Whitmer lays out fall priorities: paid leave, clean energy, abortion access

Governor Gretchen Whitmer speaks after taking a ride on the Flint MTA’s new hydrogen fuel cell bus on Wednesday, April 26, 2023, at a Mass Transit Authority facility in Grand Blanc Township. Flint will be replacing its last two diesel busses with hydrogen fuel cell powered busses completing its transition to clean energy public transportation. Brice Tucker | [email protected]

In an agenda-setting speech laying out her priorities for the remainder of 2023, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer gave marching orders to the state legislature that were sprawling in scope but light in detail toward the policies she called for.

“What’s next on the fall agenda for Michigan is the health of our people, the health of our planet, the health of our economy and the health of our democracy,” Whitmer said.

Most of the policies she called for in the speech had been relayed to various news outlets in the days leading up to the address. Whitmer began her remarks touting economic development projects already underway throughout the state, particularly in the automotive and technology sectors.

The factories will ”help Michigan go toe-to-toe with China, bringing critical parts of the auto supply chain home,” Whitmer said, adding: “We must reduce our reliance on Chinese products, which have caused work stoppages, shortages and car price hikes over the last few years.”

She called for the establishment of a paid family and medical leave policy, a 100% carbon-free energy standard and the further removal of barriers to accessing abortion services.

Whitmer cast paid leave as a key measure needed to grow Michigan’s economy and population.

“While many large companies already offered this benefit, small businesses often cannot afford to,” she said. “When we enact paid leave, we’ll level the playing and help small businesses attract and retain workers.”

Whitmer spoke of Michigan as “a destination for people seeking safe water, clean air and opportunity” in the era of climate change, and argued Michigan could transform its energy sector without major sacrifices while pushing for energy efficiency incentives.

“We can achieve 100% clean energy while balancing reliability and affordability,” Whitmer said.

Some members of her party in the legislature have blasted the state’s largest utilities for taking days to restore power after storms earlier this year.

The Michigan Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities, should have expanded authority and be able to incorporate climate change and equity into its decision-making process, Whitmer said. She also called for streamlining the state’s permitting process so clean energy projects could move forward more quickly in order to realize Michigan’s energy goals.

Whitmer additionally pushed for the legislature to enact laws preventing election subversion and to codify portions of the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, into state law.

“We cannot allow the will of the people to be tossed out or overturn and we can’t permit politicians to stay in office despite getting voted out,” she said. “We must ensure that Michiganders are heard and respected”

Key details in Whitmer’s calls for major policy changes, however, went unspoken in the speech.

She didn’t touch on how a paid family and medical leave would be paid for, how many weeks should be offered and if all Michigan workers should be eligible for leave.

Similarly, Whitmer didn’t mention a date for when Michigan should achieve an 100% carbon-free energy standard. Gilchrist had previously endorsed 2035 as a deadline to reach the benchmark.

The event was also a victory lap to celebrate Democrats’ policy accomplishments from the first half of the year. Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist opened the address with a litany of praises for Democratic legislators who sponsored the policies the majority has hailed as significant wins throughout the year.

Democrats control all three branches of state government and spent the first part of the year swiftly undoing many of the keystone policies of the prior decade under Republican leadership of former Gov. Rick Snyder, including an income tax on some retirement income and “right-to-work.”

Legislative leaders, who maintain just two-vote majorities in each chamber, can only withstand one defection on party-line votes in order to pass bills, forcing them to act delicately on sensitive subjects. They avoided providing any specific feedback after the speech, aside from general support of Whitmer’s message.

“There are some good models out there,” Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, said of paid leave. “We’re going through all the pros and cons of how to do it.”

House Speaker Joe Tate, D-Detroit, spent nearly 10 minutes with reporters without revealing any details about the legislature’s plans, the policies they intend to pass or his own views of the governor’s agenda.

Rep. Phil Green, R-Watertown Township, was one of just a few elected Republicans in attendance after receiving an invitation. He was skeptical of much of what the governor proposed, aside from a call to rein in the price of prescription drugs.

“We have local governments that already permit, we have local governments that zone we have residents ... that are speaking, they’re saying look, we don’t want this type of energy in our community,” Green said. “And yet, Lansing is going to say, ‘You’re going to get it anyway’.”

House Minority Leader Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, said in a statement after the speech Whitmer’s proposals would “only increase the cost of living.”

Whitmer ended the speech with an exhortation to Michiganders to be ambassadors to the state.

“Every conversation with folks from other states should start with ‘Hi, I live in Michigan and here’s why you should too,’” Whitmer said. “We have it all so let’s tell the story, because we’re Michiganders, damn it, and there’s nothing better than that.”

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