House of Representatives

No. 7 STATE OF MICHIGAN JOURNAL OF THE House of Representatives 101st Legislature REGULAR SESSION OF 2021 House Chamber, Lansing, Thursday, February 4, 2021. 12:00 Noon. The House was called to order by the Speaker. The roll was called by the Clerk of the House of Representatives, who announced that a quorum was present. Aiyash—present Damoose—present LaFave—present Roth—present Albert—present Eisen—present LaGrand—present Sabo—present Alexander—present Ellison—present Lasinski—present Schroeder—present Allor—present Farrington—present Liberati—present Scott—present Anthony—present Filler—present Lightner—present Shannon—present Beeler—present Fink—present Lilly—present Slagh—present Bellino—present Frederick—present Maddock—present Sneller—present Berman—present Garza—present Manoogian—present Sowerby—present Beson—present Glenn—present Marino—present Steckloff—present Bezotte—present Green—present Markkanen—present Steenland—present Bolden—present Griffin—present Martin—present Stone—present Bollin—present Haadsma—present Meerman—present Tate—present Borton—present Hall—present Morse—present Thanedar—present Brabec—present Hammoud—present Mueller—present Tisdel—present Brann—present Hauck—present Neeley—present VanSingel—present Breen—present Hertel—present O’Malley—present VanWoerkom—present Brixie—present Hoitenga—present O’Neal—present Wakeman—present Calley—present Hood—present Outman—present Weiss—present Cambensy—present Hope—present Paquette—present Wendzel—present Camilleri—present Hornberger—present Peterson—present Wentworth—present Carra—present Howell—present Pohutsky—present Whiteford—present Carter, B—present Huizenga—present Posthumus—present Whitsett—present Carter, T—present Johnson, C—present Puri—present Witwer—present Cavanagh—present Johnson, S—present Rabhi—present Wozniak—present Cherry—present Jones—excused Reilly—present Yancey—present Clemente—present Kahle—present Rendon—present Yaroch—present Clements—present Koleszar—present Rogers—present Young—present Coleman—present Kuppa—present e/d/s = entered during session 88 JOURNAL OF THE HOUSE [February 4, 2021] [No. 7 Rep. Timothy Beson, from the 96th District, offered the following invocation: “Lord, we ask for Your guidance on the important work which we perform in this Chamber, today and every day. As the Representatives of the people from across this great state, we ask that You grant us wisdom as we make decisions which impact so many people’s lives. We ask that You would guide us, give us insight, and grant us peace in our decisions and daily comings and goings. Use us, Father, to serve our brothers and sisters wisely and justly. We ask for Your prayers over our state, we ask for healing for the sick, hope for the hopeless, joy for the destitute, peace for the anxious, and Your abundant comfort for all those who suffer and mourn. We ask all of this in Your Holy Name. Amen.” ______ The Speaker called the Speaker Pro Tempore to the Chair. ______ Rep. Frederick moved that Rep. Jones be excused from today’s session. The motion prevailed. Motions and Resolutions The Speaker laid before the House House Resolution No. 27. A resolution to declare February 4, 2021, as Optimist Day in the state of Michigan. (The resolution was introduced and postponed for the day on February 3, see House Journal No. 6, p. 84.) The question being on the adoption of the resolution, The resolution was adopted. Reps. O’Neal, Whitsett, Hope, Breen, Brixie, Scott, Cavanagh, Hertel, Brenda Carter, Manoogian, Young, Aiyash, Camilleri, Hammoud, Cherry, Sneller, Bolden, Anthony, Cynthia Johnson, Brabec, Witwer, Neeley, Yancey, Sowerby, Clemente, Rabhi, Garza, Haadsma, Puri, Rogers and Sabo offered the following resolution: House Resolution No. 28. A resolution to declare February 2021 as Black History Month in the state of Michigan. Whereas, The history of the United States is rich with inspirational stories of great individuals whose actions, words, and achievements have united Americans and contributed to the success and prosperity of the United States; and Whereas, Among those Americans who have enriched our society are the members of the Black community, individuals whose accomplishments have contributed to every endeavor throughout the history of our nation and this state and who have been steadfast in their commitment to promoting equality and justice for all; and Whereas, In August 1619, the first documented Africans arrived in the English colony of Virginia. The group, recorded upon arrival as “20 and Odd Negroes,” was part of a larger group of West Africans enslaved by Portuguese slave traders. They were on their way to Veracruz aboard a Portuguese ship when they were captured off the coast of Mexico by an English warship and transported to Virginia, where they were put ashore at what is now Hampton, Virginia, and sold as involuntary laborers or indentured servants; and Whereas, The historic arrival of the group of “20 and Odd Negroes” marked the beginning of the trend in colonial America where people of Africa were kidnapped from their homeland and transplanted to a foreign land, where they were condemned to a lifetime of slavery and racial injustices; and Whereas, During the course of the slave trade, an estimated 50 million African men, women, and children were lost to their native continent, though only about 15 million arrived safely to a new home. The others lost their lives on African soil or along the Guinea coast, or finally in holds on the ships during the dreaded Middle Passage across the Atlantic Ocean; and No. 7] [February 4, 2021] JOURNAL OF THE HOUSE 89 Whereas, In spite of the African slave trade, and in the face of injustices and inequalities, including lynch mobs, segregation, and the denial of the basic and fundamental rights of citizenship, Black Americans continued to move forward in society; and Whereas, In 2021, the vestiges of those injustices and inequalities remain evident in the society of the United States; and Whereas, From the earliest days of the United States, the course of its history has been greatly influenced by Black heroes and pioneers in many diverse areas, including science, medicine, business, education, government, law, industry, and social leadership; and Whereas, many Black Americans lived, toiled, and died in obscurity, never achieving the recognition they deserved, and yet paved the way for future generations to succeed; and Whereas, Black Americans have been great inventors, inventing and improving on innovations such as the air-conditioning unit, almanac, automatic gearshift, blood plasma bag, clothes dryer, doorknob, doorstop, electric lamp bulb, elevator, fire escape ladder, fountain pen, gas mask, golf tee, horseshoe, lantern, lawnmower, lawn sprinkler, lock, lubricating cup, refrigerating apparatus, spark plug, stethoscope, telephone transmitter, thermostat control, traffic signal, and typewriter; and Whereas, The history of Blacks in America now includes the election and re-election of the first Black President of the United States and now the first Black Vice-President of the United States; and Whereas, Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson, the distinguished Black author, editor, publisher, and historian who is known as the “Father of Black History,” founded Negro History Week in 1926, which became Black History Month in 1976, celebrated during the month of February, with the intent to encourage further research and publications regarding the untold stories of Black heritage; and Whereas, Dr. Woodson stated, “We have a wonderful history behind us…if you are unable to demonstrate to the world that you have this record, the world will say to you, ‘You are not worthy to enjoy the blessings of democracy or anything else.’”; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body declare February 2021 as Black History Month in the state of Michigan. We urge all citizens to join in celebrating the achievements and contributions of Black Americans that have helped create the legacy of this great country and encourages the people of Michigan to create equity and equality for education, economics, and social justice. The question being on the adoption of the resolution, The resolution was adopted. Reps. Martin, Garza, Green, Haadsma, Sabo and Witwer offered the following resolution: House Resolution No. 29. A resolution to declare February 2021 as Career and Technical Education Month in the state of Michigan. Whereas, A competitive economy requires workers who are prepared for skilled professions; and Whereas, Career and technical education (CTE) training matches employability skills with workforce demand and provides relevant academic and technical coursework leading to industry-recognized credentials for secondary, post-secondary, and adult learners; and Whereas, CTE ensures that competitive and skilled workers are ready, willing, and capable of holding jobs in high-wage, high-skill, and in-demand career fields such as science, technology, engineering, mathematics, nursing, allied health, construction, information technology, energy sustainability, and many other career fields that are vital in keeping Michigan competitive in our global economy; and Whereas, Investing in CTE training for Michigan schools helps meet the very real and immediate challenges of economic development, student achievement, and competitiveness; and Whereas, Providing real-world training to Michigan students during their secondary education gives them experience in multiple career field opportunities, and

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