New Geiss set to take over state’s 12th House District

Rarely can a spouse fully understand the exact nuances of a significant other’s job, especially when that person is a politician. That won’t be an issue in the Geiss household, however, as state Rep. Erika Geiss (D-Taylor) takes over the 12th District House seat from her term-limited husband, Doug Geiss. “It’s definitely not the typical succession for a freshman legislator,” Erika Geiss, 44, said. “This will make the transition a bit smoother for everyone involved.” While technically already sworn-in, members of Michigan's House of Representatives and Senate won’t officially take their seats until Jan. 14, when each will be ceremonially sworn-in and sessions will begin for the first time in 2015. The name on the door and the person behind the desk are the only major changes for Geiss, as her new staff is the same as her husband’s was. This will allow for a faster transition, she said, without needing to take time to bring new staffers up to speed on continuing issues in the district.

“One of the first things I did after being elected was to talk to the staff to see if they both wanted to stay,” Erika Geiss said. “It’s really good for the constituents to have the stability in the staff. Having them stay will make things easier off the start.” Geiss said her two staffers will have more direct day-to-day contact with the people from her district, especially at the beginning of the term, as she learns. A unique view Most of the new members of the House have varying backgrounds, rising through the ranks of legislative staff, coming to politics from private industry or a number of other ways to their current positions. None has been as directly involved as Erika Geiss, nor will any have as direct a line to their predecessors for help should it be needed. “There are freshmen that have been in or around Lansing that will also have a certain amount of perspective,” she said. “In terms of relationship building with my colleagues, I know a lot of the second- and third-term members. That will certainly help. “Given that Doug left highly respected by his colleagues on both sides of the aisle will in many ways be a positive.”

Doug Geiss also believes the adjustment will be easier for her due to the continuity of staff and her familiarity with some legislators. “One of my colleagues came to me and said: ‘I want to work with you next term on (eminent domain reform),’” Doug said. “I told him I wasn’t coming back but Erika was.” He said the other legislator agreed to work with her on the issue and that there were other issues she would know going in where she might be able to find support for bills. The lifestyle that is led by a state representative will also be easier to adjust to, she said. “It will just be a different person with that schedule,” she said. Getting to work Erika Geiss wasted no time in following through on her campaign promises. She was officially sworn in Dec. 2 and quickly started going through some old bills that had been “orphaned,” or never voted on by previous officeholders. Among those, she found several worth resubmitting to committees for consideration. They include: *House Bill 4427 of 2013, which would add an “Arts” vanity plate to the list of options available through the Secretary of State’s Office. These plates are sold to raise funds for several types of things, but one to raise money for humanities has been omitted in the past. *House Bill 5727 of 2014, referred to as the “Birthday Bill,” would legally define a birthday as happening at the stroke of midnight, rather than leaving it undefined.

*The farm to glass bill, which is designed to encourage the growing wine and beer industry in the state to use Michigan-made ingredients when looking for everything from the hops to the bottling materials. *A bill that would require “Cyberschools” to post their educational materials online. *A bill that would mandate smaller classroom sizes in schools. *A bill to allow schools to refuse infrastructure from dissolved school systems. Geiss also is working on other bills, but declined to speak on them specifically before they are ready for submission to her colleagues. Committee assignments had not been announced when she spoke with The News-Herald. Her district includes Taylor, Romulus and parts of Van Buren Township. Any member of the 12th District who wants to meet with Geiss can schedule an appointment at her Lansing office, or locally at an office in the William D. Ford Senior Citizens Activity Center, 6750 Troy Road, Taylor. She can be reached by phone at 517-373-0852, or email at ErikaGeiss@house.mi.gov.

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