Update 12:41 p.m.
The request from Governor Snyder came last Friday.
The Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice, the group filing the lawsuit against the state's emergency manager law, posted the request from the Governor today.
In the request, Governor Snyder says without bypassing the other courts "this lawsuit may take years to reach finality.":
I recognize the significance of seeking a bypass to this court as provided by MCR 7.305, and only request this court's involvement after careful consideration of the urgency and importance of the issues presented here.
Snyder says the severe financial difficulties facing local governments and school districts require that the questions of constitutionality be resolved quickly.
The Detroit News reports there was no immediate word from the Michigan Supreme Court on Snyder's request.
Snyder earlier asked the Supreme Court to give an early ruling on the constitutionality of the tax on public and private pension income that was part of his February budget. The Supreme Court agreed to take the case and oral arguments are set for Sept. 7.
The question of the legality of the emergency manager law has a partisan divide, with many Republicans supporting the law and Democrats opposing it.
On the Michigan Supreme Court, Republican nominated justices have a 4-3 majority.
12:13 p.m.
The Associated Press has more:
The Republican governor's move could speed up legal challenges filed by opponents of the new law. The Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice said Thursday that Snyder's request is "troubling" and an attempt to bypass normal court procedures. Snyder supports the new law and says it's constitutional. The revised law lets emergency managers strip power from locally elected leaders and scrap union contracts. A lawsuit filed in Ingham County claims the law is unconstitutional in part because it takes away citizens' rights to petition local government on certain matters.
11:48 a.m.
MPRN's Laura Weber sent in this update:
Governor Rick Snyder has asked the Michigan Supreme Court to rule on the legality of the new Emergency Manager law. That would mean bypassing lower court proceedings, against the wishes of the law firm that filed the lawsuit opposing the E-M law.
Weber will have more for us later.
