Resolutions have been announced in Lansing to make the Michigan Legislature part time.
State Senator Michael Webber and state Representative Brad Paquette wrote the resolutions. Under them, the Legislature wouldn’t be allowed to meet for more than 90 consecutive days.
Exceptions would be made for “extraordinary occasions,” but Paquette says part time lawmakers would be less likely to be lobbied.
“We also failed to pass a lot of transparency and ethics reforms last week, so this is the next opportunity that we have and it should be the number one priority, to devote energy into changing that stat about 16% of the public thinks we’re in office with the right intentions,” Paquette said. “So, there’s a lot of energy around this, bipartisan energy.”
The pair of resolutions were introduced after the Legislature adjourned on the earliest date since 1968 this year.
Paquette says Michigan is one of just 10 states with a full time legislature.
