LANSING, Mich., Feb. 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Michigan Chamber of Commerce today announced legislative priorities for 2017-2018. These priorities were developed by the Chamber's policy advisory committees and members who attended nine regional meetings, providing input from over 800 business leaders from across the state. The Chamber's legislative priorities were unanimously approved on January 31, 2017 by the Michigan Chamber's 80-member Board of Directors.

"The core purpose of the Michigan Chamber is to help members solve their business problems and prosper," said Chamber Board Chair Raymond A. Biggs, President & CEO of West Shore Bank, Ludington. "These legislative priorities will be used to focus lawmakers' attention on public policy initiatives to strengthen our economy and encourage job creation."

"The Michigan Chamber represents over 6,500 job providers throughout the state who employ over one million residents," noted Michigan Chamber President & CEO Rich Studley. "Chamber members are strongly committed to moving Michigan forward by advancing this agenda to grow Michigan's economy, strengthen communities and reshape government."

"The Chamber's 2017-2018 legislative priorities reflect our ongoing commitment to delivering powerful advocacy and being a strong voice for business at the State Capitol," Studley added.

"The Michigan Chamber is unwavering in our support for free enterprise and our advocacy team will aggressively work to improve Michigan's economic competitiveness through enactment of these legislative priorities," said Jim Holcomb, Senior Vice President for Business Advocacy & General Counsel for the Michigan Chamber.

"Our legislative priorities establish a solid foundation for an impressive job creating agenda," Holcomb added. "To hold legislators accountable, prior to the 2018 election, we will publish a detailed scorecard to inform voters which legislators supported job providers and economic growth and who did not."

The Michigan Chamber's 2017-2018 legislative priorities target eight high-priority issue areas:

• Education & Workforce Readiness
• Employer Rights
• Energy & Environment
• Federal Entitlement Reform
• Health Care
• Legal Reform
• Tax Climate
• Transportation & Infrastructure

The Michigan Chamber's 2017-2018 legislative priorities are available on the Michigan Chamber's website at www.michamber.com/priorities. For specific questions on high-priority issue areas, please contact:

Education & Workforce Readiness, Employer Rights, Health Care, Legal Reform
Wendy Block at wblock@michamber.com or (517) 371-7678

Energy Policy, Environmental Regulation
Jason Geer at jgeer@michamber.com or (517) 371-7673

Michigan's Tax Climate
Tricia Kinley at tkinley@michamber.com or (517) 371-7669

America's Entitlement Programs, Transportation & Infrastructure
Rich Studley at rstudley@michamber.com or (517) 371-2100

The Michigan Chamber is a statewide business organization representing approximately 6,500 employers, trade associations and local chambers of commerce. It represents businesses of every size and type in all 83 counties of the state. The Michigan Chamber was established in 1959 to be an advocate for Michigan's job providers in the legislative, political and legal process. It is one of only six state chambers accredited by the U.S. Chamber and one of only four state chambers accredited with distinction.

SOURCE Michigan Chamber of Commerce