Senate Bill 24: Authorize homestead tax exemption for inherited house
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on March 19, 2015, to establish if a person dies and leaves his or her principal residence to a child, the heir may retain the homestead property tax exemption for up to two years as long as it is vacant and not leased or used for a business operation.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=709532
Senate Bill 42: Revise commercial drivers license detail
Passed 105 to 2 in the House on March 19, 2015, to revise various details in the state law prescribing commercial drivers license standards, procedures and penalties. Among the provisions are prohibitions against fraudulent license and permit testing and fraudulently obtaining a commercial driver license. The bill also modifies details of the graduated drivers license system for new non-commercial drivers, which would apply to traffic violations before a person gets a regular license. Finally, it reduces the Secretary of State’s discretion to not issue an offensive “vanity” license plate, which comes in response to a recent free speech lawsuit.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=709478
Senate Bill 100: Revise property tax appeal details
Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate on March 19, 2015, to repeal a law making prepayment of a disputed tax levy, plus penalties and interest, a prerequisite for protesting the validity of a tax levy to the state Court of Claims. Also, to extend from 35 days to 60 days the deadline for a taxpayer to appeal a levy to the state Tax Tribunal.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=709533
Senate Bill 106: Extend charity sales tax exemption to veterans groups
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on March 19, 2015, to greatly expand for nonprofit veterans organizations a sales tax exemption allowing charitable entities to sell up to $5,000 in merchandise annually for fundraising purposes. Under the bill, veterans organizations could sell up to $25,000 in goods at each individual fund-raising event they hold before incurring sales tax liability, if the sales benefit an active duty service member or a veteran.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=709535
Senate Bill 139: Authorize fundraising “bake sales” in schools
Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate on March 19, 2015, to require the Michigan Department of Education (MDOE) to “take all steps necessary to ensure maximum state and local control” over school lunch nutrition mandates. Also, to limit to three per week the number of school day fundraising sales of food or beverages that do not meet mandated school lunch nutritional standards. The bill was introduced in response to federal and MDOE restrictions and bans on the sales.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=709536
Senate Bill 208: Mandate expulsion of students who make teacher death threats
Introduced by Sen. Dave Hildenbrand (R) on March 17, 2015, to mandate the expulsion of a public school student who threatens the life of a school employee, contractor or volunteer.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168940
Senate Bill 209: Encourage teaching America’s founding documents
Introduced by Sen. Patrick Colbeck (R) on March 17, 2015, to add language to the state school code stating that public school boards are “encouraged” to provide instruction on the “core principles” of America’s foundational documents and governmental system.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168941
Senate Bill 210: Establish annual “Patriot Week”
Introduced by Sen. Mike Kowall (R) on March 17, 2015, to designate the week starting on September 11 each year as “Patriot Week”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168942
Senate Bill 211: Authorize uncensored public school American heritage instruction
Introduced by Sen. Mike Shirkey (R) on March 17, 2015, to require public school boards to “permit” instruction and reading of “America’s founding documents” including those related to the country’s “representative form of limited government, the Bill of Rights, our free-market economic system, and patriotism.” School districts would be prohibited from censoring or restraining reading that includes “religious references in original source documents, writings, speeches, proclamations, or records”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168943
Senate Bill 212: Impose licensure on genetic counselors
Introduced by Sen. Judy Emmons (R) on March 17, 2015, to impose licensure, fees, certification through a nationally recognized certifying agency, and more on “genetic counselors” as they are defined in the bill.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168944
Senate Bill 213: Repeal duplicative worker injury notification requirement
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on March 17, 2015, to repeal a requirement in state law that employers notify regulators within eight hours of a fatality, or any hospitalization of three or more employees suffering injury from the same accident or illness from exposure to the same employment-related health hazard. The bill asserts that employers would still be subject to an identical federal requirement.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168945
Senate Bill 214: Require insurers offer abortion coverage option with federal health care law
Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on March 17, 2015, 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=168946
Senate Bill 215: Repeal ban on Detroit imposing employee residency mandate
Introduced by Sen. Morris Hood, III (D) on March 17, 2015, to exclude Detroit from the state law that prohibits local governments from imposing employee residency mandates. Under current law, a city can still prohibit employees from living more than 20 miles away.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168947
Senate Bill 216: Revise GED high school equivalency test nomenclature
Introduced by Sen. David Robertson (R) on March 18, 2015, to change the term “General Educational Development” test (GED) in the school aid act with the term “high school equivalency test,” and define it as the “GED test developed by the GED testing service, the test assessing secondary completion (TASC) developed by CTB/McGraw-Hill, the HISET test developed by the education Testing Service (ETS), or another comparable test” approved by the state Department of Education.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168957
Senate Bill 217: Revise forest property tax break references
Introduced by Sen. Darwin Booher (R) on March 18, 2015, to revise references in the property tax law to reflect changes made by a 2013 law in forest property tax breaks.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168958
Senate Bill 218: Provide insurance to fallen public safety dependents
Introduced by Sen. Wayne Schmidt (R) on March 18, 2015, to require the state to provide the spouse and dependents of a firefighter, law enforcement officer or emergency first responder who dies in the line of duty with health insurance comparable to and on similar terms as the coverage the decedent received from any source at the time of his or her death. This would end when these individuals get comparable coverage from another source.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168959
Senate Bill 219: Revise animal abuser ownership ban
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on March 18, 2015, to revise a law that prohibits an individual convicted of animal abuse from owning a similar animal for five years after being sentenced, to instead extend the ban to five years after completing the sentence, or whichever is later.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168960
Senate Bill 220: Waive fee for pet adoption criminal background check
Introduced by Sen. Steve Bieda (D) on March 18, 2015, to allow animal shelters to access a government “internet criminal history access tool” (ICHAT) at no charge for purposes of checking whether an individual who wants to adopt an animal has been convicted of an animal abuse offense.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168961
Senate Bill 221: Authorize multi-state distance learning compact
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on March 18, 2015, to authorize the state Department of Education to enter a multistate higher education compact, or enter “reciprocal agreements with public educational agencies in other states” that have the same purpose, which is essentially to hold institutions that provide distance learning courses accountable for basic contractual obligations to students, and provide an administrative process to enforce these obligations. Colleges and universities that want to be “authorized” under this arrangement would have to pay annual fees of $2,000.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168962
Senate Bill 222: Establish “Blue Star Mothers” recognition day
Introduced by Sen. David Knezek (D) on March 18, 2015, to establish as a matter of law that February 2 of each year shall be known in Michigan as “Blue Star Mothers Day”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168963
Senate Bill 223: Authorize “Women’s Health” license plate
Introduced by Sen. Hoon-Yung Hopgood (D) on March 19, 2015, to require the Secretary of State to develop a “Women’s Health” license plate, with fees collected from its sale added to amounts spent under a federal “Maternal and Child Health Block Grant,” which pays for government programs to reduce unintended pregnancies, reduce child obesity, reduce sexually transmitted diseases and more.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168982
Senate Bill 224: Impose lobbying moratorium on former lawmakers
Introduced by Sen. David Knezek (D) on March 19, 2015, to impose a two-year moratorium on lobbying by a former member of the Michigan House or Senate, or a former governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and Secretary of State. A one-year moratorium would apply to former state department heads.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168983
House Bill 4346: Channel some state road money to Wayne County townships
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on March 17, 2015, to revise the state road funding formula so it allows two or more Wayne County townships that create a roadwork “alliance” to get state road tax dollars directly, with the amount they get deducted from the amount that otherwise flows through the county.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168933
House Bill 4347: Establish “Blue Star Mothers” recognition day
Introduced by Rep. Tom Barrett (R) on March 17, 2015, to establish as a matter of law that February 2 of each year shall be known in Michigan as “Blue Star Mothers Day”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168934
House Bill 4348: Authorize Girl Scouts specialty plate
Introduced by Rep. Pam Faris (D) on March 17, 2015, to authorize a specialty license plate honoring the Girl Scouts of America, with the premium revenue going to that organization.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168935
House Bill 4349: Revise adult foster care detail
Introduced by Rep. Henry Yanez (D) on March 17, 2015, to slightly expand the definition of “adult foster care” eligible for various government subsidies so it includes facilities that provide “one or more elements” of adult foster care.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168936
House Bill 4350: Require candidate personal finance disclosures
Introduced by Rep. Vanessa Guerra (D) on March 17, 2015, to require candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, state senator, state representative, state Board of Education, elected state and university board members, current state office holders, certain executive branch officials, and local offices that pay more than 1.5 the median state per capita income, to file detailed personal financial disclosure statements.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168937
House Bill 4351: Impose lobbying moratorium on former lawmakers
Introduced by Rep. Gretchen Driskell (D) on March 17, 2015, to impose a two-year moratorium on lobbying by a former member of the Michigan House or Senate, or a former governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and secretary of state. A one-year moratorium would apply to former state department heads.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168938
House Bill 4352: Restrict state contractor political contributions
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on March 17, 2015, to prohibit giving a state contract worth more than $100,000 to a vendor who has given a gift or made a campaign contribution of $100 or more to an elected state office holder in the past 12 months.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168939
House Bill 4353: Mandate pet adoption criminal background check
Introduced by Rep. Harvey Santana (D) on March 18, 2015, to mandate that animal shelters must check a government criminal records database before letting person adopt an animal, and prohibit adoptions if the records show a person committed an animal cruelty offense in the past five years. See also Senate Bill 220.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168948
House Bill 4354: Revise insurance company trade secret detail
Introduced by Rep. Michael Webber (R) on March 18, 2015, to allow insurance companies or rating organizations filing on the insurer’s behalf to designate certain information in filings they are required to make with the state as a trade secret. If the state insurance commissioner agrees the information is proprietary then it would not be subject to open records law disclosure.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168949
House Bill 4355: Mandate pet adoption criminal background check
Introduced by Rep. Paul Muxlow (R) on March 18, 2015, to mandate that animal shelters must check a government criminal records database before letting person adopt an animal. See also Senate Bill 220.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168950
House Bill 4356: Revise intoxicated driving law medical marijuana threshold
Introduced by Rep. Klint Kesto (R) on March 18, 2015, to create an exception to the law that makes a person who drives with “any amount of a controlled substance” (illegal drugs) in their system liable for drunk or drugged driving sanctions, so that it would not apply to an individual authorized to use medical marijuana who has “less than 5 nanograms of tetrahydrocannabinol per one milliliter of blood”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168951
House Bill 4357: Revise intoxicated driving law medical marijuana threshold
Introduced by Rep. Peter Lucido (R) on March 18, 2015, to create an exception to the law that makes a person who drives with “any amount of a controlled substance” (illegal drugs) in their system liable for drunk or drugged driving sanctions, so that it would not apply to an individual authorized to use medical marijuana who has “less than 5 nanograms of tetrahydrocannabinol per one milliliter of blood”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168952
House Bill 4358: Revise disabled veteran hunting license detail
Introduced by Rep. Ken Goike (R) on March 19, 2015, to revise references in the law that authorizes free or discounted hunting licenses for disabled veterans.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168967
House Bill 4359: Require state agencies disclose non-rule rulemaking actions
Introduced by Rep. Ken Goike (R) on March 19, 2015, to require state agencies to create and create and maintain an index of all of their regulatory actions that do not fall under the formal rulemaking processes of the state Administrative Procedures Act, including: guidelines; forms with instructions; interpretive statements; informational pamphlets; intergovernmental, interagency, or intra-agency memoranda, directives, or communications; operational memoranda; bulletins; and directional or instructional documents that are sent or distributed outside of the agency. Rules or regulations formally imposed by a state department under the administrative law power delegated to it by the legislature have the force of law, even though they were not explicitly approved by an elective body.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168968
House Bill 4360: Authorize “Women’s Health” license plate
Introduced by Rep. Pam Faris (D) on March 19, 2015, to require the Secretary of State to develop a “Woman’s Health” license plate, with fees collected from its sale added to the amounts spent under a federal “Maternal and Child Health Block Grant,” which pays for government programs to reduce unintended pregnancies, reduce child obesity, reduce sexually transmitted diseases and more.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168969
House Bill 4361: Require conviction for alleged drug crime property forfeiture
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on March 19, 2015, to revise the law that authorizes forfeiture of property seized in connection with an alleged illegal drug crime, so it would prohibit forfeitures unless the owner is actually convicted. Property that that cannot be lawfully possessed or is dangerous to public health or safety could still be taken. Also, to establish that a law enforcement or other official who “negotiates for forfeiture in violation” of the proposed conviction requirement is guilty of misfeasance in office. The definition of property subject to forfeiture under this law is extremely broad.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168970
House Bill 4362: Revise workers comp insurance detail
Introduced by Rep. Jason Sheppard (R) on March 19, 2015, to establish that employers in a workers compensation self-insurance group possess a proportional share of the group’s assets that exceed its self-insurer group obligations, and require these groups to establish processes and procedures to distribute the excess, with state approval.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168971
House Bill 4363: Increase mechanical contractor license fees
Introduced by Rep. Harvey Santana (D) on March 19, 2015, to make permanent certain “temporary” license fee increases on mechanical contractors.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168972
House Bill 4364: Increase plumbers license fees
Introduced by Rep. Harvey Santana (D) on March 19, 2015, to make permanent certain “temporary” license fee increases on plumbers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168973
House Bill 4365: Cap certain previously authorized corporate subsidies or tax breaks
Introduced by Rep. Brandt Iden (R) on March 19, 2015, to reduce from $600 million to $450 million the total amount of subsidies or tax breaks that may be delivered to firms who made deals with the state guaranteeing them a certain return on investments in “early stage ventures” under a 2003 law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168974
Senate Bill 53: Revise “gun free zone” CPL exception
Passed 73 to 37 in the House on March 25, 2015, to revise the “gun free zone” provision of the concealed pistol permit law to exempt retired federal law enforcement officers who carried a firearm during their employment. This provision prohibits regular citizens who have received a permit after meeting the background check and training requirements from carrying a pistol in schools, day care facilities, sports stadiums or arenas, bars, bar/restaurants, places of worship, college dorms and classrooms, hospitals, casinos, large entertainment facilities and courts.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=709778
Senate Bill 54: Ban using a drone to interfere with hunters
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on March 25, 2015, 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=709776
Senate Bill 55: Ban hunting with a drone
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on March 25, 2015, 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=709777
Senate Bill 85: Extend preemption of local gun control to air guns
Passed 29 to 8 in the Senate on March 25, 2015, 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=709939
Senate Bill 173: Revise procedures for dissolving fiscally failed school district
The amendment failed 10 to 27 in the Senate on March 25, 2015, to appropriate $1 million to pay for a school spending study that was included as part of the deal to place a $2 billion tax increase measure on the May 5, 2015 ballot.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=709935
Senate Bill 173: Revise procedures for dissolving fiscally failed school district
Passed 29 to 8 in the Senate on March 25, 2015, to appropriate $725,000 to pay off the remaining operating debt of Buena Vista school district in Saginaw County, which was dissolved in 2012 after becoming so fiscally unviable it could no longer educate students. Also, to revise school aid payments to the three school districts that absorbed Buena Vista’s students and facilities.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=709937
House Bill 4015: Repeal ticket scalping ban
Passed 70 to 40 in the House on March 25, 2015, to repeal a state law that bans ticket “scalping” at sports and entertainment events, or selling tickets at a higher price through some service or agency.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=709780
House Bill 4051: Require certain low income housing tax disclosures
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on March 25, 2015, to allow the Department of Treasury to disclose the address and millage rate of each housing unit that is part of part of a tax-exempt housing project, and whether the units are instead subject to a “service charge” in lieu of regular property taxes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=709934
House Bill 4054: Expand mobile home court regulation
Passed 106 to 3 in the House on March 24, 2015, to impose new licensure conditions mobile home parks; require the state “Manufactured Housing Commission” to notify local governments of any complaints from residents; impose a performance bond mandate on owners of a mobile home park owners deemed “in distress” for health and safety reasons; authorize placing a court-ordered lien on a park if conditions threaten residents’ health and safety; increase health and safety fines from $10,000 to $50,000; and more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=709639
House Bill 4295: Revise firearms definition
Passed 90 to 20 in the House on March 25, 2015, to revise criminal sentencing guidelines so they conform with the proposal in House Bill 4155 to redefine “firearm” in the state penal code so it longer applies to BB, pellet, paint ball or “air-soft” guns.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=709782