Senate Bill 19: Revise mortgage licensure law detail
Passed 109 to 1 in the House on March 20, 2013, to revise details of the selection of representatives of the mortgage industry for a government “mortgage industry advisory board” that advises a state “commissioner of the office of financial and insurance regulation,” but does not itself have any regulatory authority.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654946
Senate Bill 31: Revise regulation of trusts detail
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on March 20, 2013, to establish that a trustee of a trust has an “insurable interest” in the life of an individual insured under a life insurance policy owned by the trustee acting in a fiduciary capacity for the trust, given certain conditions specified in the bill.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654863
Senate Bill 32: Revise regulation of trusts detail
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on March 20, 2013, to establish that a trustee of a trust has an “insurable interest” in the life of an individual insured under a life insurance policy owned by the trustee acting in a fiduciary capacity for the trust, given certain conditions specified in the bill.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654864
Senate Bill 65: Revise income tax withholding detail
Passed 107 to 3 in the House on March 20, 2013, to revise details of the statute requiring employee income tax payments for businesses categorized as a “flow-through entity”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654945
Senate Bill 95: Repeal right-to-work
The motion passed 26 to 9 in the Senate on March 19, 2013, to postpone any action on a Democratic motion to discharge the bill from committee and bring the bill directly to the full Senate until the very last day of 2013 session, which is generally a pro-forma session in which substantive measures are not voted on.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654641
Senate Bill 96: Repeal right-to-work
The motion passed 26 to 9 in the Senate on March 19, 2013, to postpone any action on a Democratic motion to discharge the bill from committee and bring the bill directly to the full Senate until the very last day of 2013 session, which is generally a pro-forma session in which substantive measures are not voted on.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654642
Senate Bill 178: Revise insurance drug pre-approval details
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on March 20, 2013, to require insurance companies that require prior authorization for prescription drug reimbursements to use a standardized prior authorization form.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654865
Senate Bill 179: Revise insurance drug pre-approval details
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on March 20, 2013, to require Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance policies that require prior authorization for prescription drug reimbursements to use a standardized prior authorization form.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654866
Senate Bill 219: Designate veteran status on state ID card if requested
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on March 20, 2013, to require the Secretary of State to designate on state identification cares whether the card holder is a military veteran, if this is requested by a veteran who has specified documents proving this status.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654862
Senate Bill 233: Appropriate $23.5 million for state land acquisitions and recreation projects
The amendment passed by voice vote in the House on March 20, 2013, to specify that money the bill appropriates to research criminal sentencing reform be used for a contract with the Council of State Governments to continue a review of the length of prison stays and parole board discretion in this state.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155877
Senate Bill 233: Appropriate $23.5 million for state land acquisitions and recreation projects
Passed 107 to 3 in the House on March 20, 2013, to appropriate $23.3 million from the state Natural Resources Trust Fund for various land acquisitions and recreation projects, $21 million in non-NRTF money for dredging public boating access sites and harbors, and another $3 million for a veterans benefits initiative. State oil and gas well royalty money is earmarked to the NRTF.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654983
Senate Bill 236: Revise legal notice publishing detail
Passed 35 to 2 in the Senate on March 20, 2013, to make permanent a provision allowing annual cost-of-living increases in the rates that newspapers may charge for publishing legal notices from matters arising out of court proceedings that are required by law to be published.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654867
Senate Bill 252: Authorize state subsidies for marina dredging projects
Passed 106 to 4 in the House on March 20, 2013, to appropriate $1 million for state subsidies to private marinas for harbor dredging. The state would pay 5 percent of bank loans of up to $500,000 per marina.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654984
Senate Bill 256: Revise state “supply chain management development commission”
Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate on March 20, 2013, to revise details of a 2008 law that created a state “supply chain management development commission” with the mission of developing “a road map for attracting, supporting, marketing, and growing the international trade, supply chain, and logistics industries.” The bill would change the name of this entity, move it from the Department of Treasury to the Michigan Strategic Fund agency, allow this entity to be funded with state tax and fee revenue (rather than just federal or other funds), and more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654868
Senate Bill 264: Accelerate dredging permit processing deadlines
Passed 35 to 0 in the Senate on March 21, 2013, to accelerate the deadline for the state to process a dredging permit, and reduce the fees if the dredged material is at least 90 percent sand.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655146
House Bill 4093: Eliminate .08 BAC drunk driving sunset
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on March 20, 2013, to make permanent the 2003 decrease in the drunk driving intoxication threshold (from .10 to .08 grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood) mandated by the federal government as a condition of federal road funding.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654943
House Bill 4127: Require GPS tether for “assaultive crime” bail
Passed 109 to 1 in the House on March 21, 2013, to specifically authorize GPS “tether” monitoring of defendants on bail for any “assaultive” crime, at the discretion of the judge.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655370
House Bill 4131: Eliminate .08 BAC drunk driving sunset
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on March 20, 2013, to eliminate the 2013 sunset on the .08 grams per 100 milliliters blood-alcohol-content (BAC) threshold for drunk driving offences. Under current law, on Oct. 1, 2013 the limit returns to .10 grams per 100 milliliters. This bill amends the state sentencing guidelines law; see also House Bill 4093.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654944
House Bill 4177: Revise vulnerable adult abuse law detail
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on March 21, 2013, to clarify a reference to vulnerable adult abuse in the first degree murder statute. The bill would define first-degree murder as murder perpetrated in the commission of not just first degree vulnerable adult abuse, but also second degree.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655371
House Bill 4264: Allow consecutive sentences for financial exploitation crime
Passed 102 to 8 in the House on March 21, 2013, to allow sentences imposed for committing certain “financial exploitation” crimes against a vulnerable or incapacitated adult to be served consecutively with sentences imposed for other violations of this statute. Consecutively means “back-to-back” sentences, as opposed to “concurrently,” which means sentences are served at the same time.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655369
House Bill 4274: Revise insurance drug pre-approval details
Passed 102 to 7 in the House on March 21, 2013, to require Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance policies that require prior authorization for prescription drug reimbursements to use a standardized prior authorization form.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655344
House Bill 4275: Revise insurance drug pre-approval details
Passed 101 to 8 in the House on March 21, 2013, to require insurance companies that require prior authorization for prescription drug reimbursements to use a standardized prior authorization form.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655345
House Bill 4277: Require expeditious liquor license issue
Passed 109 to 1 in the House on March 21, 2013, to require the Liquor Control Commission to issue a conditional liquor license for a new beer-and-wine retail merchant, or the transfer of an existing restaurant or bar’s license, within 20 days of an applicant submitting all the necessary paperwork, fees, “proof of financial responsibility,” etc. This license would expire after one year, or when the regular license is approved or denied, whichever comes first.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655361
House Bill 4369: Codify “education achievement authority” for failed schools
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on March 20, 2013, to repeal the law authorizing charter schools.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=156558
House Bill 4369: Codify “education achievement authority” for failed schools
The amendment passed by voice vote in the House on March 20, 2013, to phase-in an eventual cap of 50 on the number of academically-failed schools the authority could manage.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=156558
House Bill 4369: Codify “education achievement authority” for failed schools
Passed 57 to 53 in the House on March 21, 2013, to codify in statute the powers and structure of a state “education achievement authority” (already created by means of an administrative “interlocal agreement”), which is an office in the Department of Education tasked with managing, overseeing or contracting-out the operations of public schools deemed to have failed academically.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655375
House Bill 4376: Repeal “proprietary school solicitor” permit mandate
Passed 109 to 1 in the House on March 21, 2013, to repeal a law that requires an individual operating as a proprietary school solicitor to obtain a permit from the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Solicitors are responsible for recruiting potential students to proprietary schools that provide training in a specific trade, occupation or vocational field.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655362
House Bill 4377: Repeal “community planner” registration mandate
Passed 95 to 15 in the House on March 21, 2013, to repeal a registration mandate imposed on professional “community planners” who prepare government land use plans.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655363
House Bill 4378: Repeal interior designer registration
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on March 21, 2013, to repeal a law that establishes a government interior designer registry and makes it available to state or local government agencies. To be included on the registry a designer must have passed a test created by a national organization of incumbent interior designers. This organization has sought repeatedly in this state to impose a full licensure and regulatory regime on interior designers, with several bills introduced in previous legislatures. The bill was amended to leave in place a peculiar provision “allowing” interior designers to provide design services (explicit government permission is generally not required to practice a non-licensed occupation in this country).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655364
House Bill 4379: Repeal registration for foresters
Passed 105 to 5 in the House on March 21, 2013, to repeal statutory references to registered foresters. House Bill 4281 would repeal registration provisions for foresters.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655365
House Bill 4380: Repeal registration for foresters
Passed 105 to 5 in the House on March 21, 2013, to repeal statutory references to registered foresters. House Bill 4281 would repeal registration provisions for foresters.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655366
House Bill 4381: Repeal registration for foresters
Passed 105 to 5 in the House on March 21, 2013, to repeal a law that provides for government registration of foresters. Individuals are prohibited from using the title of “registered forester” unless they have graduated from an accredited college or university and have two or more years of forestry work experience.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655367
House Bill 4392: Repeal ocularist registration
Passed 105 to 5 in the House on March 21, 2013, to repeal a law that provides for the registration of ocularists and ocularist apprentices, who design, fabricate, and fit “ocular prosthetic appliances,” or artificial eyes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655368
House Bill 4398: Reduce certain dredging permit fees and restrictions
Passed 33 to 2 in the Senate on March 21, 2013, to reduce the permit fees for dredging projects where 90 percent of the dredge material is shown to be sand, and allow the Department of Environmental Quality to bypass a 20-day objection period and issue permits if emergency conditions exist. This and House Bill 4400 reduce the fees, and House Bill 4399 allows the objection period waiver.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655147
House Bill 4399: Reduce certain dredging permit fees and restrictions
Passed 34 to 1 in the Senate on March 21, 2013, to reduce the permit fees for dredging projects where 90 percent of the dredge material is shown to be sand, and allow the Department of Environmental Quality to bypass a 20-day objection period and issue permits if emergency conditions exist. This bill allows the objection period waiver, and House Bill 4400 reduces the fees.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655148
Senate Bill 92: Impose licensure on pharmacy assistants
Passed 35 to 1 in the Senate on April 9, 2013, to impose licensure and regulation on “pharmacy technicians” (assistants), with license fees, continuing education requirements, test-taking mandates and more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=657894
Senate Bill 165: Require disclosure of medical futility policies
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on April 9, 2013, to require a hospital, health facility or agency that maintains a written policy that encourages or allows a health care professional to withhold or discontinue treatment on the grounds of “medical futility” to provide a copy of the policy to the patient or resident upon request.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=657893
House Bill 4026: Require review and posting of inter-government agreements
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on April 10, 2013, to require that before a state agency or a local government enters a cross-border memorandum of understanding, agreement, compact, or similar binding agreement with the federal government or another state, it must do a review to determine it does not exceed its authority or violate the state constitution. Information on each agreement would also be forwarded to the Attorney General (who would not be required to do anything with it) and posted on a state web site. Existing agreements that are legally binding would also have to be posted on this state website. In 2012, Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed a nearly identical bill that passed the legislature with no votes in opposition.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=658431
House Bill 4045: Revise electricians license law detail
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on April 9, 2013, to revise details of the law that imposes licensure mandates on electricians and fire alarm specialty technicians and authorizes apprenticeship programs to qualify people for these licenses. Among other things the bill would repeal a requirement that apprenticeship programs must have requirements equivalent to certain federal ones.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=657895
House Bill 4081: Authorize Alzheimer’s Association tax checkoff
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on April 10, 2013, to allow an individual to choose to automatically contribute $5 or more from his or her state income tax refund to provide grants to the Michigan Alzheimer’s Association. The checkoff would have the effect of reducing the amount of a person’s tax refund. A person not receiving a refund could use his or her tax return to contribute to the program.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=658370
House Bill 4082: Authorize Alzheimer’s association tax checkoff
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on April 10, 2013, to allow an individual to choose to automatically contribute $5 or more from his or her state income tax refund to provide grants to the Michigan Alzheimer’s Association. The checkoff would have the effect of reducing the amount of a person’s tax refund. A person not receiving a refund could use his or her tax return to contribute to the program.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=658371
House Bill 4084: Authorize Lou Gehrig’s disease income tax checkoff
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on April 10, 2013, to allow an individual to choose to automatically contribute $5 or more from his or her state income tax refund to provide government subsidies to research or clinics treating persons with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or “Lou Gehrig’s disease”). The checkoff would have the effect of reducing the amount of a person’s tax refund. A person not receiving a refund could use his or her tax return to contribute to the program.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=658372
House Bill 4085: Authorize Lou Gehrig’s disease income tax checkoff
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on April 10, 2013, to allow an individual to choose to automatically contribute $5 or more from his or her state income tax refund to provide government subsidies to research or clinics treating persons with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or “Lou Gehrig’s disease”). The checkoff would have the effect of reducing the amount of a person’s tax refund. A person not receiving a refund could use his or her tax return to contribute to the program.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=658373
House Bill 4166: Impose regulations on amateur mixed martial competitions
Passed 106 to 3 in the House on April 10, 2013, to establish sentencing guidelines for violations the Michigan amateur mixed martial arts regulatory act proposed by House Bill 4167.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=658369
House Bill 4167: Impose regulations on amateur mixed martial competitions
Passed 106 to 3 in the House on April 10, 2013, to impose impose regulations, licensure mandates and fees on amateur mixed martial arts competitions. The bill establishes a new comprehensive regulatory regime. Among other things, it would prohibit pros from participating in an amateur event, mandate licensing and fees for promoters, authorize criminal penalties for violations, mandate insuruance coverage levels, and more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=658368
House Bill 4262: Revise ban on carrying dangerous weapons
Passed 107 to 2 in the House on April 9, 2013, to revise details of the law prohibiting carrying concealed weapons “with unlawful intent.” The new language would replace references to specific types of blades with language prohibit carrying an “object designed, manufactured, or intended to be used to cause death or injury.” The bill also clarifies that the prohibition does not apply to weapons being transported to the field if they are securely encased and not readily accessible for immediate use.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=658082