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Michigan lawmakers review goals for 2018

BEAU LAFAVE

ESCANABA — The new year has arrived, and state legislators for the region are looking at their goals for 2018.

State Rep. Beau LaFave having logged his first year in office after being elected in November 2016, said his highest priority for this year is pushing for lower car insurance rates in Michigan.

“I definitely think we still need to attack the problem of the highest car insurance rates in the country,” he said.

In 2017, LaFave — a member of the House’s Insurance Committee — helped create House Bill 5013, which he said was designed to reduce these rates. However, more than 90 percent of Democrats and about one-third of Republicans in the House voted against this bill. As a result, LaFave said he does not believe he can change the existing bill to the point where there is sufficient support for it to pass.

“I’m (going to) have to start from scratch,” the Republican from Iron Mountain said. LaFave will be on the Insurance Committee again this year.

TOM CASPERSON

Along with working on a new car insurance bill, LaFave said he hopes to support a balanced state budget in 2018.

“I think another thing we have to do is balance our budget again on the state level,” he said.

LaFave said he is proud of what he was able to accomplish in his first year as a representative.

“I was able to get three bills signed into law so far, with another one (likely) on the way,” he said. These bills included a technical fix to the state’s policy on concealed pistol licensing, a bill fixing unemployment insurance in Michigan, and a bill insuring newspapers willget sufficient funding for printing public notices, as well as a bill that would increase retirement payments for teachers which has been approved in the House, but has not yet been voted on in the Senate.

State Sen. Tom Casperson, R-Escanaba, said he hopes to make progress in 2018 on several existing bills he played a role in developing.

Among them is a land management bill he introduced along with Sen. Darwin Booher that the Senate approved last year and sent on to the House of Representatives.

The bill would grant local governments more power when the Department of Natural Resources buys land, while also making sure the state pays its tax bill on time.

“We have good information that the House is supportive,” Casperson said. Because of this, he expects this bill to move forward early this year.

Casperson said a bill he referred to as “Equal Justice” that would require Michigan pay legal fees for citizens if the state loses a court case also is in the House. He introduced this bill along with Sen. Dave Robertson.

Casperson will continue to support the development of a review board for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality this year as well.

“It would have authority over the rule process,” he said of this panel. Under the initiative, another board would be created as well to resolve grievances between citizens and the department.

In addition to these efforts, Casperson — and LaFave — plan to continue working towards the official establishment of a Northern Michigan alliance, with the goal of ensuring this region receives its fair share of funding from taxes on cigarettes, alcohol and hotel beds.

“Detroit, at this point, has been getting the lion’s share of it,” Casperson said.

As 2018 will be his last year in the Senate, Casperson said he has appreciated his time spent in Michigan’s government.

“It’s been quite an experience, and it’s amazing how fast (time) is flying,” he said.

Jordan Beck can be reached at jbeck@dailypress.net.

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