Replies

Senate Bill 85: Extend preemption of local gun control to air guns
Passed 79 to 31 in the House on April 29, 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=712799

Senate Bill 217: Revise forest property tax break references
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on April 28, 2015, to revise references in the property tax law to reflect changes made by a 2013 law in forest property tax breaks.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712647

House Bill 4102: Appropriations: “Omnibus” state budget
The amendment passed by voice vote in the House on April 28, 2015, to impose a July 1, 2016 deadline for the Department of Community Health to establish contract performance standards for Medicaid health plans, which are essentially “Health Maintenance Organizations” run by hospitals, and through contracts with the state are the means by which most Medicaid benefits are delivered in Michigan.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=167585

House Bill 4102: Appropriations: “Omnibus” state budget
Passed 59 to 51 in the House on April 28, 2015, the House version of the non-education portion of the state government budget for the fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1, 2015. (House Bill 4115 contains K-12 school, college and university spending.) This would appropriate $37.857 billion, compared to $37.4 billion originally appropriated the previous year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712723

House Bill 4115: Appropriations: “Omnibus” education budget
Passed 60 to 50 in the House on April 29, 2015, the House version of the K-12 school aid, community college and university budgets for the fiscal year that begins Oct 1, 2015. A separate House budget authorizes the rest of state government spending (House Bill 4102). This bill would appropriate $13.906 billion for K-12 public schools, compared to $13.870 billion originally appropriated for the prior year. It also appropriates $1.527 billion for state universities, compared to $1.516 billion the prior year. Community colleges would get $392 million, vs. $364 million the prior year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712783

House Bill 4151: Repeal criminal sanctions for minor with BB gun
Passed 30 to 7 in the Senate on April 29, 2015, to repeal a law that makes it a misdemeanor for a minor unaccompanied by an adult to possess a BB pistol except in his or her own home or yard.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712742

House Bill 4152: Revise firearms definition
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on April 29, 2015, to revise the definition of “firearm” in state statute so it longer applies to BB, pellet or “air-soft” guns. The new definition would be a gun that “expels a projectile by action of an explosive”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712743

House Bill 4153: Revise firearms definition
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on April 29, 2015, to revise the definition of “firearm” in state statute so it longer applies to BB, pellet or “air-soft” guns. The new definition would be a gun that “expels a projectile by action of an explosive”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712744

House Bill 4154: Revise firearms definition
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on April 29, 2015, to revise the definition of “firearm” in the law that authorizes hunting and fishing regulations, so that it no longer applies to “air soft” or paint ball guns. Restrictions would still apply to use in the field of BB or pellet guns (precision versions of the latter are often used for hunting). This is part of a package that revises the definition of “firearm” in other statutes 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=712745

House Bill 4155: Revise firearms definition
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on April 29, 2015, to revise the definition of “firearm” in the state penal code so it longer applies to BB, pellet, paint ball or “air-soft” guns. The new definition would be a gun that “expels a projectile by action of an explosive.” However, using one of those non-firearms to commit a crime would still be subject to serious criminal penalties (the bill authorizes up to five years for a first offense).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712746

House Bill 4156: Revise firearms definition
Passed 89 to 20 in the House on February 26, 2015, to revise the definition of “firearm” in the state law authorizing regulations on selling, purchasing, possessing, and carrying a handgun, To revise the definition of “firearm” in the state penal code so it longer applies to BB, pellet, paint ball or “air-soft” guns. The new definition would be a gun that “expels a projectile by action of an explosive.” However, using a non-firearm to commit a crime would still be subject to criminal penalties.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=706732

House Bill 4160: Revise firearms “brandishing” law
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on April 29, 2015, to establish that using a firearm in self defense or to defend one’s home or property under the 2006 law repealing a legal “duty to retreat” in such situations is not considered illegal “brandishing,” which means to display or wave a firearm in a menacing or threatening manner. Also, to revise the brandishing law to require the behavior to be “willful” in order to warrant criminal prosecution. House Bill 4161 clarifies the definition of brandishing.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712751

House Bill 4161: Revise firearms “brandishing” law
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on April 29, 2015, to define “brandishing” a firearm as “to point, wave about, or display in a threatening manner with the intent to induce fear in a reasonable person.” Under current law “brandishing” is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 90 days in jail. See also House Bill 4160, which requires the behavior to be “willful” in order to warrant criminal prosecution, and exempts behavior permitted under the 2006 law repealing a legal “duty to retreat” in a self defense situation or in defense of one’s home or property.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712752

House Bill 4363: Increase mechanical contractor license fees
Passed 100 to 10 in the House on April 29, 2015, to extend for another four years certain “temporary” increases in mechanical contractor license fees. This and several related fee increases were proposed by Gov. Rick Snyder as part of his annual budget recommendation.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712772

House Bill 4364: Increase plumbers license fees
Passed 96 to 14 in the House on April 29, 2015, to extend for another four years “temporary” increases in plumbers’ license fees. This and several related fee increases were proposed by Gov. Rick Snyder as part of his annual budget recommendation.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712773

House Bill 4381: Increase licensure fees
Passed 88 to 22 in the House on April 29, 2015, to increase license fees imposed on a range of businesses and occupations in which licensure mandates are imposed as a condition of earning a living. Technically, this and related bills extend the sunset on previously enacted “temporary” fee increases. The fee increases were proposed by Gov. Rick Snyder as part of his annual budget recommendation.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712776

House Bill 4382: Increase licensure fees
Passed 92 to 18 in the House on April 29, 2015, to increase license fees imposed on electricians and electrical contractors. Technically, this and related bills extend the sunset on previously enacted “temporary” fee increases. The fee increases were proposed by Gov. Rick Snyder as part of his annual budget recommendation.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712774

House Bill 4383: Increase licensure fees
Passed 92 to 18 in the House on April 29, 2015, to increase annual building inspector registration fees. Technically, this and related bills extend the sunset on previously enacted “temporary” fee increases. The fee increases were proposed by Gov. Rick Snyder as part of his annual budget recommendation.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712775

House Bill 4384: Increase business fees
Passed 88 to 22 in the House on April 29, 2015, to increase the fees imposed on limited liability corporation annual statements of resident agents. Technically, this and related bills extend the sunset on previously enacted “temporary” fee increases. The fee increases were proposed by Gov. Rick Snyder as part of his annual budget recommendation.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712777

House Bill 4398: Increase business and occupational licensure fees
Passed 98 to 12 in the House on April 29, 2015, to increase annual registration fees imposed on stock brokers and advisors. Technically, this and related bills extend the sunset on previously enacted “temporary” fee increases. The fee increases were proposed by Gov. Rick Snyder as part of his annual budget recommendation.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712779

House Bill 4399: Increase business fees
Passed 98 to 12 in the House on April 29, 2015, to increase the fees imposed on limited liability corporation annual statements of resident agents. Technically, this and related bills extend the sunset on previously enacted “temporary” fee increases. The fee increases were proposed by Gov. Rick Snyder as part of his annual budget recommendation.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712786

House Bill 4400: Increase livestock dealer licensure fees
Passed 99 to 11 in the House on April 29, 2015, to increase the license fees imposed on livestock dealers, truckers, brokers and agents as a condition of earning a living in this profession, and to revise various details in the licensure-related regulations. Technically, this and related bills extend the sunset on previously enacted “temporary” fee increases. The fee increases were proposed by Gov. Rick Snyder as part of his annual budget recommendation.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712787

House Bill 4409: Repeal welfare “extender” subsidy
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on April 29, 2015, to repeal a law that requires the state to send $10 per month for six months to former welfare recipients who leave the they no longer qualify. The House Fiscal Agency reports the extra payments cost the state $116,400 annually.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712797

House Bill 4434: Exempt Kent County from higher foster care payment share
Passed 109 to 1 in the House on April 29, 2015, to make subject to annual appropriations a provision 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, rather than half the amount.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712798

House Bill 4439: Extend sunset on scrap tire vehicle title tax
Passed 102 to 8 in the House on April 29, 2015, to extend from Dec. 31, 2015 to Dec. 31, 2019, the $1.50 tire disposal surcharge fee that is tacked on to vehicle title fees.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712788

House Bill 4440: Shift some road tax money from corporate subsidies to road projects
Passed 107 to 3 in the House on April 29, 2015, to not earmark $12 million in annual road tax money to the state “Transportation Economic Development Fund” next year, and instead use it for regular road projects. TEDF money is a type of corporate subsidy in which the state pays for access improvements related to a particular investor’s or developer’s plant or project.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712794

House Bill 4441: Increase and/or extend government license and permit fees
Passed 109 to 1 in the House on April 29, 2015, to extend until Oct. 1, 2016 the authorization for the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to collect fees for a number of permit mandates imposed on businesses and industries by state environmental laws.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712789

House Bill 4442: Extend part time independent student scholarships
Passed 108 to 2 in the House on April 29, 2015, to limit to community college students (and not university students) a state scholarship program for part-time independent students (ones who are not a “dependent” of their parents). The bill would also replace a $600 limit on the scholarships with one to be determined by the Department of Treasury, and repeal a ban on granting them to seminary students.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712795

House Bill 4443: Increase and/or extend government license and permit fees
Passed 106 to 4 in the House on April 29, 2015, to extend for another four years (though September of 2019) a $30 State Police fee for taking fingerprints and completing a criminal record check for employment-related or licensing-related purposes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712790

House Bill 4446: Increase and/or extend government license and permit fees
Passed 103 to 7 in the House on April 29, 2015, to extend various license fees charged by the Secretary of State, and the amounts the department charges for commercial look-up services, registration services, and bulk record sales.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712792

House Bill 4448: Increase and/or extend government license and permit fees
Passed 107 to 3 in the House on April 29, 2015, to extend for another four years permit and application fees charged by the Department of Environmental Quality for shoreline and waterway infrastructure and construction projects, including marina projects, seawalls, jetties, docks, wharves, stream enclosures, golf courses, waterfront subdivisions, and more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=712793

House Bill 4515: Mandate employers create job description for each position
Introduced by Rep. Erika Geiss (D) on April 23, 2015, to mandate that employers with five or more employees must create a job description for each position that must include “a list of the essential duties and responsibilities; a description of the skills, training, and effort required to perform the job; and the working conditions and schedule.” Also, to mandate that employers make these available to job applicants, and prohibit employers from the initial and revised job descriptions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169409

House Bill 4516: Make retroactive disabled veteran property tax exemption
Introduced by Rep. Holly Hughes (R) on April 23, 2015, to make retroactive for 2013 and 2014 the principal residence property tax exemption granted to a totally disabled veteran.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169410

House Bill 4517: Revise school bond refunding detail
Introduced by Rep. David E. Rutledge (D) on April 23, 2015, to allow the bond debt of a school district that was consolidated into a larger or different district to be refinanced.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169411

House Bill 4518: Increase renewable energy mandates on utilities
Introduced by Rep. Marcia Hovey-Wright (D) on April 23, 2015, to revise the 2008 law mandating that electric utilities generate at least 10 percent of their power from “renewable” sources by 2015, by increasing this to 20 percent by 2020.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169412

House Bill 4519: Eliminate renewable energy utility surcharge
Introduced by Rep. Julie Plawecki (D) on April 23, 2015, to eliminate a provision that allows electric utilities to impose a surcharge on customer bills to pay for the mandate imposed by a 2008 law that electric utilities generate at least 10 percent of their power from “renewable” sources.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169413