Abortion access, paid leave, clean energy on Whitmer's to-do list this fall

LANSING — A more generous paid leave policy, a 100% clean energy standard and protections for abortion access were among the policy priorities outlined by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in a speech Wednesday laying out her agenda for the fall.

"Today I want to answer one question. What's next?" Whitmer said, kicking off her speech.

In her speech, Whitmer laid out her answer to that question and ended with a call to celebrate everything she said Michigan has to already offer as she looks to the state's future. "We have it all. So let's tell the story. Because we're Michiganders, damn it. And there's nothing better."

The governor uses the annual State of the State address delivered in the state House chamber to outline policy goals. But, for the first time, Whitmer delivered a second policy speech focused exclusively on her legislative ambitions for the rest of the year. She delivered this one about half a mile from the Capitol at the Lansing Shuffle, a food hall along the city's riverfront that Whitmer said stood as "a symbol of Lansing’s resurgence."

Democrats secured control of both chambers of the Michigan Legislature for the first time in 40 years. So far, they've mostly stuck together on key votes, including on legislation to reverse GOP labor laws, establish new gun safety measures and repeal abortion restrictions.

Whitmer took a victory lap during her speech, touting economic development efforts to bring electric vehicle battery plants to Michigan, investments in public safety and repealing the state's abortion ban.

On the heels of those policy wins for the governor, Whitmer put forward her wish list for the fall blasted by GOP legislative leaders as extreme and expensive. "Unfortunately, it has become painfully obvious that what’s next for the people of Michigan is bad news for their pocketbooks," said Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, R-Porter Township.

Whitmer wants lawmakers to craft a paid family and medical leave policy that would allow workers to take time off to take care of a newborn or sick relative without suffering a financial cost for missing work. She billed the proposal as a way to help businesses attract and retain workers and bring new residents to the state.

"No one should have to choose between being there for their family and a paycheck," she said. Whitmer did not specify how many weeks of leave she'd like to see implemented or who would pay for the time off workers take.

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Whitmer also wants lawmakers to pass a 100% clean energy standard.

"We must face climate change head-on and grow our economy," she said. She vowed to put her administration's MI Healthy Climate Plan unveiled in April last year into action. The plan has a goal of achieving 100% carbon neutrality economy-wide by 2050 and calls for legislation adopting a renewable energy standard of 50% by 2030. Democratic lawmakers have zeroed in on their own plan, introducing legislation that would require 60% of utilities' energy to come from renewable sources by 2030 and require utilities to use 100% carbon-free energy by 2035. Whitmer did not explicitly back that timeline, but Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II previously said the Whitmer administration supports "the more aggressive standard."

Whitmer also called for changes at the Michigan Public Service Commission, such as permitting clean energy projects through the commission and allowing the commission to incorporate climate and equity considerations into their decisions.

While Whitmer has already moved to protect the right to abortion in Michigan, she wants lawmakers to repeal laws abortion rights proponents say create unnecessary barriers to accessing abortion.

"This forces patients to drive hundreds of miles for care or mandate that they receive biased, inaccurate information about their health," she said, seeming to refer to restrictions abortion rights proponents say make it difficult to open clinics and a 24-hour waiting period required before obtaining an abortion. She called for passing a so-called Reproductive Health Act to "roll back these harmful restrictions."

The governor called on lawmakers to codify protections in the Affordable Care Act in the event legal challenges thwart the federal health care law. Whitmer called for adding to state law protections for preexisting conditions, allowing young adults to stay on their parents' health insurance plan, banning annual or lifetime caps and requiring insurance plans to cover essential services. Whitmer additionally said she hopes to establish an independent prescription drug affordability board to lower the cost of prescription drugs.

With an eye toward the 2024 election, Whitmer backed plans to shore up protections for Michigan's election system.

"We cannot allow the will of the people to be tossed out or overturned, and we can't permit politicians to stay in office despite getting voted out," Whitmer said.

Contact Clara Hendrickson: chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. Follow her on Twitter @clarajanehen.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Whitmer's Michigan agenda: Paid leave, abortion access, clean energy