Advocacy News – Dec. 20, 2022
With another legislative session and year coming to a close, the Michigan Chamber team is looking back at all that was accomplished in 2022while planning ahead for all that’s next in 2023.
We are both grateful and humbled to work closely with our members to help address the issues that matter most and serve as the voice of approximately 5,000 Michigan businesses and organizations in the legislative, political and legal process.
From concerns about skyrocketing inflation, and ongoing workforce shortages to supply chain disruption, to worries about a looming recession and more, 2022 brought its share of challenges for employers across the Great Lakes State. The Michigan Chamber worked hard to step forward with solutions.
Here are the Chamber’s top results for businesses in 2022:
1. Tackled the talent crisis.
- Advocated and secured additional state funding to help employers upskill and train more employees and meet growing demand through the Going PRO Talent Fund.
- Supported expansion of the MI Tri-Share pilot project, which allows employers, employees and the state to share in the cost of childcare. The Chamber advocated for ongoing funding for this first-of-its-kind program because affordable childcare remains a key barrier to employment.
- Championed action on affordable housing challenges through legislation to expand and implement various locally driven, flexible incentives for workforce housing.
- Launched EmergeSkilled, a new online tool that connects businesses with students who have in-demand skills they need now while building a talent pipeline grow. More than 200 businesses and nearly 20,000 students are now on the platform.
- Announced a new partnership between the MI Chamber and Salary.com to provide Michigan businesses with exclusive savings on benchmark job reports and salary surveys to help businesses pay their employees competitively, as well as recruit and retain talent.
2. Championed efforts to make Michigan more competitive.
The Chamber continued its support of meaningful and transparent investments in economic development projects to help Michigan compete for and retain jobs and ensure site readiness. In 2022, this included advancing the new Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve (SOAR) Michigan Strategic Site Readiness and the Critical Industry funds.
3. Helped stabilize the 100% employer financed unemployment system.
The Chamber successfully advocated for a $250 million deposit into Michigan’s 100 percent employer-financed Unemployment Trust Fund, to hold it harmful for the fraudulent benefits and improper payments the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) made out over the course of the pandemic. The budget bill was signed by the Governor.
4. Took action to put COVID regulations in the rearview mirror.
The Chamber pushed bipartisan legislation to remove several of the COVID rules and regulations put in place at the height of the pandemic, some of which conflicted with CDC guidelines and were causing chaos, confusion and problems in workplaces across Michigan.
5. Brought members timely Signature Events and training opportunities.
Over 2,500 Chamber members and Michigan businesses joined us for our 2022 Signature Events, including the Economic and Business Outlook, Diversity Equity and Inclusion Series, Chamber Day, Michigan ATHENA (our women’s leadership series) and Sustainability Summit. Hundreds of others joined us for our Training and Education programs. We hope you check out our programming for 2023! If you’re interested in increasing your brand awareness through sponsorship or speaking opportunities, please contact Amanda Toy at atoy@michamber.com or visit this page. We’re also launching a customized on-site or virtual training program for interested member businesses in January 2023. Learn more about this new opportunity now.
6. Helped businesses navigate diverse issues.
Navigating red tape and the daunting bureaucratic processes can be tricky, which is why we try to make it easy on our members by tackling their barriers to success for them. Our Michigan Chamber team was honored to assist hundreds of businesses with a wide variety of issues, including policy and regulatory questions and challenges via phone and email. In addition:
- Helped Michigan businesses save nearly $2 million in energy costs in 2022 via easy-to-use utility bill audits through a special partnership with Tenurgy. See how you could benefit from this program today.
- Launched a new worker’s compensation benefit in partnership with Ameritrust so Michigan Chamber members now have access to a 10% discount on premiums as well as an opportunity to earn back dividends.
7. Pushed for government transparency and efficiency.
The Chamber advocated for Proposal 1 which voters passed overwhelmingly on the November 2022 ballot. The proposal revises and improves term limits to enhance public policy making and improve transparency and avoid conflicts of interest by mandating financial disclosure by the governor, lieutenant governor, Secretary of the State and state lawmakers.
8. Pursued common sense tax reforms.
The Chamber championed legislation to align Michigan with federal practice for business interest expense deduction limitation. If signed by the Governor, the bill would allow Michigan’s unitary business groups to calculate their business interest expense at the group (or taxpayer) level rather than at the individual level. This ensures Michigan’s administration of the business interest expense matches the federal practice.
9. Updated Michigan’s solid waste and recycling laws.
The Chamber successfully advocated for a historic package of bills designed to update Michigan’s outdated solid waste and recycling laws. With funding secured and an updated policy framework to modernize materials management systems, House Bills 4454-4461 (which have yet to be signed by the Governor as of this publication date) are intended to boost Michigan’s recycling rate and capacity, including the incorporation of important chemical recycling technologies.
10. Set 2023 legislative priorities.
Hundreds of members across the Chamber’s three policy advisory committees – Tax Policy, Health & Human Resources, and Energy & Environment – met in November and December to craft the Chamber’s 2023 Legislative Priorities. The MI Chamber Board of Directors will meet to discuss and approve the priorities in late January. Click here to learn more or to join a committee!
2023 and Beyond
The Legislature will return to Lansing in January for the start of the 2023-24 legislative session. It is the first time in nearly 40 years that Democrats will hold majorities in the State House (56-54 split), Senate (20-18 split) and the Executive Branch (Governor, Attorney General and Secretary of State).
As we approach 2023, the Michigan Chamber team will remain focused on our pillars to “Protect. Connect. Strengthen.” and our commitment to pragmatic problem solving. Here’s a list of issues we are watching and/or will be pushing going into the new year:
- Ongoing questions about the future of Michigan’s paid sick leave and minimum wage laws. The Michigan Court of Appeals is considering a case questioning whether the Michigan Legislature had the constitutional authority to adopt and subsequently amend (“adopt-and-amend”) two 2018 ballot initiatives. One would have increased the minimum wage to $12 per hour by 2022 and increased tipped wages from $3.75 to $9.60, and the other would have enacted one of most generous paid sick leave laws in the country. The court is expected to issue its decision by Feb. 1 and, depending on which way the ruling goes, Michigan businesses could be forced to make costly changes to their wage rates and benefits offerings regardless of what they have implemented or offered to date — unless the Legislature intervenes with changes. More information here.
- Supporting the state’s overall competitiveness. The Michigan Chamber will support preserving laws, regulations and funds/funding structures aimed at making Michigan more competitive for jobs and investments. This includes:
- Preserving Michigan’s landmark Right to Work Law.
- Ensuring Michigan has a fair and balanced tax climate.
- Making sure Michigan has cost-effective and consistent environmental rules and remediation practices.
- Remaining competitive with our economic development incentive programs so Michigan can be positioned for long-term economic success.
- Tackling the talent crisis. The Michigan Chamber will continue to advocate for policy changes and state appropriations aimed at jumpstarting skill building and easing workforce shortages across Michigan. This will include continuing to support efforts to break down the barriers to employment, including affordable childcare and housing, in addition to reliable transportation. This also includes supporting an increase in the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). This refundable tax credit for low or moderate-income workers could benefit employees and businesses alike by incentivizing work and helping struggling families pay for necessities, especially at times with high inflation.
- Advancing smart and critical infrastructure repairs. The Michigan Chamber will continue to push for legislation to place aggregate mining permit authority in the hands of the state’s environmental protection agency, the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). The legislation seeks to find a balance between respect, preserving private property rights and environmentally sound practices with the need for expanded local access to the needed raw materials in abundance across Michigan to advance critical infrastructure repairs.
Do you have questions for us? Policy ideas or other needs for the new year? We’d love to hear from you! Contact our business advocacy team today at info@michamber.com.
Happy holidays and a healthy, prosperous new year for all!