Gaylord/Otsego County Chamber of Commerce

Government Relations Update from Jamie Callahan

April 7, 2008

House Session Resumes this Week

The House returns this week after a two week break.The chamber will be in full swing with committee meetings discussing budgets, economic development and insurance legislation, as well as finishing up the tourism promotion funding legislation.The Senate will return on April 15^th.

Film incentives slated for signature this week

Legislation supported by the Chamber and the Northwest Michigan Regional Chamber Alliance to lure film and commercial business to Michigan is slated to be signed into law by the time this report is published.Highlights of the fourteen bill package include tax credits for companies involved in the production of motion pictures, television programs, music videos, and similar productions in Michigan. This would apply to production costs and job training, tax credits and deductions for private investment in certain media productions and in media production facilities, and state-financed loans.

The bills presented to the governor are HB 5841, 5842, 5844, 5848, 5852-55 and SB 1173, 1174, 1176-8, and 1183.The bills and analysis can be viewed at www.mileg.org.

Keeping Up With Committees

With all the bills and committee meetings going on in Lansing, it can be difficult for someone interested in tracking legislation to stay on top of what is going on with a bill.One of the best ways is to sign up for committee meeting notices.These notices are sent directly to your email address when a committee posts a meeting.You only sign up to receive the committee notices you want.It is easy and just takes a moment.

In the House, go to www.house.mi.gov/committee_subscribe.asp and fill in the form.In the Senate, email the clerk of the committee and ask to be added to the committee email list.  The entire committee list is available by going to www.senate.mi.gov, then choosing the Committee Information tab at the top of the page and then the Standing Committees link on the left.

To see all the bills that have been assigned to a committee, go to www.mileg.org and on the left, there is a field for committee bill records.  Click that and then choose the committee record to view.