Posted on 12/09/2012 5:00:49 AM PST by cripplecreek
Make Michigan a "right-to-work" state: Passed 58 to 52 in the House To prohibit employers from enforcing a union contract provision that compels employees to join or financially support a union as a condition of employment. The bill also includes a $1 million appropriation to make it "referendum-proof." All Democrats voted "no" and all Republicans voted "yes" except for Reps. Forlini, Goike, Horn, McBroom, Somerville and Zorn.
, Make Michigan a "right-to-work" state: Passed 22 to 16 in the Senate The Senate vote on the same "right-to-work" measure described above. All Democrats voted "no" and all Republicans voted "yes" except for Sens. Casperson, Green, Nofs and Rocca.
, Extend "right-to-work" to government and school employees: Passed 22 to 4 in the Senate To prohibit Michigan governments and schools from enforcing a union contract provision that compels employees to join or financially support a union as a condition of employment.
, Subsidize new Red Wings Stadium: Passed 27 to 11 in the Senate To allow property tax revenue "captured" by the Detroit "Downtown Development Authority" to pay the debt on money borrowed to provide taxpayer subsidies for a particular developer's new sports stadium and associated projects (Mike Ilitch). The bill would also exempt DDAs from property and other taxes, and revise details of public officials' appointments to DDA boards.
, Create Detroit streetlight authority: Passed 25 to 13 in the Senate To authorize a Detroit streetlight authority with the power to borrow money to restore the city's streetlights, 70 percent of which are reportedly out. The bill requires passage of House Bill 5705, which would let Detroit earmark current utility tax revenue to pay off the new debt, and Senate Bill 970, which would suspend a required city income tax reduction until the new debt is paid off. It also allows Detroit's city unions to bargain for the unionization of the authority's employees.
, Create Detroit regional mass transit authority: Passed 57 to 50 in the House To create a new Detroit area regional transportation authority covering Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties, and potentially others. Among other powers, the authority could levy property taxes (special assessments) and higher local vehicle registration taxes if approved by a majority of voters in the region, meaning a particular community could not “opt out” of the tax increase. The authority would be specifically authorized to create “rolling rapid transit” corridors along some streets and highways, potentially with dedicated lanes that other motorists could not use. It would be run by a board appointed by the counties and the City of Detroit.
, Authorize Detroit regional transit vehicle registration tax: Passed 57 to 50 in the House To give the regional transit authority proposed by Senate Bill 909 (above) the power to impose a higher vehicle registration tax in the region to pay for buses and other public transportation. A vote of the people would be required, but if approved region-wide the tax would still be imposed on individual communities that vote against it (no local "opt-out").
, Ban abortion coverage from "Obamacare“ exchange: Passed 27 to 11 in the Senate To prohibit health insurance acquired (and subsidized) through an “exchange” created under the federal health care law from including coverage for elective abortion.
, Give county officials power to halt recall as "non-factual": Passed 65 to 43 in the House To require county election commissions to determine whether the reasons for a recall petition are stated both "factually and clearly." Under current law, they must simply determine whether the recall language is clear. Note: This may violate Article 8, Section 8 of Michigan's constitution, which asserts that recallers don't have to justify their reasons, but only make them clear.
, Require parental permission to place student with "ineffective" teacher: Passed 60 to 49 in the House To require a public school district to get the written consent of a parent or guardian before placing a child in a classroom with a teacher who is rated “ineffective” under a new state rating system.
Authorize “essential services” tax on industrial plants: Passed 57 to 52 in the House To give local governments the power to impose targeted property taxes on industrial and commercial property deemed by the bill to be “especially benefited” by fire, police and ambulance services. This would replace some of the revenue from proposed reductions in the property tax imposed on business tools and equipment ("personal property tax").
, Repeal BCBS tax exemption, regulate like other insurers: Passed 61 to 49 in the House To convert Blue Cross Blue Shield into a “nonprofit mutual insurance company” (technically "owned" by the policy holders), make it subject to the same regulations as regular health insurers, and no longer exempt BCBS from state and local taxes.
, Give special treatment to firms submitting to “environmental leader” process: Passed 65 to 43 in the House To give certain businesses special treatment in awarding state contracts, eligibility for government subsidies, environmental permit and inspection mandates, and more, if the firm submits itself to a government “environmental leader” designation process. This would require a company to demonstrate that it has no outstanding permit violations or serious past ones, adopt certain practices not required by law, submit to certain additional reporting mandates, participate in “workshops,” etc.
Senate Bill 473: Exempt some government housing program firms from income tax withholding
Passed 107 to 1 in the House on September 18, 2014, to not impose income tax withholding mandates on companies involved in certain government housing programs if this would violate the terms of those programs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695764
Senate Bill 616: Appropriations: Supplemental budget
Passed 78 to 31 in the House on September 18, 2014, to revise Medicaid accounting to reflect the transition from a 1 percent “health insurance claims tax” to the imposition of the 6 percent “use tax” on Medicaid managed care health care providers (hospitals). These various levies are designed to “game” the federal Medicaid program in ways that result in higher federal payments to Michigan’s medical welfare establishment (including those same hospitals). See Senate Bill 893 and Senate Bill 913.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695755
Senate Bill 915: Make vehicle title lien updates electronic
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on September 18, 2014, to make it a felony to fraudulently indicate on a certificate of title for a vehicle that there is no security interest on record for the vehicle (meaning the vehicle is owned free and clear). Also, to make it felony to forge or counterfeit a letter from the lender saying the loan has been paid off. See also Senate Bills 916 to 918, which propose making vehicle title lien information electronic.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695766
Senate Bill 916: Make vehicle title lien updates electronic
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on September 18, 2014, to revise process for updating vehicle loan “security interests” on vehicle titles, so as to accommodate the process proposed by Senate Bill 918 for replacing the current paper-based system with an all-electronic one. Among other things the bill would eliminate a requirement that the Secretary of State must issue a title to the owner of a vehicle, if the title were subject to a security interest (loan).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695768
Senate Bill 917: Make vehicle title lien updates electronic
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on September 18, 2014, to revise the process for updating vehicle loan “security interests” on vehicle titles, so as to accommodate the process proposed by Senate Bill 918 for replacing the current paper-based system with an all-electronic one.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695769
House Bill 4915: Extend sunset on crime victim’s rights fund earmark
Passed 105 to 3 in the House on September 18, 2014, to extend until October 2018 the sunset on a provision of the state crime victim’s rights fund earmarking money not used by the fund in any given year to pay instead for other law enforcement activities, such as maintaining the state sex offender registry, “Amber alert” programs, sex crime victim treatment services, lie detector tests and expert witness fees.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695767
House Bill 5391: Revise wage garnishment rules
Passed 102 to 7 in the House on September 18, 2014, to revise the law that authorizes a court-ordered garnishment of an individual’s wages to satisfy an obligation. The bill would cap the amount of a garnishment at 15 percent of the “gross wages” earned by the employee, but not if this would reduce the pay to less than the “minimum wage” mandated by the state or federal government.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695757
House Bill 5466: Revise paternity law and unwed father child support details
Passed 98 to 10 in the House on September 18, 2014, to establish procedures for consolidating within one government agency a county prosecutor’s authority to seek child support from the father of a child born out of wedlock to a mother on welfare. The authority would then fall under either the friend of the court office, or an attorney employed or under contract with either the county or the state Department of Human Services.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695752
House Bill 5467: Revise paternity law and unwed father child support details
Passed 96 to 12 in the House on September 18, 2014, to establish procedures for consolidating within one government agency a county prosecutor’s authority to seek child support from the father of a child born out of wedlock. The authority would then fall under either the friend of the court office, or an attorney employed or under contract with either the county or the state Department of Human Services.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695754
House Bill 5468: Revise paternity law and unwed father child support details
Passed 96 to 12 in the House on September 18, 2014, to establish procedures for consolidating within one government agency a county prosecutor’s authority to seek child support from the father of a child born out of wedlock to a mother on welfare. The authority would then fall under either the friend of the court office, or an attorney employed or under contract with either the county or the state Department of Human Services.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695756
House Bill 5469: Revise paternity law and unwed father child support details
Passed 96 to 12 in the House on September 18, 2014, to establish procedures for consolidating within one government agency a county prosecutor’s authority in cases involving a jurisdiction in another state to seek child support from the father of a child born out of wedlock. The authority would then fall under either the friend of the court office, or an attorney employed or under contract with either the county or the state Department of Human Services.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695758
House Bill 5470: Revise paternity law and unwed father child support details
Passed 96 to 12 in the House on September 18, 2014, to establish procedures for consolidating within one government agency a county prosecutor’s authority in cases involving a jurisdiction in another state to seek child support from the father of a child born out of wedlock. The authority would then fall under either the friend of the court office, or an attorney employed or under contract with either the county or the state Department of Human Services.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695759
House Bill 5471: Revise paternity law and unwed father child support details
Passed 95 to 13 in the House on September 18, 2014, to establish procedures for consolidating within one government agency a county prosecutor’s authority to seek child support from the father of a child born out of wedlock. The authority would then fall under either the friend of the court office, or an attorney employed or under contract with either the county or the state Department of Human Services.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695760
House Bill 5583: Revise paternity determination process
Passed 106 to 2 in the House on September 18, 2014, to establish a paternity revocation process for a determination for a man deemed be a child’s genetic father solely on the basis of genetic testing, if the genetic tests were inaccurate, or the man’s genetic material was not available to the child’s mother, or if a man who has DNA identical to the genetic father is the child’s father.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695763
House Bill 5606: Expand “protectionist” auto dealer provision
Passed 106 to 3 in the House on September 18, 2014, to prohibit vehicle makers from preventing a dealer from tacking on extra fees that are permitted by a law that empowers the state to enforce exclusive new car dealer “territories” and regulate the terms of commercial relationships between dealers and manufacturers.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695773
House Bill 5649: Recognize terminal patients’ “right to try” unapproved treatments
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on September 18, 2014, to prohibit state officials and licensing boards from sanctioning health care providers who participate providing non-FDA approved experimental drugs and treatments to terminal patients in accordance with the conditions specified in the “right to try” law proposed by House Bill 5651 and Senate Bill 991.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695762
House Bill 5742: Authorize appropriation for university autism programs
Passed 88 to 21 in the House on September 18, 2014, to authorize the transfer to university autism programs of $5.5 million from a state fund created by a 2012 law intended cover subsidies to health insurance companies to compensate for the cost of a new autism treatment coverage mandate imposed by another law passed that year. This was called for in the state budget enacted for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2014.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695777
House Bill 5785: Expand permissible criminal court cost levies
Passed 95 to 14 in the House on September 18, 2014, to expand the costs that can be imposed on a individual convicted in a criminal case. The bill would authorize imposing assessments covering a share of court employee salaries and benefits, of “goods and services” used in operating the court, and of court building “operation and maintenance” costs. In addition, the bill would establish that a court has no duty to provide a “calculation of the costs involved in a particular case.” The bill reverses a state Supreme Court case that limited charges to those specifically allowed in a particular statute; its provisions would expire in 27 months, presumably to allow the legislature to rationalize these impositions for courts across the state.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695765
House Bill 5793: Correct error in graduation standards law revision
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on September 18, 2014, to clarify that the foreign language requirement in the state’s graduation requirements only applies to student who entered 3rd grade in 2006 or later or later (a cohort who generally would graduate in 2016). Reportedly this is to correct an error in a law enacted earlier in 2014 that lowered some of the graduation standards.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695772
Senate Bill 1074: Eliminate debt cap on business job training subsidy program
Introduced by Sen. Mark Jansen (R) on September 11, 2014, to eliminate the $50 million debt cap in a 2008 law that authorized state job training subsidies for particular employers, provided through community colleges.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165279
House Bill 5786: Mandate full day kindergarten
Introduced by Rep. Rudy Hobbs (D) on September 10, 2014, to mandate that all school districts provide full-day kindergarten, and mandate that all children who turn five before Sept. 1 attend kindergarten in that year.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165180
House Bill 5787: Allow different drivers license and voter registration addresses
Introduced by Rep. Rudy Hobbs (D) on September 10, 2014, to allow a person to have a different address on their drivers license than the one at which they are registered to vote.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165181
House Bill 5788: Allow different state ID and voter registration addresses
Introduced by Rep. Rudy Hobbs (D) on September 10, 2014, to allow a person to have a different address on their state-issued identification card I.D. than the one at which they are registered to vote.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165182
House Bill 5789: Allow election day voter registration
Introduced by Rep. Rudy Hobbs (D) on September 10, 2014, to allow election day voting registration. Under current law, a citizen must register at least 30 days before an election. An assistant township, city or county clerk would have to be present at every polling place to accept sworn statements that the information in the voter registration application was valid.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165183
House Bill 5790: Mandate landlords provide voter registration information
Introduced by Rep. Rudy Hobbs (D) on September 10, 2014, to mandate that landlords provide voter registration information and applications to tenants when they take possession.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165184
House Bill 5791: Authorize Van Andel institute fundraising license plate
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Haveman (R) on September 10, 2014, to require the Secretary of State to develop a fundraising license plate with proceeds going to the Van Andel institute.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165185
House Bill 5792: Mandate insurance ownership divestment disclosures
Introduced by Rep. Pete Lund (R) on September 10, 2014, to mandate that a person with a controlling ownership interest in a Michigan insurance company who plans to divest that interest must submit a statement of intent to the state insurance bureau at least 30 days before the divestment, along with a statement describing the “enterprise risk” of the transaction, defined in the bill as the chances it will have a “material adverse effect upon the financial condition or liquidity” of the insurer.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165186
House Bill 5794: Correct error in foreclosure law revision
Introduced by Rep. Mike Callton (R) on September 10, 2014, to correct an error in a law enacted earlier in 2014 that revised details of the right of a foreclosure auction property buyer to monitor the property during the post-auction redemption period (during which a delinquent borrower can pay the loan in full to redeem the property). In one provision of that bill it referred to the “mortgagor” when it meant the purchaser.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165188
House Bill 5795: Revise mortgage foreclosure detail
Introduced in the House on September 10, 2014, to revise the law that permits a delinquent home borrower (mortgagor) to redeem the property for six months after a foreclosure auction by paying the loan in full. The bill would require the mortgagor to record his or her interest at the register of deeds office to be eligible to exercise the right of redemption.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165189
House Bill 5796: Increase personal and pension income tax exemption
Introduced by Rep. Martin Howrylak (R) on September 10, 2014, to increase the state income tax personal exemption from $3,700 to $4,300, and reverse the provision of the 2011 income and business tax overhaul that partially eliminated some state income tax exemptions for pension income.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165190
House Bill 5797: Mandate employers describe reproductive health coverage to applicants
Introduced by Rep. Gretchen Driskell (D) on September 16, 2014, to mandate that employers give job applicants information about any reproductive health services and products covered by the employer’s health insurance policy, using notification methods specified in the bill, and notify employees of any change in such coverage at least 90 days before it goes into effect, with failure to do so subject to a $5,000 fine.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165282
House Bill 5798: Ban powdered alcohol; revise restrictions on alcohol promotional items
Introduced by Rep. Hugh Crawford (R) on September 16, 2014, to ban the sale of “powdered alcohol,” and also allow alcohol manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors to provide retailers with keg couplers that are lent to an on-premises retailer, sporting event or entertainment tickets, and brand logoed items that are contained within the packaging of a liquor product for sale to consumers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165283
House Bill 5799: Require government construction contract material performance specs
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on September 16, 2014, to require government construction contracts to contain specifications that indicate performance standards for the materials to be used.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165284
House Bill 5800: Require school construction contract material performance specs
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on September 16, 2014, to require public school construction contracts to contain specifications that indicate performance standards for the materials to be used.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165285
House Bill 5801: Exempt veterans organization facilities from smoking ban
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on September 16, 2014, to exempt veterans organization facilities from the state’s workplace and restaurant smoking ban.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165286
House Bill 5802: Create government “interagency council on homelessness”
Introduced by Rep. Phil Cavanagh (D) on September 16, 2014, to create a government “interagency council on homelessness” tasked with creating “a 10-year plan to end homelessness.” Among other things this entity would also be required to “host an annual conference on homelessness”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165287
House Bill 5803: Revise low income heating subsidy detail
Introduced by Rep. Andy Schor (D) on September 16, 2014, to repeal a provision that requires at least 70 percent of state low income heating subsidy money to be spent between Nov. 1 and May 31.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165288
House Bill 5804: Make homosexuals a civil rights law “protected class”
Introduced by Rep. Sam Singh (D) on September 16, 2014, to add “sexual orientation” and “gender identity or expression” to the characteristics that define membership in a protected class, against whom it is a crime to discriminate under the state’s Elliott-Larsen civil rights law. This would make it a crime to deny employment, housing, use of public accommodations, public services, and educational facilities to another person on the basis of a perception that the person has a particular sexual orientation or gender identity.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165289
House Bill 5805: Accelerate vehicle trade-in “use tax on the difference” only
Introduced by Rep. Frank Foster (R) on September 16, 2014, to slightly advance the initial steps in the 24-year phase-in of a 2013 law that exempted from use tax the value of a trade-in when buying a motor vehicle, titled watercraft or recreational vehicle. See also House Bill 5280.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165290
House Bill 5806: Allow deeper debt for college conservation improvements
Introduced by Rep. Al Pscholka (R) on September 16, 2014, to revise a law that lets a community college borrow for a term of up 10 years to pay for an “energy conservation improvement,” instead letting them incur debt with a term of up to 15 years, or for the average useful life of the improvement, whichever is greater.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165291
House Bill 5807: Require that criminal offenders know act was unlawful for conviction
Introduced by Rep. Mike Shirkey (R) on September 16, 2014, to establish that in any new law creating a criminal offense enacted after Jan. 1, 2015, if the law does not indicate whether a “culpable mental state” (“mens rea”) is required to establish guilt, the presumption will be that this is required, meaning that prosecutors must show that the defendant violated the law “purposely, knowingly or recklessly.” If a new criminal law does require a culpable mental state, the bill would require this be shown for “each material element of the offense.” Under current law, many complex “administrative” offenses authorize criminal penalties for actions that a regular person would not know are illegal.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165292
House Bill 5808: Apply open records law to local economic development agencies
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on September 16, 2014, to expand the state Freedom of Information Act to include the local “economic development corporations” that, along with the state “Strategic Fund” agency, comprise the “Michigan Economic Development Corporation,” which grants subsidies and tax breaks to particular corporations and developers selected by its board.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165293
House Bill 5809: Impose annual $500 fee on tobacco specialty retail stores
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on September 16, 2014, to impose an annual $500 fee on tobacco specialty retail stores that were exempted from the 2009 law that prohibits other business owners from choosing whether to allow smoking in his or her establishment. The bill would also allow these establishments to serve food.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165294
House Bill 5810: Ban “sky lanterns”
Introduced by Rep. Henry Yanez (D) on September 16, 2014, to ban the use or sale of “sky lanterns,” which are miniature hot air balloons made of paper and sold as a novelty item.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165295
House Bill 5811: Revise workers comp law to accommodate Amish
Introduced by Rep. Ken Goike (R) on September 16, 2014, to revise the state’s injured worker compensation law to accommodate Amish-owned businesses, which do not use this system.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165296
House Bill 5812: Cap fees for electronic copy of electronic deeds
Introduced by Rep. Ken Yonker (R) on September 16, 2014, to revise the meeting requirements of a commission created by a 2010 law that authorized development of uniform statewide regulations and procedures for electronic recording of real estate deeds and related documents. The bill would require this body to meet annually instead of quarterly.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165297
House Bill 5813: Revise community college tax zone annexation details
Introduced by Rep. Amanda Price (R) on September 16, 2014, to revise details of the procedures for calling a special election to annex territory to a community college district (which subjects property owners in the affected area to the property taxes imposed by the college).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165298
House Bill 5814: Convey state land to Gratiot County
Introduced by Rep. Tom Leonard (R) on September 16, 2014, to convey certain state-owned property located in Emmerson Township in Gratiot County to the county or to another local government for $1, and if none of them want it, sell the property at market value.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165299
House Bill 5815: Revise termination of parental rights detail
Introduced by Rep. Tom Leonard (R) on September 17, 2014, to revise a detail of the process for terminating the parental rights of a divorced or unmarried parent who has failed or was not required to provide court-ordered child support, in cases where when the other parent gets married and his or her new spouse wants to adopt the child.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165307
House Bill 5816: Authorize child income tax credit
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on September 17, 2014, to authorize an $800 income tax deduction for each dependent of a taxpayer who is under seven years old.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165308
House Bill 5817: Tax credit for teacher classroom expenses
Introduced by Rep. Winnie Brinks (D) on September 17, 2014, to authorize an income tax credit of up to $250 for classroom supplies purchased by public school teachers. Note: Under a 1970 Supreme Court case, school districts are required to provide an array of necessary classroom supplies at no cost to students’ families (or teachers).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165309
House Bill 5818: Tax credit for teacher classroom expenses
Introduced by Rep. Peter Pettalia (R) on September 17, 2014, to authorize an income tax credit of up to $250 for classroom supplies purchased by public school teachers. Note: Under a 1970 Supreme Court case, school districts are required to provide an array of necessary classroom supplies at no cost to student families (or teachers).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165310
House Bill 5819: Exclude air guns from firearms laws
Introduced by Rep. Brain Banks (D) on September 17, 2014, to exclude air, gas or spring powered guns from a law that prevents shooting within 150 yards of an occupied dwelling or farm building without permission from the owner.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165311
House Bill 5820: Use tax records to establish jury pools
Introduced by Rep. Brain Banks (D) on September 17, 2014, to allow the Department of Treasury to deliver to counties the names and addresses of taxpayers in the county. House Bill 5820 requires counties to include registered voters and taxpayers in the jury pool and to provide for more geographic diversity in the pool.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165312
House Bill 5821: Establish official state poem
Introduced by Rep. Bruce Rendon (R) on September 17, 2014, to establish that henceforth, as a matter of law, the poem “Hand of Michigan”, by Millie Miller, and no other poem, shall be the official poem of the state of Michigan. Michigan does not currently have a state poem; a previous bill proposed “Land of the Wolverine” by E. J. McGuire.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165313
House Bill 5822: Cap fees for electronic copy of electronic county documents
Introduced by Rep. Bruce Rendon (R) on September 17, 2014, to cap the fees county treasurers can charge to furnish requested transcripts and records in electronic form when these are already stored in electronic form, at 10 cents per page and a maximum of $500 per request.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165314
House Bill 5823: Require insurance company risk assessments
Introduced by Rep. Pete Lund (R) on September 17, 2014, to require larger insurance companies to regularly perform an “own risk and solvency assessment” (ORSA), defined as a “confidential internal assessment…of the material and relevant risks associated with the insurer’s current business plan, and the sufficiency of capital resources to support those risks.” This would have to be submitted to the state annually.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165315
House Bill 5824: Require local governments repeal unenforceable ordinances
Introduced by Rep. Mike Shirkey (R) on September 18, 2014, to prohibit a city from adopting, enforcing or retaining on the books any unenforceable ordinance. Cities would have 45 days to repeal existing unenforceable ordinances, subject to a $10,000 fine for every month they delay. The bill defines “unenforceable ordinance” as one whose content is determined to be preempted by a formal attorney general opinion or a “final decision of a court of competent jurisdiction”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165323
House Bill 5825: Revise private adoption detail
Introduced by Rep. Mike Shirkey (R) on September 18, 2014, to revise details of the consent process specified in a law that provides an option to disclose the identity of the father in a private adoption.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165324
House Bill 5826: Require local governments use competitive bidding
Introduced by Rep. Greg MacMaster (R) on September 18, 2014, to require local governments to use competitive bidding for service and procurement contracts above $20,000, notwithstanding any local ordinance or charter to the contrary.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165325
House Bill 5827: Mandate MCCA use U.S. banks
Introduced by Rep. Sam Singh (D) on September 18, 2014, to require the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association to keep money only in financial institutions located in the United States. The MCCA is the private entity established to provide reinsurance to cover the liability of individual auto insurance companies to pay unlimited medical claims above $530,000 per incident, which they are required to pay under the state no-fault auto insurance law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165326
House Bill 5828: Mandate specified security guard training
Introduced by Rep. Rudy Hobbs (D) on September 18, 2014, to mandate security guards receive 16 hours of classroom instruction in subjects specified in the bill that are relevant to this occupation.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165327
House Bill 5829: Revise regulation of security guard businesses
Introduced by Rep. Thomas Stallworth, III (D) on September 18, 2014, to revise many details of a comprehensive regulatory regime for security guards and agencies, and transfer the statutory authority for these regulations from a Private Security Business and Security Alarm Act to the state Occupational Code.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165328
House Bill 5830: Establish training requirements for police use of overdose treatments
Introduced by Rep. Margaret O’Brien (R) on September 18, 2014, to establish training and use protocols for law enforcement officers who are issued “opioid antagonists” (such as naloxone) for treatment of heroin overdoses.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165329
House Bill 5831: Require certain low income housing tax disclosures
Introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D) on September 18, 2014, to allow the Department of Treasury to disclose the address of each housing unit that is part of housing projects exempt from property taxes, and whether the units are instead subject to a “service charge”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165330
House Bill 5832: Cut off unappropriated revenue for corporate and developer subsidies
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on September 18, 2014, to establish that all revenue received by the “Michigan Strategic Fund” is considered public money and may only be disbursed as authorized by an appropriations bill enacted by the legislature. Currently, the political appointees on the board of this entity and its “Michigan Economic Development Corporation” subsidiary may grant selective tax breaks and subsidies to particular corporations and developers they select. A portion of the money for this comes directly from Indian casino revenue that does not pass through the state Treasury and therefore requires no appropriation approved by the legislature.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165331
House Bill 5833: Require county criminal record database access limitations
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on September 18, 2014, to require counties with more than 1 million residents (Oakland and Wayne) that have a criminal justice or law enforcement information system to adopt the same rules and restrictions on access to and disclosure of these record as the ones required by law for the state’s Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN) criminal records database.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165332
House Bill 5834: Restrict oil and gas wells in cities and townships
Introduced by Rep. Pete Lund (R) on September 18, 2014, to restrict gas or oil wells (including natural gas “fracking” wells) in a city or township with more than 20,000 residents unless two local hearings are held and the Department of Environmental Quality determines the well there is no “reasonable alternative” location that will allow the drilling rights owner to extract the oil and gas. Under current law this applies to cities and townships with more than 70,000 residents, and only one hearing is required. See also Senate Bill 1026.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165333
House Bill 5835: Mandate precious metal and gem dealers state transaction reports
Introduced by Rep. Mike Callton (R) on September 18, 2014, to revise a law that mandates precious metal and gem dealers provided detailed transaction reports to local law enforcement agencies, instead requiring these be sent to the state and placed in a state database the bill would authorize. The bill would also impose an annual levy of up to $250 on each location maintained by a dealer.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165334
Senate Bill 1057: Ban personal care product “microbeads”
Introduced by Sen. Steve Bieda (D) on September 11, 2014, to prohibit the manufacture and sale in Michigan of personal care products containing plastic particles. This refers to “micro beads” in some brands of toothpaste and facial or body washes, which reportedly accumulate in the Great Lakes.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165261
Senate Bill 1058: Repeal FDA approved drug lawsuit ban
Introduced by Sen. Steve Bieda (D) on September 11, 2014, to allow lawsuits that could have been brought against makers of FDA-approved drugs before a tort reform law passed in 1995 banned such suits, to be brought for up to three years after a repeal of that law proposed by Senate Bill 132.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165262
Senate Bill 1059: Repeal life with no parole for certain drug crimes
Introduced by Sen. Steve Bieda (D) on September 11, 2014, to repeal the law that authorizes a sentence of life with no possibility for parole for certain second or subsequent controlled substance violations.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165263
Senate Bill 1060: Mandate smartphone “antitheft functionality”
Introduced by Sen. Steve Bieda (D) on September 11, 2014, to mandate that smartphones sold in Michigan must be equipped with preloaded “antitheft functionality,” or are capable of downloading a free version of such functionality. “Antitheft functionality” is not defined by the bill.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165264
Senate Bill 1061: Mandate auto insurers notify Secretary of State of policy cancelations
Introduced by Sen. Steve Bieda (D) on September 11, 2014, to require auto insurers to notify the Secretary of State if a person does not renew or cancels insurance, or if the policy is terminated.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165265
Senate Bill 1062: Repeal obsolete income tax provisions
Introduced by Sen. Roger Kahn (R) on September 11, 2014, to delete obsolete provisions in the state income tax law that are related to past rate changes and earmarks to the school aid fund.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165266
Senate Bill 1063: Authorize automated “photo cop” traffic citations
Introduced by Sen. Virgil Smith, Jr. (D) on September 11, 2014, to allow local governments in large counties to issue “no points” traffic citations based on images collected by automated, unmanned traffic monitoring devices (”photo-cops”), if the cameras are within 2,500 feet of a school, college or university. Local governments could contract out the operation of the cameras, and keep 56 percent of the fine revenue, with 14 percent going to the school district and 30 percent to libraries. See also Senate Bill 1045.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165267
Senate Bill 1064: Authorize automated “photo cop” traffic citations
Introduced by Sen. Virgil Smith, Jr. (D) on September 11, 2014, to revise the allocation of traffic violation fine revenue to accommodate the revenue distribution specified by Senate Bill 1063 for traffic fines collected by local governments based on images collected by automated cameras.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165269
Senate Bill 1065: Exempt certified zoos from large carnivore possession law
Introduced by Sen. John Pappageorge (R) on September 11, 2014, to revise a reference in a law that exempt zoos from the restrictions, fees and permit requirements of the state’s large carnivore act, which severely restricts private ownership.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165270
Senate Bill 1066: Repeal requirement for local contribution to trunkline highway work
Introduced by Sen. John Pappageorge (R) on September 11, 2014, to eliminate a requirement that cities and villages must bear a portion of the cost of opening, widening, and improving a state trunk line highway within their jurisdiction.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165271
Senate Bill 1067: Revise package liquor store location restriction
Introduced by Sen. John Pappageorge (R) on September 11, 2014, to prohibit the state’s Liquor Control Commission from restricting the location of a new package liquor store (“specially designated distributor”) based on how close it will be to an existing store.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165272
Senate Bill 1068: Create state driver license and ID health info registry
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on September 11, 2014, to allow state identification cards to have a medical alert bar code referencing the information contained in a person’s registration on the state medical information registry proposed by Senate Bill 1069.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165273
Senate Bill 1069: Create state driver license and ID health info registry
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on September 11, 2014, to require the Secretary of State to create a state medical information registry, with drivers license and state identification card applications asking whether an individual wants to register a medical condition there, and the ID cards and licenses indicating this with a barcode allowing electronic access by a first responder or healthcare provider. The bill provides a confidentiality provision that prohibits access to or release of personally identifiable registry information for any other purpose.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165274
Senate Bill 1070: Create new prison assault crime
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on September 11, 2014, to create a new felony crime of a prisoner assaulting a prison or jail employee with bodily fluids including spit, urine or feces, punishable by up to four years imprisonment.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165275
Senate Bill 1071: Create new prison assault crime
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on September 11, 2014, to establish sentencing guidelines for the crime proposed by Senate Bill 1070 of a prisoner assaulting a prison or jail employee with bodily fluids.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165276
Senate Bill 1072: Ban powdered alcohol; revise restrictions on alcohol promotional items
Introduced by Sen. Joe Hune (R) on September 11, 2014, to ban the sale of “powdered alcohol,” and also allow alcohol manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors to provide retailers with keg couplers that are lent to an on-premises retailer, sporting event or entertainment tickets, and brand logoed items that are contained within the packaging of a liquor product for sale to consumers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165277
Senate Bill 1073: Grant medical facility rationing exception to McLaren Health Systems
Introduced by Sen. Randy Richardville (R) on September 11, 2014, to authorize a special exception to the health care facility rationing imposed by the state’s “Certificate of Need” law that would allow McLaren Health Systems to build a new facility in Clarkston. In return for this special “carve out” the bill would force McLaren to provide a certain amount of charitable care and meet other requirements specified in the bill. The Certificate of Need (CON) program rations the availability of health care facilities and technology by requiring health care providers to seek permission from a state commission for new or expanded facilities.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165278
Senate Bill 1075: Mandate Holocaust instruction
Introduced by Sen. Randy Richardville (R) on September 11, 2014, to mandate that public schools must provide high school students at least six hours each school year of instruction about genocides, including the Holocaust.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165280
Senate Bill 1076: Authorize local oil and gas extraction restrictions
Introduced by Sen. Jack Brandenburg (R) on September 17, 2014, to allow counties and larger townships (more than 70,000 residents) to use zoning ordinances to impose restrictions and regulations on oil and gas extraction and exploration.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165301
Senate Bill 1077: Require more disclosures in school debt elections
Introduced by Sen. John Pappageorge (R) on September 17, 2014, to require additional ballot language disclosures in school debt millage elections, and revise various details in the state school bond loan act by which the state guarantees most school debt.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165302
Senate Bill 1078: Revise college scholarship “promise zone” criteria
Introduced by Sen. Bruce Caswell (R) on September 18, 2014, to revise a 2008 law authorizing “promise zone” tax increment financing authorities (TIFA) that subsidize college tuition for students in low educational attainment areas, by capping the annual disbursements by an authority at $500,000 annually.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165316
Senate Bill 1079: Authorize new specialty plate; give profits to particular nonprofit
Introduced by Sen. Hoon-Yung Hopgood (D) on September 18, 2014, to authorize a new specialty license plate, with the profits delivered to a government-funded social services agency called “Early On”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165317
Senate Bill 730: Mandate restaurant manager food allergy training
Passed 31 to 7 in the Senate on September 24, 2014, to mandate that restaurants employ at least one manager who has received training or viewed an approved video on food allergies (in addition to current requirements for a managerial employee to have acquired a food safety certification). The bill would also mandate that restaurants post a notice to customers on the menu or a window sticker that customers have an obligation to inform the server about any food allergies, and mandate a food allergy poster be posted in the non-public part of the restaurant.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695957
Senate Bill 857: Heroin overdose treatment package
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to establish that a person who in good faith believes that another individual is suffering a heroin or opioid related overdose and who administers an “opioid antagonist” (such as Naloxone) is not liable in a civil lawsuit for damages.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691645
Senate Bill 886: Regulate “continuing care agreements”
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on September 24, 2014, to repeal a law regulating the terms and sale of life estates, life leases, and long-term leases in nursing homes, retirement homes, homes for the aged, and foster care facilities, and replace it with a new law that styles these contracts as “continuing care agreements” and “continuing care communities,” which can also include independent living units and adult foster care facilities. The bill would impose detailed registration and disclosure requirements for entities that make such offers, and regulate the terms they offer.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695953
Senate Bill 887: Regulate “continuing care agreements”
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on September 24, 2014, to exempt the community care operations Senate Bill 886 would regulate from certain state rules governing a facility’s provision of various licensed medical professionals to residents.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695954
Senate Bill 888: Regulate “continuing care agreements”
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on September 24, 2014, to exempt the community care operations Senate Bill 886 would regulate from certain state rules governing an adult foster care facility’s provision to residents of various licensed medical professionals.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695955
Senate Bill 889: Regulate “continuing care agreements”
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on September 24, 2014, to repeal certain criminal sentencing guidelines that reference a nursing home regulatory regime that Senate Bill 886 would alter.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695956
Senate Bill 926: Ban using a drone to interfere with hunters
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on September 24, 2014, to prohibit using an aerial drone to interfere with or harass a person who is hunting. This would expand an existing law that bans interfering with or harassing hunters.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695963
Senate Bill 927: Ban hunting with a drone
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on September 24, 2014, to prohibit using an aerial drone to take game.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695964
Senate Bill 963: Ban BB gun possession by unaccompanied minor
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on September 24, 2014, to revise the definition of “firearm” in the law that governs pistol sales to refer to a weapon that propels a dangerous projectile by means of an explosive, but not by means of spring, gas, or air.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695947
Senate Bill 964: Expand air gun exemption from firearm laws
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on September 24, 2014, to revise the definition of “firearm” to exclude an air, gas or spring powered gun that fires a projectile larger than .177 caliber.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695948
Senate Bill 965: Expand air gun exemption from firearm laws
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on September 24, 2014, to revise the definition of “firearm” to exclude an air, gas or spring powered gun that fires a projectile larger than .177 caliber.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695949
Senate Bill 966: Expand air gun exemption from firearm laws
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on September 24, 2014, to revise the definition of “firearm” in the state environmental law to conform to the proposal in Senate Bills 963 to 965, which would exclude all air, gas or spring powered guns and BB guns from the definition.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695950
Senate Bill 979: Extend preemption of local gun control to air guns
Passed 28 to 10 in the Senate on September 24, 2014, to revise the state law preempting restrictive local gun control ordinances so it applies to “pneumatic” guns, defined as ones that shoot “a BB or pellet by spring, gas, or air.” Locals could adopt restrictions on possession of these by minors, prohibit “brandishing” them to induce fear, or shooting in a heavily populated area.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695952
Senate Bill 1007: Revise installment tax payment detail
Passed 36 to 2 in the Senate on September 24, 2014, to establish that tax liens on township special assessment installment payments do not become effective (“attach”) until the payment is due.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695962
Senate Bill 1015: Restrict child custody changes for active military member
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on September 24, 2014, to revise a 2005 law prohibiting a court from changing an established child custody or parenting time order of a parent has been called to active duty in the military (unless it is the best interest of the child), so as to also allow the military parent to request a stay until he or she has returned from duty at any stage before final judgment in the proceedings.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695946
Senate Bill 1016: Shift road tax money from certain subsidies to road projects
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on September 24, 2014, to not earmark $12 million in annual road tax money to the state “Transportation Economic Development Fund” in fiscal year 2013-2014, and instead use it for regular road building and repair projects. TEDF money is essentially a form of corporate subsidy in which the state pays for transportation infrastructure projects related to a particular investor’s or developer’s new plant or project.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695966
House Bill 5097: Exempt public safety employees from ban on certain automatic pay hikes
The substitute passed by voice vote in the House on September 23, 2014, to authorize public safety exceptions to the no-contract “step increase” ban that applies to other government employees if this is imposed by a contract impasse binding arbitration panel.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161213
House Bill 5097: Exempt public safety employees from ban on certain automatic pay hikes
Passed 97 to 12 in the House on September 24, 2014, to exempt law enforcement and fire department employees from a 2011 law that banned automatic seniority-based automatic pay hikes for individual government employees (“step increases”) during the time when a government employee union contract has expired and no replacement has been negotiated. Specifically, the bill would exempt public safety workers covered by a 1969 compulsory arbitration law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695992
House Bill 5404: Heroin overdose treatment package
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on September 24, 2014, to require the state-authorized “medical control authorities” responsible for establishing certain treatment protocols in a county or region to establish protocols that require ambulances to carry an “opioid antagonist” (such as Naloxone), and require emergency services personnel to be trained to administer them.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695958
House Bill 5405: Heroin overdose treatment package
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on September 24, 2014, to grant immunity from criminal prosecution or administrative sanction to a medical professional or pharmacist who prescribes, dispenses, possesses, or administers an “opioid antagonist” (such as Naloxone) to someone the person believes in good faith to be suffering a heroin or opioid related overdose.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695959
House Bill 5407: Heroin overdose treatment package
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on September 24, 2014, to permit doctors to prescribe and pharmacists to dispense an “opioid antagonist” including naloxone hydrochloride to the friends or family of individuals who may suffer an overdose.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695960
House Bill 5412: Allow state bank savings promotion raffles
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on September 24, 2014, to allow chartered state banks to offer savings promotion raffles that offer prizes for individuals who enter the raffle by depositing a specified amount.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695993
House Bill 5413: Allow state bank savings promotion raffles
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on September 24, 2014, to revise references in the state law on gambling and lottery crimes to reflect the proposal in House Bill 5412 to allow chartered state banks to offer savings promotion raffles.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695994
House Bill 5419: Revise training detail for licensed athletic trainers
Passed 91 to 17 in the House on September 24, 2014, to mandate that licensed athletic trainers successfully complete a course of training that includes lessons on automated external defibrillator use by medical professionals, in addition to the current requirements for first aid and CPR lessons. The bill would also cut the license fee for trainers, and revise other details of this regulatory regime.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695988
House Bill 5444: Revise foster care trust fund details
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on September 24, 2014, to revise details of a state trust fund supports college or career training programs for foster care children who “age out” of the system. The bill would cap the administrative expenses the Fund could incur, transfer management of the money from a board to the Department of Treasury, and require the department to “collaborate” with state colleges and universities to “assist current and former foster care students who have unmet financial education needs and assist in the effort to create sustainable futures for those foster care students”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695995
House Bill 5507: Revise county foster care reimbursement detail
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on September 24, 2014, to extend for another year a state reimbursement to counties that covers a portion of the cost of providing foster care services, and require the state to cover the entire cost of new foster cases in the current and next fiscal year (2014 and 2015). The bill also clarifies what constitutes “foster care services”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695961
House Bill 5669: Revise private school teacher “professional development” detail
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on September 24, 2014, to permit a “state-approved nonpublic school” to provide teacher “professional development” for nonpublic school teachers, and credit this toward the issuance or renewal of a teaching certificate or subject area “endorsement,” to the same extent as when this is provided for teachers in public schools.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695991
House Bill 5781: Modify legislator oath of office detail
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on September 24, 2014, to modify the way Michigan’s oath of office is administered to state senators and state representatives. Under current law, the oath can be administered by the “chancellor, any justice of the supreme court, the lieutenant governor, the president pro-tempore of the Senate, or the speaker of the House of Representatives.” The bill would remove “the chancellor” and add the House Clerk and Senate Secretary.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695987
House Bill 5793: Correct error in graduation standards law revision
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on September 24, 2014, to extend for another year (through 2021) an exception to the the foreign language requirement in the state’s graduation requirements that allows students to instead meet this with career and technical education” classes or more arts classes. Also, to clarify that the foreign language requirement only applies to students who entered 3rd grade in 2006 or later or later (a cohort who generally would graduate in 2016). Reportedly this is to correct an error in a law enacted earlier in 2014 that lowered some of the graduation standards.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695965
House Bill 5798: Ban powdered alcohol; revise restrictions on alcohol promotional items
The amendment passed by voice vote in the House on September 24, 2014, to remove the provision that would ban powdered alcohol.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165283
House Bill 5798: Ban powdered alcohol; revise restrictions on alcohol promotional items
Passed 103 to 6 in the House on September 24, 2014, to revise restrictions on “brewpubs;” and allow alcohol manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors to provide retailers with keg couplers that are lent to an on-premises retailer, sporting event or entertainment tickets, and brand logoed items that are contained within the packaging of a liquor product for sale to consumers.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=695990
Senate Bill 1089: Mandate cell phone providers disclose user location info in emergencies
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on September 24, 2014, to require cell phone companies to disclose call location information when requested by law enforcement because the information is needed in an emergency situation that involves the risk of death or injury. The bill would grant legal immunity to cell phone companies for making the disclosures.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165359
Senate Bill 1090: Require DNR stocking of walleye fry in certain lakes
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on September 24, 2014, to require the Department of Natural Resources to stock inland lakes in certain counties with a number of walleye “fingerlings” specified in the bill.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165360
Senate Bill 1091: Authorize local aquatic invasive species regulations and fees
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on September 24, 2014, to allow local governments to impose regulations that exceed state requirements for the prevention, control, or eradication of aquatic invasive species in an inland lake. Local governments could also impose boat launch and parking fees of up to $10 per boat per day or $45 per boat per year to pay for this.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165361
Senate Bill 1092: Allow temporary traffic signal on side of roads
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on September 24, 2014, to allow a temporary traffic control signal to be located on the side of the traveled portion of a roadway, not just overhead, which reportedly is the preferred method of the state transportation department.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165362
Senate Bill 1093: Allow some discounted non-resident hunting fees
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on September 24, 2014, to allow a 50 percent hunting license fee discount for non-residents who own land in this state, or for someone who previously lived here for at least 10 years and is accompanied by a relative who still lives here.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165363
House Bill 5836: Create statewide junk and secondhand dealer transaction database
Introduced by Rep. Mike Callton (R) on September 18, 2014, to create a statewide database of transactions by junk and secondhand dealers, and mandate that they participate.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165335
House Bill 5837: Create statewide pawnbroker transaction database
Introduced by Rep. Mike Callton (R) on September 18, 2014, to create a statewide database of items purchased by or pawned at pawnbrokers, and mandate that they participate. The bill also revises many details of the licensure regime imposed on pawnbrokers, among other things capping local license fees at $500 annually.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165336
House Bill 5838: Exempt certain sportsmen club property from property tax
Introduced by Rep. Peter MacGregor (R) on September 23, 2014, to exempt property owned by sportsmen or gun clubs from property tax if their facilities are available to the public for charitable nonprofit purposes at least 55 days annually.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165369
House Bill 5839: Establish standard for permanent revocation of health provider licenses
Introduced by Rep. Klint Kesto (R) on September 23, 2014, to allow for the permanent revocation of a health profession license or registration if the person engaged in a pattern of intentional fraudulent acts for personal gain that harmed patients. The bill would also increase the types of violations that could result in license revocation, and make certain assaultive crimes, including 1st- and 2nd degree murder, grounds for permanent revocation. This is part of a legislative package comprised of House Bills 5839 to 5842. This bill provides a definition of “permanent revocation”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165370
House Bill 5840: Establish standard for permanent revocation of health provider licenses
Introduced by Rep. Patrick Somerville (R) on September 23, 2014, to allow for the permanent revocation of a health profession license or registration if the person engaged in a pattern of intentional fraudulent acts for personal gain that harmed patients. The bill would also increase the types of violations that could result in license revocation, and make certain assaultive crimes, including 1st- and 2nd degree murder, grounds for permanent revocation. This is part of a legislative package comprised of House Bills 5839 to 5842. This bill would mandate permanent revocation for serious assault crimes if the person was acting within the health profession.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165371
House Bill 5841: Establish standard for permanent revocation of health provider licenses
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Farrington (R) on September 23, 2014, to allow for the permanent revocation of a health profession license or registration if the person engaged in a pattern of intentional fraudulent acts for personal gain that harmed patients. Permanent revocation would require the person to both engage in a pattern of intentional fraud for personal gain and cause harm to patients’ health, unless the person committed criminal sexual conduct involving a patient. This is part of a legislative package comprised of House Bills 5839 to 5842.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165372
House Bill 5842: Establish standard for permanent revocation of health provider licenses
Introduced by Rep. Peter Pettalia (R) on September 23, 2014, to revise language in the law authorizing permanent revocation of a health profession license for certain violations to conform with the proposal in House Bills 5839 to 5842 to expand and further define the grounds for this sanction.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165373
House Bill 5843: Give state flag to deceased legislators’ survivors
Introduced by Rep. Fred Durhal, Jr. (D) on September 23, 2014, to create a new law called the “Legislative Funeral Act” that would require the state to give a state flag to the survivor of a current or former legislator who dies.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165374
House Bill 5844: Remove American Lotus from state endangered species list
Introduced by Rep. Patrick Somerville (R) on September 23, 2014, to remove the American Lotus (nelumbo lutea) from a state list of endangered and threatened species, and the restrictions it triggers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165375
House Bill 5845: Cut “cyberschool” funding
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on September 23, 2014, to restrict the per pupil funding for an online “cyberschools” to one-third of the amount a regular charter school would get.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165376
House Bill 5846: Let schools and agencies ban unions posting “right to work” employee names
Introduced by Rep. Kevin Daley (R) on September 23, 2014, to establish that the workplace notices which public schools and government agencies are required to allow unions to post in workplaces do not include notices disclosing the names of employees who have exercised their right to not pay union dues or fees as a condition of employment, as established by the Michigan Right to Work law enacted in 2012. A government or school would not be required to ban such postings.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165377
House Bill 5847: Let schools and agencies ban unions posting “right to work” employee names
Introduced by Rep. Kevin Daley (R) on September 23, 2014, to establish that the workplace notices which public schools and government agencies are required to allow unions to post in workplaces do not include notices disclosing the names of employees who have exercised their right to not pay union dues or fees as a condition of employment, as recognized by the Michigan Right to Work law enacted in 2012. A government or school would not be required to ban such postings.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165378
House Bill 5848: Increase state aid to consolidated school districts
Introduced by Rep. Adam Zemke (D) on September 23, 2014, to increase state school aid levels to schools districts that have consolidated with another district since 2002.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165379
House Bill 5849: Establish new foster child standards
Introduced by Rep. Marcia Hovey-Wright (D) on September 23, 2014, to develop and implement a “Children’s Assurance of Quality Foster Care Policy” intended to ensure that various practices and procedures specified in the bill are followed (these are described in this House Fiscal Agency bill summary. The bill is part of a legislative package comprised of House Bills 5849 to 5851.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165380
House Bill 5850: Establish new foster child standards
Introduced by Rep. Cindy Denby (R) on September 23, 2014, to require the Department of Human Services to develop and implement a “Children’s Assurance of Quality Foster Care Policy” intended to ensure that various practices and procedures specified in the bill are followed (these are described in this House Fiscal Agency bill summary. The bill is part of a legislative package comprised of House Bills 5849 to 5851.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165381
House Bill 5851: Establish new foster child standards
Introduced by Rep. George T. Darany (D) on September 23, 2014, to develop and implement a “Children’s Assurance of Quality Foster Care Policy” intended to ensure that various practices and procedures specified in the bill are followed (these are described in this House Fiscal Agency bill summary. The bill is part of a legislative package comprised of House Bills 5849 to 5851.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165382
House Bill 5852: Ban charter school expansion without more restrictions
Introduced by Rep. Sarah Roberts (D) on September 23, 2014, to prohibit and new charter schools or expansion of current ones unless the legislature imposes a variety of additional restrictions and regulations on charter school operations and operators.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165383
House Bill 5853: Authorize state poet laureate
Introduced by Rep. Sarah Roberts (D) on September 23, 2014, to authorize the appointment by the governor of a state poet laureate, who would serve at the pleasure of the governor (meaning the governor could withdraw the appointment at any time). The bill authorizes no compensation, but does allow government money to be used to reimburse the individual’s travel expenses. The bill is cosponsored by Reps. Tlaib, Switalski, Yanez, Dianda, Irwin, Greimel, Kelly, Pscholka, Hovey-Wright, Zemke, Singh, Kandrevas and Rutledge.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165384
House Bill 5854: Revise uninsured motorist details
Introduced by Rep. Pete Lund (R) on September 23, 2014, to revise a number of details of the “facility” created to provided insurance benefits for individuals injured by an uninsured driver.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165385
House Bill 5855: Revise precinct delegate absentee ballot counting detail
Introduced by Rep. George T. Darany (D) on September 23, 2014, to establish that absentee ballot votes for precinct delegates may be tallied separately from regular votes, rather than requiring them to be tallied separately, which is the current law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165386
House Bill 5856: Revise and expand scope of DDA spending
Introduced by Rep. Eileen Kowall (R) on September 23, 2014, to expand the scope of activities for which Downtown Development Agencies may borrow and spend to include “services that exceed the levels of public services generally provided,” and limit these to services within the downtown district. The bill would also revise a number of other details of the DDA law, including limiting how long a DDA can retain unspent tax revenues and requiring more disclosures by DDAs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165387
House Bill 5857: Add “sexual orientation” to “ethnic intimidation” law
Introduced by Rep. Brandon Dillon (D) on September 24, 2014, to add “gender identity” and “sexual orientation” to a state “ethnic intimidation” law that authorizes penalties for intimidating or harassing another person because of that person’s race, color, religion, gender, or national origin. The bill would also add age and physical disability to this law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165367
Senate Bill 485: Establish state “unclaimed body program”
Passed 28 to 8 in the Senate on October 1, 2014, to create a state “Anatomy Board” comprised of designated medical school representatives, , within the Department of Community Health (DCH), which would allocate unclaimed bodies to teaching institutions, hospitals, and other people that required them for educational use. This entity would also develop criteria, standards, and procedures for which unclaimed bodies are suitable for scientific use. The bill would also require the authority person in charge of a decedent’s body to attempt to identify and notify the family member or other person who would have final say over to make decisions about the body.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696225
Senate Bill 587: Human trafficking crime package
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on October 2, 2014, to require a state agency supervising a child found to be the victim of human trafficking to provide psychological counseling services.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696296
Senate Bill 590: Human trafficking crime package
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to allow human trafficking victims to sue violators for damages.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696300
Senate Bill 592: Human trafficking crime package
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to revise the general state welfare law to authorize medical and psychological assistance benefits for having been a victim of a human trafficking crime.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696301
Senate Bill 593: Human trafficking crime package
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to require child placement agencies to give special consideration to information that a child may be the victim of human trafficking crimes, and on that basis find that the usual reunification, adoption, or other foster care services may not be suitable. Instead, the child would have to be placed in a setting that provided mental health, counseling, or other specialized services appropriate for a human trafficking victim.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696302
Senate Bill 597: Human trafficking crime package
Passed 101 to 8 in the House on October 2, 2014, to require that medical professionals receive training to identify the signs of human trafficking in patients.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696303
Senate Bill 705: Revise court records detail
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to revise a law that requires audio recordings of court hearings involving a minor to be a “permanent record.” The bill would specify that how long these recordings need be retained would be set in rules determined by the state Supreme Court.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696305
Senate Bill 852: Grant industrial plant rehab tax break for particular developer
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on October 1, 2014, to allow an exception to the usual requirements for an Industrial Plant Rehabilitation tax break, making a particular facility eligible, when under current statute it would not be.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696218
Senate Bill 882: Repeal local road agency fringe benefit reporting mandate
Passed 107 to 2 in the House on October 2, 2014, to require county road commissions, instead of local road agencies, to certify to the Department of Transportation that they have adopted specified pension reforms and employee health insurance limits, starting Oct. 1 2015 (or that two thirds of the commission members have cast a record roll call vote to exempt these employees from the 2011 law that established government employee insurance caps, which that law allows.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696311
Senate Bill 940: Revise vehicle width limit detail
Passed 35 to 1 in the Senate on October 1, 2014, to revise the maximum width of vehicles allowed on Michigan roads to 108-inches for vehicles hauling steel pipe (a width that is already allowed for vehicles hauling concrete pipe, agricultural products, unprocessed logs, pulpwood, or wood bolts).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696220
Senate Bill 962: Revise industrial tax break detail
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on October 1, 2014, to revise a provision of the law that authorizes local property tax breaks for industrial facility tax breaks, which grants these even if the local clerk fails to meet certain procedural deadlines. The bill would amend the provision so it also applies to an amended application for a tax break, or a request to transfer or revoke a tax break.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696219
Senate Bill 980: Revise legal notice service where address is confidential
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on October 1, 2014, to establish an alternative way of serving notice of a legal process after a court order has been entered that prohibits the disclosure of the address of a party to the action. Instead, the papers would be delivered to the court system and forwarded from there. See also House Bill 5654.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696222
Senate Bill 981: Ban divorce lawyer “ambulance chasing”
Passed 35 to 1 in the Senate on October 1, 2014, to prohibit a lawyer from soliciting business from a party to a divorce action within 14 days after proof of service in the action was filed with the court, punishable by fines of $1,000 and $5,000 for subsequent violations.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696213
Senate Bill 987: Suspend victim restitution if victim is juvenile offender’s parents
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on October 1, 2014, to revise a law requiring parents of a juvenile delinquent from paying restitution to the victim of the juvenile’s crime if the parents were themselves the victim.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696214
Senate Bill 988: Suspend parent liability if parents were juvenile offender’s victim
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on October 1, 2014, to revise a law making the parents of a juvenile delinquent liable for costs related to the juvenile’s incarceration and legal costs if the parents were the victim of the juvenile’s crime.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696215
Senate Bill 989: Suspend parent liability if parents were juvenile offender’s victim
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on October 1, 2014, to revise a law making the parents of a juvenile delinquent liable for costs related to the juvenile’s care if the parents were the victim of the juvenile’s crime.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696216
Senate Bill 991: Let terminal patients try non-FDA approved treatments
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to establish that a person diagnosed with a terminal illness has a “right to try” experimental drugs or therapies, notwithstanding laws that prohibit treatments not approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration, subject to various conditions specified in the bill. The bill would prohibit state employees or officials from interfering, and ban licensing boards from sanctioning health care providers who participate, subject to specified conditions. Insurers would not have to cover these treatments, and drug makers who comply with the specified conditions would be immune from liability if the patient is harmed. The bill was introduced in response to criticism of FDA mandates that drug makers prove new drugs are “safe and effective” are improperly applied in these cases, leading to many preventable deaths. House Bill 5651 proposes the same thing..
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696304
Senate Bill 1016: Shift road tax money from certain subsidies to road projects
Passed 107 to 2 in the House on October 2, 2014, to not earmark $12 million in annual road tax money to the state “Transportation Economic Development Fund” in fiscal year 2013-2014, and instead use it for regular road building and repair projects. TEDF money is essentially a form of corporate subsidy in which the state pays for transportation infrastructure projects related to a particular investor’s or developer’s new plant or project.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696312
Senate Bill 1049: Grant legal immunity to trained police administration of overdose treatment
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on October 1, 2014, to allow a peace officer with training in the proper administration of an opioid antagonist a person suffering a heroin overdose to do so, and grant civil and criminal immunity for doing so.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696226
House Bill 4545: Ban wrecker and tow truck “ambulance chasing”
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on October 1, 2014, to prohibit tow truck and wrecking service operators from traveling to an accident site to solicit business unless their service has been requested by police. Also, to prohibit local governments from charging wrecker and tow truck operations a fee for responding to a request from police or a motorist at an accident site.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696223
House Bill 4638: Revise deed recording detail
Passed 34 to 2 in the Senate on October 1, 2014, to establish a legal presumption that a property conveyance (deed or easement) recorded with the county register of deeds is valid if the conveyance meets the statutory requirements proposed by House Bill 4640, and other legal requirements. Also, to the extent that the mortgage instrument validly created a lien (claim against the property, as in a mortgage), the lien would be “perfected” (made legally binding) on the date the affidavit was recorded.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696210
House Bill 4639: Revise deed recording detail
Passed 33 to 3 in the Senate on October 1, 2014, to revise the law requiring registers of deeds to maintain an index of recorded deeds and related instruments, so that it conforms with the provisions proposed by House Bill 4640.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696211
House Bill 4640: Revise deed recording detail
Passed 32 to 3 in the Senate on October 1, 2014, to establish standards for the affidavit that is required when recording an unrecorded property conveyance (deed or easement) with the county register of deeds.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696212
House Bill 4915: Extend sunset on crime victim’s rights fund earmark
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on October 1, 2014, to extend until October 2018 the sunset on a provision of the state crime victim’s rights fund earmarking money not used by the fund in any given year to pay instead for other law enforcement activities, such as maintaining the state sex offender registry, “Amber alert” programs, sex crime victim treatment services, lie detector tests and expert witness fees.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696227
House Bill 5385: Expand drunk driving provisions to include illegal drugs
Passed 35 to 0 in the Senate on October 1, 2014, to expand the law that requires a person stopped for drunk driving to take a breathalyzer or field sobriety test so that it also applies to suspected driving while drugged. The bill would not explicitly authorize the use of a roadside saliva test, which has been challenged as inaccurate.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696221
House Bill 5649: Recognize terminal patients’ “right to try” unapproved treatments
Passed 35 to 1 in the Senate on October 1, 2014, to prohibit state officials and licensing boards from sanctioning health care providers who participate providing non-FDA approved experimental drugs and treatments to terminal patients in accordance with the conditions specified in the “right to try” law proposed by Senate Bill 991.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696217
House Bill 5743: Revise adoption petition details
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to revise details of a law that specifies where a person who wants to adopt a child (or an adult) must file a court petition. Specifically, the petition could be filed with the court of the county where the person resides, where the adoptee is found, or where the birth parent’s parental rights were terminated. Among other things this would streamline the procedures when the person who wants to adopt lives in another state.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696306
House Bill 5744: Revise child protective or delinquency action fees
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to eliminate the requirement to pay court fees to file certain child protective or delinquency actions in court. See House Bill 5745.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696307
House Bill 5745: Revise extended foster care assistance detail
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to specify that if a court has appointed a guardian for a youth 16 years of age or older under sections of law dealing with foster care placements, then the court would retain jurisdiction until the Department of Human Services determines the youth’s eligibility to receive extended guardianship assistance under a 2011 law that increased the eligible age from 18 to 21 for young adult foster care, guardianship assistance, and adoption assistance programs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696309
House Bill 5746: Revise extended foster care assistance detail
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to specify that if a court has appointed a guardian for a youth 16 years of age or older under sections of law dealing with foster care placements, then the court would retain jurisdiction until the Department of Human Services determines the youth’s eligibility to receive extended guardianship assistance under a 2011 law that increased the eligible age from 18 to 21 for young adult foster care, guardianship assistance, and adoption assistance programs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696308
Senate Bill 205: Increase solicitation of sex from minor penalties
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to increase the penalties for the crime of soliciting sex from a minor who is at less than 18 years of age.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696484
Senate Bill 206: Increase solicitation of sex from minor penalties
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to revise the sentencing guidelines for the penalty increase proposed by House Bill 4209 for the crime of soliciting a minor to commit prostitution.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696485
Senate Bill 585: Human trafficking crime package
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to raise the minimum age for prostitution-related crimes to from 16 to 18, and prohibit local units of government from enacting ordinances that establish lower minimum ages. Individuals under this age caught violating the law would be presumed to be victims of some kind of coercion and could be taken into protective custody and placed under probate (family) court supervision.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696487
Senate Bill 602: Human trafficking crime package
Passed 106 to 1 in the House on October 2, 2014, to require individuals convicted of soliciting a prostitute who is less than age 18 to register on the state sex offender registry.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696486
Senate Bill 861: Authorize higher “children’s trust fund” spending
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to authorize a higher rate of annual spending from a state “children’s trust fund” that distributes money intended to various local “councils” intended to prevent child abuse and neglect.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696491
Senate Bill 863: Expand drunk driving provisions to include illegal drugs
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to authorize a judge or district court magistrate under specified circumstances to release a defendant whose “preliminary roadside analysis” test reveals the presence of a controlled substance. This is part of a package extending the same procedures to both drunk and drugged driving cases.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696508
Senate Bill 890: Revise state adoption subsidies
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to revise details of a law that authorizes subsidies for parents who adopt a child, so as to accommodate an agreement that the state would provide higher subsidies if it turns out a particular child needs “extraordinary” care that incurs extraordinary expenses.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696488
Senate Bill 998: Establish rape kit evidence regulations and procedures
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to create a state commission to establish regulations, procedures and timetables with deadlines that law enforcement agencies and health care providers must follow when collecting and using sexual assault kit evidence.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696489
Senate Bill 1004: Require law enforcement agencies update sexual assault victims
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to require the law enforcement agency with the primary responsibility for investigating that sexual assault case to inform the victim (or a person the victim designates) of the status of all evidence collected, upon written request. This would include information on an assailant’s DNA profile and more. The bill would also require a state “Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention and Treatment Board” created by an executive order to develop an informational handout for victims explaining the meaning of possible forensic testing results.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696490
Senate Bill 1021: Mandate certain hospital disclosures to sexual assault victims
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to mandate that hospitals must tell an individual alleged to have been the victim of criminal sexual conduct in the past five days about the provisions of a 2008 law that specifies the procedures the hospital must undertake to qualify for compensation by the state crime victims services commission for sexual assault medical forensic examination costs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696505
Senate Bill 1036: Require timely disease testing of rapists
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to require a defendant indicted for rape or other serious sex crimes to be tested for venereal disease, hepatitis and AIDS within 48 hours if the victim requests this. Under current law testing is required but no timetable is specified.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696506
House Bill 4624: Allow multi-department firefighter employment
Passed 21 to 17 in the Senate on October 2, 2014, to prohibit a fire department from prohibiting its firefighters from also working as a volunteer, part-time or paid on-call firefighter with another department, if this does not conflict with the original employment. Also, to make this issue a prohibited subject of collective bargaining between a fire department and an employee union.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696389
House Bill 5025: “Human trafficking” criminal law package
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on October 2, 2014, to allow and facilitate the expungement of a prostitution offense from a person’s criminal record if the person was the victim of a “human trafficking” violation.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696412
House Bill 5097: Exempt public safety employees from ban on certain automatic pay hikes
Passed 25 to 12 in the Senate on October 2, 2014, to exempt law enforcement and fire department employees from a 2011 law that banned automatic seniority-based automatic pay hikes for individual government employees (“step increases”) during the time when a government employee union contract has expired and no replacement has been negotiated. Specifically, the bill would exempt public safety workers covered by a 1969 compulsory arbitration law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696377
House Bill 5182: Give tax break to nonprofit housing organizations
Passed 87 to 20 in the House on October 2, 2014, to exempt dwellings owned by a charitable nonprofit housing organization from property tax for five years, or until the property is transferred to a low income person. Under current law, local governments may grant this tax break but are not required to.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696536
House Bill 5236: Human trafficking crime package
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on October 2, 2014, to revise the law authorizing seizure and forfeiture of property related to the commission of a crime or the proceeds from a criminal act so that it explicitly applies to human trafficking crimes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696418
House Bill 5273: Authorize, regulate Michigan stock exchange
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on October 2, 2014, to authorize and establish a comprehensive regulatory regime for local stock exchanges for transactions in Michigan securities (stocks). See also House Bill 4897, which is not related to this bill, but would require a state agency to “facilitate” creating a Detroit futures exchange.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696375
House Bill 5385: Expand drunk driving provisions to include illegal drugs
Passed 104 to 3 in the House on October 2, 2014, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696511
House Bill 5422: Allow 120 days to renew vehicle registration without late fee
Passed 92 to 15 in the House on October 2, 2014, to not impose a $10 “late fee” on vehicle registrations submitted after the previous year’s registration has expired, if the owner presents proof of storage insurance for the time between the expiration and the new renewal, and requests in person at a Secretary of State branch office that the late fee be waived.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696492
House Bill 5563: Revise abandoned vehicle regulations
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to expand the scope of a state prohibition and comprehensive regulatory regime that prescribes penalties, procedures and rules for abandoned vehicles, so that it includes boats and vessels, and add new regulations to accommodate the addition of vessels.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696494
House Bill 5578: Revise liquor control regulation detail
Passed 102 to 5 in the House on October 2, 2014, to eliminate a $7.50 cap on the per case distribution fee that can be charged for liquor distributed to retailers by an “authorized distribution agent,” which is the term applied to the private companies authorized to warehouse and distribute hard liquor in Michigan.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696498
House Bill 5606: Expand “protectionist” auto dealer provision
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on October 2, 2014, to prohibit vehicle makers from preventing a dealer from tacking on extra fees that are permitted by a law that empowers the state to enforce exclusive new car dealer “territories” and regulate the terms of commercial relationships between dealers and manufacturers.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696382
House Bill 5636: Permit golf cart road road use without insurance
Passed 104 to 3 in the House on October 2, 2014, to establish that a golf cart driven on roads (as House Bill 5645 would permit) is not considered a “motor vehicle” subject to registration taxes and the mandated no-fault vehicle insurance. The bill would also establish that motorized wheelchairs, “scooters” and other personal mobility devices are not considered “motor vehicles”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696495
House Bill 5714: Revise regulations on household movers
Passed 105 to 2 in the House on October 2, 2014, to revise details of the extensive regulatory regime and price controls imposed on household moving companies.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696493
House Bill 5785: Expand permissible criminal court cost levies
Passed 95 to 12 in the House on October 2, 2014, to concur with the Senate-passed version of the bill.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696517
House Bill 5785: Expand permissible criminal court cost levies
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on October 2, 2014, to expand the costs that can be imposed on a individual convicted in a criminal case. The bill would authorize imposing assessments covering a share of court employee salaries and benefits, of “goods and services” used in operating the court, and of court building “operation and maintenance” costs. In addition, the bill would establish that a court has no duty to provide a “calculation of the costs involved in a particular case.” The bill reverses a state Supreme Court case that limited charges to those specifically allowed in a particular statute; its provisions would expire in 36 months, presumably to allow the legislature to rationalize these impositions for courts across the state.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696378
House Bill 5792: Mandate insurance ownership divestment disclosures
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to mandate that a person with a controlling ownership interest in a Michigan insurance company who plans to divest that interest must submit a statement of intent to the state insurance bureau at least 30 days before the divestment, along with a statement describing the “enterprise risk” of the transaction, defined in the bill as the chances it will have a “material adverse effect upon the financial condition or liquidity” of the insurer.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696496
House Bill 5798: Revise alcohol control regulatory regime details
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on October 2, 2014, to revise restrictions on “brewpubs;” and allow alcohol manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors to provide retailers with keg couplers that are lent to an on-premises retailer, sporting event or entertainment tickets, and brand logoed items that are contained within the packaging of a liquor product for sale to consumers.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696384
House Bill 5823: Require insurance company risk assessments
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to require larger insurance companies to regularly perform an “own risk and solvency assessment” (ORSA), defined as a “confidential internal assessment…of the material and relevant risks associated with the insurer’s current business plan, and the sufficiency of capital resources to support those risks.” This would have to be submitted to the state annually.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696497
House Bill 5839: Establish standard for permanent revocation of health provider licenses
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to allow for the permanent revocation of a health profession license or registration if the person engaged in a pattern of intentional fraudulent acts for personal gain that harmed patients. The bill would also increase the types of violations that could result in license revocation, and make certain assaultive crimes, including 1st- and 2nd degree murder, grounds for permanent revocation. This is part of a legislative package comprised of House Bills 5839 to 5842. This bill provides a definition of “permanent revocation”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696499
House Bill 5840: Establish standard for permanent revocation of health provider licenses
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to allow for the permanent revocation of a health profession license or registration if the person engaged in a pattern of intentional fraudulent acts for personal gain that harmed patients. The bill would also increase the types of violations that could result in license revocation, and make certain assaultive crimes, including 1st- and 2nd degree murder, grounds for permanent revocation. This is part of a legislative package comprised of House Bills 5839 to 5842. This bill would mandate permanent revocation for serious assault crimes if the person was acting within the health profession.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696500
House Bill 5841: Establish standard for permanent revocation of health provider licenses
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to allow for the permanent revocation of a health profession license or registration if the person engaged in a pattern of intentional fraudulent acts for personal gain that harmed patients. Permanent revocation would require the person to both engage in a pattern of intentional fraud for personal gain and cause harm to patients’ health, unless the person committed criminal sexual conduct involving a patient. This is part of a legislative package comprised of House Bills 5839 to 5842.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696503
House Bill 5842: Establish standard for permanent revocation of health provider licenses
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on October 2, 2014, to revise language in the law authorizing permanent revocation of a health profession license for certain violations to conform with the proposal in House Bills 5839 to 5842 to expand and further define the grounds for this sanction.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696504
Senate Bill 584: Eliminate statute of limitations on child sex trafficking
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on October 2, 2014, to eliminate the statute of limitations for prosecution of human trafficking crimes that cost the life of another, and establish a 25 year limitation on prosecuting other human trafficking or commercial sexual exploitation of minors offenses.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696299
Senate Bill 592: Human trafficking crime package
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on October 2, 2014, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696433
Senate Bill 1094: Prioritize veterans for mental health services
Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on October 1, 2014, to include services for veterans in the priorities for community mental health programs. Current law gives priority to “individuals with the most severe forms of serious mental illness, serious emotional disturbance, and developmental disability”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165434
Senate Bill 1095: Require insurers offer abortion coverage option with federal health care law
Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on October 1, 2014, to require (rather than just allow) health insurance companies to offer an optional abortion coverage “rider” for policies sold in Michigan through the federal health care law’s “exchange.” Under “Initiated legislation” enacted in 2013, insurers are prohibited from including abortion coverage in policies sold through the exchange, but may sell a policy “rider” for this, for which individuals must pay themselves with no federal subsidy.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165435
Senate Bill 1096: Facilitate insurance coverage for telemedicine
Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on October 1, 2014, to revise details of the state law authorizing a comprehensive health insurance regulatory regime, to accommodate health insurance coverage for “asynchronous store and forward action,” defined as “transmission of a patient’s medical information from an originating site to a health care professional at a distant site for review of the information by the professional at the distant site” at a different time. In other words, telemedicine.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165436
Senate Bill 1097: Expand technology business subsidies
Introduced by Sen. Mark Jansen (R) on October 1, 2014, to authorize the creation of three additional “certified technology parks” (previously dubbed “smart zones”), in which “tax increment financing” is used to provide infrastructure or other subsidies to technology-based businesses. These authorities “capture” the extra local property tax revenue that (hopefully) results from property value increases generated by certain improvement projects (or selective business subsidies) undertaken or granted by the authority.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165437
Senate Bill 1098: Prioritize foster care children for mental health services
Introduced by Sen. Bruce Caswell (R) on October 1, 2014, to include services for long term foster care children in the priorities for community mental health programs. Current law gives priority to “individuals with the most severe forms of serious mental illness, serious emotional disturbance, and developmental disability”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165438
Senate Bill 1099: Redesignate a highway
Introduced by Sen. Mark Jansen (R) on September 30, 2014, to designate a portion of Highway M-6 in Kent county as the “David Warsen Memorial Highway”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165406
Senate Bill 1100: Authorize sales tax collection fraud detector mandate
Introduced by Sen. John Pappageorge (R) on October 1, 2014, on merchants to give the state Department of Treasury the authority to mandate that, for purposes of collecting sales tax, merchants must install software or detectors to expose the use an “automated sales suppression device” for falsifying the records of electronic cash registers (also called “zappers” or “phantom-ware”).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165433
Senate Bill 1101: Mandate health care providers offer Hepatitis C test
Introduced by Sen. Jim Marleau (R) on October 2, 2014, to mandate that primary care health facilities and professionals must offer individuals receiving health care who were born between 1945 and 1965 a Hepatitis C test, with certain specified exceptions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165425
Senate Bill 1102: Revise guardian/conservator qualifications
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on October 2, 2014, to revise the law that empowers courts to appoint a guardian and/or conservator to protect the interests and/or assets of a vulnerable individual, by prohibiting appointment of a guardian serving in another state who has abused, exploited, or neglected a legally incapacitated individual. A 2011 law authorized appointment of individuals located in other states.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165426
Senate Bill 1103: Revise film producer subsidy formula
Introduced by Sen. Randy Richardville (R) on October 1, 2014, to increase the percentage of film production personnel expenses used to calculate how much state subsidy money a particular producer may be granted. Under current law, up to $50 million in state tax revenues may be redistributed to film producers in the current fiscal year, with the amount going to particular projects based on a formula that includes these costs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165427
Senate Bill 1104: Add new charter school restrictions
Introduced by Sen. Hoon-Yung Hopgood (D) on October 2, 2014, to freeze the number of charter schools at the current level. The bill would also prohibit authorization of a new charter school unless the state Board of Education grants a “certificate of need” based on the number of nearby conventional public schools, whether these are on a list of the 5 percent worst public schools, the impact on nearby schools of a new competitor, the number of students on nearby charter school waiting lists, and more. Also, to require the state Superintendent of Public Instruction to consider certain performance, oversight and transparency criteria for charter school authorizers; require charter school boards to use competitive bidding to select an educational management company that will run a school; and more.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165428
Senate Bill 1105: Add Romulus deep injection well restrictions
Introduced by Sen. Hoon-Yung Hopgood (D) on October 2, 2014, to prohibit the Detroit pension system from making any further investments in the hazardous waste deep disposal well facility in Romulus, and impose conditions that probably would require divestment of its ownership interest.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165429
Senate Bill 1106: Add Romulus deep injection well restrictions
Introduced by Sen. Hoon-Yung Hopgood (D) on October 2, 2014, to impose additional requirements and restrictions on a controversial hazardous waste deep disposal well facility in Romulus.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165430
Senate Bill 1107: Revise ban on teachers union bargaining over privatization
Introduced by Sen. John Pappageorge (R) on October 2, 2014, to revise details of a law that prohibits teachers unions from bargaining over whether a school district can seek competitive bids for noninstructional support services, as long as the district allows unionized school employees to be given a chance to bid on any outsourced service.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165431
Senate Bill 1108: Expand Viet Nam veteran grant eligibility to post-Viet Nam era vets
Introduced by Sen. Vincent Gregory (D) on October 2, 2014, to extend a state grant that was given to Viet Nam era veterans under a 1974 law, so that the award would also be given to individuals who were in the military between September 1, 1973 and May 7, 1975. The last U.S. combat troops were withdrawn from Viet Nam in August, 1972.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165432
House Bill 5233: Expand scope of criminal property seizure law
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on October 2, 2014, to expand the reach of the state’s criminal forfeiture law by making the property of an owner deemed “willfully blind” to illegal activity taking place on the premises subject to forfeiture. The bill would also allow the seizure of real or personal property that had been transferred to a new owner after the crime in some cases, let the government wait up to 28 days before giving notice that property is being seized (under current law this is seven days), and authorize forfeiture for home invasion, rape and other serious sex crimes. The state criminal forfeiture law allows the government to seize property used in a crime or acquired with the proceeds of a crime, with the net proceeds from its sale turned over to the agencies that are “substantially involved in effecting the forfeiture”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696416
House Bill 5858: Require insurers offer abortion coverage option with federal health care law
Introduced by Rep. Pam Faris (D) on September 30, 2014, to require (rather than just allow) health insurance companies to offer an optional abortion coverage “rider” for policies sold in Michigan through the federal health care law’s “exchange.” Under “Initiated legislation” enacted in 2013, insurers are prohibited from including abortion coverage in policies sold through the exchange, but may sell a policy “rider” for this, for which individuals must pay themselves with no federal subsidy.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165392
House Bill 5859: Authorize more sand dune land use restrictions
Introduced by Rep. Collene Lamonte (D) on September 30, 2014, to place the burden of proof on property owners that improvements and construction on land deemed to be a “critical sand dune” complies with the extensive regulatory permit requirements and restrictions that state law currently imposes on such projects. Under current law, the burden is on the state or a local government to provide information in a permit denial showing that a project will not comply with these regulations. The bill would also allow local governments to impose their own restrictions and requirements that exceed state law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165393
House Bill 5860: Revise property appraiser standards detail
Introduced by Rep. Margaret O’Brien (R) on September 30, 2014, to establish that any changes made to property appraiser standards and qualifications by a national appraisal foundation referenced in the state licensure law will be adopted automatically as this state’s standard unless the director of the relevant state agency decides otherwise.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165394
House Bill 5861: Appropriate $2 million for year-round school pilot program
Introduced by Rep. Andy Schor (D) on September 30, 2014, to appropriate $2 million to create a year-round school pilot program.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165395
House Bill 5862: Revise fire insurance settlement escrow amount
Introduced by Rep. Amanda Price (R) on September 30, 2014, to increase the maximum amount that municipalities can withhold from a property owner’s fire insurance settlement until there is evidence that the property is or will be repaired, replaced, or removed. Under current law, cities, villages and townships in larger counties can withhold up to $8,295, which is indexed to inflation. The bill would increase this to $12,000.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165396
House Bill 5863: Regulate police use of license plate scanners
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on September 30, 2014, to regulate police use of license plate scanners, which automatically read all license plate numbers and cross-reference them against law enforcement data banks. The bill would establish training and accountability requirements, restrict access to the captured information, restrict use of the captured information to specified law enforcement purposes, require plate numbers to be purged from the system every two hours, and more.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165397
House Bill 5864: Change state road funding allocation formula
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on September 30, 2014, to allocate state road tax money to local governments primarily on the basis of population rather than miles of road in the jurisdiction.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165398
House Bill 5865: Expand delinquent utility customer shutoff restrictions
Introduced by Rep. Greg MacMaster (R) on September 30, 2014, to broaden a restriction on utilities cutting off service to households with delinquent accounts during the heating season so that it applies to all customers, not just ones on welfare.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165399
House Bill 5866: Increase school spending to create gifted student programs
Introduced by Rep. Sam Singh (D) on September 30, 2014, to appropriate an extra $2.5 million for Intermediate School Districts to identify all the “gifted and talented” students in their constituent regular school districts, using methodologies specified in the bill; and appropriate another $5 million for pilot academic programs that meet the guidelines established by a National Association for Gifted Children.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165400
House Bill 5867: Exclude motorized wheelchairs from definition of “vehicle”
Introduced by Rep. Martin Howrylak (R) on September 30, 2014, to exclude motorized wheelchairs and other power-driven mobility devices used by disabled individuals from the definition of “vehicle” in laws that impose road taxes, regulations and insurance mandates on vehicle owners; and include disabled individuals using wheelchairs or other mobility devices in the definition of “pedestrians” in traffic safety laws.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165401
House Bill 5868: Establish library tax district consolidation measures
Introduced by Rep. Amanda Price (R) on September 30, 2014, to establish that if two municipalities are consolidated or annexed into one, and both have a district library that levies its own property tax millage and has its own board, the millage and governance structure of each district library would continue. Consolidation of the library districts (if any) would be at those districts’ discretion, and if they are merged, voters in the jurisdiction being transferred would have to approve the property tax imposed by the receiving library district.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165402
House Bill 5869: Revise rental lease detail
Introduced by Rep. Anthony Forlini (R) on September 30, 2014, to eliminate a prohibition on a rental lease having a provision allowing a party to waive the right to a jury trial in a lease dispute.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165412
House Bill 5870: Require consent or warrant for biometric device use
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on September 30, 2014, to prohibit using a handheld biometric device (facial or iris recognition technology) to identify any individual without the individual’s consent or a search warrant.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165413
House Bill 5871: Require warrant for illegal drug oral swab test
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on September 30, 2014, to prohibit law enforcement agents from using an “oral swab test” or saliva test to detect the presence of illegal drugs, without written consent or a search warrant.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165414
House Bill 5872: Repeal mandate on utilities to use “renewable” energy sources
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on September 30, 2014, to repeal the mandate imposed by a 2008 law that 10 percent of the electricity sold by utilities must come from “renewable” sources.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165415
House Bill 5873: Prohibit help wanted ads that restrict eligibility to employed applicants
Introduced by Rep. Collene Lamonte (D) on September 30, 2014, to authorize fines of $5,000 to $10,000 on employers for posting a help wanted ad suggesting that only currently employed individuals qualify.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165416
House Bill 5874: Authorize tax break for hiring an unemployed person
Introduced by Rep. Theresa Abed (D) on September 30, 2014, to authorize a $3,000 tax credit for employers with under 100 employees who hire a new full time worker who had been unemployed for 60 days or more, subject to various requirements and restrictions specified under the bill.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165417
House Bill 5875: Revise judicial candidate withdrawal deadline
Introduced by Rep. Bill LaVoy (D) on September 30, 2014, to establish that a candidate for judge who wants to withdraw must file notice at least 60 days before the election.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165418
House Bill 5876: Regulate prudent purchaser drug panels
Introduced by Rep. John Walsh (R) on September 30, 2014, to mandate that “prudent purchaser agreements” created by health insurance companies, HMOs, etc. to control drug costs, must allow customers to use any pharmacy willing to accept the same terms and conditions as pharmacies with whom the insurer has negotiated reimbursement arrangements. Violations of the extensive regulatory regime associated with this mandate would be punishable by up to four years in prison.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165419
House Bill 5877: Regulate prudent purchaser drug panels
Introduced by Rep. John Walsh (R) on September 30, 2014, to establish sentencing guidelines for violations of the pharmacy insurance benefit violations proposed by House Bill 5876.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165420
House Bill 5878: Revise film producer subsidy formula
Introduced by Rep. John Walsh (R) on September 30, 2014, to increase the percentage of film production personnel expenses used to calculate how much state subsidy money a particular producer may be granted. Under current law, up to $50 million in state tax revenues may be redistributed to film producers in the current fiscal year, with the amount going to particular projects based on a formula that includes these costs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165421
House Bill 5879: Ban child care for more than 11 consecutive hours
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on October 2, 2014, to prohibit a parent or guardian from leaving a child in the care of a child care center, group child care home, or family child care home for longer than 11 consecutive hours, unless the parent works longer than that.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165439
House Bill 5880: Expand use of county veterans service tax
Introduced by Rep. Adam Zemke (D) on October 2, 2014, to allow counties that levy a veterans services property tax to use revenue from the tax to cover administration costs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165440
House Bill 5881: Revise definition of “veteran”
Introduced by Rep. Adam Zemke (D) on October 2, 2014, to clarify the definition of “veteran” for purposes of state laws that relate to veterans.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165441
House Bill 5882: Mandate health care providers report death of pregnant woman
Introduced by Rep. George T. Darany (D) on October 2, 2014, to require physicians and health care facility managers who are present at or aware of the death of a woman who was pregnant at the time of her death or within one year before her death to report this to the state.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165442
House Bill 5883: Ban adding lanes to some Wayne County freeways
Introduced by Rep. Jim Townsend (D) on October 2, 2014, to prohibit adding lanes to certain Wayne County freeways.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165443
House Bill 5884: Revise salvage vehicle inspection certification detail
Introduced by Rep. Jim Townsend (D) on October 2, 2014, to establish a process for appealing the suspension, revocation, or denial of a salvage vehicle inspection certification.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165444
House Bill 5885: Mandate landlords tell tenant about insurance
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on October 2, 2014, to require landlords to give written notice that a tenant’s property is not covered by the landlord’s insurance.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165445
House Bill 5886: Add windmills to farm operations lawsuit preemption law
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on October 2, 2014, to include operation of “wind energy conversion systems” (windmills or turbines) in a “right to farm” law that preempts “nuisance” lawsuits on the basis of farm operations that conform with generally accepted agricultural and management practices as defined by a state commission, or nuisance suits against a farm that existed before changes in land use or occupancy within a mile of the farm, with some exceptions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165446
House Bill 5887: Establish “regulatory agency demilitarization act”
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on October 2, 2014, to prohibit a federal regulatory agency employee from carrying a firearm in Michigan in the course of his or her job, with violations subject to five years in prison and a $2,500 fine. The bill authorizes the State Police to provide assistance to a federal regulatory agency in an emergency if requested. Federal law enforcement agencies would be exempt from the restriction, and their personnel could still carry firearms in the state.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165447
House Bill 5888: Establish a “regulatory agency demilitarization act”
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on October 2, 2014, to establish sentencing guidelines for violations of the “regulatory agency demilitarization act” proposed by House Bill 5887.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165448
Senate Bill 93: Designate I-375 as “First Michigan Colored Infantry Regiment Memorial Highway”
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on November 6, 2014, to designate a portion of I-375 in Wayne County as the “First Michigan Colored Infantry Regiment Memorial Highway”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696939
Senate Bill 637: Establish drunk driver vehicle interlock device regulatory regime
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on November 6, 2014, to establish regulations, procedures and fees for drunk driver vehicle interlock device installers, and give the Secretary of State the authority to oversee these programs. Current law regulates manufacturers and vendors of these devices but not installation.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696934
Senate Bill 638: Establish drunk driver vehicle interlock device regulatory regime
Passed 34 to 0 in the Senate on November 6, 2014, to establish sentencing guidelines for violations of the regulatory regime proposed by Senate Bill 637 for drunk driver vehicle interlock device vendors and installers.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696935
Senate Bill 639: Establish drunk driver vehicle interlock device regulatory regime
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on November 6, 2014, to revise references in the state law regulating vehicle repair and service providers, to reflect the regulatory regime proposed by Senate Bill 637 for drunk driver vehicle interlock device vendors and installers.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696936
Senate Bill 1022: Redesignate a bridge
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on November 6, 2014, to redesignate the M-64 bridge over the Ontonagon river in Ontonagon as the “Ontonagon County Veterans Memorial Bridge”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696941
Senate Bill 1033: Clarify ”direct primary care” and “concierge medicine” are not “insurance”
Passed 26 to 11 in the Senate on November 6, 2014, to establish that fixed-fee medical retainer agreements between a physician and a potential patient covering routine health care services are not considered “insurance” subject to the extensive regulatory regime imposed on conventional health insurance policies. This could presumably apply to ”direct primary care” agreements, “concierge medicine” and similar innovations.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696937
Senate Bill 1055: Repeal mandate that state printing be done in Michigan print shops
Passed 24 to 13 in the Senate on November 6, 2014, to repeal a requirement that all state-funded printing must be done by Michigan print shops. The bill appears to leave in effect a “prevailing wage” mandate on state-funded printing, which prohibits granting the lowest bid to a shop unless its employees are paid the equivalent of local union wages.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696933
Senate Bill 1082
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on November 6, 2014, to allow county drain authorities to remove obstructions from a watercourse that is not an existing drain, after an inspection and with the approval of landowners, if the obstruction were causing problems such as flooding, excessive erosion, etc. This refers to the extensive networks of “drains” (ditches, culverts and more) that remove surplus water from land, the creation of which allowed a large proportion of this state to be farmed and developed.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696938
Senate Bill 1099: Redesignate a highway
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on November 6, 2014, to designate a portion of Highway M-6 in Kent county as the “David Warsen Memorial Highway”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696940
Senate Bill 1112: Mandate employers grant certain employee shift change requests
Introduced by Sen. Jim Ananich (D) on October 22, 2014, to mandate that, unless prevented by a “bona fide business reason,” employers must grant an employee’s request for a change in the terms and conditions of employment, including shifts, schedules and hours, if the request is based on a serious health condition, or the employee’s “responsibilities as a caregiver,” or enrollment in a career-related educational or training program, or (for part timers) to accommodate second job. If an employee’s request is not based on these factors and is rejected, the bill would mandate that employers give a written explanation. It would also impose additional pay and minimum hour mandates on employers in the retail, food service, or cleaning service sectors.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165491
Senate Bill 1131: Increase penalties for illegal hydrocodone drugs
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on November 6, 2014, to extend the more stringent penalties for “schedule 2” illegal drugs to certain hydrocodone combination products.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165511
Senate Bill 1132: Accelerate political appointee pension vesting
Introduced by Sen. Roger Kahn (R) on November 6, 2014, to permit gubernatorial or legislative political appointees appointed starting in 2015, who are or were state employees eligible for benefits under the state’s defined benefit pension system (now closed), to become fully “vested” after two years in the employer contributions made on their behalf as appointees, rather than the four years that would be required under current law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165512
Senate Bill 1133: Expand college license plates
Introduced by Sen. Mark Jansen (R) on November 6, 2014, to authorize creating a specialty fund-raising license plate for all Michigan private colleges.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165513
Senate Bill 1134: Explicitly authorize health care worker car seat advice
Introduced by Sen. Judy Emmons (R) on November 6, 2014, to establish in statute that an employee of a health facility or agency may inform a patient or visitor that a child safety seat installed in his or her vehicle is not properly installed, and refer the individual described to an inspection program or certified technician.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165514
Senate Bill 1135: Impose new child car seat mandates
Introduced by Sen. John Proos, IV (R) on November 6, 2014, to require a child who weighs less than 30 pounds to be transported in a rear-facing child seat; and a child who weighs from 30 to 50 pound to transported in a forward-facing child seat. A child less than 57 inches tall would have to be transported in a booster seat.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165515
Senate Bill 1136: Revise 36th district court pension underfunding surcharge
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on November 6, 2014, to establish that when all the liabilities represented by the (underfunded) pension benefits owed to 36th court district bailiffs (the former Detroit “Recorders Court”) have been extinguished, revenue from a $1 surcharge tacked on to certain court fees to cover these liabilities would be distributed to the court.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165516
Senate Bill 1137: Require Hepatitis C tests on new prisoners
Introduced by Sen. Roger Kahn (R) on November 6, 2014, to require that prisoner entering a correctional facility must be tested for Hepatitis C.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165517
Senate Bill 1138: Revise pawn shop fee detail
Introduced by Sen. Randy Richardville (R) on November 6, 2014, to allow a pawn shop to charge a 20 percent fee to a person who uses a pawned item during the period when it is considered security for a loan. Under current law a pawn shop may only charge a $1 fee per month.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165518
House Bill 5035: Require certain community college admissions practices
Passed 106 to 0 in the House on October 6, 2014, to require community college admissions forms to ask if the applicant is a veteran or active military member, or the spouse or dependent of one, for purposes of granting potential government subsidies.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696977
House Bill 5036: Require certain community college admissions practices
Passed 106 to 0 in the House on October 6, 2014, to require community colleges to inform applicants that they may receive credit for college-level training and education received in the military, and require them to accept a “joint services transcript” prepared under “American Council On Education Registry of Credit” recommendations..
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696978
House Bill 5751: Establish that military experience meets boiler installer licensure requirements
Passed 106 to 0 in the House on October 6, 2014, to establish that having recent and relevant military training and experience meets the criteria for obtaining the state license mandated to earn a living as a boiler installer, boiler repairer or boiler special inspector.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696979
House Bill 5794: Correct error in foreclosure law revision
Passed 106 to 0 in the House on October 6, 2014, to correct an error in a law enacted earlier in 2014 that revised details of the right of a foreclosure auction property buyer to monitor the property during the post-auction redemption period (during which a delinquent borrower can pay the loan in full to redeem the property). In one provision of that bill it referred to the “mortgagor” when it meant the purchaser.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696980
House Bill 5795: Revise mortgage foreclosure detail
Passed 106 to 0 in the House on October 6, 2014, to revise the law that permits a delinquent home borrower (mortgagor) to redeem the property for six months after a foreclosure auction by paying the loan in full. The bill would require the mortgagor to record his or her interest at the register of deeds office to be eligible to exercise the right of redemption.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=696982
House Bill 5889: Restrict privatization of state services
Introduced by Rep. Pam Faris (D) on October 6, 2014, to prohibit the privatization of government services unless an agency conducts a pre-privatization cost-benefit analysis and submits it to the legislature, and unless current government employees are given an opportunity to bid on the privatized service. This is part of a Democratic privatization restrictions package comprised of House Bills 5889 to 5895.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165521
House Bill 5890: Restrict privatization of state services
Introduced by Rep. Marcia Hovey-Wright (D) on October 6, 2014, to prohibit the privatization of state government services unless an agency conducts a privatization “impact analysis” showing the potential effects on welfare and social service programs, employment, businesses and the natural environment in an affected local area and statewide. This is part of a Democratic privatization restrictions package comprised of House Bills 5889 to 5895.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165522
House Bill 5891: Restrict privatization of state services
Introduced by Rep. John Kivela (D) on October 6, 2014, to require state procurement contracts for services to include specific performance criteria and cost parameters, and permit the relevant state agency to cancel the contract if these are not met, or if the contractor does not meet all applicable state and federal regulations. This is part of a Democratic privatization restrictions package comprised of House Bills 5889 to 5895.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165523
House Bill 5892: Restrict privatization of state services
Introduced by Rep. Andrew Kandrevas (D) on October 6, 2014, to require state agency contracts for services that exceed $500,000 in any year to include a provision requiring the vendor to turn over all related financial, operational, and accounting records, and for these to be posted online. This is part of a Democratic privatization restrictions package comprised of House Bills 5889 to 5895.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165524
House Bill 5893: Restrict privatization of state services
Introduced by Rep. Fred Durhal, Jr. (D) on October 6, 2014, to require the state Department of Management and Budget to post online the number of full- and part-time jobs and the wage rate for jobs that are maintained or created with state money. This is part of a Democratic privatization restrictions package comprised of House Bills 5889 to 5895.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165525
House Bill 5894: Restrict privatization of state services
Introduced by Rep. Woodrow Stanley (D) on October 6, 2014, to prohibit automatic renewals of state service contracts. Agencies would have to perform cost-benefit analyses of the contract and not renew it if the expected savings or services were not realized. This is part of a Democratic privatization restrictions package comprised of House Bills 5889 to 5895.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165526
House Bill 5895: Restrict privatization of state services
Introduced by Rep. Sam Singh (D) on October 6, 2014, to require vendors who want to bid on state service contracts to submit a sworn statement that the vendor is in compliance with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations, and allow an agency to cancel the contract if a vendor is in violation of this requirement. This is part of a Democratic privatization restrictions package comprised of House Bills 5889 to 5895.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165527
House Bill 5896: Ban apartment complex “cable monopoly”
Introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D) on October 6, 2014, to prohibit apartment owners from only allowing a single cable TV provider, and from not allowing providers of “master antenna,” dish or other platforms to install different service for a particular dwelling unit, subject to reasonable health, safety, convenience, workmanship and other standards.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165528
House Bill 5897: Ban apartment complex “cable monopoly”
Introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D) on October 6, 2014, to revise a law that requires state agencies to provide relocation assistance and advisory services to persons displaced by the agency’s activities, so as to clarify that it does not apply to matters covered by the cable access requirements proposed by House Bill 5895.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165529
House Bill 5898: Authorize local sand and gravel extraction bans
Introduced by Rep. Gretchen Driskell (D) on October 6, 2014, to allow a local government to ban extracting sand or gravel from a property owner’s land, if it has designated other areas within its jurisdiction this activity is feasible and reasonable, or it has deemed extraction to be not feasible or reasonable anywhere in its jurisdiction, based on factors specified in the bill.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165530
House Bill 5899: Revise mortgage detail for veterans
Introduced by Rep. Mike Shirkey (R) on October 6, 2014, to prohibit lenders from requiring a property tax escrow account for mortgages on property owned by a disabled veteran, which is exempt from property tax.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165531
House Bill 5900: Authorize more college scholarship spending
Introduced by Rep. Sam Singh (D) on October 6, 2014, to appropriate $2.1 million for certain means-tested college scholarships.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165532
House Bill 5901: Authorize more college scholarship spending
Introduced by Rep. Sam Singh (D) on October 6, 2014, to appropriate $2.7 million for certain college scholarships to part students who are not claimed as a dependent of another taxpayer.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165533
House Bill 5902: Prefer “low impact developments” in state infrastructure subsidies
Introduced by Rep. Jim Townsend (D) on October 6, 2014, to give preference in granting state support for local storm water treatment projects to “low-impact land developments” designed to “mimic a site’s presettlement hydrology without exacerbating downstream flooding or stream channel instability by using spatially distributed, decentralized, small scale controls that infiltrate, filter, store, evaporate, and detain storm water” close to its source.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165534
House Bill 5903: Condition revenue sharing on local civil forfeiture disclosure
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on October 6, 2014, to repeal the best practices “incentives” grants by which a portion of the current year’s state revenue sharing to local governments is allocated, but only if House Bill 5250 becomes law, which would require law enforcement agencies to file monthly reports disclosing details of criminal asset forfeiture proceedings. Presumably the intention is to add compliance with the proposed disclosure requirements to the conditions on locals getting this state “incentive” money.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165535
House Bill 5904: Authorize high school “STEM” diploma
Introduced by Rep. Amanda Price (R) on October 6, 2014, to authorize granting a high school diploma “endorsement” to a student who completes a specified number of science, technology, engineering, and math courses (STEM).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165536
House Bill 5905: Authorize high school “STEM” diploma
Introduced by Rep. Amanda Price (R) on October 6, 2014, to require the state Department of Education to “issue and transmit” a high school diploma “endorsement” for a student who completes the science, technology, engineering, and math courses (STEM) specified in House Bill 5904.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165537
House Bill 5906: Revise teaching certificate details
Introduced by Rep. Bill Rogers (R) on October 6, 2014, to eliminate certain specific teaching certificate requirements and provisions from statute, and instead give the state superintendent of public instruction more discretion in establishing these details.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165538
House Bill 5907: Permit closed county commission caucus meetings
Introduced by Rep. Hugh Crawford (R) on October 6, 2014, to revise the state Open Meetings Act to permit county commission partisan caucuses to hold closed sessions that would otherwise be in violation of the law’s open session requirements, even if a caucus is comprised of a majority of the commission.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165539
House Bill 5908: Revise bus inspections
Introduced by Rep. Tim Kelly (R) on October 6, 2014, to revise a number of details in a state inspection and regulatory regime imposed on buses and limousines (which are primarily van services).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165540
House Bill 5909: Revise bus inspections
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on October 6, 2014, to revise references in the “metropolitan transportation authorities act” to reflect changes in bus inspection and other regulations proposed by House Bill 5908.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165541
House Bill 5910: Revise bus inspections
Introduced by Rep. Peter Pettalia (R) on October 6, 2014, to revise references in the “regional transit authority act” to reflect changes in bus inspection and other regulations proposed by House Bill 5908.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165542
House Bill 5911: Revise bus inspections
Introduced by Rep. Ray Franz (R) on October 6, 2014, to revise references in the “motor carrier fuel tax” to reflect changes in bus inspection and other regulations proposed by House Bill 5908.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165543
House Bill 5912: Revise bus inspections
Introduced by Rep. Dan Lauwers (R) on October 6, 2014, to revise references in the “pupil transportation act” to reflect changes in bus inspection and other regulations proposed by House Bill 5908.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165544
House Bill 5913: Revise bus inspections
Introduced by Rep. John Kivela (D) on October 6, 2014, to revise references in a law authorizing fingerprinting and background checks on transit service employees, to reflect changes in bus inspection and other regulations proposed by House Bill 5908.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165545
House Bill 5914: Revise bus inspections
Introduced by Rep. Scott Dianda (D) on October 6, 2014, to revise references in the “motor carrier safety act” to reflect changes in bus inspection and other regulations proposed by House Bill 5908.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165546
House Bill 5915: Democratic charter school regulation package
Introduced by Rep. Ellen Lipton (D) on October 6, 2014, to require charter schools to post online the audited financial statements provided by their educational management organization, and require charter school authorizers to post a detailed, itemized accounting of all fees, reimbursements, charges and expenditures.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165547
House Bill 5916: Democratic charter school regulation package
Introduced by Rep. Sarah Roberts (D) on October 6, 2014, to require charter schools to post online an audited financial statement provided by their educational management organization that itemizes all expenditures, and also a description of all fringe benefits provided to a management organization employee, officer or board member whose annual salary exceeds $100,000.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165548
House Bill 5917: Democratic charter school regulation package
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on October 6, 2014, to prohibit authorizing a new charter school as a successor to a charter school that is operating one of the state’s lowest performing schools.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165549
House Bill 5918: Democratic charter school regulation package
Introduced by Rep. David Nathan (D) on October 6, 2014, to require charter school authorizing bodies (primarily state universities) to submit annual reports on the status of charter schools they have authorized in meeting their contractual requirements. If the state determines that a school was not in compliance with its contract, the authorizing body would have to return to the state the fees it has collected as reimbursements for its authorizing and supervision expenses.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165550
House Bill 5919: Eliminate duped ballot petition signature penalty
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on October 6, 2014, to revise the process for counting duplicate ballot initiative and candidate ballot access petition signatures, so that if a person signs twice, only one of the signatures would be eliminated, not both as under current law. Also, to allow voters to sign candidate ballot access petitions for multiple candidates for the same office.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165551
House Bill 5920: Ban state subsidies in corporate “inversions”
Introduced by Rep. Andy Schor (D) on October 6, 2014, to prohibit giving state subsidies or tax breaks to companies that have relocated their headquarters to a foreign country to avoid paying U.S. corporate tax rates on earnings generated by operations outside the U.S. (a practice called corporate “inversions”). The U.S. corporate tax rate is reportedly the highest among the 34 most economically advanced countries. U.S. companies that “repatriate” earnings from operations in another country pay the difference between that country’s rate and the higher U.S. rate, even though the firm’s competitors in the other country only pay that country’s taxes.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165552
House Bill 5921: Ban “photo-cop” traffic tickets
Introduced by Rep. Mike Shirkey (R) on October 6, 2014, to prohibit the use of automated, unmanned traffic monitoring devices (”photo-cops”) for issuing traffic law tickets. A Michigan driver who was issued an automated ticket in another state would not get “points” on his or her license. See also House Bill 4763 and Senate Bills 1045 and 1063, which would permit local governments to use “photo-cop” systems to enforce traffic laws and collect revenue.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165553
House Bill 5922: Let local governments put pension fund money in “small businesses”
Introduced by Rep. Nancy Jenkins (R) on October 6, 2014, to increase the amount that local government pension systems of a specified size can invest in “small businesses”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165554
House Bill 5923: Mandate consumer opt-out of online database
Introduced by Rep. Sean McCann (D) on October 6, 2014, to mandate that, except for banks, the owner or licenser of data included in an online database must conspicuously post an “opt-out” notice on the webpage that provides instructions for a consumer to demand that his or her personal identifying information not be shared or sold to a third party. The bill amends an identity theft law, and would also prohibit database owners from charging a person to view his or her personal information or have it removed.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165555
House Bill 5924: Withhold city income tax from lottery winnings
Introduced by Rep. Kevin Daley (R) on October 6, 2014, to withhold city income tax from lottery winnings, and send the money directly to the city to which a winner might owe taxes.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165556
House Bill 5925: Authorize exception to ban on federal health care law abortion subsidies
Introduced by Rep. Marcia Hovey-Wright (D) on October 6, 2014, to allow health insurance companies to include coverage that pays for an abortion “to protect the mother’s health” in policies sold in Michigan through the federal health care law’s “exchange.” Under voter-initiated legislation enacted in 2013, insurers are prohibited from including abortion coverage in policies sold through the exchange, but may sell a policy “rider” for abortion coverage, for which individuals must pay themselves with no federal subsidy. The bill does not define “protect the mother’s health;” current law provides an exception allowing exchange policies to reimburse the cost of an abortion performed “to avert her death”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165557
House Bill 5926: Authorize exception to ban on federal health care law abortion subsidies
Introduced by Rep. Gretchen Driskell (D) on October 6, 2014, to allow health insurance companies to include coverage that pays for an abortion “if the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest” in policies sold in Michigan through the federal health care law’s “exchange.” Under voter-initiated legislation enacted in 2013, insurers are prohibited from including abortion coverage in policies sold through the exchange, but may sell a policy “rider” for abortion coverage, for which individuals must pay themselves with no federal subsidy.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165558
House Bill 5927: Cut Detroit airport parking tax
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Farrington (R) on October 6, 2014, to cut the Detroit Metro Airport parking tax rate from 27 percent to 17 percent. Also, to shift a portion of the revenue from this tax that currently goes to low income health care subsidies, instead earmarking it to public transportation (bus) system subsidies.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165559
House Bill 5928: Create incarceration and sentencing study panel
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Haveman (R) on October 6, 2014, to create a 15-member Criminal Justice Policy Commission to gather and analyze data on the effects of a number of criminal sentencing, incarceration and release practices and procedures.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165560
House Bill 5929: Revise “community corrections programs”
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Haveman (R) on October 6, 2014, to make technical revisions to “community corrections programs” created as alternatives to jail and prison, so as to reflect changes in the sentencing guidelines and other corrections-related statutes.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165561
House Bill 5930: Revise sanctions for probation violations
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Haveman (R) on October 6, 2014, to revise the sanctions imposed for a violation of probation conditions, basing penalties on a variety of factors including the offender’s prior record, the severity of the infraction, the number of times probation conditions had been violated and more.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165562
House Bill 5931: Revise sanctions for parole violations
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Haveman (R) on October 6, 2014, to make a number of changes to criminal parole practices and procedures. Among these are reserving revocation of parole for more serious parole violations, requiring a prisoner to be paroled upon completion of the court-imposed minimum sentence, and for prisoners sentenced after the bill goes into effect, requiring prisoners denied parole upon completion of their minimum sentence to be paroled at least nine months before the end of their maximum sentence, to ensure a period of supervision in the community.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165563
House Bill 5932: Revise life insurance detail
Introduced by Rep. Pete Lund (R) on October 6, 2014, to revise life insurance regulations to use a principle-based method to calculate the amount of reserves needed to cover future benefits.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165564
Senate Concurrent Resolution 23: Ask Congress to pass a law enabling “direct primary care” contracts
Passed by voice vote in the Senate on November 12, 2014, to ask Congress to pass a law that requires the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to promulgate rules that make possible the opportunity for people to enter “direct primary care” contracts with a physician for routine and preventative health care services.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165346
Senate Bill 973: Codify “child welfare partnership council”
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on November 12, 2014, to establish in statute a state “child welfare partnership council” consisting of representatives of various interests, to “guide the ongoing planning and procurement processes…after the full implementation of performance-based funding in the state administered child welfare program”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697105
Senate Bill 974: Expand court authority in child welfare cases
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on November 12, 2014, to give a court with jurisdiction over a juvenile’s care and supervision the authority to issue orders affecting a “party” if these are considered necessary, with “party” defined as the petitioner and the juvenile in a delinquency proceeding; and in a child protective proceeding, the petitioner, child, respondent, parent or guardian, and a child caring institution or child placing agency under contract with the state.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697107
Senate Bill 975: Exempt Kent County from higher foster care payment share
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on November 12, 2014, to extend until May, 2018, for Kent County only, a 2013 law that requires the Department of Human Services to pay all of a $3 per day per child per day rate increase for private providers of foster care services as provided in the 2013-14 state budget, rather than half the amount.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697108
Senate Bill 1086: Exempt Kent County from higher foster care payment share
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on November 12, 2014, to extend until May, 2018, for Kent County only, a 2013 law that requires the Department of Human Services to pay all of a $3 per day per child per day rate increase for private providers of foster care services as provided in the 2013-14 state budget, rather than half the amount.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697109
Senate Bill 1087: Exempt delinquent mortgage “work-out” advisors from licensure
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on November 12, 2014, to exempt from licensure as a mortgage originator an individual who delinquent home loan borrowers to renegotiate their loans.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697110
House Bill 5230: Expand government’s power to seize and sell property deemed a “nuisance”
Passed 77 to 33 in the House on November 12, 2014, to expand the power of government to seize and sell an owner’s property, so that it applies to the contents of a building deemed a “nuisance” because they are connected with unlawful gun violence or human trafficking. Under this power the property owner does not need to be charged or convicted of a crime, and most of the proceeds from the taking go to the law enforcement agencies involved.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697137
House Bill 5450: Revise definition of “firearm” to exclude air rifles and BB guns
Passed 106 to 2 in the House on November 12, 2014, to revise the state law governing the sale, purchase, possession and carrying of firearms so that it no longer applies to air guns and and BB guns.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697141
House Bill 5610: Revise legislative journal printing detail
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on November 12, 2014, to no longer require the legislature to print and bind up to 500 copies of the official House and Senate journals for the year and distribute these to members, state departments, colleges, universities, and other specified recipients. Instead, the clerk of the House and secretary of the Senate could decide how many copies to print. The journals would still have to be made available to the public on the internet, and a hard copy given to the Library of Michigan.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697104
House Bill 5748: Revise firearms law reference detail
Passed 106 to 2 in the House on November 12, 2014, to update penal code references to a firearms transportation restriction that was repealed by a 2012 law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697142
House Bill 5749: Repeal ban on unaccompanied minor having BB gun
Passed 102 to 6 in the House on November 12, 2014, to repeal a law that makes it a misdemeanor for a minor to possess a BB or airgun pistol unless accompanied by an adult.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697143
House Bill 5750: Change scope of gun injury duties law to remove BB guns
Passed 101 to 7 in the House on November 12, 2014, into revise a law that defines the duties of a person who injures someone with a firearm, so that it no longer applies to BB guns and air, gas or spring powered guns. See also Senate Bills 965 and 966.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697144
House Bill 5812: Cap fees for electronic copy of electronic deeds
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on November 12, 2014, to revise the meeting requirements of a commission created by a 2010 law that authorized development of uniform statewide regulations and procedures for electronic recording of real estate deeds and related documents. The bill would require this body to meet annually instead of quarterly.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697140
Senate Joint Resolution A: Replace gas tax with higher sales tax
Failed 18 to 19 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to place before voters in the next general election a Constitutional amendment to impose a 1 percent sales tax increase that would go to roads and replace the state motor fuel and diesel taxes. If the measure was approved then a large fuel tax increase proposed by House Bill 5477 would not go into effect. A two-thirds vote (26 votes) is required to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697232
Senate Bill 220: Prefer county road commissions on state road projects
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to require the state to give preference to and solicit bids from county road commissions for maintenance work on state trunk line highways.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697237
Senate Bill 281: Establish state drawbridge operations fund
Passed 30 to 6 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to create a state fund to subsidize the operational expenses of movable bridges (drawbridges, etc.), earmark certain road tax revenue to the fund, and give the Department of Transportation regulatory authority over local moveable bridges. This would have the effect of allocating the distribution of around $129 million of road tax money to local governments to legislative discretion rather than a statutory formula. The bill would also allow larger city bus systems to use some of this money for those systems rather than road and bridge projects.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697236
Senate Bill 841: Increase penalties, authorize property forfeiture for food stamp fraud
Passed 26 to 10 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to revise a law that bans having or using a false or doctored food stamp debit card (“bridge card”), reducing the threshold for criminal penalties from getting $250 worth of merchandise to $100, and increasing the penalty from 93 days in jail to one year, and potentially up to five years in prison, or 20 years if the value has exceeded $250,000. The bill also authorizes the seizure and forfeiture of the proceeds from this crime, and any property (including real estate) used to “facilitate” it.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697259
Senate Bill 842: Increase food stamp fraud penalties
Passed 26 to 10 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to establish sentencing guidelines for the increased food stamp fraud penalties proposed by Senate Bill 841.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697255
Senate Bill 843: Authorize establishment of welfare agency police force
Passed 25 to 11 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to give the Department of Human Services (the state welfare agency) the authority to appoint agents with the same powers as peace (police) officers and limited arrest powers.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697256
Senate Bill 844: Authorize establishment of welfare agency police force
Passed 25 to 11 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to exempt the state welfare agency police proposed by Senate Bill 843 from the “gun-free zone” restrictions in the state’s concealed pistol license law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697260
Senate Bill 866: Increase penalty for crimes if victim is older
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to increase the penalties for various crimes against a person over 65 years of age, with steeper penalties in some cases if the victim is age 70 or older.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697261
Senate Bill 867: Increase penalty for crimes if victim is older
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to expand the law that requires a person arrested for drunk driving to take a chemical test so that it also applies to drug tests.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697262
Senate Bill 941: Revise scrap tire regulatory regime details
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to revise and update details of the extensive regulatory regime imposed on the storage, transportation and processing of scrap tires. The bill includes changes to bonding requirements and regulations on storage facilities and hauling companies, imposes new permit fees on the latter, adds exemptions for a “community cleanup site,” prohibits openly burning a scrap tire, and more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697267
Senate Bill 942: Revise scrap tire regulatory regime details
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to establish sentencing guidelines for violations of the regulations on scrap tire storage, processing and transportation that Senate Bill 941 would modify.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697268
Senate Bill 1038: Revise property tax appeal details
Passed 30 to 7 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to revise details of the law authorizing various appeals of property tax classifications, valuations, and exemptions. Among other changes this would allow appeals for the current year’s taxes and the three preceding years. The bill would also prohibit an assessor from being a member of a local government’s property tax board of review; and expand allow local governments’ authority to appeal adverse tax rulings.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697247
Senate Bill 1039: Revise state tax tribunal membership
Passed 31 to 5 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to establish that members of the seven-member state “tax tribunal” that issues judgments on property tax appeals serve could be removed “for cause,” and after notice and hearing. Under current law members are appointed by the governor for four year terms, subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697248
Senate Bill 1040: Revise property tax appeal details
Passed 30 to 7 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to repeal a law making prepayment of a disputed property tax levy, plus penalties and interest, a condition for filing an appeal to the state court of claims of a state “tax tribunal” judgment on the validity of the levy.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697249
Senate Bill 1043: Update land survey “corner” rules
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to revise and update various definitions in the state law intended to protect and perpetuate public land survey “corners” and the monuments marking them, and revise certain procedures surveyors must use related to these corners.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697269
Senate Bill 1056: Clarify ownership for some Calhoun County landholders
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to require the state to take actions that remove questions about the title to land held “under color of title” by a number of citizens of Clarence Township in Calhoun County, and convey clean titles to these owners.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697250
Senate Bill 1088: Allow community colleges to put money in municipal bonds
Passed 35 to 0 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to allow community colleges to invest funds in Michigan municipal bonds rated as “investment grade” by at least one standard rating service.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697253
Senate Bill 1100: Impose cash register fraud detector device mandate on merchants
Passed 31 to 5 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to give the state Department of Treasury the authority to mandate that, for purposes of collecting sales tax, up to 1,000 merchants statewide must install software or detectors to expose the use an “automated sales suppression device” for falsifying the records of electronic cash registers (also called “zappers” or “phantom-ware”).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697265
House Bill 4157: Lend IT project money to local governments
Passed 90 to 17 in the House on November 13, 2014, to create a government “information, communication, and technology innovation revolving fund” to make loans to state agencies, local governments, colleges and universities, school districts, and nonprofits that provide public services, for projects that meet various criteria specified in the bill, and which would be selected by a board of state officials and political appointees.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697334
House Bill 4401: Revise excavation and mining permit detail
Passed 68 to 39 in the House on November 13, 2014, to exempt from state dredging and related permit requirements excavation or mining activities associated with an active mining operation, unless they create an inland lake with a surface area of five acres or greater.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697333
House Bill 4480: Require more detailed reports on corporate subsidy costs & outcomes
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on November 13, 2014, to require the Michigan Strategic Fund and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to annually submit and post online more detailed reports on the costs and outcomes generated by their various “economic development” loan, tax break and subsidy programs targeted at specific corporations, developers or industries.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697325
House Bill 4481: Convert 21st Century Jobs Fund from rule-based to discretionary subsidy program
Passed 106 to 1 in the House on November 13, 2014, to essentially eliminate various restrictions and requirements, including requirements for regular audits and reports, that apply to money spent by a “commercialization” component of the “21st Century Jobs Fund” business subsidy program. The bill would transfer authority over this spending from “independent experts” on a “commercialization board” to political appointees on the Michigan Strategic Fund board. This and related bills would generally convert this from appearing to be a “rule-based” subsidy program governed by statutory prescriptions and restrictions into one in which the political appointees on the Michigan Strategic Fund board have more discretion to give out the subsidies. See also 4482, which requires more disclosures on the cost and outcomes of these programs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697326
House Bill 4482: Convert 21st Century Jobs Fund from rule-based to discretionary corporate subsidies
Passed 77 to 30 in the House on November 13, 2014, to consolidate within the Michigan Strategic Fund agency the decision-making powers currently vested in various other government “economic development” and job training programs created over the years, including the “21st Century Jobs Fund.” In general the bill amends the law creating this agency to reflect proposals in Senate Bills 269 to 272, SB 278, House Bill 4481 and others that together convert state “economic development” activities from rule-based programs to ones in which subsidies, loans and tax breaks are granted at the discretion of political appointees on the Michigan Strategic Fund board. The bill also expand this agency’s authority over “brownfield” and “historic district” tax breaks and subsidies, and job training subsidies for particular firms..
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697327
House Bill 4572: Revise taxation of airplane fuel
Passed 32 to 4 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to exempt the sale of aviation gasoline, aviation jet fuel, and other aviation fuel from sales tax. also House Bills 4571 and 4677, which raise the excise tax imposed on airplane fuel and revise the distribution of revenue between various state funds to minimize the impact of the tax changes. The bottom line would be higher taxes on airplane fuel and more revenue for state airport maintenance projects.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697271
House Bill 4677: Earmark some sales tax on gasoline to public transportation subsidies
Passed 34 to 2 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to earmark an additional sales tax revenue to school funding and revenue sharing. Along with House Bills 4571 and 4572, which raise the excise tax imposed on airplane fuel and revise the distribution of revenue between various state funds to minimize the impact of the tax changes. The bottom line would be higher taxes on airplane fuel and more revenue for state airport maintenance projects.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697272
House Bill 5117: Eliminate sunset on road commission eliminations
Passed 99 to 8 in the House on November 13, 2014, to extend until 2018 a Jan. 1, 2015 sunset on a 2011 law that provides procedures for eliminating a county road commission and transferring its duties to the county board.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697336
House Bill 5118: Eliminate sunset on road commission eliminations
Passed 99 to 8 in the House on November 13, 2014, to extend until 2018 a Jan. 1, 2015 sunset on a 2011 law that provides procedures for eliminating a county road commission and transferring its duties to the county board.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697337
House Bill 5202: Revise installment tax payment detail
Passed 106 to 1 in the House on November 13, 2014, to establish that tax liens on township special assessment installment payments do not become effective (“attach”) until the payment is due.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697338
House Bill 5453: Increase overweight truck fines
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to increase the fines imposed on trucks whose weight exceeds state limits. This is part of a road funding increase package that includes a major fuel tax hike in House Bills 5477.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697238
House Bill 5477: Replace per-gallon fuel tax with higher wholesale tax
Passed 23 to 14 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to replace the current 19-cent per gallon gas tax and 15-cent diesel tax with a 9.5 percent wholesale fuel tax, gradually increasing to 15.5 percent in 2018. When fully phased-in this would represent a tax hike of around $1.0 billion at current wholesale fuel prices, or around 10 cents per gallon. When in place, the tax could only rise or fall by 5 percent per year even if wholesale prices rose or fell faster.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697246
House Bill 5513: Expand mobile home court environmental regulation
Passed 106 to 0 in the House on November 13, 2014, to expand the jurisdiction of the Department of Environmental Quality over mobile home parks; impose new licensure conditions; require the state “Manufactured Housing Commission” to notify local governments of any complaints from residents; impose a performance bond mandate on mobile home park owners; impose an annual inspection mandate; authorize placing a park under court-ordered receivership if conditions threaten residents’ health and safety; and more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697348
House Bill 5617: Let library board members get pay and set pay
Passed 103 to 4 in the House on November 13, 2014, to allow members of the board of directors of a public libraries to be paid up to $30 per meeting, plus expenses. Library board members are political appointees who under current law do not receive pay.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697340
House Bill 5806: Allow deeper debt for college conservation improvements
Passed 106 to 1 in the House on November 13, 2014, to revise a law that lets a community college borrow for a term of up 10 years to pay for an “energy conservation improvement,” instead letting them incur debt with a term of up to 25 years. The bill also eliminates a provision restricting this debt to improvements that would pay their cost in future savings.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697335
Senate Bill 781: Appropriations: Supplemental budget
Passed 35 to 1 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to make a number of adjustments to amounts already appropriated for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 2014, to reflect, among other things, reduced welfare caseloads, and adjustments to previous cost projections. The bill contains some modest new spending authorizations but overall it reflects around $450 million in net reductions to previously authorized outlays, most of which is federal money.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697252
Senate Bill 781: Appropriations: Supplemental budget
Passed 92 to 15 in the House on November 13, 2014, to make a number of adjustments to amounts already appropriated for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, 2014, to reflect, among other things, reduced welfare caseloads, and adjustments to previous cost projections. The bill contains some modest new spending authorizations but overall it reflects around $450 million in net reductions to previously authorized outlays, most of which is federal money.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697332
Senate Bill 1097: Expand technology business subsidies
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to increase from three to nine the number of areas in which “certified technology parks” (previously dubbed “smart zones”) are permitted to “capture” school taxes, in addition to capturing other property millages collected by local governments. These emntities use “tax increment financing” to provide infrastructure or other subsidies to technology-based businesses. Like the better-known Downtown Development Authorities, they collect the extra local property tax revenue that (hopefully) results from property value increases generated by their selective subsidies and projects.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697263
Senate Bill 1105: Add Romulus deep injection well restrictions
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to prohibit the Detroit pension system from putting any more pension fund money into a hazardous waste deep disposal well it owns in Romulus, and impose conditions that probably would require divestment of its ownership interest. The bill would permit more pension fund dollars to be “invested” for purposes of preparing the facility for sale to an owner who plans to use the property for a different purpose.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697264
Senate Bill 1125: Authorize transferring municipal cemetery duties to nonprofit
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to permit certain municipalities that own a cemetery to transfer its “perpetual care and maintenance” duties to a separate nonprofit “community foundation” as defined by the bill.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697270
Senate Bill 1131: Increase penalties for illegal hydrocodone drugs
Passed 35 to 0 in the Senate on November 13, 2014, to extend the more stringent penalties for “Schedule 2” illegal drugs to certain hydrocodone combination products.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697266
House Bill 5678: Expand breast feeding nudity exemption to milk pump
Passed 106 to 0 in the House on November 13, 2014, to revise the breastfeeding exemption in a law that defines and bans “public nudity,” so that the exemption also includes a woman exposing her breast for purposes of “expressing” breast milk, meaning taking milk from the breast with a pump or by hand for later use.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697341
House Bill 5679: Expand breast feeding nudity exemption to milk pump
Passed 106 to 0 in the House on November 13, 2014, to revise the breastfeeding exemption in a law that defines and bans “public nudity,” so that the exemption also includes a woman exposing her breast for purposes of “expressing” breast milk, meaning taking milk from the breast with a pump or by hand for later use.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697342
House Bill 5680: Expand breast feeding nudity exemption to milk pump use
Passed 106 to 0 in the House on November 13, 2014, to revise the breastfeeding exemption in a law that defines and bans “public nudity,” so that the exemption also includes a woman exposing her breast for purposes of “expressing” breast milk, meaning taking milk from the breast with a pump or by hand for later use.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697343
House Bill 5681: Expand breast feeding nudity exemption to milk pump use
Passed 106 to 0 in the House on November 13, 2014, to revise the breastfeeding exemption in a law that defines and bans “public nudity,” so that the exemption also includes a woman exposing her breast for purposes of “expressing” breast milk, meaning taking milk from the breast with a pump or by hand for later use. This is part of a package consisting of House Bills 5678 to 5681 that amend different statutes that apply to different kinds of local governments.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697344
House Bill 5684: Expand drain commission powers
Passed 103 to 3 in the House on November 13, 2014, to allow government drainage districts to “acquire interests in real or personal property by gift, purchase, or any other method, including condemnation” (through eminent domain). Current law lets drain districts “hold, manage, and dispose of real and personal property,” but not to acquire it. Drainage districts create and maintain the “drains” (usually networks of ditches) that remove surplus water from land, allowing it to be farmed or developed.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697345
House Bill 5685: Authorize local government drain petitions
Passed 106 to 0 in the House on November 13, 2014, to permit a local government to petition a drain commission for a drain (usually a network of ditches) to remove excess water from lands that traverses more than one county, if it deems this necessary for “public health.” Taxpayers in the petitioning city, village or township would then be liable “at large” for a portion of the costs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697346
House Bill 5686: Revise drain code provisions for multi-county drains
Passed 104 to 2 in the House on November 13, 2014, to revise the law that authorizes local road commissions or the state Department of Transportation to petition a drain commission for a drain to remove surplus water from land adjacent to a road, so as to extend this authority to requesting a drain that traverses more than one county.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697347
House Bill 5715: Redesignate a bridge
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on November 13, 2014, to redesignate the M-64 bridge over the Ontonagon river in Ontonagon as the “Ontonagon County Veterans Memorial Bridge”..
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697328
House Bill 5825: Revise private adoption detail
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on November 13, 2014, to revise details of the consent process for the adoption of child born out of wedlock in which the identity is disclosed of a natural father from whom a release cannot be obtained.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697339
House Joint Resolution QQ: Earmark 10 percent of road tax revenue to bus systems
Introduced by Rep. Jim Townsend (D) on October 6, 2014, to place before voters in the next general election a Constitutional amendment that would mandate earmarking 10 percent of all road tax revenue to transit subsidies, primarily for municipal bus systems.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165565
House Joint Resolution II: Make state commissioner of insurance an elected position
Introduced in the House on June 12, 2014, to place before voters in the next general election a constitutional amendment to make the state commissioner of insurance an elected position.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164622
Senate Joint Resolution EE: Make state constitution “gender neutral”
Introduced by Sen. Steve Bieda (D) on March 25, 2014, to place before voters in the next general election a constitutional amendment to edit the document to make it “gender neutral.” For example, the current constitution adopted in 1963 establishes that “Every person has a right to keep and bear arms for the defense of himself and the state.” Under the proposal, that would become “for the defense of himself or herself”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=163897
Senate Joint Resolution FF: Impose higher sales tax for roads
Introduced by Sen. Bruce Caswell (R) on March 25, 2014, to place before voters in the next general election a constitutional amendment authorizing a 1 percent increase in the state sales tax, from 6 percent to 7 percent, and earmarking the new revenue to roads.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=163898
Senate Bill 1139: Revise “community corrections program” details
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on November 12, 2014, to make technical revisions to “community corrections programs” created as alternatives to jail and prison, so as to reflect changes in the sentencing guidelines and other corrections-related statutes.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165567
Senate Bill 1140: Revise auto insurance “excluded driver” detail
Introduced by Sen. Virgil Smith, Jr. (D) on November 12, 2014, to establish that when a no-fault auto insurance policy specifies that a member of the vehicle owner’s household is an “excluded driver” ineligible to collect unlimited personal protection benefits, and the person unlawfully takes the vehicle anyway, then any occupant who knows that a vehicle is unlawfully taken is also not eligible for benefits.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165568
Senate Bill 1141: Create incarceration and sentencing study panel
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on November 12, 2014, to create a 15-member Criminal Justice Policy Commission to gather and analyze data on the effects of a number of criminal sentencing, incarceration and release practices and procedures.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165569
Senate Bill 1142: Mandate college fire drill standards
Introduced by Sen. Mark Jansen (R) on November 12, 2014, to mandate minimum standards for college and university fire drills, and require institutions to certify to the state that they have adopted and practice them.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165570
Senate Bill 1143: Revise real estate licensure details
Introduced by Sen. Mike Kowall (R) on November 12, 2014, to revise, update and expand many details of the law that imposes a licensure mandate on real estate brokers and salespersons. Among other things, the bill would establish that possession of a law degree or MBA degree would be considered equivalent to 60 of the 90 hours of instruction mandated to obtain a broker’s license.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165571
Senate Bill 1144: Revise school pension detail
Introduced by Sen. Dave Hildenbrand (R) on November 13, 2014, to establish that school employees who retired in 1989 may boost their pension benefits by purchasing “service credits” for work performed as a college undergraduate which the pension board deems to have been of an “academic or educational nature.” This refers to a scheme that allows government employees to artificially boost the years-on-the-job component of the formula used to calculate post-retirement pension benefit levels.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165597
Senate Bill 1145: Clarify health insurance drug benefit detail
Introduced by Sen. Dave Hildenbrand (R) on November 13, 2014, to clarify requirements in health plans that provide prescription drug coverage for synchronizing multiple prescriptions and dispensing fees.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165598
Senate Bill 1146: Rename a road to
Introduced by Sen. Jim Marleau (R) on November 13, 2014, designate Scott Lake Road in Oakland County as the “Officer James R. DeLoach and Officer Steven J. Niewiek Memorial Highway”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165599
Senate Bill 1147: Revise speech pathologist licensure detail
Introduced by Sen. John Moolenaar (R) on November 13, 2014, to exempt from a state speech-language pathologist licensure mandate a college instructor with a masters degree or PhD in this field who has been practicing in the field since 2000.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165600
Senate Bill 1148: Revise MCCA details, create insurance fraud authority
Introduced by Sen. Arlan Meekhof (R) on November 13, 2014, to create a new “insurance fraud prevention authority” funded by at least $6.25 million from assessments paid by insurers to maintain an insurance “facility” (the “pool”) created to provide insurance for individuals who are unable to get insurance in the regular market. The authority would provide financial support to law enforcement agencies and prosecutors intended to reduce insurance fraud. The bill would also amend many details of the law creating a Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association, including requiring an independent annual audit of the MCCA, and requiring it to comply with the state Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) as if it were public body. MCCA is the private entity established to provide reinsurance to cover the liability of individual auto insurance companies to pay unlimited medical claims above $500,000 per incident, as required by the state no-fault auto insurance law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165601
Senate Bill 1149: Authorize new state Senate office building
Introduced by Sen. Randy Richardville (R) on November 13, 2014, to authorize the sale of the Farnum Senate office building in Lansing and construction of a new building for Senators’ offices.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165602
Senate Bill 1150: Reduce maximum truck weights
Introduced by Sen. Steve Bieda (D) on November 13, 2014, to reduce the maximum weight of trucks allowed on Michigan roads from 164,000 to 80,000 pounds. This would not necessarily reduce the maximum weight per axle, but would require more trucks trailers to carry the same amount as currently on Michigan highways.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165603
House Bill 5933: Impose motor fuel tax on “alternative fuels”
Introduced by Rep. Mike Shirkey (R) on November 12, 2014, to tax “alternative fuels” for vehicles at a rate that is equivalent to the state diesel tax, as specified in the bill. This would apply to natural gas, LP gas, hydrogen, and related fuels.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165572
House Bill 5934: Impose motor fuel tax on “alternative fuels”
Introduced by Rep. Mike Shirkey (R) on November 12, 2014, to allocate the alternative vehicle fuel tax proposed by House Bill 5933 to roads according to the current road tax distribution formula, except none of the money would go to transit (bus) system subsidies.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165573
House Bill 5935: Revise eligibility for certain health-related welfare benefits
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on November 12, 2014, to revise the income caps for a program that allows certain disabled individuals who otherwise are not eligible for Medicaid to pay a sliding-scale fee based on income to get these health-related welfare benefits. The bill would provide a discount (subsidy) equal to 50 percent of the cost for individuals with gross income between $75,000 and $150,000, versos no discount under current law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165574
House Bill 5936: Ban triclosan handwash
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on November 12, 2014, to ban the sale of handwash or other products that contain the antibacterial agent triclosan, unless they have been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Recent research has found the product makes lab rats more susceptible to chemical-induced liver cancer.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165575
House Bill 5937: Expand government road liability
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on November 12, 2014, to expand the law establishing a government agency’s level of responsibility and liability for maintaining a highway so it is “reasonably safe and convenient for public travel.” Under the bill, this would be expanded to include an “obligation to provide and maintain road signage, markings, and traffic control devices and to properly design, construct, and maintain the roadway”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165576
House Bill 5938: Revise truck regulations
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on November 12, 2014, to mandate that most truck trailers have bumpers that meet strength, design and height standards specified in the bill; and define “dangerous goods” in the law governing over-the-road trucking as anything that is dangerous when transported.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165577
House Bill 5939: Establish separate farm laborer field sanitation regulations
Introduced by Rep. Rick Outman (R) on November 12, 2014, to exempt portable toilets for farm workers from the law governing septic systems, and instead require the Departments of Agriculture and Environmental Quality to promulgate “field sanitation, worker protection and food safety” regulations.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165578
House Bill 5940: Increase fees on restaurants and food-related businesses
Introduced by Rep. Kevin Daley (R) on November 12, 2014, to increase a number of fees imposed on restaurants, food processors and other food-related businesses under a state food safety law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165579
House Bill 5941: Revise large county officer terms
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on November 12, 2014, to revise the terms of certain county officers in large counties, so they are elected in gubernatorial election years.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165580
House Bill 5942: Ban state participation in federal highway checkpoints
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on November 12, 2014, to prohibit the participation of state and local law enforcement officers, Michigan National guard members, and state and local government employees in federal government checkpoints in which drivers are stopped on a road or highway in this state.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165581
House Bill 5943: Join multi-state Health Care Compact
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on November 12, 2014, to authorize Michigan’s entry into a multi-state health care compact. If approved by congress all federal Medicaid and Medicare funds would be block-granted to member states, and member states would be exempt from health-related federal regulations and mandates. Member states would have primary responsibility for regulation of all nonmilitary health care goods and services in their state, plus health-related social welfare programs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165582
House Bill 5944: Extend “conscientious objector” protection to counselor students
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on November 12, 2014, to prohibit the board that establishes licensure standards for professional counselors from approving a university counseling education program unless it protects the rights of students faced with situations that conflict with their religious beliefs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165583
House Bill 5945: Require disclosures of automated license plate reader use by police
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on November 12, 2014, to require local and county law enforcement agencies that use automated license plate readers to file an annual report with the State Police showing the number of plates read each month, the number of stolen vehicles recovered through use of the devices, how long the agency retains information from the devices, and how it disposes of the information. See also house bill 4981.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165584
House Bill 5946: Restrict warrantless residence searches
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on November 12, 2014, to establish that a law enforcement officer may not search a residence without a search warrant if a resident expressly objects, even if another resident consents after the objector is no longer physically present. This would not apply if one resident is the victim of a crime committed by another resident, or in “exigent” circumstances, meaning there is imminent danger to people, a suspect may escape or evidence may be destroyed.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165585
House Bill 5947: Revise tax-foreclosed property sale disclosures
Introduced by Rep. Earl Poleski (R) on November 12, 2014, to require a local government that has foreclosed on tax-delinquent property to inform a prospective buyer if the property is subject to or targeted for condemnation proceedings for blight elimination.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165586
House Bill 5948: Ban auto insurance policy durations less than 90 days
Introduced by Rep. Earl Poleski (R) on November 12, 2014, to ban vehicle insurance policies with a duration less than 90 days, and require policies to include a provision requiring the insured person to show the insurer proof of new insurance coverage before a policy can be cancelled at the request of the insured.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165587
House Bill 5949: Allow local government debt for building demolition
Introduced by Rep. Earl Poleski (R) on November 12, 2014, to include building demolition in the purposes for which local governments can incur long-term debt.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165588
House Bill 5950: Mandate newborns be tested for lysosomal storage disorders
Introduced by Rep. Earl Poleski (R) on November 12, 2014, to require health care facilities, or health care professionals in attendance at a birth, to test newborns for lysosomal storage disorders.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165589
House Bill 5951: Regulate Uber, Lyft, etc.; preempt local bans
Introduced by Rep. Tim Kelly (R) on November 12, 2014, to establish a regulatory framework that would enable “transportation network companies” like Uber and Lyft to operate in this state, including a preemption on local government regulations or bans. The companies would have to get a permit from the Secretary of State and carry liability insurance as specified in the bill. Drivers would have to get a background check and be at least 21 years old. Vehicles would have to get an annual inspection by a licensed mechanic and bear signs. Riders would have be given specified information and options, with systems to protect their personal information. Street hailing and the use of cab stands by the vehicles would be prohibited.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165590
House Bill 5952: Revise restrictions on Commerce Township park use
Introduced by Rep. Klint Kesto (R) on November 12, 2014, to permit Commerce Township in Oakland County to use a parcel of state land transferred to it in the 1980s “for public purposes” rather than only for a township park.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165591
House Bill 5953: Revise county executive terms
Introduced by Rep. Klint Kesto (R) on November 12, 2014, to require elections for executives of counties with a population of more than one million to be in gubernatorial election years.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165592
House Bill 5954: Revise pawn shop fee detail
Introduced by Rep. John Walsh (R) on November 13, 2014, to allow a pawn shop to charge a 20 percent fee to a person who uses a pawned item during the period when it is considered security for a loan. Under current law a pawn shop may only charge a $1 fee per month for this.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165606
House Bill 5955: Nominate legislator and governor candidates at party conventions
Introduced by Rep. Greg MacMaster (R) on November 13, 2014, to require major party candidates for governor, state senator and state representative to be nominated at party conventions (as is now done for Secretary of State and Attorney General) rather than in primary elections.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165607
House Bill 5956: Authorize “closed” presidential primary
Introduced by Rep. Greg MacMaster (R) on November 13, 2014, to require presidential primary elections to be a “closed” primary, meaning voters would have to “declare” that they want a Republican ballot. Under the bill, voter declaration information would not become public information subject to Freedom of Information Act requests.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165608
House Bill 5957: Increase pesticide registration fees and conditions
Introduced by Rep. Dan Lauwers (R) on November 13, 2014, to increase a registration fee mandated for any pesticide used in this state, impose increased record keeping requirements on registrants, and require the company the files the application (a pest control service or pesticide maker) to continuously maintain a registered Michigan office and a resident agent.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165609
House Bill 5958: Enact a “religious freedom restoration act”
Introduced by Rep. James “Jase” Bolger (R) on November 13, 2014, to establish that the state or a local government “shall not substantially burden a person’s exercise of religion, even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability,” unless this is done “in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest” and uses “the least restrictive means” to further that interest.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165610
House Bill 5959: Make homosexuals a civil rights law “protected class”
Introduced by Rep. Frank Foster (R) on November 13, 2014, to add “sexual orientation” to the characteristics that define membership in a protected class, against whom it is a crime to discriminate under the state’s Elliott-Larsen civil rights law. The law makes it a crime to deny employment, housing, use of public accommodations, public services, and educational facilities to another person on the basis of membership in a protected class.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165611
House Bill 5960: Revise tax foreclosed property auction detail
Introduced by Rep. John Walsh (R) on November 13, 2014, to prohibit a person from bidding on tax-foreclosed property if the bidder owes delinquent property taxes on any other property in the jurisdiction.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165612
House Bill 5961: Revise government pension system detail
Introduced by Rep. Ken Yonker (R) on November 13, 2014, to clarify some terms in the law requiring large government pension systems to have an investment committee that recommends asset allocations and actuarial assumptions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165613
House Bill 5962: Increase speed limits
Introduced by Rep. Scott Dianda (D) on November 13, 2014, to establish that variations from the general speed limits proposed by House Bill 5964 can only be based on the speed at which 85 percent of drivers are found to travel in free-flowing traffic..
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165614
House Bill 5963: Increase speed limits
Introduced by Rep. John Kivela (D) on November 13, 2014, to establish that exceeding the speed limit by five miles per hour or less is punishable by a fine only, with no record of conviction or driver-license “points”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165615
House Bill 5964: Increase speed limits
Introduced by Rep. Bradford Jacobsen (R) on November 13, 2014, to increase the normal speed limit to 80 miles per hour on rural freeways, 70 mph on urban freeways, 65 mph on state highways, 60 mph on county roads, and 55 mph on unpaved (gravel) roads (except in Oakland and Wayne counties, where it would be 45 mph). These limits could fall or rise based on studies of observed traffic speed. The limit for trucks would be 70 mph on all freeways (vs. 60 mph under current law). The limit on unposted residential subdivision and traditional downtown business district streets would remain at 25 mph. Speed limits on city streets outside subdivisions could only be set according to the table of driveway frequency, or based on a speed study (as specified by House Bill 5962).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165616
House Bill 5965: Increase speed limits
Introduced by Rep. Bradford Jacobsen (R) on November 13, 2014, to establish that highway “school zone” speed limits are only enforceable for 30 minutes before and after school hours (vs. up to one hour in current law), and may be lowered not more than 15 miles per hour below the regular speed limit, or to 25 miles per hour, whichever is higher. This is part of a package comprised of House Bills 5962 to 5966 to increase speed limits and revise related laws; see also Senate Bills 894 to 898.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165617
House Bill 5966: Increase speed limits
Introduced by Rep. Eileen Kowall (R) on November 13, 2014, to require that local traffic ordinances match the state-issued “manual of traffic control devices.” The bill would also revise the number of driver-license “points” assessed for various violations.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165619
House Bill 5967: Revise mandate that utilities reduce energy production
Introduced by Rep. Wayne Schmidt (R) on November 13, 2014, to increase the required energy savings that must be achieved by “energy optimization plans” that utilities are mandated to undertake and pay for with surcharges on customer bills, establish new “pay-back period” rules on the money utilities spend on this; require 1 percent of the spending be allocated to research and commercialization of conservation innovations, and more. The bill would also require utilities to retain hour-by-hour customer use data for at least seven years.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165620
House Bill 5968: Increase “renewable” energy mandates on utilities
Introduced by Rep. Scott Dianda (D) on November 13, 2014, to increase the mandate imposed by a 2008 law that electric utilities must generate at least 10 percent of their power from “renewable” sources by 2015. The mandate would increase to 19 percent in 2022, and then ratchet upwards by 1.5 percent annually unless suspended by the state Public Service Commission. The bill would also revise details of how these “renewable portfolios” are determined, and details of a “net metering” mandate imposed on utilities, which requires them to purchase electricity from customers who generate small amounts.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165621
House Bill 5969: Authorize rules for “microgrids”
Introduced by Rep. Rob VerHeulen (R) on November 13, 2014, to require the Public Service Commission to authorize and establish statewide interconnection standards for “microgrids.” This is a small group of electricity users with their own generation source (including renewable sources such as solar or wind), connected to the main electric grid through a single interconnection but also capable of providing power to users if that connection is disrupted (“island mode”). The bill would require the PSC to submit a report on the concept and convene an advisory panel consisting of individuals representing various interests specified in the bill (including unions, environmentalist organizations, utilities, local governments, consumers, etc.).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165622
House Bill 5970: Mandate police “body cameras”
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on November 13, 2014, to require armed police officers to wear a “body camera” and record the events that occur while he or she is on duty.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165623
House Bill 5971: Mandate non-disclosure of alleged sexual harassment victims
Introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D) on November 13, 2014, to require the state Department of Civil Rights to keep the identity of an alleged victim of sexual harassment confidential if the person requests this.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165624
House Bill 5972: Revise sexual harassment statute of limitations
Introduced by Rep. Sarah Roberts (D) on November 13, 2014, to prohibit the state Civil Rights Commission from promulgating rules that limit the deadline for filing a sexual harassment complaint to less than 365 days after the date of the most recent act of alleged sexual harassment. See also House Bill 5973.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165625
House Bill 5973: Revise sexual harassment statute of limitations
Introduced by Rep. Vicki Barnett (D) on November 13, 2014, to establish a six year statute of limitations for sexual harassment lawsuits filed under the state civil rights law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165626
House Bill 5974: Pro-rate Michigan’s electoral college presidential votes
Introduced by Rep. Pete Lund (R) on November 13, 2014, to revise the manner in which Michigan’s 16 votes in the Electoral College are allocated in a presidential election. The party getting the most popular votes would get half the Electoral College votes plus one, and one additional presidential elector for every 1.5 percent of the popular vote that the candidate receives over 50 percent of the popular vote. The party that comes in second would get the remainder. Currently, all states except Nebraska and Maine allocate their Electoral College on a “winner take all” basis. Reportedly, under the proposed system, rather than delivering all its electoral votes to Barrack Obama in 2012, he would have gotten 12 votes and Mitt Romney four votes.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165627
Senate Bill 275: Authorize drug testing of welfare applicants
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on December 2, 2014, to require legislators to take drug tests.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=157733
Senate Bill 275: Authorize drug testing of welfare applicants
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on December 2, 2014, to tie-bar the bill to House Bills 4610, meaning this bill cannot become law unless that one does also. HB 4610 would require drug testing for business executives whose firms receive subsidies from the state.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=157733
Senate Bill 275: Authorize drug testing of welfare applicants
Passed 75 to 34 in the House on December 3, 2014, to require that welfare benefit recipients or applicants who test positive on the drug tests authorized by House Bill 4118 must be referred to a state-authorized regional substance abuse agency, and cut benefits if the individual refused to enter a drug treatment program. This would begin as a one-year pilot program in three counties.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697830
Senate Bill 520: Revise details of child support order procedures
Passed 106 to 3 in the House on December 3, 2014, to revise notification details of alimony or child support orders, and of restitution orders imposed on individuals who are delinquent in these payments.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697831
Senate Bill 521: Streamline delinquent child support, parenting time enforcement
Passed 100 to 9 in the House on December 3, 2014, to essentially streamline procedures and the issuance and enforcement of subpoenas, bench warrants and contempt of court rulings in divorce-related parenting time orders and child support delinquencies.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697832
Senate Bill 522: Repeal child support “service fee”
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on December 3, 2014, to repeal a $2 monthly fee imposed on court-ordered child support payers.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697834
Senate Bill 526: Revise child support recipient detail
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on December 3, 2014, to establish that court-ordered child support payments should go to the person who is actually caring for the children, not necessarily the person who is “legally responsible” for this.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697835
Senate Bill 529: Revise child support guidelines detail
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on December 3, 2014, to establish that a state “Office of Child Support” has the duty to “develop and implement guidelines for the allocation and distribution of all child support payments”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697836
Senate Bill 530: Revise and update Friend of the Court procedures and powers
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on December 3, 2014, to revise and update various details related to the powers, procedures and duties of Friend of the Court offices. For details see this Senate Fiscal Agency summary.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697837
Senate Bill 664: Revise “debt management services” regulations
Passed 103 to 6 in the House on December 2, 2014, to revise and update various definitions and prescribed procedures in a law that imposes licensure and regulations on “debt management services.” Among other things the bill would increase the maximum fee the state allows these businesses to charge customers.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697788
Senate Bill 712: Extend remonumentation of Michigan-Indiana state line authorization
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on December 3, 2014, to extend until 2018 a current 2015 sunset on a 2010 law that authorized the remonumentation of the Michigan-Indiana state line.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697833
Senate Bill 880: Require psychologist licensure degree program details
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on December 2, 2014, to revise details of the criteria for the doctoral degree programs required for licensure as a psychologist.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697515
Senate Bill 951: Expand state oversight of public school overspending
Passed 24 to 14 in the Senate on December 3, 2014, to expand the scope of a law that prescribes processes and requirements for correcting local government deficit spending, so that it also applies to public school districts. Districts that fail to follow the steps required under a deficit elimination plan could have 10 percent of their state funding withheld until they comply.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697805
Senate Bill 952: Establish new local and school budget process requirements
Passed 24 to 14 in the Senate on December 3, 2014, to prescribe procedures, notification and budget-cutting requirements, and monitoring for a public school district that experiences a gap between projected revenue and actual spending (a deficit), or is in the midst of “rapidly declining financial circumstances,” including substantial declines in enrollment. The bill tasks the state Department of Education with specific duties in such situations, which could include authority over academic matters in addition to financial ones. The Department could also withhold funding from a district that fails to take the steps necessary to eliminate a deficit. This is part of package comprised of Senate Bills 949 to 957.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697806
Senate Bill 953: Expand state oversight of public school overspending
Passed 23 to 15 in the Senate on December 3, 2014, to authorize appointment by the governor of an Emergency Manager for a public school district that fails to comply with an “enhanced deficit elimination plan” required by Senate Bill 952 for a district whose first plan failed to fix the problem, or is in “rapidly declining financial circumstances”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697807
Senate Bill 954: Expand state oversight of public school overspending
Passed 24 to 14 in the Senate on December 3, 2014, to give the Department Treasury the authority to withhold state school aid payments “to incentivize” an overspending school district that fails to submit an acceptable “deficit elimination plan” as required by Senate Bill 952, or which falls more deeply into financial trouble and must operate under an “enhanced” deficit plan.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697810
Senate Bill 955: Increase school “emergency loan” funding
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on December 3, 2014, to increase from $50 million to $100 million the amount allocated through 2018 for “financial emergency” loans from a state loan board to public school districts. Also, to increase from $35 million to $85 million the amount of such loans to cities, townships, villages, and counties. Finally, the bill would eliminate restrictions on this loan board’s ability to restructure repayments on existing emergency municipal loans.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697811
Senate Bill 957: Expand state oversight of public school overspending
Passed 22 to 16 in the Senate on December 3, 2014, to establish a process whereby a public school district experiencing “conditions of fiscal stress, a deficit, or a potential financial emergency” can apply for “technical assistance” from the state including data analysis tools, so as to avoid further state intervention. The bill would also give the state Superintendent of Public Instruction or the state Treasurer the authority to require a public school district experiencing financial stress to submit periodic financial status reports as specified in the bill.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697814
Senate Bill 978: Revise state loans to locals details
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 3, 2014, to remove current limitations on the amount of “surplus” funds that can be loaned by the state to municipalities and school districts through 2008. See also Senate Bill 955, which increases related emergency loan caps.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697812
Senate Bill 1128: Require hepatitis tests on released prisoners
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on December 3, 2014, to require Hepatitis C testing by the Department of Corrections before prisoners are released on parole or upon completion of their sentence. Positive test results would be reported to relevant agencies according to Department of Community Health rules.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697798
Senate Bill 1129: Mandate Hepatitis disclosure to sex partner
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on December 3, 2014, to establish sentencing guidelines for the crime proposed by Senate Bill 1130 of a person with Hepatitis C having sex without disclosing this.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697799
Senate Bill 1130: Mandate Hepatitis disclosure to sex partner
Passed 28 to 10 in the Senate on December 3, 2014, to make it a felony for an individual who knows he or she has Hepatitis C to have sex that includes “sexual penetration” without telling the sex partner about having the disease. This already applies to AIDS.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697800
Senate Bill 1136: Revise 36th district court pension underfunding surcharge
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 3, 2014, to allow a bailiff of the 36th district court in Detroit to be removed from office for inability to perform essential functions of the office.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697797
Senate Bill 1137: Require Hepatitis C tests on new prisoners
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 3, 2014, to require that prisoner entering a correctional facility must be tested for Hepatitis C.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697801
Senate Bill 1146: Rename a road to
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 3, 2014, to designate Scott Lake Road in Oakland County as the “Officer James R. DeLoach and Officer Steven J. Niewiek Memorial Highway”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697795
Senate Bill 1149: Authorize new state Senate office building
Passed 25 to 13 in the Senate on December 3, 2014, to authorize the sale of the Farnum Senate office building in Lansing and construction of a new building for Senators’ offices. The current budget makes $7 million available for this.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697796
Senate Bill 1150: Reduce maximum truck weights
Failed 15 to 22 in the Senate on December 2, 2014, to reduce the maximum weight of trucks allowed on Michigan roads from 164,000 to 80,000 pounds. This would not necessarily reduce the maximum weight per axle, but would require more trucks trailers to carry the same amount as currently on Michigan highways.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697440
House Bill 4038: Add “bush autumn olive” to banned species list
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 3, 2014, to add the “bush autumn olive” (elaeagnus umbellata), the giant hogweed (heracleum mantegazzianum), and the Japanese knotweed (fallopian japonica) to the law banning the possession or release of certain non-native species.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697794
House Bill 4118: Require drug testing of welfare applicants
Passed 74 to 35 in the House on December 3, 2014, to require a one-year pilot program in at least three counties that would require drug testing of state welfare benefit recipients and applicants if an “empirical screening tool” indicates a reasonable suspicion of drug use. Benefits would be halted for six months if a person tests positive or refuses to take the test, with an exception for medical marijuana. If a welfare recipient who is a parent tests positive, the child would still be eligible for assistance, and a “protective payee” would be designated to receive the parent’s welfare money. The bill appropriates $500,000 for the pilot program.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697829
House Bill 4206: Revise criminal defendant “youthful trainee status”
Passed 97 to 12 in the House on December 3, 2014, to increase from 21 to 23 the age limit on “youthful trainee status” for criminal defendants, which provides a mechanism for not including the offense on the youth’s permanent record. The bill would also establish various conditions for this status, including a full time school, work or community service requirement and more. This status allows a youthful offender who pleads guilty to criminal offenses other than serious felonies to serve a sentence and then have the proceedings dismissed without having a criminal conviction record, and with no civil disability or loss of right or privilege.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697838
House Bill 5179: Transfer western Wayne correctional
Passed 106 to 3 in the House on December 3, 2014, to land bank to transfer the former western Wayne correctional facility property to a government “land bank” authority, which in turn would be required to sell it in a manner and on terms that the authority “in its discretion” calculates will “realize the greatest benefit to this state”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697841
House Bill 5216: Authorize government “certificate of employability” for ex-cons
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 3, 2014, to authorize the Department of Corrections to issue a “certificate of employability” to prisoners being released who have behaved well in prison and successfully completed a career and technical education course.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697791
House Bill 5217: Authorize government “certificate of employability” for ex-cons
Passed 27 to 11 in the Senate on December 3, 2014, to limit the liability of employers in personal injury, property damage and wrongful death lawsuits arising from the actions of an employee who is an ex-convict hired after the individual was granted a “certificate of employability” by the state Department of Corrections, as proposed by House Bill 5216.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697792
House Bill 5218: Authorize goverrnment “certificate of employability” for ex-cons
Passed 36 to 2 in the Senate on December 3, 2014, to revise details of the “good moral character” prerequisite in occupational licensure mandates to conform with the ex-convict “certificate of employability” proposed by House Bill 5216. Specifically, the bill would allow but not require licensure boards to consider criminal prosecutions or lawsuit judgments as evidence of an individual not having “good moral character,” but require that they take notice of whether an ex-convict was granted the state “certificate of employability” proposed by House Bill 5216.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697793
House Bill 5582: Restrict criminal sanctions for youth
Passed 100 to 9 in the House on December 3, 2014, to no longer include sending a youth aged 17 to 20 to prison for at least three years among the choices a court must exercise for a youth charged with an offense punishable by more than one year in prison.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697839
House Bill 5585: Revise criminal defendant “youthful trainee status”
Passed 103 to 6 in the House on December 3, 2014, to require that if a criminal defendant assigned to “youthful trainee status” (which provides a mechanism for not including an offense on the youth’s permanent record) is convicted with a serious felony listed in the bill, the “trainee” status must be revoked (which means the previous crime also goes on the person’s record).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697840
House Bill 6074: Exempt college athletes from unionization
Introduced by Rep. Al Pscholka (R) on December 2, 2014, to establish that college students who participate in intercollegiate athletics on behalf of a state university are not considered “public employees” subject to unionization under the law that mandates schools and local governments must engage in collective bargaining with government employee unions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165636
Senate Bill 113: Authorize tax break for conservation easement donation in wills
Passed 93 to 16 in the House on December 4, 2014, to establish that if a person donates a “conservation easement” on a parcel of land in his or her will, the heirs would not be subject to the Proposal A “pop-up,” in which the state equalized value (SEV, meaning market value) of transferred property becomes the basis for the new owner’s property tax assessment, rather than the capped “taxable value” of the previous owner.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698032
Senate Bill 247: Authorize some 4 a.m. liquor licenses
Passed 22 to 14 in the Senate on December 4, 2014, to allow bars and restaurants in a “central business district” of a city to stay open until 4:00 a.m. on weekends if they pay a $10,000 annual fee and have extra bouncers and security cameras.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697927
Senate Bill 1073: Grant medical facility rationing exception to McLaren Health Systems
Failed 11 to 26 in the Senate on December 4, 2014, to authorize a special exception to the health care facility rationing imposed by the state’s “Certificate of Need” law that would allow McLaren Health Systems to build a new facility in Clarkston. In return for this special “carve out” the bill would force McLaren to provide a certain amount of charitable care and meet other requirements specified in the bill. The Certificate of Need (CON) program rations the availability of health care facilities and technology by requiring health care providers to seek permission from a state commission for new or expanded facilities.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697923
Senate Bill 1103: Revise film producer subsidy formula
Passed 73 to 37 in the House on December 5, 2014, to extend until 2022 a 2017 sunset on the law authorizing state subsidy payments to some film productions, and make various changes to the formula used to calculate a particular producer’s subsidy. Among other things, the bill would remove limitations on higher subsidies based on very high compensation paid to a director, actors, etc. In the current fiscal year budget, up to $50 million in state tax revenues may be redistributed to film producers. Changes in the bill would have the effect of allowing particular productions to claim a larger share of this money, and making future “residual” income paid to members of a production taxable in Michigan.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698036
Senate Bill 1135: Impose new child car seat mandates
Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate on December 4, 2014, to require a child who weighs less than 30 pounds to be transported in a rear-facing child seat; and a child who weighs from 30 to 50 pound to transported in a forward-facing child seat. A child less than 57 inches tall would have to be transported in a booster seat. Age would not be a factor in these mandates.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697911
House Bill 4186: Revise criminal record expungement rules
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on December 4, 2014, to revise the grounds for seeking to have a criminal record expunged from a person’s record. The bill would allow a person convicted of only one felony offense and not more than two misdemeanors, to apply to have the felony “set aside,” or expunged from the person’s public record. A person convicted of not more than two misdemeanors could apply to have one of them set aside. This would not apply to convictions for criminal sexual conduct, domestic violence, or crimes punishable by life imprisonment.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698055
House Bill 4441: Revise drunken boat, snowmobile & ORV operator thresholds
Passed 85 to 24 in the House on December 4, 2014, to prohibit operating a vessel with “any amount” of a controlled substance in the operator’s body, or if under age 21, “any amount” of alcohol. The bill also revises penalties and other details of this law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698042
House Bill 4442: Revise drunken boat, snowmobile & ORV operator thresholds
Passed 84 to 25 in the House on December 4, 2014, to revise the criminal sentencing guidelines to reflect the controlled substance vessel operating prohibition proposed by House Bill 4441.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698043
House Bill 4443: Revise drunken boat, snowmobile & ORV operator thresholds
Passed 85 to 24 in the House on December 4, 2014, to prohibit operating a snowmobile with “any amount” of a controlled substance in the operator’s body, or if under age 21, “any amount” of alcohol. The bill also revises penalties and other details of this law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698044
House Bill 4444: Revise drunken boat, snowmobile & ORV operator thresholds
Passed 84 to 25 in the House on December 4, 2014, to revise the criminal sentencing guidelines to reflect the controlled substance snowmobile operating prohibition proposed by House Bill 4443.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698045
House Bill 4445: Revise drunken boat, snowmobile & ORV operator thresholds
Passed 87 to 22 in the House on December 4, 2014, to prohibit operating an off road vehicle with “any amount” of a controlled substance in the operator’s body, or if under age 21, “any amount” of alcohol. The bill also revises penalties and other details of this law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698040
House Bill 4446: Revise drunken boat, snowmobile & ORV operator thresholds
Passed 85 to 24 in the House on December 4, 2014, to revise the criminal sentencing guidelines to reflect the controlled substance ORV operating prohibition proposed by House Bill 4445.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698041
House Bill 4454: Ban counting religious holiday absences in student’s record
Passed 95 to 14 in the House on December 4, 2014, to prohibit public schools from counting religious holiday absences against a student’s attendance record if the school provides any kind of recognition for this.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698003
House Bill 4539: Stop imposing sales tax on fuel sales
Passed 56 to 53 in the House on December 4, 2014, to phase out charging the 6 percent sales tax on gas and diesel motor fuel sales over six years. House Bill 5477 would gradually increase the motor fuel tax by an equivalent amount. Sales tax revenue is mostly earmarked to schools, and to local governments revenue sharing. The bill requires the legislature to appropriate at least as much as the previous year to both those areas, using revenue from other taxes. If it did not, then the 6 percent sales tax would automatically be imposed on fuel sales again. Together, the bills would shift about $1 billion in current state revenue to roads, with no net tax increase.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698017
House Bill 4927: Let adoption agencies refuse adoptions that violate moral convictions
Passed 60 to 49 in the House on December 4, 2014, to prohibit a state agency from discriminating against an faith-based adoption agency for refusing to assist or participate in an adoption that violates its written religious or moral convictions, including adoptions of a child by a homosexual.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698025
House Bill 4928: Let adoption agencies refuse adoptions that violate moral convictions
Passed 59 to 50 in the House on December 4, 2014, to establish that a faith-based private adoption agency is not required to assist or participate in an adoption that violates its written religious or moral convictions, including adoptions of a child by a homosexual. House Bill 4927 would prohibit a state agency from discriminating against an adoption agency for this reason.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698028
House Bill 4991: Let adoption agencies refuse adoptions that violate moral convictions
Passed 59 to 50 in the House on December 4, 2014, to establish that a faith-based private adoption agency is not required to assist or participate in an adoption that violates its written religious or moral convictions, including adoptions of a child by a homosexual. House Bill 4927 would prohibit a state agency from discriminating against an adoption agency for this reason.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698031
House Bill 4998: Appoint “entrepreneurs-in-residence” at Michigan Strategic Fund
Passed 30 to 6 in the Senate on December 4, 2014, to require the state agency responsible for granting and overseeing selective tax breaks and subsidies granted to particular corporations or developers (the “Michigan Strategic Fund”) to appoint up to 10 “entrepreneurs-in-residence” to help the agency to “improve outreach to small business concerns;” identify inefficient or duplicative “economic development” programs; recommend ways to expand and improve the efficiency of these programs; and more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697900
House Bill 5095: Ban large puppy breeders
Passed 83 to 27 in the House on December 4, 2014, to prohibit commercial puppy breeding operations that have more than 50 female dogs over four months of age, and impose a number of other new regulations on animal breeders, shelters and pet shops. Among other new regulations shelters would have to hold an animal for at least one week and make efforts to identify the owner before euthanizing it, selling it, making it available for adoption, etc. However, for dogs and cats without traceable evidence of ownership, the holding period would be four days.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698058
House Bill 5204: Require state give locals chance to buy surplus snow equipment
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on December 4, 2014, to require the state Department of Transportation to give local governments the right of first refusal when it chooses to sell or dispose of surplus snow removal equipment.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698059
House Bill 5205: Facilitate “advanced waste energy recovery”
Passed 63 to 46 in the House on December 4, 2014, to streamline state regulations so as to facilitate the use of “advanced waste energy recovery” methods, and define fuel manufactured from municipal solid waste and other sources as “renewable” for purposes of a 2008 law mandating that 10 percent of the electricity sold by utilities must come from “renewable” sources. This would also apply to energy from technologies that use “pyrolysis” to convert many agricultural, industrial, and municipal solid waste into energy.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698056
House Bill 5418: Allow private employers to give preferences to veterans
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on December 4, 2014, to permit employers to give preference to veterans in hiring and promotion decisions, subject to conditions specified in the bill, and require the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs to maintain a registry of employers that do this.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698057
House Bill 5477: Replace per-gallon fuel tax with higher wholesale tax
Passed 58 to 51 in the House on December 4, 2014, to replace the current 19-cent per gallon gas tax and 15-cent diesel tax with a 7.5 percent wholesale fuel tax, gradually increasing to 13.5 percent over six years. When fully phased-in this would represent a tax hike of around $1.0 billion at current wholesale fuel prices. See also House Bill 4539, which would phase out the state sales tax on fuel sales over the same period, resulting in no net tax increase. This bill is not “tie barred” to that one however, meaning it does not have to go into effect for this one to.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698024
House Bill 5560: Revise, eliminate certain government notice publication in newspapers
Passed 62 to 47 in the House on December 4, 2014, to repeal the requirement that local governments publish certain legal notices in local newspapers, and instead require them to phase-in new “electronic dissemination and archival protocols” over a 10 year period, including rules for posting these on a government or agency’s own website. For the first five years voters could decide if they prefer newspaper publication. Governments would have to compile permanent public notice lists enabling regular or electronic mailings to those desiring notice of legal matters.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697998
House Bill 5597: Extend authority of public schools establishing public libraries
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on December 4, 2014, to repeal a 2015 sunset on a law that allows a public school district to establish a public library. This is part of a package with House Bill 5868 intended to facilitate library mergers and expansions into new taxing jurisdictions.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698002
House Bill 5868: Establish library tax district consolidation measures
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on December 4, 2014, to establish that if two municipalities are consolidated or annexed into one, and both have a district library that levies its own property tax millage and has its own board, the millage and governance structure of each district library would continue. Consolidation of the library districts (if any) would be at those districts’ discretion, and if they are merged, voters in the jurisdiction being transferred would have to approve the property tax imposed by the receiving library district. This is part of a package with House Bill 5597 intended to facilitate library mergers and expansions into new taxing jurisdictions.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698001
House Bill 5924: Withhold city income tax from lottery winnings
Passed 99 to 10 in the House on December 4, 2014, to withhold city income tax from lottery winnings, and send the money directly to the city to which a winner might owe taxes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697999
House Bill 5928: Create incarceration and sentencing study panel
Passed 105 to 4 in the House on December 4, 2014, to create a 15-member Criminal Justice Policy Commission to gather and analyze data on the effects of a number of criminal sentencing, incarceration and release practices and procedures.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698047
House Bill 5929: Revise “community corrections programs”
Passed 105 to 4 in the House on December 4, 2014, to make technical revisions to “community corrections programs” created as alternatives to jail and prison, so as to reflect changes in the sentencing guidelines and other corrections-related statutes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698049
House Bill 5930: Revise sanctions for probation violations
Passed 96 to 13 in the House on December 4, 2014, to permit but not require judges to consider reducing the time a released prisoner must remain under parole after two years, or after a felon has completed at least one-third of parole period.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698051
House Bill 5931: Revise sanctions for parole violations
Passed 91 to 18 in the House on December 4, 2014, to establish a “presumption” that prisoners convicted of non-violent and drug offenses, or who are deemed unlikely to be a “menace to society,” should be released on parole after serving the minimum sentence, with many exceptions, and no release requirement.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698054
House Bill 5958: Enact a “religious freedom restoration act”
Passed 59 to 50 in the House on December 4, 2014, to establish that the state or a local government “shall not substantially burden a person’s exercise of religion, even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability,” unless this is done “in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest” and uses “the least restrictive means” to further that interest.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=69801
Senate Bill 74: Mandate school “cyberbully” policies
Passed 30 to 7 in the Senate on December 9, 2014, to revise the 2011 law mandating that schools adopt anti-“bullying” policies, by requiring that their policies also address “cyberbullying”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698116
Senate Bill 596: Human trafficking crime package
Passed 97 to 12 in the House on December 9, 2014, to create a state “human trafficking board” to collect and disseminate information on this crime, seek federal and other aid for addressing it and helping victims, and more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698194
Senate Bill 1077: Require more disclosures in school debt elections
Passed 26 to 11 in the Senate on December 9, 2014, to remove the June 30, 2016 sunset on a $1.8 billion limit on the amount of outstanding “School Bond Loan Program” debt. This program essentially lets school districts borrow at rates determined by the state’s credit rating, by having the state in effect guarantee this debt. The bill would also require additional ballot language disclosures in school debt millage elections, eliminate a minimum millage rate required for a school to qualify for this benefit and more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698118
Senate Bill 1092: Allow temporary traffic signal on side of roads
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on December 9, 2014, to allow a temporary traffic control signal to be located on the side of the traveled portion of a roadway, not just overhead, which reportedly is the preferred method of the state transportation department.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698172
House Bill 4237: Sell telecom providers space on State Police radio towers
Passed 107 to 2 in the House on December 9, 2014, to allow the state to sell space on the state’s public safety communications towers to telecommunications providers who want to use these for their own equipment, and use the revenue generated to make payments on the government debt incurred to build the towers.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698176
House Bill 4573: Prorate partial-year liquor license fees
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 9, 2014, to eliminate a prohibition on prorating liquor licensing and transfer fees and allow them to be prorated on a quarterly basis. Under current law, a full-year license expires on April 30 each year, regardless of the date it was issued. Also, to allow the owner of a gas station with a license to sell beer and wine to also sell beer and wine at a second gas station under the same license.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698115
House Bill 4890: Let cemetery owners declare burial plot contracts “abandoned”
Passed 33 to 4 in the Senate on December 9, 2014, to establish conditions and procedures that allow a cemetery owner to declare an individual’s contractual right to be buried in a particular plot to have been abandoned, and then to resell the plot. The bill establishes several methods to establish that ownership has been abandoned, such as not providing an updated address after 60 years or affirming possession in other ways.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698117
House Bill 5932: Revise life insurance detail
Passed 102 to 7 in the House on December 9, 2014, to revise life insurance regulations to use a principal-based method to calculate the amount of reserves needed to cover future benefits.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698178
House Bill 5952: Revise restrictions on Commerce Township park use
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on December 9, 2014, to permit Commerce Township in Oakland County to use a parcel of state land transferred to it in the 1980s “for public purposes” rather than only for a township park.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698174
House Bill 6074: Exempt college athletes from unionization
Passed 59 to 50 in the House on December 9, 2014, to establish that college students who participate in intercollegiate athletics on behalf of a state university are not considered “public employees” subject to unionization under the law that mandates schools and local governments must engage in collective bargaining with government employee unions.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698196
Senate Bill 845: Give district court magistrates arrest warrant power
Passed 97 to 13 in the House on December 10, 2014, to allow a district court magistrate to issue an arrest warrant, and specify that a complaint for an arrest warrant made by means of electronic communication could be made from any location in Michigan. See also House Bill 5246 and Senate Bill 931.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698324
Senate Bill 903: Authorize bone marrow transplant fundraising license plate
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on December 10, 2014, to require the Secretary of State to develop a fundraising license plate with proceeds going to research, technology, patient support and education regarding bone marrow donation and transplants.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698307
Senate Bill 931: Revise electronic arrest warrant detail
Passed 96 to 14 in the House on December 10, 2014, to clarify a law allowing a judge or district court magistrate to issue a written search warrant by any electronic of means of communication, so as to specify that this may be done from any location within this state.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698325
Senate Bill 1062: Repeal obsolete income tax provisions
Passed 35 to 0 in the Senate on December 10, 2014, to delete obsolete provisions in the state income tax law that are related to past rate changes and earmarks to the school aid fund.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698271
Senate Bill 1098: Prioritize foster care children for mental health services
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on December 10, 2014, to include services for long term foster care children in the priorities for community mental health programs. Current law gives priority to “individuals with the most severe forms of serious mental illness, serious emotional disturbance, and developmental disability”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698270
House Bill 4101: Authorize Girl Scouts specialty plate
Passed 107 to 1 in the House on December 10, 2014, to authorize a specialty license plate honoring the Girl Scouts of America, with the premium revenue going to county or local Girl Scout councils.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698305
House Bill 4298: Revise abandoned property foreclosure detail
Passed 75 to 33 in the House on December 10, 2014, to revise a law that lets counties post notices in newspapers of impending foreclosures on abandoned properties with delinquent property taxes, so that it also allows counties to post these on their web site. Also, to reduce the required duration of a posting from three weeks to two weeks. The online notices would be in addition to more direct methods required to notify the property owners.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698308
House Bill 4544: Revise low income heating subsidy spending
Passed 92 to 17 in the House on December 10, 2014, to require the state to spend amount at least $6 million of the money from a federal low income household home energy subsidy block grant program for weatherization, but not more than 15 percent. The bill would also require private owners of rental property to pay part of the weatherization cost, unless the owner is a nonprofit entity.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698317
House Bill 5230: Expand government’s power to seize and sell property deemed a “nuisance”
Passed 34 to 2 in the Senate on December 10, 2014, to expand the power of government to seize and sell an owner’s property, so that it applies to the contents of a building deemed a “nuisance” because they are connected with unlawful gun violence or human trafficking. Under this power the property owner does not need to be charged or convicted of a crime, and most of the proceeds from the taking go to the law enforcement agencies involved.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698269
House Bill 5245: Authorize a “Thin Blue Line” specialty license plate
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on December 10, 2014, to authorize a “Thin Blue Line” specialty license plate, with the net revenue going to the “Thin Blue Line” organization, to be used solely to assist and support the families of injured or deceased law enforcement officers within the state.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698306
House Bill 5408: Authorize pedal-powered beer bars
Passed 102 to 7 in the House on December 10, 2014, to establish in statute that a “commercial quadricycle,” which is a pedal-powered mobile beer bar, is not considered a “motor vehicle” even if it has auxiliary power, and instead would be subject to the less onerous regulations imposed on “low-speed vehicles,” or if operated on a sidewalk, the regulations imposed on “Segways.” Under this and House Bill 5409 passengers would be allowed to have open beer or wine containers, but the driver would be required to have a blood alcohol level of zero.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698313
House Bill 5409: Authorize pedal-powered beer bars
Passed 97 to 12 in the House on December 10, 2014, to establish in statute that a “commercial quadricycle,” which is a pedal-powered mobile beer bar, is not considered a “motor vehicle” even if it has auxiliary power, and instead would be subject to the less onerous regulations imposed on “low-speed vehicles,” or if operated on a sidewalk, the regulations imposed on “Segways.” Under this and House Bill 5408 passengers would be allowed to have open beer or wine containers, but the driver would be required to have a blood alcohol level of zero. The bill would also mandate certain insurance coverage levels.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698314
House Bill 5463: Revise paternity law and unwed father child support details
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on December 10, 2014, to revise the state paternity law so that if a DNA test shows a 99 percent chance that a man is a child’s father then paternity is “established” in law rather than “presumed”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698239
House Bill 5464: Revise paternity law and unwed father child support details
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on December 10, 2014, to establish that a DNA test showing a man to be the father of a child born out of wedlock establishes paternity status for legal purposes, and if the mother has been granted initial custody, then the paternity status may be the basis for court-ordered child support, custody, or parenting time without further adjudication. The child would have the identical status rights, and duties of a child born in lawful wedlock. The bill establishes requirements and procedures related to all this.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698240
House Bill 5465: Revise paternity law and unwed father child support details
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on December 10, 2014, to specify procedures for establishing the paternity of a child born out of wedlock to a mother on getting some form of welfare benefits, and for seeking child support from the man the process determines to be the child’s father.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698241
House Bill 5466: Revise paternity law and unwed father child support details
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on December 10, 2014, to establish procedures for consolidating within one government agency a county prosecutor’s authority to seek child support from the father of a child born out of wedlock to a mother on welfare. The authority would then fall under either the friend of the court office, or an attorney employed or under contract with either the county or the state Department of Human Services.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698242
House Bill 5467: Revise paternity law and unwed father child support details
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on December 10, 2014, to establish procedures for consolidating within one government agency a county prosecutor’s authority to seek child support from the father of a child born out of wedlock. The authority would then fall under either the friend of the court office, or an attorney employed or under contract with either the county or the state Department of Human Services.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698243
House Bill 5468: Revise paternity law and unwed father child support details
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on December 10, 2014, to establish procedures for consolidating within one government agency a county prosecutor’s authority to seek child support from the father of a child born out of wedlock to a mother on welfare. The authority would then fall under either the friend of the court office, or an attorney employed or under contract with either the county or the state Department of Human Services.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698244
House Bill 5469: Revise paternity law and unwed father child support details
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on December 10, 2014, to establish procedures for consolidating within one government agency a county prosecutor’s authority in cases involving a jurisdiction in another state to seek child support from the father of a child born out of wedlock. The authority would then fall under either the friend of the court office, or an attorney employed or under contract with either the county or the state Department of Human Services.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698245
House Bill 5470: Revise paternity law and unwed father child support details
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on December 10, 2014, to establish procedures for consolidating within one government agency a county prosecutor’s authority in cases involving a jurisdiction in another state to seek child support from the father of a child born out of wedlock. The authority would then fall under either the friend of the court office, or an attorney employed or under contract with either the county or the state Department of Human Services.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698246
House Bill 5471: Revise paternity law and unwed father child support details
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on December 10, 2014, to establish procedures for consolidating within one government agency a county prosecutor’s authority to seek child support from the father of a child born out of wedlock. The authority would then fall under either the friend of the court office, or an attorney employed or under contract with either the county or the state Department of Human Services.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698247
House Bill 5473: Revise paternity law and unwed father child support details
Passed 35 to 1 in the Senate on December 10, 2014, to establish that a court could refuse to enter an order revoking an “acknowledgement of parentage” if it finds evidence that such an order would not be in the best interests of the child.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698265
House Bill 5512: Revise paternity law and unwed father child support details
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on December 10, 2014, to deny welfare benefits if a recipient fails to comply with applicable child support requirements, including a duty to make efforts to establish paternity and obtain child support.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698266
House Bill 5583: Revise paternity determination process
Passed 35 to 1 in the Senate on December 10, 2014, to establish a paternity revocation process for a determination for a man deemed be a child’s genetic father solely on the basis of genetic testing, if the genetic tests were inaccurate, or the man’s genetic material was not available to the child’s mother, or if a man who has DNA identical to the genetic father is the child’s father.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698267
House Bill 5822: Cap fees for electronic copy of electronic county documents
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on December 10, 2014, to cap the fees county treasurers can charge to furnish requested transcripts and records in electronic form when these are already stored in electronic form, at 25 cents per page and a maximum of $1,500 per request.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698319
House Bill 5831: Require certain low income housing tax disclosures
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on December 10, 2014, to allow the Department of Treasury to disclose the address of each housing unit that is part of housing projects exempt from property taxes, and whether the units are instead subject to a “service charge”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698315
House Bill 5862: Revise fire insurance settlement escrow amount
Passed 97 to 13 in the House on December 10, 2014, to increase the maximum amount that municipalities can withhold from a property owner’s fire insurance settlement until there is evidence that the property is or will be repaired, replaced, or removed. Under current law local governments can withhold up to $8,295, which is indexed to inflation. The bill would increase this to $12,000.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698321
House Bill 5960: Revise tax foreclosed property auction detail
Passed 108 to 2 in the House on December 10, 2014, to prohibit a person from bidding on tax-foreclosed property if the bidder owes delinquent property taxes on any other property in the jurisdiction.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698316
House Bill 5961: Revise government pension system detail
Passed 108 to 2 in the House on December 10, 2014, to update some terms and references in the law requiring large municipal pension systems (namely Detroit) to have an investment committee that recommends asset allocations and actuarial assumptions.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698318
Senate Bill 295: Revise tax foreclosure detail
Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate on December 11, 2014, to prohibit a person from bidding on tax-foreclosed property if he or she has any property with outstanding “blight” ordinance violation fines.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698438
Senate Bill 522: Repeal child support “service fee”
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 9, 2014, to repeal a $2 monthly fee imposed on court-ordered child support payers.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698111
Senate Bill 528: Clarify procedures to seize delinquent child support payer’s lottery winnings
Passed 104 to 3 in the House on December 11, 2014, to clarify procedures related to seizing a delinquent child support payer’s lottery winnings to pay the arrearage.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698497
Senate Bill 640: Facilitate “land bank” property acquisitions
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 11, 2014, to allow local governments to hold just one auction on tax-foreclosed property, rather than the two auctions required under current law the state or a local government want to buy it. The bill would also prohibit the sale to a buyer who owes taxes on other properties in the jurisdiction.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698439
Senate Bill 655: Impose licensure on “applied behavioral analysis”
Passed 33 to 4 in the Senate on December 11, 2014, to impose licensure and regulation on the practice of “applied behavioral analysis,” with $90 annual license fees, apprenticeship mandates and more. Among others this would impact individuals who provide treatment for autism spectrum conditions.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698431
Senate Bill 658: Impose “Amazon tax” on internet purchases
Passed 21 to 16 in the Senate on December 11, 2014, to impose sales tax on many catalog or internet purchases made from sellers outside the state, by placing in statute a broad definition of “nexus,” or affiliation with a different business that is located in Michigan, in the manner pioneered by internet retailer Amazon.com.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698436
Senate Bill 659: Impose “Amazon tax” on internet purchases
Passed 21 to 16 in the Senate on December 11, 2014, to impose the state use tax on many catalog or internet purchases made from sellers outside the state, by placing in statute a broad definition of “nexus,” or affiliation with a different business that located in Michigan, in the manner pioneered by internet retailer Amazon.com.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698437
Senate Bill 761: Authorize $841 million for new college & university building projects
Passed 30 to 7 in the Senate on December 11, 2014, to authorize $841.7 million in new government spending for more than 40 state college and university construction projects. The bill would cause the state to increase its own debt burden by $370.3 million.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698446
Senate Bill 932: Revise district court magistrate detail
Passed 98 to 12 in the House on December 11, 2014, to allow district court magistrates to decide motions and requests to withdraw an admission or set aside a default judgment in civil infraction cases under certain circumstances specified in the bill.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698326
Senate Bill 940: Revise vehicle width limit detail
Passed 106 to 1 in the House on December 11, 2014, to revise the maximum width of vehicles allowed on Michigan roads to 108-inches for vehicles hauling steel pipe (a width that is already allowed for vehicles hauling concrete pipe, agricultural products, unprocessed logs, pulpwood, or wood bolts).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698498
Senate Bill 961: Revise detail of letting certain disabled workers “buy” Medicaid
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 4, 2014, to amend a law that allows certain disabled individuals who otherwise are not eligible for Medicaid to pay a means-tested fee to get these benefits, so that it conforms with the federal health care law’s Medicaid expansion adopted by the legislature in 2013. The bill would also cap the aggregate premiums collected under this program at $3 million annually.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697905
Senate Bill 964: Expand air gun exemption from firearm laws
Passed 100 to 6 in the House on December 11, 2014, to revise the definition of “firearm” to exclude an air, gas or spring powered gun that fires a projectile larger than .177 caliber, or does not “expel a projectile by action of an explosive”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698523
Senate Bill 965: Expand air gun exemption from firearm laws
Passed 95 to 11 in the House on December 11, 2014, to revise the definition of “firearm” in the law against going armed with malicious intent or carrying a loaded gun in a vehicle (without a concealed pistol permit), so that it applies to “a pneumatic gun (air gun) designed, manufactured, and intended to inflict death or serious bodily injury”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698524
Senate Bill 966: Expand air gun exemption from firearm laws
Passed 98 to 8 in the House on December 11, 2014, to revise the definition of “firearm” in the state environmental law to conform to the proposal in Senate Bills 963 to 965, which create a new statutory definition of air, gas or spring powered guns and BB guns. Airguns would still be considered “firearms” for purposes of enforcing environmental laws and hunting and fishing laws.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698525
Senate Bill 979: Extend preemption of local gun control to air guns
Passed 71 to 35 in the House on December 11, 2014, to revise the state law preempting restrictive local gun control ordinances so it applies to “pneumatic” guns, defined as ones that shoot “a BB or pellet by spring, gas, or air.” Locals could adopt restrictions on possession of these by minors, prohibit “brandishing” them to induce fear, or shooting in a heavily populated area.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698526
Senate Bill 983: Impose licensure mandate on security guards and businesses
Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate on December 4, 2014, to impose a licensure mandate on security guards and security guard agencies, and revise many details of a comprehensive regulatory regime that already covers these individuals and companies.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697906
Senate Bill 984: Revise regulation of security guard businesses
Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate on December 4, 2014, to revise many details of a comprehensive regulatory regime for security guards and agencies, and transfer the statutory authority for these regulations from a Private Security Business and Security Alarm Act to the state Occupational Code.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697907
Senate Bill 986: Revise security guard company licensure fees
Passed 22 to 15 in the Senate on December 4, 2014, to establish license fees for security guard agencies or branch offices, and index these to inflation.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697909
Senate Bill 993: Join multi-state Health Care Compact
Passed 27 to 10 in the Senate on December 11, 2014, to authorize Michigan’s entry into a multi-state health care compact. If approved by congress all federal Medicaid and Medicare funds would be block-granted to member states, and member states would be exempt from health-related federal regulations and mandates. Member states would have primary responsibility for regulation of all nonmilitary health care goods and services in their state, plus health-related social welfare programs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698428
Senate Bill 994: Establish process to reinstate terminated parental rights
Passed 35 to 1 in the Senate on December 4, 2014, to allow the reinstatement of terminated parental rights if a court has determined that adoption or guardianship is no longer the child’s “permanency goal.” The bill would require that at least three years or more have passed from when parental rights were terminated; and that the child be at least 14 years of age, or the younger sibling of a 14 year old for whom this is sought. Among other things the parents would have to demonstrate whether they are fit and have remedied the grounds that supported termination of parental rights.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697901
Senate Bill 995: Require “reasonable efforts” to keep siblings together in foster care
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 4, 2014, to require child welfare authorities to make “reasonable efforts” to keep siblings together in foster care placements, and if this can’t be done, to provide for frequent sibling visitation, unless these things would be contrary to the safety or well-being of any of the siblings.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697902
Senate Bill 996: Require “reasonable efforts” to keep siblings together in foster care
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 4, 2014, to require child welfare authorities to make “reasonable efforts” to keep siblings together in foster care placements, and if this can’t be done, to provide for frequent sibling visitation, unless these things would be contrary to the safety or well-being of any of the siblings.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697903
Senate Bill 997: Define “frequent parenting time” for foster children
Passed 35 to 2 in the Senate on December 4, 2014, to require children in foster care to have “parenting time” at least once a week, unless a court determines that even supervised time with the child’s parent may be harmful to the child’s life, physical health, or mental well-being. Current law requires “frequent” parenting time but does not define this.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697904
Senate Bill 1056: Clarify ownership for some Calhoun County landholders
Passed 104 to 2 in the House on December 11, 2014, to require the state to take actions that remove questions about the title to land held “under color of title” by a number of citizens of Clarence Township in Calhoun County, and convey clean titles to these owners.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698502
Senate Bill 1075: Mandate Holocaust instruction
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 4, 2014, to mandate that public schools must provide high school students at least six hours each school year of instruction about genocides, including the Holocaust, and require state tests to have questions about it. The bill would also create a government commission to recommend ways to teach this.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697912
Senate Bill 1076: Authorize local oil and gas extraction restrictions
Failed 8 to 29 in the Senate on December 11, 2014, to allow larger townships (more than 70,000 residents) to use zoning ordinances to impose restrictions and regulations on oil and gas extraction and exploration.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698417
Senate Bill 1134: Explicitly authorize health care worker car seat advice
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 4, 2014, to establish in statute that an employee of a health facility or agency may inform a patient or visitor that a child safety seat installed in his or her vehicle is not properly installed, and refer the individual described to an inspection program or certified technician.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697910
Senate Bill 1142: Mandate college fire drill standards
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 11, 2014, to mandate minimum standards for college and university fire drills, and require institutions to certify to the state that they have adopted and practice them.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698432
Senate Bill 1156: Authorize enhanced penalties for abortion coercion
Passed 26 to 11 in the Senate on December 11, 2014, to authorize enhanced penalties for threatening or committing a “stalking” or assaultive crime with the intent to coerce a pregnant female to have an abortion, or taking other coercive actions with that goal. The bill authorizes additional fines of $5,000 to $10,000 on top of penalties imposed for the underlying crimes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698434
Senate Bill 1157: Authorize enhanced penalties for abortion coercion
Passed 26 to 11 in the Senate on December 11, 2014, to establish sentencing guidelines for the enhanced coerced abortion penalties proposed by Senate Bill 1156.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698435
Senate Bill 1159: Revise GOP presidential primary date
Passed 35 to 2 in the Senate on December 11, 2014, to require the Republican presidential primary election to be conducted on the third Tuesday in March, rather than on the fourth Tuesday in February as currently required.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698441
Senate Bill 1167: Repeal ballot petition circulator Michigan voter mandate
Passed 35 to 2 in the Senate on December 11, 2014, to repeal a requirement that nominating, initiative, recall and other ballot access petitions may only be circulated by a registered Michigan voter, and establish regulations requiring non-resident petition circulators to sign an irrevocable written stipulation agreeing to accept this state’s jurisdiction in any legal proceeding that concerns a petition sheet on which he or she collects signatures.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698443
House Bill 4539: Stop imposing sales tax on fuel sales
Passed 22 to 13 in the Senate on December 11, 2014, to adopt a empty “shell” version of the bill as a means of sending the measure to a House-Senate conference committee to work out the differences.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698422
House Bill 4703: Revise unclaimed property law details
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 11, 2014, to establish an administrative appeals process for holders of unclaimed property who are deemed (under an administrative process) to have under-reported the amount of unclaimed or abandoned property that should be turned over to the state. Under current law. Under current law the only recourse is to challenge the determination in court.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698427
House Bill 4788: Authorize fund-raising veterans license plate
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 11, 2014, to authorize a fund raising “collector” license plate recognizing Michigan veterans, with the proceeds going to various state veterans programs and tuition subsidies.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698426
House Bill 5380: Call for “Article V” U.S. balanced budget amendment convention
Passed 26 to 11 in the Senate on December 11, 2014, to provide a process for the legislature appointing delegates to a potential “Article V” U.S. balanced budget amendment convention of the states (as opposed to electing delegates), and prescribe the powers and duties of those delegates. Senate Joint Resolution V calls for such a convention.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698429
House Bill 5454: Revise ambulance licensure detail
Passed 95 to 11 in the House on December 11, 2014, to revise the law imposing licensure and detailed state regulations on ambulance operations, so as to exempt advanced life support operations in small rural counties and communities from certain staffing and related requirements.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698529
House Bill 5472: Create delinquent child support “alternative contempt track docket”
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on December 10, 2014, to create an “alternative contempt track docket” for delinquent child support payers who are subject to one of several hardship conditions specified in the bill. This would allow the delinquent payer to avoid jail (be on probation) for 12 months if he enters and abides by an alternative payment plan.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698248
House Bill 5667: Let clerks choose electronic voting system
Passed 99 to 8 in the House on December 11, 2014, to allow county clerks in cooperation with and local clerks to determine which electronic voting system to adopt, subject to certain requirements specified in the bill.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698496
House Bill 5781: Modify legislator oath of office detail
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 11, 2014, to modify the way Michigan’s oath of office is administered to state senators and state representatives. Under current law, the oath can be administered by the “chancellor, any justice of the supreme court, the lieutenant governor, the president pro-tempore of the Senate, or the speaker of the House of Representatives.” The bill would remove “the chancellor” and add the House Clerk and Senate Secretary.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698430
House Bill 6079: Revise securities law detail
Passed 105 to 1 in the House on December 11, 2014, to delay until May 1, 2015 the effect of a “Uniform Securities Act” enacted in 2008 on an intrastate “Michigan investment market” (essentially a stock exchange).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698527
Senate Bill 891: Revise hazardous waste cleanup regulations, procedures and definitions
Failed 56 to 52 in the House on December 16, 2014, to revise a number of procedures and definitions in the state’s law on hazardous waste cleanups, which would generally streamline operation of the law and make it more accommodating to various types of properties, situations and circumstances. Among other things, the bill would recognize that when contaminated property (a “facility”) is split or subdivided, new parcels created by the split that are not contaminated would no longer be subject to restrictions that applied to the original parcel.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698662
Senate Bill 910: Ban enforcement of new woodstove emissions limits
Passed 68 to 41 in the House on December 16, 2014, to prohibit Department of Environmental Quality from imposing new state regulations limiting emissions from woodstoves and heaters, or enforcing federal regulations that do this. The bill was introduced as news reports indicate that proposed federal Environmental Protection Agency rules would impose restrictive new limits on wood burning heaters.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698660
Senate Bill 1087: Exempt delinquent mortgage “work-out” advisors from licensure
Passed 107 to 1 in the House on December 16, 2014, to exempt from licensure as a mortgage originator an individual who helps delinquent home loan borrowers to renegotiate their loans.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698664
Senate Bill 1087: Exempt delinquent mortgage “work-out” advisors from licensure
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on November 12, 2014, to exempt from licensure as a mortgage originator an individual who helps delinquent home loan borrowers to renegotiate their loans.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=697110
House Bill 4411: Rename a highway
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to designate a non-motorized lane of a bridge over the Grand River on M-231 in Ottawa County as the “Sgt. Henry E. Plant non-Motorized Trail”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698600
House Bill 4441: Revise drunken boat, snowmobile & ORV operator thresholds
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to prohibit operating a vessel with “any amount” of a controlled substance in the operator’s body, or if under age 21, “any amount” of alcohol. The bill also revises penalties and other details of this law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698623
House Bill 4442: Revise drunken boat, snowmobile & ORV operator thresholds
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to revise the criminal sentencing guidelines to reflect the controlled substance vessel operating prohibition proposed by House Bill 4441.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698624
House Bill 4443: Revise drunken boat, snowmobile & ORV operator thresholds
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to prohibit operating a snowmobile with “any amount” of a controlled substance in the operator’s body, or if under age 21, “any amount” of alcohol. The bill also revises penalties and other details of this law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698625
House Bill 4445: Revise drunken boat, snowmobile & ORV operator thresholds
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to prohibit operating an off road vehicle with “any amount” of a controlled substance in the operator’s body, or if under age 21, “any amount” of alcohol. The bill also revises penalties and other details of this law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698626
House Bill 4601: Name a highway
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to designate a portion of US-10 in Lake County as the “Sheriff Robert Radden Memorial Highway”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698605
House Bill 4649: Create foster care parents “bill of rights”
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to create a foster care parents “bill of rights” that among other things would require state authorities to provide “timely financial reimbursement for foster children in the foster parent’s care,” a “fair, timely, and impartial investigation of complaints concerning the foster parent’s licensure,” due process during any investigation, and more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698615
House Bill 4814: Rename bridge in Monroe County
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to rename a bridge on US-24 in Monroe County as the “Matt Urban Memorial Bridge”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698601
House Bill 4923: Name a highway after a fallen police officer
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to designate a portion of I-94 in Van Buren county as the “Trooper Rick Johnson Memorial Highway”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698606
House Bill 4936: Redesignate a highway
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to designate a portion of U.S. 127 in Clinton County as the “Tim Sanborn Memorial Highway”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698602
House Bill 4957: Rename Cut River gorge bridge
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to designate the bridge on U.S. 2 over the Cut River gorge west of the Straits of Mackinac as the “Heath Michael Robinson Memorial Bridge”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698607
House Bill 4985: Redesignate a road
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to designate a portion of portion M-153 in Wayne County as the “Firefighter Brian Woehlke Memorial Highway”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698608
House Bill 5064: Name I-75 after Tuskegee airmen
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to designate Interstate I-75 in Michigan as “Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Trail”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698599
House Bill 5072: Change scenic road PR label
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to change the label applied to roads deemed by a 1993 law to be “heritage routes” because of their scenic, recreational, or historic associations, instead calling them “Pure Michigan Byways”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698603
House Bill 5091: Establish that open firearms carry is not “brandishing”
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to revise the definition of illegally “brandishing” a firearm to state that it applies only to a person who acts in a “willful” manner. The bill would also establish that pointing a gun at someone to defend oneself or another is not “brandishing.” House Bill 5092 establishes a statutory definition of brandishing that requires an “intent” to threaten.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698613
House Bill 5192: Revise life insurance regulation detail
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to allow life insurance companies to use “preferred class structure mortality tables” to determine future-claim reserve levels, subject to specified limitations and restrictions.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698614
House Bill 5247: Exempt hospital pools from lifeguard mandate
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to exempt small hospital-owned health and wellness center pools from a state law that mandates lifeguards at swimming pools that are open to the public (with various exceptions).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698618
House Bill 5397: Authorize local government energy efficiency homeowner loans
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to allow local governments in communities with a municipal utility to provide an energy efficiency loan program for homeowners. Loan payments could be made with utility bills.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698622
House Bill 5447: Designate road after murdered corrections officer
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to designate a portion of U.S. 41 in Marquette County as the “Earl DeMarse Memorial Highway”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698610
House Bill 5510: Revise paternity law and unwed father child support details
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to specify procedures for a father and mother signing an “acknowledgment of parentage” form. See also House Bills 5463 to 5473.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698617
House Bill 5543: Redesignate a road
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to designate a portion of highway M-57 in Montcalm county as the “Joseph Prentler Memorial Highway”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698611
House Bill 5715: Redesignate a bridge
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to redesignate the M-64 bridge over the Ontonagon river in Ontonagon as the “Ontonagon County Veterans Memorial Bridge”..
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698612
House Bill 5794: Correct error in foreclosure law revision
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to correct an error in a law enacted earlier in 2014 that revised details of the right of a foreclosure auction property buyer to monitor the property during the post-auction redemption period (during which a delinquent borrower can pay the loan in full to redeem the property). In one provision of that bill it referred to the “mortgagor” when it meant the purchaser.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698627
House Bill 5795: Revise mortgage foreclosure detail
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to revise the law that permits a delinquent home borrower (mortgagor) to redeem the property for six months after a foreclosure auction by paying the loan in full. The bill would require the mortgagor to record his or her interest at the register of deeds office to be eligible to exercise the right of redemption.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698628
House Bill 5839: Establish standard for permanent revocation of health provider licenses
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to add a definition of “permanent revocation” of an occupational license in the law that mandates licensure for many professions. The bill is part of a legislative package comprised of House Bills 5839 to 5842 that provide for the permanent revocation of a health profession license or registration if the person engaged in a pattern of intentional fraudulent acts for personal gain that harmed patients; expands the types of violations that could result in license revocation; and makes certain assaultive crimes, including 1st- and 2nd degree murder, grounds for permanent revocation.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698619
House Bill 5840: Establish standard for permanent revocation of health provider licenses
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to allow for the permanent revocation of a health profession license or registration if the person committed serious assault crimes while acting within his or her profession. This is part of a legislative package comprised of House Bills 5839 to 5842.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698620
House Bill 5841: Establish standard for permanent revocation of health provider licenses
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to allow for the permanent revocation of a health profession license or registration if the person engaged in a pattern of intentional fraudulent acts for personal gain that harmed patients. Permanent revocation would require the person to both engage in a pattern of intentional fraud for personal gain and cause harm to patients’ health, unless the person committed criminal sexual conduct involving a patient. This is part of a legislative package comprised of House Bills 5839 to 5842.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698621
House Bill 6074: Exempt college athletes from unionization
Passed 25 to 11 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to establish that college students who participate in intercollegiate athletics on behalf of a state university are not considered “public employees” subject to unionization under the law that mandates schools and local governments must engage in collective bargaining with government employee unions.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698629
Senate Bill 738: Require auto insurers give potential Medicaid info to state
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on December 17, 2014, to extend for another four years the sunset on a 2011 law that requires auto insurers to provide the Secretary of State with all vehicle owners’ insurance policy and identification information, which it then forwards to the Department of Community Health for purposes of claiming from insurers money for services already reimbursed by government health care welfare programs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698783
Senate Bill 791: Revise, make permanent non-transportation 7/8th cent gas tax
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on December 17, 2014, to eliminate the 2016 sunset on a 7/8ths cent-per-gallon gas tax that was originally supposed to expire in 1998 and be used to clean up leaking underground fuel tanks, but which has been extended several times and was diverted to other government spending by a 2004 “fund raid.” However, the bill would earmark $20 million of the annual revenue of around $50 million from this tax to underground tank cleanups (as originally intended), and add some limits on using money from this tax to support unrelated activities.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698770
Senate Bill 797: Increase banned species introduction penalties
Passed 104 to 4 in the House on December 17, 2014, to authorize the seizure and forfeiture of property used to violate the state law banning the introduction of banned non-native species into the state.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698772
Senate Bill 799: Increase banned species introduction penalties
Passed 104 to 4 in the House on December 17, 2014, to authorize suspending the commercial fishing license of a person who introduces into the state a prohibited non-native species. Senate Bill 800 authorizes other penalties.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698775
Senate Bill 886: Regulate “continuing care agreements”
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on December 17, 2014, to repeal a law regulating the terms and sale of life estates, life leases, and long-term leases in nursing homes, retirement homes, homes for the aged, and foster care facilities, and replace it with a new law that styles these contracts as “continuing care agreements” and “continuing care communities,” which can also include independent living units and adult foster care facilities. The bill would impose detailed registration and disclosure requirements for entities that make such offers, and regulate the terms they offer.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698761
Senate Bill 887: Regulate “continuing care agreements”
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on December 17, 2014, to exempt the community care operations Senate Bill 886 would regulate from certain state rules governing a facility’s provision of various licensed medical professionals to residents.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698763
Senate Bill 888: Regulate “continuing care agreements”
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on December 17, 2014, to exempt the community care operations Senate Bill 886 would regulate from certain state rules governing an adult foster care facility’s provision to residents of various licensed medical professionals.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698765
Senate Bill 889: Regulate “continuing care agreements”
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on December 17, 2014, to repeal certain criminal sentencing guidelines that reference a nursing home regulatory regime that Senate Bill 886 would alter.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698768
Senate Bill 1011: Suspend not terminate Medicaid of prisoner with mental illness
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on December 17, 2014, to require the state to suspend but not terminate Medicaid eligibility for an individual with a “serious emotional disturbance” or mental illness if the person is in jail, prison, a state mental health inpatient program or a “youth correctional center.” This would permit the individual to start getting Medicaid benefits again immediately after release.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698744
Senate Bill 1043: Update land survey “corner” rules
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on December 17, 2014, to revise and update various definitions in the state law intended to protect and perpetuate public land survey “corners” and the monuments marking them, and revise certain procedures surveyors must use related to these corners.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698784
Senate Bill 1099: Redesignate a highway
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on December 17, 2014, to designate a portion of Highway M-6 in Kent county as the “David Warsen Memorial Highway”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698731
Senate Bill 1125: Authorize transferring municipal cemetery duties to nonprofit
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on December 17, 2014, to permit certain municipalities that own a cemetery to transfer its “perpetual care and maintenance” duties to a separate nonprofit “community foundation” as defined by the bill.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698758
Senate Bill 1146: Rename a road to
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on December 17, 2014, to designate Scott Lake Road in Oakland County as the “Officer James R. DeLoach and Officer Steven J. Niewiek Memorial Highway”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698786
House Bill 4237: Sell telecom providers space on State Police radio towers
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to allow the state to sell space on the state’s public safety communications towers to telecommunications providers who want to use these for their own equipment, and use the revenue generated to make payments on the government debt incurred to build the towers.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698757
House Bill 4290: Require disclosure of Department of Treasury audit procedures
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to require the Department of Treasury to publish and post online all audit manuals including training manuals, plus all internal policy statements, bulletins, memos, or other documents.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698832
House Bill 4480: Require more detailed reports on corporate subsidy costs & outcomes
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to require the Michigan Strategic Fund and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to annually submit and post online more detailed reports on the costs and outcomes generated by their various “economic development” loan, tax break and subsidy programs targeted at specific corporations, developers or industries.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698787
House Bill 4481: Convert 21st Century Jobs Fund from rule-based to discretionary subsidy program
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to essentially eliminate various restrictions and requirements that apply to money spent by a “commercialization” component of the “21st Century Jobs Fund” business subsidy program. The bill would transfer authority over this spending from “independent experts” on a “commercialization board” to political appointees on the Michigan Strategic Fund board. This and related bills would generally convert this from appearing to be a “rule-based” subsidy program governed by statutory prescriptions and restrictions into one in which the board have more discretion to give out the subsidies. See also 4480, which requires more disclosures on the cost and outcomes of these programs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698789
House Bill 4482: Convert 21st Century Jobs Fund from rule-based to discretionary corporate subsidies
Passed 28 to 9 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to consolidate within the Michigan Strategic Fund agency the decision-making powers currently vested in various other government “economic development” and job training programs created over the years, including the “21st Century Jobs Fund.” In general the bill amends the law creating this agency to reflect proposals in Senate Bills 269 to 272, SB 278, House Bill 4481 and others that together convert these activities from rule-based programs to ones in which subsidies, loans and tax breaks are granted at the discretion of political appointees on the Michigan Strategic Fund board. The bill also expand this agency’s authority over “brownfield” and “historic district” tax breaks and subsidies, and job training subsidies for particular firms.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698792
House Bill 4485: Clarify self-storage rental insurance regulation
Passed 34 to 3 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to establish that a person whose only sale of insurance is for property stored in a self-service storage facility is not required to obtain an insurance agent license.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698850
House Bill 4544: Revise low income heating subsidy spending
Passed 31 to 6 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to require the state to spend amount at least $6 million of the money from a federal low income household home energy subsidy block grant program for weatherization, but not more than 15 percent. The bill would also require private owners of rental property to pay part of the weatherization cost, unless the owner is a nonprofit entity.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698802
House Bill 4576: Regulate federal health care law “navigators”
Passed 102 to 7 in the House on December 17, 2014, to impose regulation and a “certification” requirement on the “navigators” authorized by the federal health care law (“Obamacare”) to assist persons applying for government-subsidized health insurance benefits through agency this law creates (the “exchange”), and on “application counselors, who perform a similar role. The bill authorizes background checks, testing and training requirements, and more. Among other things it would prohibit an individual, firm or other entity certified as a “navigator” or “application counselor” from steering a person toward any particular insurance policy, as opposed to just providing information on the policies.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698741
House Bill 4649: Create foster care parents “bill of rights”
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to create a foster care parents “bill of rights” that among other things would require state authorities to provide “timely financial reimbursement for foster children in the foster parent’s care,” a “fair, timely, and impartial investigation of complaints concerning the foster parent’s licensure,” due process during any investigation, and more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698828
House Bill 4650: Create foster care parents “bill of rights”
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 16, 2014, to give the state “children’s ombudsman” the duty of investigating matters related to the proposal in House Bill 4649 to create a foster care parents “bill of rights”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698616
House Bill 4736: Authorize sexually transmitted disease “expedited partner therapy”
Passed 27 to 10 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to authorize the use of “expedited partner therapy” to limit the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, which means a health professional giving a person diagnosed with gonorrhea or chlamydia a single-dose antibiotic for the partner who has not been seen by the health professional. The bill would also extend limited legal immunity to health professionals providing this, except for gross negligence.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698808
House Bill 4783: Expand a corporate/developer subsidy regime
Passed 31 to 6 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to authorize creation of a seventh “Next Michigan Development Corporation,” which is a government agency that gives tax breaks and subsidies to particular corporations or developers selected by political appointees on the entity’s board for projects meeting extremely broad “multi-modal commerce” criteria (basically, any form of goods-related commerce). This would probably be in Detroit (see also Senate Bill 398). In December, 2013 the legislature enacted a law authorizing sixth such entity, this in the Upper Peninsula.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698793
House Bill 4882: Revised delinquent property tax payment
Passed 31 to 4 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to allow a local government to create a delinquent property tax installment plan for a “financially distressed person,” and waive the interest charges if the person actually pays-off the delinquent amounts.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698774
House Bill 4920: Delay certain mandated large retailer use and sales tax prepayments
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to revise timing details in a new law that increases the amount of use tax and sales tax prepayments large retailers are required to pay in advance to the state.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698752
House Bill 4921: Delay certain mandated large retailer use and sales tax prepayments
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to revise timing details in a new law that increases the amount of use tax and sales tax prepayments large retailers are required to pay in advance to the state.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698754
House Bill 5141: Transfer state property to Kent county
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to transfer the state owned “Rogue River Streambank Access” property in Kent County to the county.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698833
House Bill 5182: Give tax break to nonprofit housing organizations
Passed 21 to 16 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to exempt dwellings owned by a charitable nonprofit housing organization from property tax for five years, or until the property is transferred to a low income person. Under current law, local governments may grant this tax break but are not required to.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698840
House Bill 5195: Allow multiple-customer deer sausage processing
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to allow a butcher to produce wild game sausage using game caught by multiple customers if the butcher provides notice to these customers. This refers to hunters who pay to have game processed for their own private consumption and not for sale to the public.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698749
House Bill 5202: Revise installment tax payment detail
Passed 34 to 3 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to establish that tax liens on township special assessment installment payments do not become effective (“attach”) until the payment is due.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698839
House Bill 5421: Revise delinquent property tax interest detail
Passed 31 to 4 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to waive certain additional interest charges imposed on the delinquent property taxes of tax-foreclosed residential property when that is being redeemed by the owner.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698776
House Bill 5439: Permit growing industrial hemp for research
Passed 27 to 10 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to allow the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and/or a Michigan college or university to grow or cultivate industrial hemp for research purposes. The bill would also authorize creating a segregated state fund to provide grants for this research.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698841
House Bill 5440: Permit growing industrial hemp for research
Passed 25 to 12 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to revise the law that defines marijuana as an illegal drug so as to exclude “industrial hemp” grown or cultivated for research, which House Bill 5439 would authorize.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698842
House Bill 5444: Revise foster care trust fund details
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to revise details of a state trust fund supports college or career training programs for foster care children who “age out” of the system. The bill would cap the administrative expenses the Fund could incur, transfer management of the money from a board to the Department of Treasury, and require the department to “collaborate” with state colleges and universities to “assist current and former foster care students who have unmet financial education needs and assist in the effort to create sustainable futures for those foster care students”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698834
House Bill 5684: Expand drain commission powers
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to allow government drainage districts to “acquire interests in real or personal property by gift, purchase, or any other method, including condemnation” (through eminent domain). Current law lets drain districts “hold, manage, and dispose of real and personal property,” but not to acquire it. Drainage districts create and maintain the “drains” (usually networks of ditches) that remove surplus water from land, allowing it to be farmed or developed.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698847
House Bill 5685: Authorize local government drain petitions
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to permit a local government to petition a drain commission for a drain (usually a network of ditches) to remove excess water from lands that traverses more than one county, if it deems this necessary for “public health.” Taxpayers in the petitioning city, village or township would then be liable “at large” for a portion of the costs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698848
House Bill 5686: Revise drain code provisions for multi-county drains
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to revise the law that authorizes local road commissions or the state Department of Transportation to petition a drain commission for a drain to remove surplus water from land adjacent to a road, so as to extend this authority to requesting a drain that traverses more than one county.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698849
House Bill 5743: Revise adoption petition details
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to revise details of a law that specifies where a person who wants to adopt a child (or an adult) must file a court petition. Specifically, the petition could be filed with the court of the county where the person resides, where the adoptee is found, or where the birth parent’s parental rights were terminated. Among other things this would streamline the procedures when the person who wants to adopt lives in another state.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698835
House Bill 5744: Revise child protective or delinquency action fees
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to eliminate the requirement to pay court fees to file certain child protective or delinquency actions in court. See House Bill 5745.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698836
House Bill 5745: Revise extended foster care assistance detail
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to specify that if a court has appointed a guardian for a youth 16 years of age or older under sections of law dealing with foster care placements, then the court would retain jurisdiction until the Department of Human Services determines the youth’s eligibility to receive extended guardianship assistance under a 2011 law that increased the eligible age from 18 to 21 for young adult foster care, guardianship assistance, and adoption assistance programs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698837
House Bill 5746: Revise extended foster care assistance detail
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to specify that if a court has appointed a guardian for a youth 16 years of age or older under sections of law dealing with foster care placements, then the court would retain jurisdiction until the Department of Human Services determines the youth’s eligibility to receive extended guardianship assistance under a 2011 law that increased the eligible age from 18 to 21 for young adult foster care, guardianship assistance, and adoption assistance programs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698838
House Bill 5806: Allow deeper debt for college conservation improvements
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to revise a law that lets a community college borrow for a term of up 10 years to pay for an “energy conservation improvement,” instead letting them incur debt with a term of up to 25 years. The bill also eliminates a provision restricting this debt to improvements that would pay their cost in future savings.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698843
House Bill 5860: Revise property appraiser standards detail
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to establish that any changes made to property appraiser standards and qualifications by a national appraisal foundation referenced in the state licensure law will be adopted automatically as this state’s standard unless the director of the relevant state agency decides otherwise. Also, to eliminate the penalty for a real estate broker who fails to insert a disclaimer in a market analysis that it was not done by a licensed appraiser.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698756
House Bill 5862: Revise fire insurance settlement escrow amount
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 2014, to increase the maximum amount that municipalities can withhold from a property owner’s fire insurance settlement until there is evidence that the property is or will be repaired, replaced, or removed. Under current law local governments can withhold up to $8,295, which is indexed to inflation. The bill would increase this to $12,000.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698831
House Bill 5932: Revise life insurance detail
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 17, 2014, to revise life insurance regulations to use a principal-based method to calculate the amount of reserves needed to cover future benefits.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698830
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