Legislative Priorities 2021 - Michigan Golf Course Owners Association
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2021
Legislative
Priorities
“The Voice of
Michigan Golf Business”
Stoatin Brae Golf Club
Augusta, MI
ADVOCACY
PARTNERS
Mission statement of the MGCA: Promote and preserve the best interest of the Michigan golf industry.
BOARD of DIRECTORS GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Gilda Johnson Bernie Friedrich Tom Schwark Bob Koutnik
President Boyne GOLF Chair Fox Run Country Club
Lake Forest Golf Club Boyne Falls Sycamore Hills Golf Course Grayling
Ann Arbor Macomb
Jeff Hoag Patty McCarthy
Jim Dewling Scott Lake Country Club Kathy Aznavorian McCarthy Golf
Vice President Comstock Park Fox Hills Golf & Banquet Center Chelsea
Total Golf Inc. Toni Joers Plymouth
Jim Scholle
Clarkston Concord Hills Golf Course Sam Cottone Yamaha Golf Cars Plus
Jim Szilagyi Concord Twin Lakes Golf Course Plainwell
Treasurer Bob Koutnik Oakland
Paul Scott
The Lynx Golf Club Fox Run Country Club Matt Cottone Radrick Farms Golf Course
Otsego Grayling Twin Lakes Golf Course Ann Arbor
Bill Fountain Bill Mory Oakland
Joe Tignanelli
Past President Meridian Sun Golf Course
Bill Fountain Westwynd Golf Course
Majestic at Lake Walden Haslett
Majestic at Lake Walden Rochester
Hartland Bay Paul Hartland
Kathy Aznavorian Course Logix
Clarkston Matt Golden
Fox Hills Golf & Banquet Center St. Ives Golf Club
Plymouth Tom Schwark Stanwood
Corey Crowell Sycamore Hills Golf Course
Indian River Golf Course Macomb
Indian River Susan Vanderburg
Tee Off Times ad spring 2017.pdf
Indian1Lake
3/8/17 1:06 PM
Hills Golf Course
Eau Claire
2
MGCA continues to
speak up for the industry
The Michigan Golf Course Association came to life in The MGCA has your back insuring the legislative lead-
1977 with the express purpose of promoting and pre- ers and government agencies have the information
serving the best interest of the Michigan golf industry. needed to make the right decisions for you and your
business.
That’s what our mission statement still states, writ-
ten 44 years ago. As the The MGCA’s Government
largest state affiliate of Affairs Committee, made
the National Golf Course “The MGCA has your back, up of board members and
Owners Association, the
MGCA staff received an
ensuring the legislative leaders golf course owners and op-
erators, monitors and advo-
unfunded mandate from and government agencies cates for business-friendly
the board of directors in
2003 to form a govern- have the information needed...” legislation.
ment affairs committee In addition, the MGCA plans
and subsequent initiatives for our industry. and executes our annual “Legislative Day on the Lawn”
at the state capitol. Along with the Michigan Golf Alli-
Eighteen years later the MGCA is the leading legisla-
tive advocate for the golf industry in Michigan. Having ance we communicate the overall economic impact of
joined forces with not only the NGCOA, but also the golf in Michigan, and give members the opportunity to
Small Business Association of Michigan, the MGCA directly address legislators with specific concerns in
is a proactive player in the Michigan legislative arena. their communities.
What we are watching out for
In 2020, the MGCA and the Michigan Golf Alliance were instrumental in opening golf and having it recognized
as a safe sport, and brought more awareness to the Office of the Governor on the business of golf.
Covid-19 Advocacy Taxes/Regulatory
As we move forward through 2021 MGCA continues to • State agencies should ensure that Michigan’s regula-
monitor and advocate when needed. Some examples: tions do not put our businesses at a disadvantage as
• Pandemic related rules from regulatory agencies and compared to their peers in other states.
their permanency • Business taxation should be simple and predictable,
• Reimbursement of 2020 food license fees, liquor fair and reasonably assessed to allow for advanced
license fees and property taxes planning and expenses.
• Re-opening of the economy with common sense metrics • The MGCA watches for changes in tax codes, credits,
• Liability protections surrounding Covid 19 employee exemptions, etc.
complaints for businesses that put forward a good
faith effort Economic Health and Impact
• Unemployment Insurance costs fraud should not be
at the expense of the business. • Michigan should focus its economic development
programs on existing Michigan businesses. Busi-
Wages/Labor nesses that put forth good faith effort to comply with
COVID-19 rules and regulations should not be subject
• Golf courses in Michigan are a seasonal business. to adverse local actions by employees, customers or
Many employees are enjoying their first job experience local and state governments.
while others are retired, part-time workers. Wages • The PURE Michigan campaign continues to promote trav-
need to be fair for both the employer and employee el and tourism both in state, nationally and internationally
to sustain this business model and our industry. • The MGCA will continue to be first in line to speak out
in favor of Daylight Savings Time and our industries’
need for the longer day.
3 www.MichiganGCA.org
Michigan’s Political Breakdown
Governor
DEMOCRAT - Gretchen Whitmer Senate
20 seats needed for a majority.
Attorney General Republican: 20 Democrat:16 Vacant: 2
DEMOCRAT - Dana Nessel
Secretary of State
DEMOCRAT - Jocelyn Benson
The Michigan Senate was not up for
election in 2020, they are next up
Supreme Court in 2022. The two vacant seats will be
REPUBLICAN majority (4-3), filled in a Nov. 2021 election.
DEMOCRATIC Chief Justice
House
110 members
58-52 REPUBLICAN majority
• Subject to three 2-year terms
• 28 new freshmen members House of
Representatives
Senate
56 seats needed for a majority.
38 members
20-16 REPUBLICAN majority, two vacancies
Republican: 58 Democrat: 52
• Subject to two 4-year terms
• Two vacancies (two Republican senators were elected to
county-level offices in Nov. 2020)
U.S. Senate
2 DEMOCRATS The overall House makeup did not
change. There are 28 new freshmen
legislators due to term limits.
U.S. Congress
14 members (7-7 even party split)
LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES 2021 4
Golf Day at the Capitol
Legislators Learn Golf’s Community Impact
Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist came out to the large tent on the cessful people – and they learned how to play a bit of golf, too,”
front lawn of the Capitol to proclaim June is Michigan Golf he said. “Miss Renee is I think the best of what we want people
Month, and Rep. Stephanie Young, D-Detroit, came because to be when they contribute to the success of our communities.”
the state legislators were all invited to Michigan Golf Day at
the Capitol Thursday, June 3.
Members of the Michigan Golf Alliance, a cooperative
body of five state golf associations, shared its message of
economic, environmental and human impact of the game with
face-to-face talks over lunch and a program that included
presentations by Renee Fluker, the founder and president
of the Midnight Golf Program in Detroit, Gilda Johnson, the
owner of Lake Forest Golf Club and the Michigan Golf Course
Association president, and a video featuring Dr. Brian Horgan
of the Michigan State University College of Agriculture & Nat-
ural Resources.
Gilchrist and Young learned more about golf’s impact with
the over 200 legislators and staffers who attended, and both
sought out their friend Fluker, who has demonstrated to them Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, center, holds the proclamation declaring June is Michigan
in a very personal way that golf impacts communities. Golf Month, and he is joined by, from left, Skip Connolly of the Michigan Golf Course
Gilchrist’s mother has been a long-time friend of Fluker, Superintendents Association, Carey Mitchelson of the Michigan Turfgrass Founda-
tion, Tom Schwark of the Michigan Golf Course Association, Gilda Johnson, presi-
and Young’s son, Darius, is a former Midnight Golf partici- dent of the Michigan Golf Course Association, Bob Bales, president of the Michigan
pant. Midnight Golf’s mission remains equipping determined Section PGA, and Jay Hults, vice-president of the Golf Association of Michigan.
young adults through life skills training, proactive coaching,
long-term mentoring, and the discipline of golf so they can The Michigan Golf Alliance is made up of the Michigan
succeed in college, in their careers and beyond. It was found- Golf Course Association (MGCA), the Michigan Golf Course
ed in 2001 by Fluker, a social worker and single mother. Over Superintendents Association (MiGCSA), the Michigan Sec-
3,200 students have been directly helped, including college tion PGA, the Golf Association of Michigan (GAM) and the
scholarships, in the last 19 years. Greater Michigan Club Management Association and for sev-
“Renee is proof of golf’s diversity but also of what happens eral years the leaders of those groups have gathered to voice
when you believe in young people,” Young said. “Midnight a cooperative message.
Golf takes young people who have never held a golf club and In 2020 the day was cancelled due to pandemic concerns,
never thought there was a way for but Thursday the golf leaders tried
them to learn this type of sport and to engage legislators on a personal
then exposes them to it.” level as small business owners, as
Young called Fluker a trailblazer well as pass on the industry facts
and said Midnight Golf impacted like $4.2 billion in annual econom-
her son in multiple ways beyond ic impact, over 60,000 people em-
playing golf. ployed by golf courses in the state.
“I believe Midnight Golf was one $1.4 billion in wages paid and over
of the reasons Darius was able to 150,000 acres of managed green
go to college, finish in four years space and wetlands that provide
and now is working in his field – wildlife habitats.
animation,” she said. “The program Tom Schwark, chairman of the Michigan Golf Alliance is Brian Calley, former Lt. Gov. and
teaches those kids how to manage with MGCA executive director Jada Paisley, Lt. Gov. Garlin now president of the Small Busi-
their time when they get to college, Gilchrist, and Midnight Golf President Renee Fluker. ness Association of Michigan,
how to manage their money while called the event a chance to engage
they are in college and how to find a job after college.” with legislators and debunk the myth that golf is just a rich
Gilchrist called Midnight Golf a generational uplifting man’s sport.
program for the Detroit region. “Nothing could be further from the truth,” he said. “Tell your
“It is a manifestation of what she and her team have poured small business stories, talk about your civic engagement and
into the young people in the region and it has produced don’t be shy about the type of things you do to help make your
healthier, better connected, more productive and more suc- communities stronger.”
5 www.MichiganGCA.org
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LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES 2021 6
Steps for Legislation
to Become Law in Michigan
Introduction 1
com-
Approval by
mittee in
2 house of ori-
gin
(House or Senate)
Approval by
house
of origin
3
Approval by
committee
4 in second
house
second
5
Approval by
house
*If amended
*If the amend- by the second
ment is not ap- 6 house,
proved by the the bill must return to
the house of origin for
second house, approval of the amend-
the bill goes to a conference ment(s).
committee made up of legis-
lators from each chamber. The
committee can resolve disputes
7
between the two chambers
and then each chamber must
approve the conference report.
8
Governor’s signature
Reprinted with permission from the Michigan Retailers Association.
7 www.MichiganGCA.org
PRSRT STD
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
LANSING, MI
PERMIT NO 1096
Michigan Golf Course Association
1005 Abbot Road
Suite A
East Lansing, MI 48823
(517) 482-4312
www.MichiganGCA.org
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