Thread by @juliebrixie

Bills I intro'd w/@StateRepSteph inspired a @JohnAuchter cartoon in @MichiganRadio due to the ridiculous reaction they evoked from the MI GOP. The state of our politics are in a very sad place as these are thoughtful bills that would solve a problem for residents across MI #mileg

The bills would help SOS @JocelynBenson address the backlog of people/businesses needing to renew licenses, registrations, permits, etc. with the SOS due to COVID - with one-time federal COVID relief funding. #mileg

GOP leadership in the #mileg played a key role in creating this problem by granting 13-months of extensions for renewing licenses, registrations, etc., and then requiring all of that business to be conducted overnight when they let the extensions abruptly expire on March 31.

The SOS warned Republican lawmakers throughout that the extensions could become a really problematic issue, unless the extensions were expired in phases or additional resources were put in place at SOS branches.

Now, Republican lawmakers are holding hearings in an effort to deflect the blame when they knew they were causing a problem to score political points. Let's get to work and solve some problems for the residents and businesses of Michigan who deserve customer service. #mileg