I) or Pam Byrnes
Rep-Elect Mike Bishop or Eric Schertzing (open seat)
Rep-Elect David Trott or Bobby McKenzie (open seat)
GOP:
234
DEM:
201 – 2013/2014
GOP:
242
DEM:
174 - 2015/2016
Michigan Congressional Delegation:
GOP:
9
DEM:
5 – no change
th
th
New Members: John Moolenaar in the 4 ; Debbie Dingell in the 12 ; Brenda Lawerence in the 14th
Pending Legislation
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Pay-it-forward
Promise zones
Yellow Ribbon
Baccalaureates at CCs
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Elliot-Larsen
Foster Care Youth
Concurrent Enrollments
Pay-it-Forward
HB 5315: State Rep. David Knezek, Rep. Theresa Abed
SB 784: Sen. Jim Ananich
Introduced February 12, 2014: House Michigan Competitiveness & Senate Appropriations committee
These bills would create and appropriate funding for a five-year pilot program to test a pay-it-forward
tuition repayment program for university and community college students. The Smarter Michigan and
Retaining Talent (SMART) Program will pay the tuition for participating students in exchange for those
students' agreement to pay the state a certain percentage of their future income. The bill specifies the
percentage of the participant's future income she or he will be obligated to pay and the length of the
repayment plan.
Promise zones
HB 4575: State Rep. Jon Bumstead
*Approved by State House 6/2013
SB 312 (P.A. 210 of 2013): Sen. Goeffrey Hansen
*Vocational Education included
This bill seeks to increase number of governing bodies authorized to establish more promise zones. Promise zones provide
scholarships to all students who both live within the zone's boundaries and graduate from a high school located within those
boundaries. All must also provide a scholarship that gives students a tuition (and mandatory fees) free path to at least an
associate’s degree at one institution.
Yellow Ribbon for National Guard
HB 5451 (P.A. 259 of 2013)
Rep. Bruce Rendon
Creates a new act that provides tuition assistance program for Michigan National
Guard members. Criteria under development.
Estimates that 20% of the 8,000 Army and Air guard active members may be
eligible.
FY 2014-15 budget has $4.7 million available.
Baccalaureates at Two-Year Colleges
HB 4148
Rep. Mike Shirkey
Establish education programs and grant bachelor degrees in:
Nursing
Information technology
Ski area management
Wastewater treatment technology
Manufacturing Technology Allied health information technology
Foster Care Youth
HB 5444
State Rep. Peter MacGregor
Would amend the Foster Care Trust Fund Act to establish a new Fostering Futures Trust Fund and create
a new five-member board to administer the fund. The board would be charged with providing
opportunities for individuals and organizations to make contributions to go toward providing scholarships
for current and former foster care youth
Passed the State House on Sept 24, 2014 by 108-1. Referred to the Senate Committee on Families,
Seniors and Human Services
Concurrent Enrollments
SB 747 (public universities)
State Sen. Geoff Hansen
SB 746 (community colleges)
State Sen. Darwin Booher
Bills to authorize state universities and community colleges to offer academic credit for concurrent
enrollment courses provided by public high schools in this state; and to authorize lower tuition rates for
those courses.
Introduced but no action taken yet.
Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act
Michigan's non-discrimination law, the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, was written and passed in
1976. The law bans discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations based on
religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight and marital status. Attempts have been
made to amend the act to include sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.
To date: as of February 2014, over 32 cities, townships, villages and counties have approved nondiscrimination ordinances that protects sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.
Will it happen at the State Level?
Ask Dave?