A group representing Michigan’s corrections officers is asking the state House of Representatives to send a package of bills affecting their retirement options to the governor.
The legislation would allow corrections officers to opt into a pension system, which advocates say would increase stability for the officers, making it easier to attract and retain staff.
Both chambers of the Legislature passed the bills last year. But the state House led by Democrats at the time failed to transmit them to the governor before Republicans took over the majority in the chamber. They’ve been stuck in limbo ever since.
Byron Osborn is president of the Michigan Corrections Organization. He said the bills should have been sent to the governor while Democrats still had the majority.
“Somebody had a deliberate reason for holding onto these bills,” Osborn said. “There was zero reason for the outgoing speaker and clerk to not send them.”
He said the group wants Governor Gretchen Whitmer to weigh in on the dispute.
“To our knowledge, she has not yet weighed in and said, 'I want those bills sent to me per the Constitution,'" Osborn said. “She hasn’t said that that we’re aware of.”
A court has ruled the House is required to send the bills to the governor. But the House has indicated they don’t plan to do so, with Speaker Matt Hall claiming victory in the case brought by the Democrat-led state Senate.