This week saw the Senate concentrating on finishing up the budget, making this two years in a row that the budget for the state has been finished before the annual summer recess. The House concentrated on its income tax relief package at the beginning of the week and passing more education reforms by the end of the week. Lets take a closer look though at items that have an impact on medicine:
House:
The House Health Policy committee met this week to consider House Bill 5711, 5712, and 5713 which amend the public health code to cover several changes concerning abortion. As with abortion, testimony was very emotional, with the Michigan chapter of Right to Life starting out the testimony. 5711 is an omnibus bill that took four pieces of legislation and smashed them together creating a bill that dealt with fetal remain disposal, liability coverage for those preforming a abortion, and two with coercion and being forced into an abortion. Dr.Matthew Allswede, a obstetrician and President of the Michigan chapter of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists testified summing up that with the passage of these bills they face threatening further growing the need for obstetricians in the state. Some members of the committee from both sides of the aisle had issues with the legislation but at the end of the day were forced to vote the legislation out of committee. The bills now await action on the House floor which will happen next week.
The House Judiciary committee was scheduled to meet but was canceled due to the impending problems with Detroit lighting. Hopefully the committee will meet this coming Thursday, pending any other reasons to postpone the hearing.
Senate:
The Senate Health Policy committee met this week, although very briefly, considered and took testimony on Senate Bill 481 which would increase the scope of practice for advance practice nurses. MSMS stands adamantly opposed to the expansion and expressed those concerns with the committee. Since the committee was short on time no action was taken on the legislation and it rumored to be reworked in a way that physicians could consider. Once we have more information, we will be sure to share it, as for now we stand ready to work with the committee and fight irresponsible expansion of scope.
The Senate Insurance committee was also short on time this week but continued taking testimony on the Senate version of the Patients First Reform package (SB 1115-1118). It is also rumored that the committee could consider taking a vote next week on the legislation. Stay tuned for updates.
Elections:
The race for congress in Michigan's 11th district just got dicier as the Secretary of State finds that the signatures to get on the primary ballot may have been forged by someone in Rep. McCotter's campaign therefore not making him eligible for the ballot, leaving a virtual unknown running as the Republican front runner. Former Michigan Senator Nancy Cassis as committed to running a write-in campaign to hopefully win the primary ballot. If this happens, it will be the first time that this has been successful in Michigan for that particular office. Things will now heat up in Michigan's 11th.
On a personal note we at MSMS want to offer our condolences to Senator Goeff Hansen and his family with the loss of their son. All of us at MSMS offer our thoughts and prayers through this difficult time.
Continue to stay with MSMS Legislative Update to gain all the information happening at the capitol and more go to http://www.msms.org/advocacy.
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