LANSING — Today, the Michigan House of Representatives voted on House Bill 5013, which makes various changes to the state’s auto no-fault insurance system. The bill failed to pass. In response, state Rep. Darrin Camilleri (D-Brownstown Township) issued the following statement:
“Today, I voted against HB 5013, a bill pushed by the auto insurance industry that would change auto insurance in our state. The fact is this bill makes no guarantee of long-term decreases in our auto insurance rates, and for that reason, it’s not surprising that the auto insurance companies supported it. High auto insurance rates in Michigan are unacceptable, but equally unacceptable is a plan where the biggest winner is yet again the insurance industry. A bipartisan majority of my colleagues in the House agree that this legislation falls short of offering folks enough coverage in the event of an auto accident. While there are reasonable, long-term reform proposals with bipartisan solutions and support on the table, House leadership has instead decided to bring forward only stopgap proposals sponsored by the auto insurance industry. HB 5013 would mean a significant increase in our state’s Medicaid costs, while also failing to fully exempt seniors from paying twice for medical coverage. I could not in good conscience vote for a plan which puts politics over people, and does not in my mind represent a good faith effort to make lasting reductions in auto insurance rates.”