Daily Briefs

Snyder seeks opinion on constitutionality of reimbursements to private schools

Gov. Rick Snyder Thursday asked the Michigan Supreme Court for an advisory opinion on the constitutionality of Section 152b of the school aid budget, which appropriates general fund dollars to reimburse certain state-mandated expenses incurred by private schools.

“The Michigan Supreme Court’s prompt resolution of important constitutional questions through advisory opinions greatly assists the people of Michigan…by providing the necessary constitutional certainty before moving forward with the implementation of the law,” Snyder said in his request letter to Chief Justice Robert P. Young, Jr.

Under the law, up to $2.5 million in general fund dollars may be used to reimburse private schools for costs associated with state-mandated requirements, including employee background checks, compliance with state building health and fire code requirements and immunizations.

In his letter to Young, Snyder requested that the Michigan Supreme Court evaluate whether the financial appropriation to private schools violates the Michigan Constitution, which prohibits certain types of aid to be distributed to non-public schools.

Under Article 3, Section 8 of the Michigan Constitution, the governor may request that the Michigan Supreme Court issue an opinion on an important question of law. These requests must be issued in regards to concern on the constitutionality of legislation and must be made after the legislation has been signed into law but before the effective date.

Snyder requested the Court issue an opinion before October 1, 2016, which is the date the law would become effective.
 

Justice Ginsburg regrets ‘ill-advised’ criticism of Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg apologized Thursday for “ill-advised” public criticism of Donald Trump, promising to be more discreet in the future.

The leader of the court’s liberal wing sought to quiet complaints that she crossed a line in her remarks about Trump, saying in a statement that judges should not comment on candidates for public office.

“On reflection, my recent remarks in response to press inquiries were ill-advised and I regret making them,” the 83-year-old justice said.

Ginsburg told The Associated Press last week that she did not want to think about the prospect of the Republican winning the presidency over Democrat Hillary Clinton. She escalated her criticism in subsequent media
interviews, including calling Trump a “faker” who “really has an ego,” in a CNN interview.

Trump jumped into the fray on Wednesday. He tweeted that Ginsburg was an embarrassment for making “very dumb political statements about me. Her mind is shot — resign!” In subsequent tweets, Trump called Ginsburg “incompetent” and wondered whether she would apologize.
 
Other Republicans have chimed in, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who called Ginsburg’s remarks “totally inappropriate.”

“She oughta stay out of it,” said Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. “It hurts the court when she does that.”

Ginsburg was appointed to the high court in 1993 by Clinton’s husband, former President Bill Clinton. She said in the AP interview that she expects the next president, “whoever she will be,” probably will have several Supreme Court appointments.

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