Today Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the bipartisan Senate Bill 87 to amend the Revised Judicature Act.
This bill will retain a judgeship in the 95th-A District Court (Menominee County) that was slated for elimination. Senator Ed McBroom (SD-38) sponsored the bill and joined the governor for the bill signing along with Rep. Sara Cambensy (HD-109), Rep. Beau LaFave (HD-108), Rep. Greg Markkanen (HD-110), and Michigan Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Clement.
SB 87 passed in both chambers in the Michigan Legislature unanimously. Preserving this seat will help the community establish a drug treatment court to combat the opioid epidemic in this part of the state.
“This bill will ensure that the people of Menominee County have access to our judicial system and those struggling with addiction will have access to drug treatment court,” said Gov. Whitmer. “I look forward to working with Senator McBroom and my partners in the Legislature to pass more bipartisan legislation that helps the people of Michigan moving forward.”
Senate Bill 87, now Public Act 1 of 2019, reverses a 2012 law that eliminated the position, which was based on a State Court Administrator’s Office (SCAO) Judicial Resources Recommendation (JRR) calling for the removal based on data and statistical analysis from 2008-2010. The position was to be eliminated on March 31.
“I appreciate the support of my colleagues from both sides of the political divide for recognizing the importance of keeping the 95-A judge and for their quick action in getting the bill approved, especially Representative Beau LaFave who sponsored an identical bill in the House, and Representatives Greg Markkanen and Sara Cambensy,” said McBroom, R-Vulcan. “I also would like to thank Governor Whitmer for her support in signing the bill — her first— as this was vital to preserving the due process rights of Upper Peninsula residents.”
Statistics show the situation has changed, with felony filings in the Menominee District Court having significantly increased over the past eight years, prompting the legislation, and validating concerns McBroom expressed in 2011.
“I am grateful that everyone was able to come together collaboratively to ensure retention of this seat,” McBroom said. “We were fortunate to have strong support from the judges in the Upper
Peninsula, including leadership from Judge Ninomiya and assistance from the local counites and U.P. Judges Association.
“The local justice system faces new challenges and, coupled with the geographic realities in the Upper Peninsula, now was the right time to ensure residents have timely access to our courts.”
Senator McBroom introduced SB 87 after the current district court judge for the 95th-A district, the Honorable Judge Jeffrey Barstow, announced plans to retire on March 31st, 2019. Under the current act, this would eliminate the district judge position.
