LANSING – If the House passes a bill, or a Senate committee reports it, Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville (R-Monroe) said Wednesday he’s not standing in the way of a floor debate on right-to-work legislation.

But Richardville, who supports a right-to-teach bill targeted at the Michigan Education Association, told reporters he doesn’t support a broader right-to-work measure and doesn’t think it would pass the Senate even though several members of his caucus support the concept. Sen. Patrick Colbeck (R-Canton Township) is taking a lead role on right-to-work in the chamber and has said he has to make the “business case” for the legislation.

Richardville said he doesn’t believe a larger right-to-work law would be a game-changer, and statements it would add jobs in Michigan are overstated, because the state doesn’t attract lower-level jobs like other right-to-work states do.

“We’ve got a higher-level workforce, better educated,” he said.

GOP lawmakers in Indiana recently started work on a right-to-work bill although Democrats in the statehouse dodged session last week to avoid a quorum to vote on the legislation in committee.

Right-to-work was discussed briefly during a meeting Wednesday between Richardville, House Speaker Jase Bolger (R-Marshall) and Governor Rick Snyder.

Richardville said both legislative chambers are working on their priority list of legislation and coordinating that with the governor in the hopes of coming to agreement before Snyder’s budget presentation. Senate Republicans met at a retreat in Eaton Rapids in the afternoon to go over bills individual members would like to see taken up.

There was some discussion of personal property tax and education reforms, as well as right-to-work, Richardville said.

Lt. Governor Brian Calley and Bolger also spoke to the group about coordinating their legislative priorities.

Richardville said the discussion didn’t change his mind on right-to-work and he added whether the governor would actually sign the bill would be a factor in whether the Senate took it up or not. Snyder has indicated a discussion on the topic would stymie other legislative efforts.

This story was provided by Gongwer News Service. To subscribe, click on Gongwer.Com

a>>