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Michigan Citizens,

The Medicaid Expansion bill is still in the Senate formerly http://www.minbcnews.com/news/story.aspx?id=758208#.UUiocFvwJ58. Why you may ask?

After the initial vote there was ANOTHER vote to give the bill immediate effect. According to the Michigan Constitution there needs to be 2/3 majority vote to give a bill immediate effect or else the bill (HB 4714) does not take effect until 90 days after the last date of the session (in December) which would be in April 2014

§ 27 Laws, effective date.
Sec. 27. No act shall take effect until the expiration of 90 days from the end of the session at which it was passed, but the legislature may give immediate effect to acts by a two-thirds vote of the members elected to and serving in each house.

History: Const. 1963, Art. IV, § 27, Eff. Jan. 1, 1964.

There wasn’t a 2/3 majority

Why is this important?

Pushing back the implementation is always important. Addtionally, it does throw a monkey wrench to getting everyone signed up on January 1st, 2014 when the implementation of Obamacare begins

And who knows what could happen in 90 days that could affect the Expansion?

Here are just four examples of the changes made in the nightmare that the Obama care law is:

1. Small business provisions delayed – April

2. Employer mandate delayed – July 2

3. Eligibility guidelines – verifications waived for a year...attestations will suffice. (Meaning we will take peoples’ words for it) July.

4. Delay of requirement to cap limits on out of pocket expenses – August

But wait, there’s more!.….18 Senators voted No on the bill but only 14 Senators voted NO to give the expansion bill immediate effect.

One of those “voting no before he voted Yes” on immediate effect was Senator Meekhof.

If you recall the 1st vote on the Senate floor was 19 Yes 18 No. After an exemplary move by Senator Colbeck who did not vote denying Lt Gov Cally, (a YES vote) the tie breaking vote to put the bill over the top. BRAVO to Senator Colbeck !

19 to 18 is not a majority of the majority (GOP) vote.

Therefor, as Senate floor leader Senate Meekhof should NOT have asked for a reconsideration of the vote, or a second vote.

“Senator Meekhof moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was defeated. The motion prevailed.” Senate Journal #65 pg 1322

As you know the reconsideration vote gave Casperson the opportunity to flip and cast the deciding YES vote.

Meekhof did the right thing once, however he went from hero to zero authorizing the reconsideration vote that passed the Expansion bill. And Senator Meekhoff has designs on becoming the new Senate majority leader.

Sen. Richardville will definitely push for a reconsideration vote on immediate effect this Tuesday at noon when the Senate reconvenes!

So our FIRST Action Item is:

Call (as a first choice, then e-mail) Arlan B Meekhof (R) 30th District and tell him to do the RIGHT THING this time and refuse to take a reconsideration vote on immediate effect

You can call any time and leave a message

By Phone: (517) 373-6920 Toll Free: (866) 305-2130 By Fax: (517) 373-2751 By Email: SenAMeekhof@senate.michigan.gov

IMPORTANT NOTE: Since the spin under the Dome has always been that the opposition to the Expansion was just a “Tea party thing” be sure to include when you call IF you are a MIGOP precinct delegate, Committee member or County Chair.

SECOND Action Item

Call, E-mail the Senators who voted NO for the bill to have immediate effect, Thank them and ask them to hang tough and vote NO again should Meekhoff authorized a vote to reconsider (the first) immediate effect vote
Sen. Booher Phone: 517-373-1725  Fax: 517-373-0741

Sen. Emmons  Phone: 517-373-3760  Fax: 517-373-8661

Sen Brandenburg Phone: 517-373-7670   Fax: 517-373-5958

Sen. Green  Phone: 517-373-1777  Fax: 517-373-5871

Sen. Caswell  Phone: 517-373-5932  Fax: 517-373-5944

Sen. Hune  Phone: 517-373-2420  Fax: 517-373-2764

Sen. Colbeck    Phone: 517-373-7350   Fax: 517-373-9228

Sen. Jones Phone:517-373-3447  Fax: 517-373-5849

Sen.Moolenaar Phone: 517-373-7946  Fax:  517-373-2678

Sen. Nofs   Phone: 517-373-2426  Fax: 517-373-2964

Sen. Pavlov  Phone: 517-373-7708  Fax: 517-373-1450

Sen.Proos  Phone: 517-373-6960  Fax:  517-373-0897

Sen. Robertson Phone: 517-373-1636  Fax: 517-373-1453

Sen. Schuitmaker  Phone: 517-373-0793  Fax:  517-373-5607

Copy & Paste into your email program to send one email to all the Senators:
sendbooher@senate.michigan.gov,senjemmons@senate.michigan.gov,
senjbrandenburg@senate.michigan.gov,senmgreen@senate.michigan.gov,
senbcaswell@senate.michigan.gov,senjhune@senate.michigan.gov,
SenPColbeck@senate.michigan.gov,SenRJones@senate.michigan.gov,
senjmoolenaar@senate.michigan.gov,senmnofs@senate.michigan.gov,
senppavlov@senate.michigan.gov,SenJProos@senate.michigan.gov,
SenDRobertson@senate.michigan.gov,sentschuitmaker@senate.michigan.gov

THIRD Action Item

Call/email the Senators (below) especially IF you are a constituent, who voted NO to pass the bill but then turned around and voted YES for the bill to have an immediate effect! (pg 3126 of Senate Journal # 65) The “I voted No before I voted Yes” cover.

And ask them why they would do that?!

Inform your Senator that you want them to vote consistently and vote NO for immediate effect should there be one (and there will be Tuesday)

Sen. Meekhof (once again) By Phone: (517) 373-6920 Toll Free: (866) 305-2130 By Fax: (517) 373-2751 By Email: SenAMeekhof@senate.michigan.gov

Sen. Dave Hildebrande (R) 29th State Senate District (517) 373-1801
Fax: 517-373-5801   SenDHildenbrand@senate.michigan.gov

Mark Jensen (R)  28th State Senate District (517) 373-0797 Fax: 517-373-5236  senmjansen@senate.michigan.gov

John Pappageorge (R) 13th State Senate District  (517) 373-2523  Fax: 517-373-5669 senjpappageorge@senate.michigan.gov

The Senate session Tuesday may be another long one as there will be arm twisting to get the Senators who voted No to vote Yes as Sen. Richarville’s goal is to get the bill out ASAP and over to the House for a vote most likely on Wednesday.

“The focus was definitely to get House Bill 4714 up for a vote and through the chamber. We’ll see what next week holds,” said Amber McCann, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville, R-Monroe.

TO WATCH OR LISTEN ON SENATE TV Tuesday starting at noon CLICK HERE

THEN on to the House

Look for Part Two tomorrow, Tuesday for Action Item and information on the House vote