House Joint Resolution UU: Increase sales tax to 7 percent
Passed 94 to 16 in the House on December 19, 2014, to place before voters in a May 5, 2015 election a constitutional amendment that would increase the state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent. The proposal would also prohibit using money earmarked to the state School Aid Fund to support state universities, and earmark a specified portion of the state Use Tax to this fund. If voters do not approve the ballot measure then a large fuel tax increase (House Bill 5477) and several related measures would not go into effect. The complete package represents a net tax increase of $1.945 billion, of which $1.2 billion would go to road projects.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699072
Senate Bill 74: Mandate school “cyberbully” policies
Passed 65 to 45 in the House on December 19, 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=699099
Senate Bill 80: Increase certain school expense reporting
Passed 102 to 8 in the House on December 19, 2014, to appropriate an additional $40 million for reading programs. Also, to require school district to post online either their accounts payable check register or the total amount of employee and board members expenses that were reimbursed.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699063
Senate Bill 81: Ban school spending on luxuries and gifts
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on December 19, 2014, to extend to regular public school districts, charter schools and the state “Education Achievement Authority” created to take over academically-failed public schools a provision in a 2004 law banning corrupt Intermediate School District (ISD) practices that requires them to have a policy against using public money to buy alcoholic beverages, jewelry, gifts, entertainment tickets, sporting event tickets, golf fees, other recreational activity fees, or illegal items.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699086
Senate Bill 93: Designate I-375 as “102nd United States Colored Troops Memorial Highway””
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on December 18, 2014, to designate I-375 in Wayne County as the “102nd United States Colored Troops (U.S.C.T.) Memorial Highway”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698912
Senate Bill 105: Retain DNA profile from all felony arrests
Passed 92 to 17 in the House on December 18, 2014, to permanently retain in a state database of DNA sample “profiles” taken from anyone arrested and charged for an alleged felony offense, even if the person is not convicted. If the person is not convicted the DNA information would not be retained in the state database.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698928
Senate Bill 106: Retain DNA profile from all felony arrests
Passed 92 to 17 in the House on December 18, 2014, to require a DNA sample be taken from any minor arrested and charged for an alleged felony offense.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698930
Senate Bill 107: Retain DNA profile from all felony arrests
Passed 92 to 17 in the House on December 18, 2014, to require a person to provide samples for chemical testing for DNA identification profiling and to provide samples for chemical testing if he or she were arrested for committing or attempting to commit a felony or an offense that would be a felony if committed by an adult. That requirement currently applies to a person arrested for certain violent felonies.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698931
Senate Bill 211: Establish firefighters’ cancer presumption
Passed 109 to 1 in the House on December 18, 2014, to establish a presumption that certain types of cancer contracted by non-volunteer firefighters arose out of and in the course of employment for purposes of granting workers compensation benefits. The burden of proof would be on the employer to show the disease was due to the individual being a smoker, or to nonwork-related causation or specific incidents. This would all be contingent on the legislature appropriating money for the benefits.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698950
Senate Bill 269: Make permanent $75 million in annual corporate subsidy spending
Passed 82 to 26 in the House on December 18, 2014, to extend through 2019 a sunset on an annual $75 million earmark to a “21st Century Jobs Fund” created by the previous administration, which provides various subsidies to particular firms or industries chosen by a board of political appointees. (The subsidies can include the state taking partial ownership of selected companies.) This money comes from a tobacco company lawsuit settlement, which the legislature may otherwise appropriate for any state spending, or use for tax cuts.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698910
Senate Bill 270: Convert 21st Century Jobs Fund from rule-based to discretionary corporate subsidies
Passed 83 to 25 in the House on December 18, 2014, to essentially eliminate requirements that certain proportions of the money spent by a “21st Century Jobs Fund” business subsidy program go to specified actions, including the state government buying shares of particular companies or giving them loans or cash grants, a tourism industry marketing subsidy, and other so-called government ‘economic development’ spending. This and related bills would in general 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 subsidies as they choose. See also Senate Bills 269 to 272 and 278, House Bills 4481 and 4482, and 2012 Senate Bill 929.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698907
Senate Bill 271: Revise corporate and developer subsidy regime
Passed 83 to 25 in the House on December 18, 2014, to increase the maximum amount of state “community revitalization” subsidies that can be awarded to a particular developer, corporation or other special interest, from $1 million to $1.5 million, plus up to three additonal subsidies of up to $10 million. The bill would also eliminate various statutory prescriptions and restrictions on how the political appointees on the Michigan Strategic Fund board may spend state revenues allocated to this subsidy program, and also delete certain disclosure and reporting requirements.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698911
Senate Bill 272: Authorize corporate and developer “port facility” subsidies
Passed 79 to 31 in the House on December 19, 2014, to expand the mission of the Michigan Strategic Fund to include providing undefined subsidies for corporations, developers and other entities involved in port facilities. Also to include in its mission dredging recreational or commercial harbors, subject to future appropriations and any conditions attached to them.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699082
Senate Bill 295: Revise tax foreclosure detail
Passed 107 to 2 in the House on December 18, 2014, to prohibit a person from bidding on tax-foreclosed property if he or she has any property with outstanding “blight” ordinance violation fines or delinquent property taxes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698899
Senate Bill 317: Rename a highway
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on December 18, 2014, to designate a portion of highway M-29 in Macomb County as the “Staff Sergeant Ergin V. Osman Memorial Highway”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698913
Senate Bill 325: Establish a “uniform child abduction prevention act”
Passed 95 to 15 in the House on December 19, 2014, to create a “uniform child abduction prevention act” that would allow a court to order abduction prevention measures in a child-custody proceeding if evidence established a credible risk of the child being taken or retained in violation of custody or visitation rights. A court could also take physical custody of a child to prevent imminent abduction.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699092
Senate Bill 398: Expand a corporate/developer subsidy regime
Passed 81 to 28 in the House on December 18, 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 one would be in Detroit.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698890
Senate Bill 423: Require schools teach American foundational principles; SCHOOL SPENDING “ADEQUACY” STUDY
The substitute passed by voice vote in the House on December 19, 2014, to delete the previous content of the bill and replace it with a requirement for a public school spending “adequacy” study.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159887
Senate Bill 423: Require schools teach American foundational principles; SCHOOL SPENDING “ADEQUACY” STUDY
Passed 72 to 38 in the House on December 19, 2014, to require the state budget agency to contract for a study to determine how much money per student is needed for a public school to educate students sufficiently well to meet state graduation requirements. Democrats have sought this for several years, and reportedly its adoption by a Republican-controlled legislature is in return for Democratic votes on a sales tax increase that is part of a $1.945 billion tax hike for road repairs and other spending.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699067
Senate Bill 427: Revise unemployment insurance payroll tax detail
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on December 18, 2014, to revise technical details of the exclusion of foreign work visa holders from state unemployment insurance.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699176
Senate Bill 427: Revise unemployment insurance payroll tax detail
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on December 18, 2014, to revise technical details of the exclusion of foreign work visa holders from state unemployment insurance.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698922
Senate Bill 492: Revise kindergarten minimum age detail
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on December 18, 2014, to extend to “schools of choice” students (who attend a public school outside the district to which they are assigned) a 2012 law that requires children to be age 5 by Sept. 1 to attend kindergarten, rather than by Dec. 1 under current law. The date change is phased-in over three years.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698936
Senate Bill 493: Preempt local amateur radio restrictions
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on December 18, 2014, to prohibit local ordinances that preclude federally licensed amateur radio service communications, or that do not comply with Federal Communications Commission rules, or that unreasonably restrict antennas up to 90 feet tall.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698914
Senate Bill 623: Revise nonprofit corporations law
Passed 77 to 32 in the House on December 18, 2014, to revise and update details of many provisions in the state law governing nonprofit corporations.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698900
Senate Bill 624: Revise nonprofit corporations law
Passed 78 to 31 in the House on December 18, 2014, to revise and update details of many provisions in the state law governing the dissolution or merger of “domestic charitable purpose corporations”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698902
Senate Bill 658: Impose “Amazon tax” on internet purchases
Passed 83 to 27 in the House on December 19, 2014, to essentially 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. Out of state sellers the meet this definition would have to collect Michigan sales tax. Reportedly the measure was adopted by the House as part of a $1.945 billion tax hike deal for roads and other spending.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699069
Senate Bill 659: Impose “Amazon tax” on internet purchases
Passed 83 to 27 in the House on December 19, 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. Out of state sellers the meet this definition would have to collect Michigan use tax.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699071
Senate Bill 695: Revise subsidized Detroit Woodward streetcar detail
Passed 72 to 38 in the House on December 19, 2014, to broaden the definition of “nonprofit street railway” operators authorized by a legislative package enacted in 2008 to create a Detroit “light rail” line (namely, a Woodward Avenue streetcar) that would be subsidized through Tax Increment Financing, public debt, state road tax money, etc. Reportedly this is necessary to conform with federal rules.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699076
Senate Bill 696: Exempt Detroit Woodward streetcar from “legacy cost” liability
Passed 72 to 38 in the House on December 19, 2014, to revise a Detroit “light rail” line legislative package enacted in 2008 to create a Woodward Avenue streetcar, so as to establish that the operator would not be liable for any “legacy costs” incurred by the Detroit Transportation Department (presumably including unfunded employee pension liabilities). Also, to exempt the property, income, and operations of this entity from all state and local taxation. See also House Bill 5168, which would authorize the Detroit area regional transportation authority created by a 2012 law to enter agreements to operate this line.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699077
Senate Bill 697: Exempt Detroit Woodward streetcar from property tax
Passed 72 to 38 in the House on December 19, 2014, to exempt the operator of a Detroit “light rail” line authorized by a legislative package enacted in 2008 from property taxes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699078
Senate Bill 730: Mandate restaurant manager food allergy training
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on December 16, 2014, to tie-bar the bill to House Bill 5804, meaning this bill cannot become law unless that one does also. HB 5804 would 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.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161596
Senate Bill 730: Mandate restaurant manager food allergy training
Passed 90 to 19 in the House on December 18, 2014, to mandate that restaurants employ at least one manager who has received training 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 food allergy notice to staff in the non-public part of the restaurant.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698892
Senate Bill 753: Exempt municipalities from sanctions for a few leaking septic systems
Passed 76 to 33 in the House on December 18, 2014, to exempt municipalities from sanctions authorized by state environmental laws for limited discharges of untreated sewage into a lake or river from three or more septic tank systems within the municipality’s jurisdiction.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698916
Senate Bill 786: Give tax breaks to aquaculture and hydroponics
Passed 94 to 16 in the House on December 19, 2014, to exempt aquaculture and hydroponics production facilities from property taxes. Senate Bill 787 would instead impose a new “specific” tax equal to 25 percent of the regular property tax.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699079
Senate Bill 787: Give tax breaks to “aquaculture” and hydroponics
Passed 93 to 17 in the House on December 19, 2014, to impose a new “specific” tax on aquaculture and hydroponics production facilities, equal to 25 percent of the regular property tax rate; Senate Bill 786 would exempt these operations from the regular property tax.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699098
Senate Bill 789: Revise concealed pistol license procedures
Passed 84 to 26 in the House on December 19, 2014, to eliminate county concealed weapon licensing boards, and transfer the responsibility for administering and issuing concealed pistol licenses to county clerks, with the State Police still performing the background checks required by the law. The bill also lowers the application fee and revises a number of other details in the CPL law, including details of mental health disqualifications.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699103
Senate Bill 790: Revise concealed pistol license procedures
Passed 85 to 25 in the House on December 19, 2014, to revise references in the criminal sentencing guidelines to reflect changes proposed by Senate Bill 789 to details of the concealed pistol license law (CPL).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699104
Senate Bill 795: Increase banned species introduction penalties
Passed 105 to 4 in the House on December 18, 2014, to authorize seizure and forfeiture of vehicle, equipment, or other property used to knowingly possess or introduce a prohibited aquatic species. Senate bills 796 to 802 would add additional sanctions. Also, to revise the procedures and standards for adding a species to the prohibited list.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698938
Senate Bill 796: Increase banned species introduction penalties
Passed 100 to 9 in the House on December 18, 2014, to revise the state sentencing guidelines to reflect the higher penalties proposed by Senate Bill 800 for introducing a prohibited non-native aquatic species.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698939
Senate Bill 800: Increase banned species introduction penalties
Passed 103 to 6 in the House on December 18, 2014, to authorize suspending the hunting, fishing and trapping rights of a person who introduces into the state a prohibited non-native species. Also, to increase the penalties for knowingly possessing or introducing a banned aquatic species, from two years in prison and a $20,000 fine to three years and $100,000.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698940
Senate Bill 847: Expand homestead property tax credit
Passed 78 to 32 in the House on December 19, 2014, to increase the property tax credit a homeowner or renter can claim against the state income tax, by lowering the income threshold in the formula used to calculate this “homestead” or principle residence exemption. The measure will not become law unless voters approve an increase to the state sales tax in a May 5, 2015 election; reportedly the bill was passed to gain Democratic votes for the two-thirds majority required to place that on the ballot.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699065
Senate Bill 852: Grant industrial plant rehab tax break for particular developer
Passed 103 to 6 in the House on December 18, 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=698923
Senate Bill 879: Revise mammography report disclosure details
Passed 92 to 18 in the House on December 18, 2014, to require the summary and written report of a mammography examination sent to a doctor or patient by a federally certified mammography facility to include cautionary information regarding breast density if the patient is determined to have “heterogeneously or extremely dense breast tissue”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698952
Senate Bill 927: Ban hunting with a drone
Passed 109 to 1 in the House on December 19, 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=699093
Senate Bill 929: Revise nonprofit corporation law detail
Passed 78 to 30 in the House on December 18, 2014, to revise the state law governing mergers and conversions of corporations and other limited liability business entities, so as to include nonprofit corporations.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698904
Senate Bill 941: Revise scrap tire regulatory regime details
Passed 107 to 2 in the House on December 18, 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=698919
Senate Bill 947: Revise collection agency audit details
Passed 65 to 45 in the House on December 18, 2014, to delete a requirement that the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) audit a collection agency on a biennial basis. The agencies would still be subject to current regulations and record keeping requirements, however.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698961
Senate Bill 962: Revise industrial tax break detail
Passed 104 to 5 in the House on December 18, 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=698924
Senate Bill 974: Expand court authority in child welfare cases
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on December 18, 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=698925
Senate Bill 975: Exempt Kent County from higher foster care payment share
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on December 18, 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=698926
Senate Bill 1007: Revise installment tax payment detail
Passed 107 to 2 in the House on December 18, 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=698921
Senate Bill 1033: Clarify ”direct primary care” and “concierge medicine” are not “insurance”
Passed 60 to 50 in the House on December 18, 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=698951
Senate Bill 1049: Grant legal immunity to trained police administration of overdose treatment
Passed 105 to 4 in the House on December 18, 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=698932
Senate Bill 1055: Repeal mandate that state printing be done in Michigan print shops
Passed 68 to 41 in the House on December 18, 2014, to repeal a requirement that all state-funded printing must be done by Michigan print shops. The would 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=698920
Senate Bill 1074: Eliminate debt cap on business job training subsidy program
Passed 108 to 2 in the House on December 18, 2014, to increase to $75 million the current $50 million debt cap in a 2008 law that authorized state job training subsidies for particular employers, provided through community colleges. The bill would also eliminate a 2018 sunset on these subsidies, which according to the Senate Fiscal Agency have already added up to $10.7 million.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698956
Senate Bill 1082
Passed 99 to 10 in the House on December 18, 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=698933
Senate Bill 1086: Exempt Kent County from higher foster care payment share
Passed 105 to 4 in the House on December 18, 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=698927
Senate Bill 1088: Allow community colleges to put money in municipal bonds
Passed 103 to 6 in the House on December 18, 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=698929
Senate Bill 1097: Expand technology business subsidies
Passed 81 to 28 in the House on December 18, 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=698934
Senate Bill 1105: Add Romulus deep injection well restrictions
Passed 70 to 40 in the House on December 19, 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=699097
Senate Bill 1140: Revise auto insurance “excluded driver” detail
Passed 101 to 8 in the House on December 18, 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 (or should have known) that a vehicle is unlawfully taken is also not eligible for benefits. Also, to include “transportation network companies” like Uber and Lyft in certain exceptions the unlimited personal injury protection benefits otherwise mandated by the state no fault insurance law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698949
Senate Bill 1142: Mandate college fire drill standards
Passed 104 to 5 in the House on December 18, 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=698937
House Bill 4001: Cap FOIA charges and increase government FOIA scofflaw penalties
Passed 101 to 9 in the House on December 19, 2014, to establish statewide standards for the costs a government body may charge to fulfill a Freedom of Information Act open records request. Among other things the bill would prohibit charging more than the wages of the lowest paid employee capable of meeting the request (or of deleting information exempt from disclosure), whether or not that person does the actual work. “Overhead” or overtime costs could not be included in the charges.
The charge for standard size copies could not exceed 10 cents per page, periodically adjusted for inflation, and the amount charged for the person making the copies (paper or electronic) could not exceed three times the state minimum wage. A government body could choose to provide bulky information in electronic format (on CD), and if the requested information is on its website could just reference this in its reply. FOIA requestors would have to be given an itemized list of the costs, and a government body’s procedures, guidelines and fees would have to be posted on its website (if it has one). The penalty and damages for wrongfully denying a request would increase from $500 to $1,000 (with fines of up to $7,500 if this is “willful and intentional”).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699109
House Bill 4186: Revise criminal record expungement rules
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 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 or both 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=699156
House Bill 4480: Require more detailed reports on corporate subsidy costs & outcomes
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on December 18, 2014, to concur with the Senate-passed version of the bill, after adding an amendment.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698889
House Bill 4539: Stop imposing sales tax on fuel sales
Passed 88 to 22 in the House on December 19, 2014, to exempt gasoline and diesel purchases from sales tax. This is part of a package that includes a large fuel tax increase (House Bill 5477),a ballot measure increasing the state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent (House Joint Resolution UU), and several related measures. The package represents a net tax increase of $1.945 billion, of which $1.2 billion would go to roads, but none of this will happen if voters do not approve the sales tax hike in a May 12, 2015 election.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699051
House Bill 4544: Revise low income heating subsidy spending
Passed 93 to 17 in the House on December 18, 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=698965
House Bill 4760: Increase interest payments to taxpayers owed refunds
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 2014, to require the state to pay “an additional monthly interest rate of 3 percent per annum” to a business that filed under the repealed Michigan Business Tax and is due a tax refund because of an overpayment, starting 90 days after the claim is due or filed.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699150
House Bill 4788: Authorize fund-raising veterans license plate
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on December 18, 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=698964
House Bill 4833: Increase election recount deposit requirement
Passed 28 to 10 in the Senate on December 18, 2014, to increase the money deposit a candidate must make to get an election recount from $10 to $25 per precinct, and to $125 per precinct if the election wasn’t close (within 50 votes or 0.5 percent).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699149
House Bill 4874: Limit local protectionist septic waste facility restrictions
Passed 25 to 13 in the Senate on December 18, 2014, to restrict a local government’s ability to mandate that septic tank servicers may only dispose of waste in a “receiving facility” in the same area as the property from which the waste was removed. A heavily indebted government facility in Grand Traverse County would be excluded. The bill would also limit local government rulemaking on applying septage waste to land.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699141
House Bill 5035: Require certain community college admissions practices
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 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=699146
House Bill 5036: Require certain community college admissions practices
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 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=699147
House Bill 5045: Allow local governments to permit golf carts on streets
Passed 36 to 2 in the Senate on December 18, 2014, to allow cities, villages and townships with fewer than 30,000 residents to permit the daytime operation of golf carts on streets. A local government could require registration but could not charge a fee for this. However, a county commission could override a municipality’s decision and prohibit golf carts on streets.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699148
House Bill 5082: Authorize child custody “parenting time coordinator”
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 2014, to authorize the appointment in child custody disputes of a “parenting time coordinator” to help implement court orders related to parenting time, if the parties agree.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699139
House Bill 5160: Allow local governments to transfer tax functions to county
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on December 18, 2014, to allow cities, townships and villages to enter agreements with counties to administer functions related to property tax collections.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699151
House Bill 5167: Require competitive bidding on some road maintenance
Passed 107 to 3 in the House on December 19, 2014, to require road agencies to seek competitive bids for road maintenance projects greater than $100,000, unless they “affirm” a different system would serve the public interest better. Also, to require the Department of Transportation to develop “performance based” road project rating system, and allocate 20 percent of funds to local agencies based on its cost/benefit criteria.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699050
House Bill 5179: Transfer western Wayne correctional
Passed 28 to 10 in the Senate on December 18, 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=699154
House Bill 5317: Restrict residential water “cross connection” inspections
Passed 26 to 12 in the Senate on December 18, 2014, to restrict state or local regulators from imposing a requirement that a “testable backflow preventer” on a residential lawn sprinkler system be inspected more than once every three years after initial installation, with certain specified inspections. This refers to a state regulation intended to prevent cross-contamination of municipal water supply systems.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699157
House Bill 5318: Restrict residential water “cross connection” inspections
Passed 26 to 12 in the Senate on December 18, 2014, to restrict local governments from imposing a requirement that a “testable backflow preventer” on a residential lawn sprinkler system be inspected more than once every three years after initial installation, with certain specified inspections. This refers to a state regulation intended to prevent cross-contamination of municipal water supply systems.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699158
House Bill 5398: Allow certain government land swaps
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 2014, to allow and establish procedures for a county or a government “land bank” to swap land with the state, the federal government or other government entity for the purpose of combining it with tax foreclosed properties into a marketable parcel.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699144
House Bill 5477: Replace per-gallon fuel tax with higher wholesale tax
Passed 93 to 17 in the House on December 19, 2014, to replace the current 19-cent per gallon gas tax and 15-cent diesel tax with a 14.9 percent wholesale fuel tax, which at current prices is 41.7 cents per gallon for gasoline and 46.4 cents for diesel. This tax hike would be mostly offset by exempting fuel sales from the state sales tax (House Bill 4539). However, neither bill will go into law unless voters approve House Joint Resolution UU in a May 5, 2015 vote, which would increase the state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent. When combined with other tax hike bills related to this deal it comes to a net tax increase of $1.945 billion.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699052
House Bill 5493: Replace per-gallon fuel tax with 6 percent wholesale tax
Passed 87 to 23 in the House on December 19, 2014, to replace the current 15 cent per gallon motor carrier fuel tax imposed on interstate truckers with a tax on the wholesale fuel price somewhere between 14.9 percent per gallon rate specified in House Bill 5477.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699055
House Bill 5563: Revise abandoned vehicle regulations
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 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=699142
House Bill 5636: Permit golf cart road road use without insurance
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 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=699143
House Bill 5669: Revise private school teacher “professional development” detail
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 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=699140
House Bill 5812: Cap fees for electronic copy of electronic deeds
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 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=699153
House Bill 5842: Establish standard for permanent revocation of health provider licenses
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 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=699138
House Bill 5862: Revise fire insurance settlement escrow amount
Passed 94 to 14 in the House on December 18, 2014, to concur with the Senate-passed version of the bil.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698897
House Bill 5868: Establish library tax district consolidation measures
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 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=699165
House Bill 5930: Revise sanctions for probation violations
Failed 11 to 27 in the Senate on December 18, 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=699199
House Bill 5931: Revise sanctions for parole violations
Failed 12 to 26 in the Senate on December 18, 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=699200
House Joint Resolution UU: Increase sales tax to 7 percent
Passed 26 to 12 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to place before voters in a May 5, 2015 election a constitutional amendment that would increase the state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent. The proposal would also prohibit using money earmarked to the state School Aid Fund to support state universities, and earmark a specified portion of the state Use Tax to this fund. If voters do not approve the ballot measure then a large fuel tax increase (House Bill 5477) and several related measures would not go into effect. The complete package represents a net tax increase of $1.945 billion, of which $1.2 billion would go to road projects.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699213
Senate Bill 423: Require schools teach American foundational principles; SCHOOL SPENDING “ADEQUACY” STUDY
Passed 20 to 18 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to require the state budget agency to contract for a study to determine how much money per student is needed for a public school to educate students sufficiently well to meet state graduation requirements. Reportedly the bill was adopted Republican-controlled legislature in return for Democratic votes on a sales tax increase that is part of a $1.945 billion tax hike for road repairs and other spending.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699221
Senate Bill 847: Expand homestead property tax credit
Passed 23 to 15 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, To increase the state Earned Income Tax Credit, which makes payments to low income wage earners. The measure will not become law unless voters approve an increase to the state sales tax in a May 5, 2015 election; reportedly the bill was passed to gain Democratic votes for the two-thirds majority required to place that on the ballot. This was added to the original provisions of the bill, which increase the property tax credit a homeowner or renter can claim against the state income tax, by lowering the income threshold in the formula used to calculate this “homestead” or principle residence exemption.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699219
Senate Bill 926: Ban using a drone to interfere with hunters
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on December 16, 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=698663
House Bill 4001: Cap FOIA charges and increase government FOIA scofflaw penalties
Passed 30 to 8 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to limit the costs a government body may charge to fulfill a Freedom of Information Act open records request. Among other things the bill would prohibit charging more than the wages of the lowest paid employee capable of meeting the request (or of deleting information exempt from disclosure), whether or not that person does the actual work. “Overhead” or overtime costs could not be included. A government body could choose to provide bulky information in electronic format (on CD), and if the requested information is on its website could just reference this in its reply. FOIA requestors would have to be given an itemized list of the costs, and a government body’s procedures, guidelines and fees would have to be posted on its website (if it has one). Tardy responses would be subject to a discount of up to 50 percent. The penalty and damages for wrongfully denying a request would increase from $500 to $1,000 (with fines of up to $7,500 if this is “willful and intentional”). More rigorous sanctions previously adopted by the House were stripped out in this final Senate-passed version.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699216
House Bill 4251: Revise local road project contracting details
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to establish that if a township contributes 50 percent or more to the cost of a road project and certain other conditions apply, it can require the county road commission contract for the work through competitive bidding. This is part of a House road funding package.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699232
House Bill 4539: Stop imposing sales tax on fuel sales
Passed 23 to 15 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to exempt gasoline and diesel purchases from sales tax. This is part of a package that includes a large fuel tax increase (House Bill 5477),a ballot measure increasing the state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent (House Joint Resolution UU), and several related measures. The package represents a net tax increase of $1.945 billion, of which $1.2 billion would go to roads, but none of this will happen if voters do not approve the sales tax hike in a May 5, 2015 election.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699239
House Bill 4630: Increase vehicle registration taxes
Passed 23 to 15 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to increase vehicle registration taxes on trucks, on cars more than three years old, and on electric vehicles. Vehicle owners would pay around $95 million more each year if the bill goes into effect. However, that will only happen if voters approve increasing the state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent in a May 5, 2015 election (see House Joint Resolution UU). Both measures are part of a $1.945 billion tax hike package that would generate $1.2 billion more each year for road repairs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699222
House Bill 4630: Increase vehicle registration taxes
Passed 67 to 43 in the House on December 19, 2014, to increase vehicle registration taxes on trucks, on cars more than three years old, and on electric vehicles. Vehicle owners would pay around $95 million more each year if the bill goes into effect. However, that will only happen if voters approve increasing the state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent in a May 5, 2015 election (see House Joint Resolution UU). Both measures are part of a $1.945 billion tax hike package that would generate $1.2 billion more each year for road repairs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699056
House Bill 5167: Require competitive bidding on some road maintenance
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to require road agencies to seek competitive bids for road maintenance projects greater than $100,000, unless they “affirm” a different system would serve the public interest better. Also, to require the Department of Transportation to develop “performance based” road project rating system, and allocate 20 percent of funds to local agencies based on its cost/benefit criteria.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699234
House Bill 5198: Revise child services worker discipline procedure
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to allow access to confidential records contained in a state database of serious child abuse incidents to a state employee undergoing a disciplinary action. Access would be limited only to the individual’s union representative, or the arbitrator or official conducting a hearing involving the employee’s dereliction or malfeasance. This access would be for use of records solely in connection with that action or hearing.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699224
House Bill 5341: Revise welfare application confidentiality details
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to revise existing restrictions on releasing information related to an individuals’ applications for welfare and related programs, which are considered records open to the public. The bill would exclude public access to documents in an individual’s record’s that come from another agency or organization, unless required by other state or federal laws, or in response to a court order.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699225
House Bill 5389: Revise nursing home feeding detail
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to allow a nursing home to employ a trained person to provide feeding assistance to a resident who does not have complicated feeding problems, under the supervision of a nurse, and with consent of the resident or resident’s representative.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699257
House Bill 5418: Allow private employers to give preferences to veterans
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 19, 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=699226
House Bill 5460: Require local road agencies get warranties on road projects
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to expand to local road agencies a requirement to warranties from contractors for road construction and preservation projects valued at more than $1 million. Under current law the warranty requirement only applies to the state Department of Transportation. Also, to require the Department of Transportation to give extra assistance (possibly including grants and loans) to minority-owned and “disadvantaged” businesses that bid on state funded road projects; and to take other step to steer more state-funded road work to such firms, including annual consultations with certain ethnic- and race-bases organizations.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699256
House Bill 5460: Require local road agencies get warranties on road projects
Passed 99 to 11 in the House on December 19, 2014, to expand to local road agencies a requirement to warranties from contractors for road construction and preservation projects valued at more than $1 million. Under current law the warranty requirement only applies to the state Department of Transportation. Also, to require the Department of Transportation to give extra assistance (possibly including grants and loans) to minority-owned and “disadvantaged” businesses that bid on state funded road projects; and to take other step to steer more state-funded road work to such firms, including annual consultations with certain ethnic- and race-based organizations.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699060
House Bill 5460: Require local road agencies get warranties on road projects
The amendment passed by voice vote in the House on December 19, 2014, to require the Department of Transportation to give extra assistance (possibly including grants and loans) to minority-owned and “disadvantaged” businesses that bid on state funded road projects; and to take other step to steer more state-funded road work to such firms, including annual consultations with certain ethnic- and race-based organizations.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164067
House Bill 5477: Replace per-gallon fuel tax with higher wholesale tax
Passed 23 to 15 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to replace the current 19-cent per gallon gas tax and 15-cent diesel tax with a 14.9 percent wholesale fuel tax, which at current prices is 41.7 cents per gallon for gasoline and 46.4 cents for diesel. This tax hike would be mostly offset by exempting fuel sales from the state sales tax (House Bill 4539). However, neither bill will go into law unless voters approve House Joint Resolution UU in a May 5, 2015 vote, which would increase the state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent. When combined with other tax hike bills related to this deal it comes to a net tax increase of $1.945 billion.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699214
House Bill 5492: Earmark some state use tax to roads
Passed 88 to 22 in the House on December 19, 2014, to exempt fuel sales from the state “use tax,” and revise revenue distributions to incorporate a proposed increase of the state use tax from 6 percent to 7 seven percent. This is part of a package that represents a net tax increase of $1.945 billion, of which $1.2 billion would go to road repairs and the rest to other spending, but which is contingent on voters approving an increase in the state use and sales taxes from 6 percent to 7 percent in a May 5 election. See also House Bill 5477.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699106
House Bill 5492: Earmark some state use tax to roads
Passed 24 to 14 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to exempt fuel sales from the state “use tax,” and revise revenue distributions to incorporate a proposed increase of the state use tax from 6 percent to 7 seven percent. This is part of a package that represents a net tax increase of $1.945 billion, of which $1.2 billion would go to road repairs and the rest to other spending, but which is contingent on voters approving an increase in the state use and sales taxes from 6 percent to 7 percent in a May 5 election. See also House Bill 5477.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699217
House Bill 5513: Expand mobile home court environmental regulation
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 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=699145
House Bill 5667: Let clerks choose electronic voting system
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 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=699164
House Bill 5714: Revise regulations on household movers
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 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=699152
House Bill 5792: Mandate insurance ownership divestment disclosures
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 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=699162
House Bill 5823: Require insurance company risk assessments
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 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=699163
House Bill 5928: Create incarceration and sentencing study panel
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 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=699197
House Bill 5929: Revise “community corrections programs”
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on December 18, 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=699198
House Bill 6079: Revise securities law detail
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 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=699159