ACTION PLAN

HJR YY

Constitutional Amendment
ACTION: SUPPORT

Referred to Judiciary Committee

Immediate Action Required: Call Committee Members to get it placed on the Committee
Calendar

1. Link to Bill http://www.legislature.mi.gov/%28S%280cjdynnj35aewg45lgxc2bbj

%29%29/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=2010-HJR-YY
Sponsors Paul Opsommer - (primary)
James Bolger, Pete Lund, Brian Calley, Kenneth Kurtz, James Marleau, Larry DeShazor,
Wayne Schmidt, Rick Jones, Tim Moore, Darwin Booher, Phillip Pavlov, David Agema, Arlan
Meekhof, Sharon Tyler, Tom Pearce, Matt Lori, Bob Genetski, Kevin Daley, Eileen Kowall,
Jim Stamas, Joe Haveman, Tom McMillin, Paul Scott, Bill Rogers

2. Synopsis of Bill

OPSOMMER INTRODUCES BILL TO CREATE JOINT FEDERALISM COMMISSION

http://www.gophouse.com/readarticle.asp?id=6292&District=93

March 5, 2010

Yesterday I introduced HJR YY in Michigan along with several House colleagues, a joint
resolution that would change the Michigan Constitution. Why is HJR YY so critically needed?

If enacted into law and formally approved by voters, HJR YY would create a Joint Federalism
Commission within the legislative council, in essence forcing the creation of a bicameral
and bipartisan commission charged with monitoring and reviewing federal laws and
mandates to determine if they violate the Michigan Constitution or if they violate such
areas as the 9th and 10th Amendments of the US Constitution.

The "why" behind HJR YY is two-fold:

Firstly, in cases where the Joint Federalism Commission determines a violation exists, the
law will provide for an expedited process for the commission to then push appropriate
legislation to the floor for voting by all members within 10 session days. In addition, any
legislator who is able to successfully petition at least half of the members in their chamber
can also force the Joint Federalism Commission to make a determination on an issue within
90 days. This is important, because although Michigan has a commission that is looking at
the mandates it puts upon its cities, no such commission exists to examine the mandates
the federal government is in turn placing upon us. Considering that it is the States who
created the federal government and not the other way around there is no conceivable
reason why such a commission should not exist. The states are not the counties of the
federal government, even if they try to treat us as such.
The second "why" that makes this legislation necessary is because of the increasing role of
so called "Memorandums of Understanding," "Compacts," and other agreements between
Michigan and other governments, most notably at the federal level.

Most voters are not aware of what a "Memorandum of Understanding" is, or that they can
carry the formal force of law. In many cases such memorandums are created under
dubious authority. In other cases, the legislature does vote to grant authority for a
memorandum to be entered into, but then what the memorandum actually does often
exceeds that authority, or delves into areas that are beyond the scope of the authorizing
legislation. At this point however, it is very difficult for the legislature to act to change
things. HJR YY will require that all such memorandums have their language first presented
to the commission, which can then reject it before the state formally enters into a binding
agreement.

While people correctly expect a high level of transparency in government, the increasing
role of these formal and informal agreements between the state and the federal
government are creating another level of government where increasingly important
decisions are being made behind the scenes, largely out of view not only from the people
but also the state legislature. Ensuring the state legislature is more involved will not only
help from a transparency standpoint, it will make elected leaders more aware and
accountable for the rules and agreements that unelected government employees are
making outside of the normal legislative process. Taxpayers correctly want their state
legislators to be able to handle the state level issues and problems that they voted them to
Lansing for in the first place. The Michigan Legislature should not be content to continue to
see so much of its rightful authority taken out of its hands.

3. Get legislation on the Committee Calendar

Identify assigned Committee http://www.legislature.mi.gov/ (House Judiciary
Committee)

Committee Members:
Mark S. Meadows (D), Committee
Chair, 69th District
Ellen Cogen Lipton (D), Majority
Vice-Chair, 27th District
Lisa Brown (D), 39th District
Bob Constan (D), 16th District
Marc R. Corriveau (D), 20th District
Andy Coulouris (D), 95th District
Andrew J. Kandrevas (D), 13th
District
Bettie Cook Scott (D), 3rd District
Rebekah Warren (D), 53rd District
Tonya Schuitmaker (R), Minority
Vice-Chair, 80th District
Justin Amash (R), 72nd District
Joseph Haveman (R), 90th District
Rick Jones (R), 71st District
Eileen Kowall (R), 44th District
Tory Rocca (R), 30th District

Malika Abdul-Basir, Committee Clerk

517-373-7256
mabdul@house.mi.gov

Rep. Mark Meadows, (Chair) Email

Phone: (517) 373-1786 markmeadows@house.mi.gov
Fax: (517) 373-5717
Ellen Cogen Lipton
 Phone: (517) 373-0478 Phone: (517) 373-1776
Fax: (517) 373-5884 Fax: (517) 373-8502
Toll-Free Toll-Free
(888) 347-8027 (877) 272-6885
Email Email
EllenLipton@house.mi.gov bettiecookscott@house.mi.gov
Lisa Brown
Phone: (517) 373-1799
Fax: (517) 373-8361
Toll-Free Rebekah Warren
(877) 822-LISA Phone: (517) 373-2577
(877) 822-5472 Fax: (517) 373-5808
Email Email
LisaBrown@house.mi.gov rebekahwarren@house.mi.gov

Bob Constan Tonya Schuitmaker

Phone: (517) 373-0849
Fax: (517) 373-5967
Toll-Free
(888) 345-8017
Email
bobconstan@house.mi.gov
Marc R. Corriveau
Phone: (517) 373-3816
Fax: (517) 373-5952 JustinAmash@house.mi.gov
Toll-Free
(877) 20th-REP
(877) 208-4737
Email
MarcCorriveau@house.mi.go
v JosephHaveman@house.mi.g
Andy Coulouris
Phone: (517) 373-0152
Fax: (517) 373-8738
Email
andycoulouris@house.mi.gov
Andrew J. Kandrevas
Phone: (517) 373-0845
Fax: (517) 373-5926
Toll-Free
(866) REP-1313
(866) 737-1313
Email
AndrewKandrevas@house.mi.gov
Bettie Cook Scott
Phone: (517) 373-0839
Toll Free: (800) 577- 6212
Email
tonyaschuitmaker@house.mi.
gov
Justin Amash
Phone: (517) 373-0840
Email
Joseph Haveman
Phone: (517) 373-0830
Toll Free: (866) 908-4347
Email
ov
Rick Jones
Phone: (517) 373-0853
Toll Free: (888) RICK-071
Email
rickjones@house.mi.gov
Eileen Kowall
Phone: (517) 373-2616
Toll Free: (866) 334-0010
Email
EileenKowall@house.mi.gov
Tory Rocca
Phone: (517) 373-7768
Email
toryrocca@house.mi.gov
 3. (Cont) Provide Committee Members Contact Information
Call/e-mail Committee Member Requesting that legislation to put on calendar
BE COURTEOUS WHEN CONTACTING THE OFFICES
Monitor to assure that legislation has been put on calendar
Sign Up for Committee Meeting Alerts
HOUSE http://house.michigan.gov/committees.asp
SENATE http://senate.michigan.gov/committees/standing.htm
Re-call or e-mail if legislation is not put on calendar

4. Legislation has upcoming Committee Meeting

Notify of Committee Meeting (e-mail alerts of Committee meetings)

5. Coordinated Testimony
2-3 volunteers assigned to give knowledgably, articulate testimony

6. Attendance at Meeting
Fill out card (entered into record) in favor

7. Out of Committee

8. Coordinated Efforts to get HJY YY Passed

Monitor when legislation is coming up for a vote (stay in contact with sponsoring
Rep)
RSS for Michigan Legislature Bill Updates
http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/publications/RssFeeds/billupdate.xml
Notify Others: That legislation is coming up for a vote to: Call/E-mail your rep
saying you support (oppose) the legislation and urge them to support (oppose)

NOTE: A 2/3 majority of both House and Senate is required to pass

This 2/3 majority requirement is another example of why we need to utilize our time and
money to prevail in our cause that Constitional Conservatives be elected in 2010

2010 IS THE YEAR WE MUST “TAKE MICHIGAN BACK!”

Regards,
Joan Fabiano
"Criticism is something we can avoid by
saying nothing, doing nothing, being
nothing" Aristotle

Lansing,MI Tea Party

http://lansingmiteaparty.wordpress.com/
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