No-Fault Bills May See Action in the Michigan Senate!
Over the last several days, CPAN has shifted its focus from the Michigan House to members of the Senate in response to information we have received that the auto no fault changes being advocated by the insurance industry would commence in the upper chamber.
We have been told that Senator Hune (Chair of the Sen. Insurance Committee) would move to discharge HB 5701 (anti fraud bill) from his committee, placing the bill on General Orders on the Senate Calendar. This procedural motion means there would be no committee hearing nor public input on what is contained in the bill. The bill is a multi section bill which means it can be used to include other auto no fault issues beyond the proposed anti-fraud provisions.
CPAN lobbyists held a conference call last week to compare notes and information on their contacts with the targeted Senate Republican members. It appears that many are not aware of the plans by Hune or are not forthcoming. But it is clear, however, that the insurance industry will try to aggressively move its agenda during the lame duck legislative session between Election Day and the end of the year.
CPAN Executive Committee members, lead by CPAN President John Cornack, met with the Senate Majority Leader’s Chief of Staff, Legislative Director and policy staffer on Friday. We received no definitive response from the leader’s office as to what actions he will support and what policy changes he is willing to include in HB 5701.
While CPAN may indeed refine our messaging to legislators in the near future, we ask that you contact your Senator and let them know that until the MCCA transparency issue is resolved, or until policy makers and other stakeholders receive the requested data from the MCCA that is needed to make sound policy decisions rather than just based on the claims being made by the insurance companies on the future unsustainability of the MCCA , that no significant changes should be made during the lame duck session.
If you receive any new information from your House or more importantly Senate member, please share this with me at the CPAN office.
