The 2018 lame duck legislative session has moved at a record pace. More than 300 bills were introduced since the midterm elections on November 6th. Lame duck sessions are often used by corporate lobbyists and lame duck lawmakers, no longer accountable to their constituents, to push through wildly unpopular legislation in the final days of the year. During the 2012 lame duck session, the Emergency Manager law was reinstated, just weeks after having been struck down by voters at the ballot box. This year’s lame duck legislative session has been the most anti-environment and anti-democracy in Michigan’s history.
Clean Water Action has been organizing voters, leading lobby day activities, testifying at committee hearings, hosting rallies and keeping our members up-to-date on the blatant and daily attacks on our water and democracy. The following scorecard tracks some of the worst legislative assaults on our water and democracy. On all bills tracked in this scorecard, the pro-environment and pro-democracy position was to oppose (a No vote) the legislation in question.
There have been many bad bills introduced this session, but the following six are the worst of the worst. Brief descriptions of the legislation are below. Each bill has been weighted equally. If a Senator or Representative was absent (A) from the vote in question, that vote does not affect their overall score.
In 2019, we will have a new legislature and new state leadership, but some of the elected officials scored below will be returning to Lansing. It is critical that those who value our environment and democracy stay vigilant. Clean Water Action is committed to continuing our advocacy on behalf of our members, our Great Lakes and our democracy in 2019.
