MEMBERS:
SEN. PETER J. LUCIDO, VICE CHAIR
SEN. LANA THEIS
SEN. MICHAEL MACDONALD
SEN. JEFF IRWIN, MINORITY VICE CHAIR
THE SENATE
COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT
SENATOR ED MCBROOM
CHAIR
7200 BINSFELD BUILDING
P.O. BOX 30036
LANSING, MICHIGAN 48909-7536
PHONE: (517) 373-7840
FAX: (517) 373-3932
COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
June 16, 2020
A meeting of the Senate Committee on Oversight was scheduled for Tuesday, June 16, 2020, at 2:00 p.m., in the
S403 Room of the Capitol Building.
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The agenda summary is as follows:
1. A presentation from the of Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
on their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2. A presentation from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
on their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The Chair called the meeting to order at 2:02 p.m. He instructed the Clerk to call the roll. At that time, the
following members were present: Chair McBroom, Sen.(s) Lucido, Theis, MacDonald and Irwin, a quorum was
present.
The Chair invited the committee to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
The Chair entertained a motion by Sen. Theis to adopt the meeting minutes from June 9, 2020. Without
objection, the minutes were adopted.
The Chair introduced the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) Director,
Liesel Eichler Clark and invited her to address the committee.
Member questions and discussion followed concerning the mission of the department, department operations
during stay-at-home order, teleworking, transparency and accountability of the department and effective use of
taxpayer money, additional internal audit process's, internal and external communication, townhall webinars,
updates to department web site and other technology updates, staff furloughs and lay-offs.
The Chair introduced the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) Chief
Deputy Director, Aaron Keatley and invited him to address the committee.
Member questions and discussion followed concerning process to aid the public and other departments during
shut-down period, administrative reports, deadlines, interactions with the Executive Office relating to executive
orders, creating policy, water shutoffs, virus hotspots and water availability, restart grant program, furloughs,
drinking water engineers, drinking water testing after dam breach.
The Chair introduced the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Director, Gary
McDowell and invited him to address the committee.
Member questions and discussion followed concerning the effect of executive orders on the Department,
departmental interaction with the Executive Office on creating executive orders, executive order on veterinary
services – livestock vs pets, food safety, human and animal health, pesticide applicators license expirations,
complaints from the public, inspections, inspectors and violations issued, furloughs and lay-off's, housing of
migrant workers, closure of greenhouses, protein processing plants, raw milk dumping, the State Veterinarian,
viability of the food supply this fall, PA 116 payments, TB Program, U-Pick farm operations, the benefit of
having targets in place.
The Chair entertained a motion from Sen. Macdonald to adjourn the meeting. Without objection, the committee
was adjourned at 3:13 p.m.
Date Adopted by Committee: 06/23/2020