In Re House of Representatives Request for Advisory Opinion Regarding Constitutionality of 2018 PA 368 & 369

924 N.W.2d 882

Opinion

On order of the Court, the requests by the House of Representatives and the Senate for an advisory opinion on the constitutionality of 2018 PA 368 and 2018 PA 369 are considered. We direct the Clerk to schedule oral argument for Wednesday, July 17, 2019, at 9:30 a.m. MCR 7.308(B)(3).

We invite the House of Representatives and the Senate, and any member of either chamber, to file briefs on the following questions: (1) whether the Court should exercise its discretion to grant the requests to issue an advisory opinion in this matter; (2) whether Const. 1963, art. 2, § 9 permits the Legislature to enact an initiative petition into law and then amend that law during the same legislative session; and (3) whether 2018 PA 368 and 2018 PA 369 were enacted in accordance with Const 1963, art. 2, § 9. We respectfully request the Attorney General to submit separate briefs arguing both sides of these questions. Briefs in support of the constitutionality of the enacted legislation shall be filed no later than May 15, 2019. Briefs in opposition to the constitutionality of the enacted legislation shall be filed no later than June 19, 2019. Persons or groups interested in the determination of the questions presented in this matter may move the Court for permission to file briefs amicus curiae on either or both sides, in accordance with the briefing schedule set forth above. Motions for permission to file briefs amicus curiae and briefs amicus curiae regarding these two cases should be filed in In re House of Representatives Request for Advisory Opinion Regarding Constitutionality of 2018 PA 368 & 369 (Docket No. 159160) only.

The requests by the House of Representatives and the Senate for an advisory opinion remain pending.