Michigan News And Capitol Report, Week Ending Friday, June 12th, 2026

Chamber PAC Passing On Gov's Race For Now, Backs Bouchard In MI-10 

The Michigan Chamber's PAC Board is not supporting a gubernatorial candidate as part of its initial round of endorsements, but is backing the Republicans' endorsed candidates for Secretary of State and Attorney General, Tony Forlini and Doug Lloyd, respectively. 

Michigan Chamber PAC spokesperson Sara Wurfel said other races and seats are under consideration. The Chamber endorsed eventual nominees Tudor Dixon in July 2022 and Bill Schuette in March 2018. The Chamber backed then-Attorney General Mike Cox in March 2010, but then Rick Snyder after his GOP primary victory. It supported Snyder, as an incumbent, again in 2014. 

“The Board will continue monitoring campaigns, candidate engagement and developments in those contests over the coming weeks and months for any additional endorsement determinations,” she said. 

In other endorsements, the Republican incumbent members of Congress in the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, 7th and 9th were all endorsed. Terri DeBoer, the likely Republican nominee in MI-3 was supported along with Michael Bouchard, son of the Oakland County Sheriff of the same name, in MI-10. 

Another notable omission was any candidate in MI-8, where U.S. Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Bay City) is seeking re-election. The Republicans have a three-way primary, although Amir Hassan has been promoted heavily. 

The Michigan Chamber's endorsement process “focuses on issues rather than political labels, emphasizing candidates’ understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing Michigan employers and the state's competitiveness,” according to their release. “Ultimately, the goal is to support pragmatic problem solvers committed to working collaboratively to advance policies that strengthen Michigan's economy and quality of life.” 

Bill Allows Small Businesses Across Industries Band Together On Insurance 

Committee testimony kicked off Wednesday on a proposal to allow multiple small business owners, regardless of what industry they're in, to group together to buy health insurance policies for their workers.  

Small Business Association of Michigan (SBAM) officials believe SB 1011 works because it allows multiple businesses to team up in a joint risk pool — where premiums are saved to take on medical claims — making their employer-sponsored health insurance offering cheaper. 

"If you're to take an employer like, say, the state of Michigan, they have enough employees to where they have their own risk pool. They do their own benefit design. They have health and wellness initiatives to try to lower costs and utilization. They are able to negotiate because they have this big purchaser power," Calley said on the June 1 MIRS Monday Podcast. "Most small businesses are nowhere near big enough to be able to create their own risk pool … They're just buying insurance off the rack, and it's really expensive."  

Calley said that the key is that by allowing multiple industries to pool together, small business owners will have the same insurance-buying tools that large employers have currently.  

SBAM oversaw its own association health plan (AHP) for members in fall 2018 until a federal Department of Labor rule struck such programs down in March 2019.  

The federal rule permitted small employers and working owners to essentially band together, qualifying as a group health plan. However, arguments surfaced that the practice allowed multi-industry employers to purchase "skinny" plans that were inadequate.  

Testifying on the bill in the Senate Health Policy Committee – which would require AHPs made in the state to comply with the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) – was SBAM's chief revenue officer, Michelle Beebe.  

Beebe said that when SBAM was able to establish its own AHP, in a very short time, it was able to provide access to affordable health care to hundreds of employers and thousands of employees.  

"The impact was incredibly real. Lower costs compared to traditional small group health plans, greater predictability year over year on claims experienced," Beebe said. "And most importantly, access to coverage that many employers otherwise can't offer today. We heard directly from members that this wasn't just a benefit. It was a lifeline."  

Another testifier was Greg Brogan, a SBAM member and owner of an East Lansing-based employee benefits and insurance management firm. He described how many of his clients have experienced annual health care increases exceeding 20%, far outpacing inflation and wage growth.  

Brogan said he now has clients whose family health insurance premiums are more than $2,500 monthly.  

"That's comparable to a mortgage payment on a very nice home," he said. "Think about that for a moment. Employers are increasingly being asked to spend as much on health insurance as they would to buy one of their employees a house."  

Beebe said on Tuesday that she golfed with a certified public accountant with 18 employees. She said he's already removed himself from offering employer-sponsored coverage.  

Without employer-sponsored coverage, workers have the option of purchasing coverage on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace. Also in the Senate Health Policy Committee, bills creating Michigan's own marketplace – SB 973, SB 974, SB 975, SB 976, SB 977 and SB 978 – passed by a party-line. 

"There's no doubt that as employers are covering less and less of health insurance here in the state, more individuals are getting pushed into the individual market, and it's not an affordable place right now to buy insurance because of the decisions that have been made at the federal level," said Senate Health Policy Chair Kevin Hertel (D-St. Clair Shores) last week.  

Supporters of Michigan leaving behind the ACA marketplace to instead create its own say that it will give Michigan the freedom to give residents more time to enroll in plans, offer incentives and risk pool contributions to help insurers keep premiums low and to maintain user fees that would otherwise go to the federal government.  

Opponents are concerned that a state-run system might not be the most secure, vulnerable to technical glitches, bad contractors and fraud.   

Commercial Insurers, Premium Financers Tired Of Eating Credit Card Fees 

House Insurance Committee members heard testimony on bipartisan legislation that would allow insurance agencies and premium finance companies to pass along credit card processing fees to customers who choose to make payments electronically. 

HB 5993 and HB 5993, sponsored by Rep. Mike Harris (R-Clarkston) and Rep. Will Snyder (D-Muskegon), allow insurance agencies and premium finance companies to pass credit card processing fees to customers as opposed to forcing agencies to absorb the costs themselves. 

"Many insurance agencies are small businesses serving communities across Michigan, and they are currently bearing these costs without the ability to recover them from customers who use their credit cards," said Harris, who also chairs the committee. 

The legislation would require customers to be notified of any fee before completing a transaction and provide an option to pay by check or money order without incurring a surcharge. Harris also told committee members he is working with stakeholders and the Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) on substitute language that would remove home and auto insurance from HB 5993 and focus the proposal primarily on commercial insurance. 

Craig Puckett of Big I Michigan, which represents independent insurance agents, said agencies have been audited for charging customers credit card processing fees and warned some agencies may stop accepting credit cards if the practice remains prohibited. He argued most other industries already allow similar surcharges. 

Representatives of the National Premium Finance Association echoed those concerns, saying credit card payments account for roughly 20% of transactions and provide businesses with a quick way to make payments and avoid policy cancellations. They testified that Michigan is one of only a handful of states where regulators have challenged the practice. 

Rep. Brenda Carter (D-Pontiac) (D-Pontiac) questioned whether the legislation could increase costs for consumers and requested a state-by-state comparison of laws governing credit card processing fees. Josh Ellwanger, general counsel for Imperial Premium Financial Services (IPFS), said Tennessee looked into similar legislation out of concerns that their current practice violated state law. 

No vote was taken on either bill.  

Michigan Boys Try To Sell Lemonade, End Up Helping Write A Bill 

One Friday last summer, the Mielke boys set up their lemonade stand at the Rogers City Famers Market, just as they have the last three summers.  

Only this time, the market managers served them papers displaying the new rules: They were prohibited from selling lemonade without a license from the local health department.  

So, the boys did what they were told. They went to the health department office, only to find out it would cost them $57 every two weeks to keep selling lemonade.  

This time, they did not do exactly that. They instead went to the Cam Cavitt Coffee Hour to get down to business and change Michigan law.  

Thus, HB 6007 was born to loosen some food licensing rules, including exempting youth-run lemonade-style stands on private property from local permits and exempting businesses that offer simple free snacks like coffee or popcorn. It would also shift certain complex food-processing oversight back to MDARD, change Bridge Card eligibility standards for food retailers and revise how MDARD can revoke local health department certification. 

Rep. Cam Cavitt (R-Cheboygan), the bill sponsor, had a field day with lemonade puns during his testimony in front of the House Regulatory Affairs Committee. He sat alongside the three Mielke boys who brought lemonade and a tip jar as they joined him during testimony.  

“When they brought this to my attention, it left a sour taste in my mouth,” Cavitt said. “These young entrepreneurs weren't asking for special treatment. They were simply trying to make the best of lemons and learn the rewards of hard work along the way. We shouldn't be squeezing kids with unnecessary fees and regulations when all they're trying to do is sell a few cups of lemonade." 

He praised the young boys for not just throwing their hands up and quitting when learning about the new rules. They instead, “turned lemons into lemonade” by bringing the issue to their representative to find a solution.  

“That's exactly the kind of civic engagement and entrepreneurial spirit we should be encouraging,” Cavitt said.  

Cavitt testified on another bill, HB 5789, which he said is aimed at increasing transparency when state agencies consider replacing cement products made in Michigan. The bill would not require the state to use a specific product, but would require agencies to show their work, consult stakeholders and consider economic impacts before moving away from Michigan-made materials. 

The committee also heard testimony on HB 5033, sponsored by Rep. Tim Kelly (R-Saginaw), that would raise the threshold requiring schools to hire a licensed architect or professional engineer for construction, reconstruction or remodeling projects. He described the current threshold of $15,000 from nearly a century ago as archaic and forces districts to pay consultant fees for similar projects. He argued there aren't any projects that cost that low, “even in the U.P.” 

His bill would raise the threshold to $5 million, which immediately sparked questions as to how he decided on such a high number. Though Kelly agreed it should be lowered to around $1 million, the number he threw out in the early stages of crafting the bill.  

Rep. Mike Mueller (R-Linden) also testified for HB 5116 which would increase the chip slaves limit for nonprofit millionaire parties from $20,000 to $40,000. Supporters said the current limits cites into how much charities can raise after paying event costs, dealers, renter fees and payouts.  

Rep. Ron Robinson (R-Utica) testified on HB 4894, which he said would help make it easier for experienced construction workers to qualify as building inspectors.