The Michigan House was expected to wrap up its legislative session for the year on Thursday, and state Representative Joey Andrews says it was a busy one.
We caught up with him to hear his thoughts on the first year of lawmaking with Democrats in charge in Lansing for about 40 years. He tells us they didn’t waste time pushing through key priorities.
“The tax relief that we gave to seniors and working families, repealing Right to Work, restoring abortion protections by repealing the abortion ban, and expanding Elliott-Larsen were some of the high water marks as far as what we were able to accomplish for the people of the state,” Andrews said.
Andrews says local issues he’s proud to have addressed are funding to reopen the Palisades nuclear plant and debt forgiveness for Benton Harbor Area Schools.
What do constituents bring up with him?
“We hear a lot about — especially from women — about getting the abortion ban repealed and the Reproductive Health Act that we just passed, I think for a lot of people that was a critical part of the election last year and delivering on that has been a big deal for them.”
Andrews says it’s a disappointment short term rental legislation didn’t get finished by the end of the session, but it’s a complex issue that needs more negotiation. Also, he had a bill that would lift a preemption on local wage setting and workforce standards that didn’t quite make it through.
Andrews says lawmakers can pick up where they left off when they return to Lansing early next year. For now, he says he’s got a lot of in-district work to do for the winter.
