LANSING (WKZO AM/FM) — The Michigan House has passed its version of auto insurance reform in the early hours of this morning with Republicans saying yes and most Democrats voting no. It lost 61 to 49 with three democrats voting for the bill.
The House version is different than the Senate version. The one thing that the measures had in common, democrats hated both of them.
Sponsors say it addresses many of the concerns addressed by democrats, guaranteeing rate cuts and eliminating non-driving criteria for raising rates.
Sturgis Republican Aaron Miller says it gives drivers five different levels of coverage to choose from, and choice is what they have been asking for.
Kalamazoo Democrat Jon Hoadley says the bills are riddled with loopholes that will allow the insurance companies to continue profiting, and the choices are all bad ones.
The bills were handed to Democratic Representatives 6 hours before this morning’s vote, with no public hearings or caucus negotiations. Minority Leader Christine Greig says they were promised by the Speaker that they would have a chance to participate in its drafting and it did not happen. She charged the Speaker with lying to her face, which got her gaveled out of order and her mike switched off.
Speaker Lee Chatfield says it fixes a major problem, high auto insurance rates.
The House and Senate will now exchange bills and accept, reject or modify them, so the debate in the legislature is far from over, and with the Governor hinting that both are veto bait, the issue is far from resolved.
