A state House panel will begin public hearings tomorrow (Tuesday) on whether Michigan should make some big changes to the mandatory no fault auto insurance law.
The controversial proposal would let drivers choose their level of coverage.
The proposal also includes a $50,000 appropriation to implement the law in such a way as to make it referendum-proof.
Former state Representative Jim Howell says that money is in the bill to prevent voters from overturning the measure on the ballot.
"You know, I saw that appropriation, I knew what was going on with it. Very honestly – unless some of the current representatives have read about it some place, or heard it in the media, they wouldn’t have any clue," said Howell.
Howell said he thinks term limits prevent new lawmakers from understanding the content of a major proposal such as the no fault elimination bills.
Howell said they probably don’t remember that voters rejected similar changes to no fault insurance by a significant margin in the early 1990s.
The former Republican lawmaker will testify against the proposal tomorrow (Tuesday).
