Governor Snyder has signed HB 4770 into law as Public Act 297 of 2011. The act bans public employers from offering health insurance coverage to an unrelated adult living with a covered employee. The Governor believes the act should not (and does not) apply to the state's public universities, given the provisions of the constitution addressing the powers of those institutions. Legislative supporters, however, believe that the new ban applies to state universities.
If, when asked your opinion on the question, you wish to maintain the excuse that you have not read the new law, read no further. Granted that your opinion on which institutions the act applies to doesn't count (unless you end up arguing the case and are persuasive), here nonetheless is the actual text of the enrolled bill and a representative constitutional provision on public universities. What do you think?
Article VIII, Sec. 5
ยง 5 University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Wayne State University; controlling boards.
Sec. 5.
The regents of the University of Michigan and their successors in office shall constitute a body corporate known as the Regents of the University of Michigan; the trustees of Michigan State University and their successors in office shall constitute a body corporate known as the Board of Trustees of Michigan State University; the governors of Wayne State University and their successors in office shall constitute a body corporate known as the Board of Governors of Wayne State University. Each board shall have general supervision of its institution and the control and direction of all expenditures from the institution's funds. Each board shall, as often as necessary, elect a president of the institution under its supervision. He shall be the principal executive officer of the institution, be ex-officio a member of the board without the right to vote and preside at meetings of the board. The board of each institution shall consist of eight members who shall hold office for terms of eight years and who shall be elected as provided by law. The governor shall fill board vacancies by appointment. Each appointee shall hold office until a successor has been nominated and elected as provided by law.
Here's the Governor's opinion, as expressed in his signing statement:
