BY JAKE NEHER
Michigan Public Radio Network
A proposed overhaul of Michigan's no-fault auto insurance system has cleared its first legislative hurdle. A state House panel passed the bill Thursday on a party-line vote, with Democrats all voting "no".
The committee made a number of changes to the bill.
The legislation would end unlimited lifetime medical benefits for people severely injured in auto accidents. Under the bill, those benefits would be capped a million dollars.
The committee removed language that would limit the amount people could claim for home and vehicle modifications related to their injuries.
But Committee Vice Chair Kate Segal said that and other changes are not enough to protect the severely injured.
"Does that help families a little bit? Yeah. Are they going to be able to take advantage of those? Probably not, because that million-dollar cap, it comes really quickly." Segal said.
The bill now goes to the floor of the state House.
Copyright 2013, MPRN