State Rep. Luke Meerman of Coopersville has been named the assistant floor leader of the Michigan House for the 2025-26 legislative session. He has served in the state House since 2018.
Photo courtesy Michigan House Republicans
State Rep. Luke Meerman, R-Coopersville, has been elected to serve as an Assistant Floor Leader of the Michigan House for the 2025-26 legislative session.
In his role, Rep. Meerman will help lead Republicans’ legislative efforts during House session and ensure parliamentary procedure and House rules are followed.
“I have great respect for the legislative process and I’m honored to be given the opportunity by my fellow Republican caucus members to ensure that proper procedures are maintained as we deliberate over and vote on policy matters for the people of Michigan,” Meerman said.
Meerman has served in the Michigan Legislature since 2018, previously serving as a Polkton Township trustee and vice president of the Ottawa County Farm Bureau. Throughout his tenure, he has been a strong advocate for key issues related to education and school safety, national security, and economic opportunity.
Meerman represents Michigan’s 89th House District, which includes the townships of Allendale, Blendon, Chester, Polkton, Tallmadge, Wright, and the city of Coopersville in Ottawa County, the townships of Casnovia, Egelston, Fruitport, Moorland, Ravenna, and Sullivan in Muskegon County, as well as part of the township of Tyrone in Kent County.
In his role, Rep. Meerman will help lead Republicans’ legislative efforts during House session and ensure parliamentary procedure and House rules are followed.
“I have great respect for the legislative process and I’m honored to be given the opportunity by my fellow Republican caucus members to ensure that proper procedures are maintained as we deliberate over and vote on policy matters for the people of Michigan,” Meerman said.
Meerman has served in the Michigan Legislature since 2018, previously serving as a Polkton Township trustee and vice president of the Ottawa County Farm Bureau. Throughout his tenure, he has been a strong advocate for key issues related to education and school safety, national security, and economic opportunity.
Meerman represents Michigan’s 89th House District, which includes the townships of Allendale, Blendon, Chester, Polkton, Tallmadge, Wright, and the city of Coopersville in Ottawa County, the townships of Casnovia, Egelston, Fruitport, Moorland, Ravenna, and Sullivan in Muskegon County, as well as part of the township of Tyrone in Kent County.
Climatologist: Michigan Will Miss Net-Zero Emissions Goal by 2050
By Scott McClallen
Michigan Capitol Confidential
The state of Michigan will miss its goal of having net-zero emissions by 2050, according to John R. Christy, distinguished professor of atmospheric and earth sciences and state climatologist at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
“It has been said that the U.K. is first in the race to Net Zero because no one else has decided to run,” Christy told Michigan Capitol Confidential in an email.
Michigan consumes too much power to rely solely on renewable energy, Christy wrote. It consumes almost five times more energy than it produces, and it ranks 10th nationwide in population and total energy consumption, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
In 2022, Michigan used 2,707 trillion British thermal units (2,235 trillion from fossil fuels) or 2,750 quadrillion joules (83 percent), Christy said, citing the EIA. A joule is a unit of energy measurement.
Nuclear power accounts for more than half the energy that does not come from fossil fuels, Christy said, so renewables (excluding hydropower) accounted for about 175 trillion BTUs (7 percent).
“Because of renewables’ unreliable dependence on weather and high expense, the only way to provide non-carbon power that people need is nuclear — and that’s only if nuclear produced enough electricity to charge all of the electric vehicles too,” Christy wrote.
“For an average second, Michigan consumed energy at the rate of 90,000,000,000 joules, or a rate of 90 gigawatts. How can renewables in Michigan create an average of 90 gigawatts (much more during peak hours)? Michigan would need to switch to all EVs and add about 10 times more nuclear power than it has now.”
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says Michiganders can thrive by using electricity generated from wind and solar power.
“This plan will protect Michiganders’ public health, protect our environment, and help develop new clean energy jobs by putting Michigan on a path towards becoming fully carbon-neutral by 2050,” Whitmer posted on social media.
In 2023, renewable energy, mostly from wind turbines, provided 11 percent of Michigan's total in-state electricity net generation. Michigan aims to have 100 percent of its energy come from renewable sources by 2040.
DTE Energy serves 2.3 million customers with electricity in southeastern Michigan.
“Climate change is one of the defining issues of our era,” DTE said on its website. “That’s why DTE Electric is taking bold steps to significantly increase our investments in renewable energy and cut carbon emissions in half over the next 10 years to reach our goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.”
The company wrote in its 2022 electric resource plan that its targets and aims for capital expenditure “are subject to change, and are aspirational and not guarantees or promises that all targets, goals and objectives will be met.”
Consumers Energy, which provides electric power to 1.8 million Michigan customers, has similar ideas.
“Consumers Energy is well on track to achieving the ambitious clean energy goals laid out in our Clean Energy Plan,” spokeswoman Tracy Wimmer told CapCon in an email.
In 2024, the utility announced renewable energy projects that will bring 691 megawatts of alternative energy and energy storage online in the coming years. The projects include wind, solar, renewable natural gas facilities, and battery storage capacity.
Consumers Energy lists 37 reasons why it might miss the goal. These include: increases in demand for renewable energy, energy market changes, stock prices, financial market conditions, supply chain problems, population changes, loss of customer demand, insurance costs, infrastructure disruption, risk management policies, fuel supply disruptions, customer billing, or “other matters that may be disclosed from time to time in CMS Energy’s and Consumers’ SEC filings, or in other public documents.”
New state or federal regulations, a government shutdown, or “effects of a lack of quorum of a regulatory body” could also cause the utility to miss net-zero by 2050, according to paperwork the utility filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Pipeline and railroad regulations change, potential effects of the Dodd-Frank Act, or even health care reforms could knock the plan off track, it said.
Posting inappropriately on social media, employee violations of corporate policies, and other bad “reputational impact” on CMS?Energy and Consumers could be a reason why the utility misses the 2050 goal.
The utility also said that potential disruption to facilities, operations, infrastructure or backup systems from an accident, explosion, disaster, cyber incident, vandalism, war, or terrorism could make it miss the 2050 goal.
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Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Michigan Capitol Confidential reports with a free-market news perspective.
Michigan Capitol Confidential
The state of Michigan will miss its goal of having net-zero emissions by 2050, according to John R. Christy, distinguished professor of atmospheric and earth sciences and state climatologist at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
“It has been said that the U.K. is first in the race to Net Zero because no one else has decided to run,” Christy told Michigan Capitol Confidential in an email.
Michigan consumes too much power to rely solely on renewable energy, Christy wrote. It consumes almost five times more energy than it produces, and it ranks 10th nationwide in population and total energy consumption, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
In 2022, Michigan used 2,707 trillion British thermal units (2,235 trillion from fossil fuels) or 2,750 quadrillion joules (83 percent), Christy said, citing the EIA. A joule is a unit of energy measurement.
Nuclear power accounts for more than half the energy that does not come from fossil fuels, Christy said, so renewables (excluding hydropower) accounted for about 175 trillion BTUs (7 percent).
“Because of renewables’ unreliable dependence on weather and high expense, the only way to provide non-carbon power that people need is nuclear — and that’s only if nuclear produced enough electricity to charge all of the electric vehicles too,” Christy wrote.
“For an average second, Michigan consumed energy at the rate of 90,000,000,000 joules, or a rate of 90 gigawatts. How can renewables in Michigan create an average of 90 gigawatts (much more during peak hours)? Michigan would need to switch to all EVs and add about 10 times more nuclear power than it has now.”
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says Michiganders can thrive by using electricity generated from wind and solar power.
“This plan will protect Michiganders’ public health, protect our environment, and help develop new clean energy jobs by putting Michigan on a path towards becoming fully carbon-neutral by 2050,” Whitmer posted on social media.
In 2023, renewable energy, mostly from wind turbines, provided 11 percent of Michigan's total in-state electricity net generation. Michigan aims to have 100 percent of its energy come from renewable sources by 2040.
DTE Energy serves 2.3 million customers with electricity in southeastern Michigan.
“Climate change is one of the defining issues of our era,” DTE said on its website. “That’s why DTE Electric is taking bold steps to significantly increase our investments in renewable energy and cut carbon emissions in half over the next 10 years to reach our goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.”
The company wrote in its 2022 electric resource plan that its targets and aims for capital expenditure “are subject to change, and are aspirational and not guarantees or promises that all targets, goals and objectives will be met.”
Consumers Energy, which provides electric power to 1.8 million Michigan customers, has similar ideas.
“Consumers Energy is well on track to achieving the ambitious clean energy goals laid out in our Clean Energy Plan,” spokeswoman Tracy Wimmer told CapCon in an email.
In 2024, the utility announced renewable energy projects that will bring 691 megawatts of alternative energy and energy storage online in the coming years. The projects include wind, solar, renewable natural gas facilities, and battery storage capacity.
Consumers Energy lists 37 reasons why it might miss the goal. These include: increases in demand for renewable energy, energy market changes, stock prices, financial market conditions, supply chain problems, population changes, loss of customer demand, insurance costs, infrastructure disruption, risk management policies, fuel supply disruptions, customer billing, or “other matters that may be disclosed from time to time in CMS Energy’s and Consumers’ SEC filings, or in other public documents.”
New state or federal regulations, a government shutdown, or “effects of a lack of quorum of a regulatory body” could also cause the utility to miss net-zero by 2050, according to paperwork the utility filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Pipeline and railroad regulations change, potential effects of the Dodd-Frank Act, or even health care reforms could knock the plan off track, it said.
Posting inappropriately on social media, employee violations of corporate policies, and other bad “reputational impact” on CMS?Energy and Consumers could be a reason why the utility misses the 2050 goal.
The utility also said that potential disruption to facilities, operations, infrastructure or backup systems from an accident, explosion, disaster, cyber incident, vandalism, war, or terrorism could make it miss the 2050 goal.
—————
Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Michigan Capitol Confidential reports with a free-market news perspective.
Bipartisan School Safety Task Force Measures Signed Into State Law
A bipartisan package of bills spearheaded by Reps. Luke Meerman, R-Coopersville, and Kelly Breen, D-Novi, to finalize the legislative efforts of the School Safety Task Force have been signed into state law.
The bipartisan task force was established in 2021 by former House Speaker Jason Wentworth in the wake of the Oxford school tragedy to determine policy solutions to prevent acts of violence against students and teachers.
Four Republicans and four Democrats sat on the task force and offered their unique perspectives to improve school safety protocols and address student mental health needs. Meerman served as chair of the group while Breen served as the Democrat lead. Other West Michigan lawmakers on the task force include Rep. Scott VanSingel, R-Grant, and Rep. Terry Sabo, D-Muskegon.
The task force’s final report provided detailed recommendations based on information and perspectives gained during listening sessions and discussions with students, parents, teachers, administrators, law enforcement and behavioral health professionals.
The bipartisan policy changes signed into law address holes in the system to better ensure school safety for Michigan kids.
“These bills reflect a proactive approach to ensure threats are recognized earlier and students’ unique individual needs are met,” said Meerman, a father of five. “Unaddressed mental health needs are one of the root causes of violence in schools. Working to keep our schools safe is an ongoing effort we should never tire of and I’m grateful to have an opportunity to work towards making our schools safer.”
“My happiest moments are seeing my kids come home at the end of the day. For too many parents, that does not happen,” Breen said. “This bipartisan package helps schools prevent acts of violence or self-harm, streamlines communications in times of emergency, and will help identify children in crisis so we can get them the help they need. Kids cannot learn unless they feel physically and mentally safe, and this is a critical step in that direction.”
The school safety bills are now Public Acts 263, 264, 270, 271 and 272 of 2024.
The bipartisan task force was established in 2021 by former House Speaker Jason Wentworth in the wake of the Oxford school tragedy to determine policy solutions to prevent acts of violence against students and teachers.
Four Republicans and four Democrats sat on the task force and offered their unique perspectives to improve school safety protocols and address student mental health needs. Meerman served as chair of the group while Breen served as the Democrat lead. Other West Michigan lawmakers on the task force include Rep. Scott VanSingel, R-Grant, and Rep. Terry Sabo, D-Muskegon.
The task force’s final report provided detailed recommendations based on information and perspectives gained during listening sessions and discussions with students, parents, teachers, administrators, law enforcement and behavioral health professionals.
The bipartisan policy changes signed into law address holes in the system to better ensure school safety for Michigan kids.
“These bills reflect a proactive approach to ensure threats are recognized earlier and students’ unique individual needs are met,” said Meerman, a father of five. “Unaddressed mental health needs are one of the root causes of violence in schools. Working to keep our schools safe is an ongoing effort we should never tire of and I’m grateful to have an opportunity to work towards making our schools safer.”
“My happiest moments are seeing my kids come home at the end of the day. For too many parents, that does not happen,” Breen said. “This bipartisan package helps schools prevent acts of violence or self-harm, streamlines communications in times of emergency, and will help identify children in crisis so we can get them the help they need. Kids cannot learn unless they feel physically and mentally safe, and this is a critical step in that direction.”
The school safety bills are now Public Acts 263, 264, 270, 271 and 272 of 2024.
Classic Michigan License Plate Designs Return
Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has announced the return of the white-on-blue and white-on-black Michigan license plates — two popular classic designs. The blue Great Lakes plate and black Great Lake State plate are available now.
Signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in December 2023, Public Act 317 of 2023 creates legacy registration plates, replicating the designs originally launched in the 1970s and 1980s. Drivers will pay a one-time $55 fee, which includes a $5 plate service fee and $50 that will be deposited into the Michigan Transportation Fund (MTF), to purchase the plate.
The MTF provides funding to counties, cities, and villages for road maintenance. A $10 renewal fee will be charged in subsequent years. Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak, introduced the legislation to create the new legacy plate option.
“I am proud to bring back these iconic license plates celebrating Michigan's history as the nation’s automotive capital,” Benson said. "Many Michiganders have fond memories of these classic plate designs and have been looking forward to them being added to our state's popular throwback plate selection. Car enthusiasts, collectors and everyday drivers can now put a piece of Michigan's history back on our roads while they help to fix the roads throughout the state."
The legacy plates are available for passenger vehicles, pickup trucks, and vans used non-commercially or commercially and are also being offered in disability and personalized versions. The number of characters allowed for the personalized plate is 1-6 characters.
Residents are able to order the new legacy plate online at Michigan.gov/SOS, when purchasing a vehicle through a dealership, or by making an appointment at any Secretary of State office.
For more information, visit Michigan.gov/LegacyPlates.
Signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in December 2023, Public Act 317 of 2023 creates legacy registration plates, replicating the designs originally launched in the 1970s and 1980s. Drivers will pay a one-time $55 fee, which includes a $5 plate service fee and $50 that will be deposited into the Michigan Transportation Fund (MTF), to purchase the plate.
The MTF provides funding to counties, cities, and villages for road maintenance. A $10 renewal fee will be charged in subsequent years. Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak, introduced the legislation to create the new legacy plate option.
“I am proud to bring back these iconic license plates celebrating Michigan's history as the nation’s automotive capital,” Benson said. "Many Michiganders have fond memories of these classic plate designs and have been looking forward to them being added to our state's popular throwback plate selection. Car enthusiasts, collectors and everyday drivers can now put a piece of Michigan's history back on our roads while they help to fix the roads throughout the state."
The legacy plates are available for passenger vehicles, pickup trucks, and vans used non-commercially or commercially and are also being offered in disability and personalized versions. The number of characters allowed for the personalized plate is 1-6 characters.
Residents are able to order the new legacy plate online at Michigan.gov/SOS, when purchasing a vehicle through a dealership, or by making an appointment at any Secretary of State office.
For more information, visit Michigan.gov/LegacyPlates.
