Michigan Legislature Activities for Autumn 2016

LEGISLATION OF NOTE, SEPTEMBER 2016

Scroll down for "Uniformed Lives Matter" bill and its possible linking with a bill expanding civil rights protections for LGBT people.


* Lawmakers return after long summer break, introduce nearly 100 bills
Kathleen Gray, Detroit Free Press
11 September 2016
http://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/2016/09/11/lawmakers-return-after-long-summer-break-introduce-nearly-100-bills/90145266

A bill that would eliminate the requirement that cities and villages pay for a portion of road repairs on state highways passed nearly unanimously in the Legislature earlier this year. But Snyder vetoed it because he said he felt it would create a patchwork of funding mechanisms for road repairs in the state. State Rep. Pete Pettalia, R-Presque Isle, also reintroduced a bill vetoed by Snyder that would limit the use of aftermarket auto parts that aren't made by the original car maker.

For more on Michigan's anti-trafficking legislation, see Section 750.462a of the Michigan Penal Code, Act 328 of 1931.

HB 5808: Allow testimony of expert witnesses regarding behavioral patterns of human trafficking. Sponsor: Rep. Peter Lucido, R-Shelby Township.

HB 5838-5839: Prohibit, and provide penalties for, people or businesses knowingly selling travel services for the purpose of human trafficking. Sponsors: Reps. Tom Barrett, R-Potterville; Jason Sheppard, R-Temperance.

HB 5815: Provide re-entry services and housing for individuals released from prison as a result of their conviction or sentence being overturned. Sponsor: Rep. Stephanie Chang, D-Detroit.

HB 5820 and SB 1060: Expand the suspicion-based drug testing program for cash assistance recipients from a three-county pilot to statewide and require annual reports on Nov. 30 of each year. Sponsors: Rep. Peter Lucido, R-Shelby Township; and Sen. Dale Zorn, R-Ida.

HB 5829: Prohibit exclusivity clause in public sector labor union contracts. Sponsor: Rep. Gary Glenn, R-Midland.

HB 5856: Eliminate a Brownfield Development Authority’s ability to capture future special millages. Sponsor: Rep. Lee Chatfield, R-Levering.

SB 1035: Expand the definition of ethnic intimidation to include gender identification and sexual orientation. Sponsor: Sen. Steven Bieda, D-Warren.

SB 1039-1040: Prohibit rules that are more stringent than the current requirements to claim exemption from immunizations, and prohibit excluding students from school as a disease control measure. Sponsor: Sen. Patrick Colbeck, R-Canton.

SB 1046: Change the requirements for transportation of students, adding that school districts shall transport or pay for transportation for a student from the public school within the district to a nonpublic school that the student attends. Sponsor: Sen. Patrick Colbeck, R-Canton.

SB 1066: Prohibit local units of government from raising the minimum age to purchase or use tobacco products. Sponsor: Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge.


* Michigan Legislature's fall agenda: energy laws, driverless cars, marijuana bills
David Eggert, Associated Press (Crain's Detroit Business)
05 September 2016
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20160905/NEWS01/160909921/michigan-legislatures-fall-agenda-energy-laws-driverless-cars
The Republican-led Michigan Legislature returns for voting this week after a three-month summer break, with plans for an abbreviated calendar before the crucial November election determines which party controls the House. Both chambers will have three weeks in session before the election, or nine days. The House schedule is front-loaded to September, while the Senate — whose members are not up for election for another two years — will be in session off and on into October.

Top priorities for GOP legislative leaders and Republican Gov. Rick Snyder continue to be an update of energy laws and changes in parole and probation policies. Lawmakers have been unable to resolve issues that ultimately affect consumers' bills — competition in the electricity market, how much power should come from wind and other renewable sources, and whether to require energy-efficiency markers. Senators will resume session Tuesday. Majority Republicans plan to revisit the energy legislation and marijuana bills in a private caucus meeting. House-passed measures would tax and regulate medical marijuana.

It has been nearly four months since a special legislative committee concluded investigative hearings into the lead contamination that began when the financially strapped city's water source was switched under state management. The Legislature has allocated $240 million. But policy recommendations, including potential revisions to the emergency manager law, have yet to be released — sparking questions from Democrats on the GOP-controlled panel. Republicans now could wait to make recommendations, originally due in May, until after the election. Democrats fighting to win the House majority for the first time since 2010 have tried to tie GOP lawmakers to the crisis by criticizing them for not calling Snyder to testify and allowing public money to be spent on lawyers helping him with Flint-related legal matters.


* CPR training could become school requirement in Michigan
Tampa Bay Times
11 September 2016
http://www.tbo.com/cpr-training-could-become-school-requirement-in-michigan-ap_election4795008e347f46649cadac1b804b44cc
The legislation easily cleared the Senate in the spring and is pending in the House, which supporters hope will vote this month before members break again to focus on the November election. The bill would require that schools provide instruction in CPR and the use of defibrillators at least one time between grades 7 and 12. The requirement would begin in the 2017-18 school year. Rep. Tom Hooker, a Byron Center Republican, sponsored the legislation in the House.


* Michigan legislation seeks to allow pooches on restaurant patios
Brittany Gray, WWMT
10 September 2016
http://wwmt.com/news/local/michigan-legislation-seeks-to-allow-pooches-on-restaurant-patios
Michigan State law generally prohibits animals at restaurants, but Senate Bill 727 would allow dogs on outdoor patios. Michigan State law generally prohibits animals at restaurants, but Senate Bill 727 would allow dogs on outdoor patios. The bill introduced by Sen. Margaret O'Brien, R-Portage passed the Republican-led Michigan Senate this week and heads to the Michigan House, but some who oppose the legislation are saying they don't want to see dog hair or slobber while they're eating. It would allowed leashed dogs on a restaurant's outdoor patio, but those patios would have to be free of dog hair and regularly disinfected. The bill also allows communities to ban dogs, if the community wasn't in favor of the idea. The bill would not affect any existing laws covering service dogs.

UNIFORMED LIVES MATTER BILLS

Proposed bills would classify attacks on Law Enforcement Officials as hate crimes.

* Michigan senator to introduce 'Uniformed Lives Matter' bill
Emily Lawler, MLive
09 July 2016
http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/07/michigan_senator_to_introduce.html
Sen. Mike Kowall, R-White Lake promised to introduce legislation in Michigan that would treat attacks on law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency medical services personnel as hate crimes under state law. Michigan law already does prohibit the killing of a police officer, but it is not currently classified as a hate crime.

Michigan law defines a hate crime as being motivated by a bias against a race, color, religion, gender, or national origin. Federal law also includes crimes motivated by a bias against perceived religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability in its definition of hate crimes. According to a report from the Michigan State Police there were 495 hate crimes in Michigan in 2015.


* Legislation eyed to make attacks on cops hate crimes
Candice Williams, The Detroit News
08 July 2016
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2016/07/08/michigan-legislation-cops-hate-crimes/86873028

Michigan Senate Majority Leader and former public safety director for White Lake Township Mike Kowall said he would introduce the “Uniformed Lives Matter” legislation when the Senate returns to session in September after summer break. The legislation would cover law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency medical services personnel.


* Jones backs classifying LGBT bias as hate crime
Todd Heywood, City Pulse
July 2016
http://lansingcitypulse.com/print-article-13427-permanent.html

State Sen Rick Jones, a Grand Ledge Republican and former sheriff, will announce that he is cosponsoring a bill to amend the measure to include LGBT people. His support breathes new life into the legislation after decades of disappointment for proponents. His backing guarantees a hearing before the Judiciary Committee. This will be the first time the Legislature’s upper chamber has held hearings on hate crimes legislation, and the first time since 2008 either chamber has done so. Last week, Jones signed onto SB1035 to amend the state hate crimes law to include gender identity and sexual orientation as protected classes. Jones and Warren Democrat Steve Bieda will take the lead shepherding the legislation through the Senate. Ingham County Democrat Curtis Hertel Jr. and Republican Tory Rocca from Sterling Heights have also signed onto the bill as sponsors.

State statistics show antigay crimes have been an ongoing issue in Michigan. In 2014, the Michigan State Police listed 60 antigay bias crimes. That was out of 532 victims and 441 incidents. In 2015, the number of victims and incidents had dropped to 399 incidents and 495 victims. The MSP reports that 12 percent in 2015 were motivated by antigay bias, or 61 cases. The majority of bias crimes were perpetrated based on the victim’s race. Michigan's Hate Crime law doesn't include crimes against a particularly vulnerable group, transgender people, which the state police do not track. Equality Michigan, a statewide gay rights organization, reported in the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Projects 2015 annual report on hate crimes that the state had tracked three anti-trans murders.

State Sen. Mike Kowall of White Lake said last week, after news of the shooting of white police officers in Dallas, that he would introduce legislation he is calling “Uniformed Lives Matter.” That proposal would make a crime to target first responders for violent crime, as apparently happened when a gunman opened fired on Dallas Police last week during a Black Lives Matter march. Kowall opposes amending existing hate crimes laws to include the LGBT community. Ironically, however, MSP reports on bias incidents show that in 2014, five police officers were victims of bias crimes, whereas 60 members of the LGB community were victims of such crimes. In 2015, eight police officers were victims of bias crimes, while 61 members of the LGB community were victims.

Nathan Triplett, political director for Equality Michigan, said Jones’ move is “very positive.”

Fear (sermon for El-Tawhid Juma Circle, 2016.09.02.)

Fear

Pre-Khutba Formalities
* Taslim
assalamu `alaykum wa rahmatullah
* Ta'widh
a'udhu billahi min ash-shaytani rajim
* Basmala
bismillahi rahmani rahim
* Hamd
alhamdulillahi rabbil 'alamin
* Shahada
Ash-hadu al-la ilaha illa Allah wahdahu, la sharikah lah. Wa ash-hadu anna Muhammad `abduhu wa rasuluh. (Allahumma salli `ala Muhammad wa aale Muhammad.) 
* Taqullah
ya `ibadullah, wa nafsi, itaqullah

God's peace be with you, and Divine  mercy, and Divine blessings. I seek refuge with God from the the one whose arrogance pulls us away from the truth and begin in the name of God, the Tenderly Compassionate, the Infinitely Merciful. Praise be to God, the Nourishing Sustainer of the universe. I testify that there is no deity except God, Who is One and without partner. And I testify that Muhammad is Her servant and messenger. (O God, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad.) O worshippers of God, and myself, maintain due reverence towards God.

I begin by acknowledging that God created humanity in and of this Earth as God's Khalifa and this land that we are on Indigenous land of the Mississaugas of New Credit First Nations.

Verse from Qur'an



Huwa al-ladhi anzal as-sakinata fi qulubi lmu'minina liyazdadu imana m^a imanihim. Wa Allahi junudu samawati wal ard. Wa kana Allahu ^aliman Hakima.

Liyudkhala al mu'minina wal mu'minati jannati ttahtiha alanharu khalidina fiha wa yukaffara ^anhum sayya'atihim. Wa kana dhalika ^inda Allahi fawzan ^athim.

It is God who sent down tranquillity into the hearts of the believers that they might have more of faith added to their faith. And to God are the hosts of the heavens and the earth. And God is Knowing, Wise. In order that God may cause the believers to enter gardens beneath which rivers flow to abide therein and remove from them their evil; and that is a grand achievement with God.
Quran, 48:4-5

Body of Khutba
It happened while I was at church that Easter morn so that I could spend time with my grandmother. We were all seated in the pews waiting for the service to begin. Then it happened. A man in the pew head of us extended his arm around his family. I gave a start.

It doesn't make sense, does it? People put their arms around their families all of the time at church. At the time that this act of love took place, however, my brain took it to mean something altogether different based on various experiences that I have had in my life. I felt mortally afraid for an eternal half-second.

Have you been afraid recently? Given circumstances lately, it isn't surprising that many have indeed been frightened. Many people have been scared of going out of the house. Others are fearful of violent encounters with law enforcement.

Fear.

Where does it come from? How does it impact us? What would happen if it magickally disappeared from our lives one day?

Out of curiosity, I looked up a brief word history for the word "fear." It comes from an older English term relating to "danger" (Oxford, location 141316) Interestingly, one of the derivations of the Arabic word for fear means "bullying" or "intimidating" (Cowan, p 306). Its opposite, "sakina," refers to the kind of tranquility that one feels in stillness or quietness (Cowan, p 488). This is also a reflection of the English word history for tranquility, in which the "qui" comes from a root meaning "still, quiet" (Harper, "tranquility").

We have been designed to react to potentially dangerous situations with fear. Brief biology lesson: The hypothalamus, a part of the brain, works with the pituitary just below the brain to cause the adrenal gland to secrete more of certain hormones when we are startled or frightened. Some of these hormones include adrenaline and cortisol. They pump blood to the muscles and fill the blood with more glucose, as well as prepare the muscles for action. (Clancy, pp 13, 99, 102, 205)

Sometimes, however, our minds works against us and interpret neutral situations as dangerous. This is particularly true of people who live with PTSD. The kind of stress leading up to PTSD leaves such an imprint on the nervous system that everyday extrenal stressors, as well as internalised trauma, result in an exaggerated response from the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal gland combo each time.

TW: SLAVERY, TRAFFICKING
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Ibrahim, a trafficking survivor interviewed by trafficking expert and author Kevin Bales, now lives with PTSD. He described an episode of flashbacks that he once experienced, and the sleep disturbances that he experiences. "Last Tuesday, it was a kind of slow, kind of a quiet day, and for a moment I began to doze off. When I did, all the scenes came back to my head, they were so real, and I was frightened. This is common for me. Sometimes also, I wake in the night in a panic, so afraid, shaking and sweating."
-Bales, p 164
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/END TW

My own fear has come from the way that people treated me all of my life, beginning in my childhood with my stepmother. Aside from the now-apparent physical aspects of my experiences (I cringe at sudden movements), it is also noteworthy that since I was eight years old or so, I have thought that I was never good enough - that I had to earn love.

I came to fear abandonment, losing someone's love, being left behind. Now, I fear that if I do not do enough to maintain someone's love for me, that person will stop loving me and walk out of my life.

This fear has definitely impacted how I interact with others. I have been in performative relationships in which I felt as though I had to work hard to continue meriting the relationship. Of course, I do not expect the same effort from the other person in each relationship.

I still live with my fears. They continue to affect how I interact with others. Once, I became too clingy for one person's comfort; and that person did in fact walk out of my life. I mourned that loss. I grieved hard. The intensity of it lasted for some months - and then a time of less intensive grieving followed. Such is the strength of the attachments, whether that be good or bad.

It is now four years since that incident. I now barely blink at reminders at we are no longer friends. I just don't care much about it. I have managed to grow new friendships. While I don't feel secure in many of them, I have gained a new confidence with some. If we part and go our separate ways, I have a growing confidence that I can make new friends.

There was nothing to fear in losing that friend. There was nothing to fear from the churchgoer's arm. Of course, I still start and jump if someone makes an unexpected move near me.

Using self-affirmations, reminding myself of where (and when) I am, holding onto something tangible - these and other tools have helped me deal with the fear that I experience.

Imam El-Farouk Khaki often councils me when my mental health symptoms flare up. One day, when I was figuratively crying on his shoulder because of the flashbacks that I was experiencing, he told me about the Gesserit Liturgy.

"I must not fear.
"Fear is the mind-killer.
"Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
"I will face my fear.
"I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
"And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
"Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
"Only I will remain."

What works for you? Also, how would your life be different if you were free of fear?

Mid-Khutba Formalities
* Basmalla
* Hamd
* Salawat
* Istighfar
* Taqullah

Bismillah, walhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalam `ala sayyidina Muhammad wa `ala aalihi at-tayyibina at-tahhirin. Allahumma salli `ala Muhammad wa aale Muhammad. Astaghfirullah lil mu'minina wal mu'minat, wa lil `alamin. Ya `ibadullah, wa nafsi, itaqullah.

In the name of God. Praise be to God, and blessings and peace be on our dear Prophet Muhammad, and on his cleansed and purified family. I seek forgiveness for the believers and for the whole world. O worshippers of God, and myself, maintain due reverence for God.

Second Half of Service: Invitation to Discuss

Post-Khutba Formalities
* Verse
* Hadith
* Supplication
* Verse of Taslima (with yet another Salawat)

VERSE:



Alaa! Inna awliya'i Allahi la khawfun ^alayhim wa la hum yahzanun al-ladhina amanu wa kanu yattaquna laumu al bushra fi  al hayati dunya wa fil akhirat. La tabdila likulimati Allahi dhalika uma al fawz al ^athim.

Behold! Surely the allies of God, fear will not set upon them, nor will they grieve. Those whoe believe and maintain due reverence towards God, they will have good tidings in the hereafter. There is no changing God's words. That is the grand achievement.
Quran, 10:62-64

HADITH:
"Tranquility is a breeze from Heaven. It has a face like that of a human being."
[Freedom's note: In sacred Islamic texts, "face" is often understood to mean mercy.]
(Ma'anil Akhbar, At-Tafsir al 'Ayyashi)

"Righteousness is that by which the heart gets tranquility and you get peace of mind, and the sin is that which upsets (your) heart and creates uncertainty - even if people give you rulings over rulings."
(Ad-Durrul Manthur)

SUPPLICATION:



Subhana Allahi al ^athimi a bihamdihi astaghfirul Allaha wa as'aluka min fadlih.

Glory be to God, and praise be to the Divine. I seek God's protection and I seek the benetifts of God's graciousness.

TASLIMA: Inna Allaha wa mala'ikatuhu yusalluna `alaannabi. Ya ayyuhalladhina 'amanu sallu `alayhi wa sallimu taslima. (Qur'an 33:56) Allahumma salli `ala Muhmmad wa aale Muhammad. Truly, God and his angels invoke blessings on the Prophet. O you who believe, invoke blessings on him, and complete peace. O God, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad.

END

WORKS CITED
Bales, Kevin. Blood and Earth: Modern Slavery, Ecocide, and the Secret to Saving the World. Spiegel & Brau, 2016, New York, NY.

Clancy, John and Andrew McVicar. Physiology and Anatomy for Nurses and Healthcare Practitioners: A Homeostatic Approach. Taylor & Francis, 2009, Boca Raton, FL.

Harper, Douglass. Online Etymological Dictionary.

Oxford Dictionary of the English Language. eds Soanes, Catherine and Angus Stevenson. Oxford University Press, New York, NY.

Quran: a combination of the translations of Yusuf, Shakir, Pickthall, and my own interpretation.

An Open Letter to Survivors of Abuse from Your Loving Allies

Darling Survivors,
Wherever you are, whatever your situation, you are still here. Please know that we out here know that continuing on this journey that we call life is an everyday struggle. You are so strong. You've endured what you have endured, and now you are here experiencing some kind of life. And we cannot imagine life without you, to be perfectly honest.

We are listening to you. We believe you. We affirm your experiences and lived realities. What you choose to disclose to us is real. We are honoured to carry some of your story with you. We do not need any kind of documentation or proof to demonstrate the veracity of your story. We love you and honour your lived reality and your experiences.

You have hurts - some wounds will never heal. We won't demand of you that any part of you get healed. You also have joys; frustrations; boring days; points of brilliance, light, and happiness. We are here with you, willing to share these with you if you want. Anything that you need, let us know. One or more of us will be at your side, doing everything that we can for you.

There is harshness in this world. You already know this. You've spent so much time knowing this. There is also love. Every day, people are pouring their love out into the universe. Some of it - as much as you need - is yours for the taking. We see you, we honour you, and our love is for you.

Sincerely yours,
-A Whole Bunch of Allies