A large group of current and former professional athletes made an unusual visit to the Michigan Capitol recently. Mostly, they were there to take on the video game industry, which has hit the mother lode in recent years with its interactive games that realistically animate names of real players.

The industry argues that the games are like fan and sports magazines, in that they’re “expressive works” that allow the use of names and likenesses without permission.  So they support language that exempts them from the restrictions that cover things like bobblehead dolls and posters.

Ironically, this language is included in so-called right-to-publicity legislation that otherwise tightens restrictions on such usage. Meanwhile, the athletes are trying to have the video game industry’s exemption from those restrictions removed.

John Vanbiesbrouck, Michigan native and former NHL all-star goalie, told the House Judiciary Committee that, “I don’t think a video game company should be allowed to use Brian Rafalski’s [current Red Wing] or Chris Chelios’ [former Red Wing] name and image in one of their games to increase sales without his permission.”

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Some bar owners in Michigan say the workplace smoking ban has reduced their business and it has also affected Club Keno—which means less money for schools.

As a result, watch for an effort by the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association to try and get the ball moving to amend or even repeal the workplace smoking ban.

Any chance of reversing it?  That would be extremely tough. Don’t forget, most people in Michigan don’t smoke and most of them don’t seem to have much interest in helping smokers, even with the school funding issue interlaced into the debate.

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Ninety-two schools in Michigan, by mid-November, must submit plans on how they’ll improve their academic performance, now that they’ve fallen into the bottom 5 percent of schools in the state. Most of the schools are in urban areas.

These school districts can choose among four redesign models, including a transformational one, which includes things such as replacing the principal; a turnaround plan that requires half the staff be replaced; a restart plan which closes the school, then reopens it as a charter school or with some other manager; and finally, closing of the school with the students sent elsewhere.

The requirement is part of the Race to the Top legislation.

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Michigan has an official state fossil, tree, fish, soil and even state reptile. But it doesn’t have an official state insect.

A bill has been introduced to make the green darner dragonfly the official state insect. So named because it looks like a darning needle, it’s one of the largest dragonflies in existence.

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As cyber bullying continues to be reported as a problem, there is a proposal to define what it is and then outlaw it.

A multi-bill package defines cyber bullying as the “posting of a message in a public media forum about anyone under the age of 18 that the person posting knows is false or intentionally misleading, and a reasonable person would find the message to be damaging to the character or reputation” of the targeted teen.

The definition goes on, but it also says violators could go to jail for up to three months and fined $500. It goes double for second offenders.

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Efforts continue to approve Hire Michigan First legislation, which gives companies that hire Michigan workers preference when state and local economic development incentives are handed out. The bill has languished for some time, but supporters say they aren’t giving up—watch for further developments on this.

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Funny how it seems that every time a candidate for office says he or she is running against a “professional politician” they never promise not to take a paycheck from the state, which of course would make each a “professional politician.”

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The oil spill in the Kalamazoo River tributary has certainly emboldened some legislators to push for a crackdown on polluters.

An environmental advocacy group is stepping up efforts to constitutionally ban oil drilling in the Great Lakes.

Keep in mind that it’s already illegal in Michigan, but some fear that a mere statutory ban is wobbly, as public sentiment on the need for oil has ebbed and flowed over the years. Environmentalists want to lock down the Great Lakes permanently with a constitutional ban.

The proposal would need a two-thirds vote in the House and Senate, and then approval in a statewide vote of the people, before it could take effect.

In the meantime, Sen. Glenn Anderson (D-Westland) wants to take the oil spill issue a step further.

His proposal would reverse a court ruling, and allow any Michigan citizen to take a polluter to court, even if he or she were not directly affected by an oil spill or other manmade environmental disaster.

Currently only those harmed by a polluter can sue.

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As we go to print, Gov. Granholm is proposing what the previous two governors also approved, a tax amnesty program.

That is, allowing tax cheats (my word) to pay up and avoid prison.

Of course, tax amnesty is designed to bring in tens of millions in tax revenue that the state otherwise would find difficult to get.

There was a program in 1986, another one approved in 2001 and now a third one proposed.  As I remember from ’86 and ’01, it was just like it is today—lawmakers and the governor desperate for revenue but also wanting to avoid a general tax increase.

It would be interesting to talk to anyone who would eventually take advantage of all three tax amnesties.

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United States Congressman Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.) surprised more than a few people when he recently said on public TV that Michigan Right to Life Director Barb Listing should be removed, because the RTL board endorsed only Mike Cox in the Michigan Republican gubernatorial primary.

As you know, Rick Snyder, the one Republican that RTL didn’t want, eventually won the nomination—and some speculate RTL’s endorsement decision decided the outcome.

I don’t know about that, although many have said the RTL endorsement has been called the most powerful one a Republican candidate can pick up—but occasionally, nothing can compete with pure math. Five GOP candidates, four of them strictly conservative (who split up the huge conservative vote) and one (Snyder) who was more moderate and sought independent voters.

Snyder has showed us that, sometimes, you need to grab just a small piece to eventually get the whole pie.

		Rob Baykian is director of news and operations at the 67-station Michigan Radio Network. He has been covering the Capitol since 1981.