Senate Bill 133: Appropriations: 2015-2016 “Omnibus” budget
Passed 23 to 15 in the Senate on May 5, 2015, the Senate version of the non-education portion of the state government budget for the fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1, 2015. This would appropriate $38.0 billion, compared to $37.4 billion originally appropriated the previous year. Of this, $17.2 billion comes from state tax, fee and other revenue, compared to $17.6 billion the previous year. The rest of this budget is federal money ($20.8 billion, compared to $19.8 billion the previous year). The education portion of the budget (K-12, community colleges and state universities) is in Senate Bill 134. Altogether, the Senate proposes to spend $53.9 billion next year, vs. $53.2 billion originally appropriated for the current year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=713157
Senate Bill 134: Appropriations: “Omnibus” education budget
Passed 25 to 13 in the Senate on May 5, 2015, the Senate version of the K-12 school aid, community college and university budgets for the fiscal year that begins Oct 1, 2015. A separate Senate budget authorizes the rest of state government spending (Senate Bill 133). This bill would appropriate $13.969 billion for K-12 public schools, compared to $13.870 billion originally appropriated for the prior year. It also appropriates $1.541 billion for state universities, compared to $1.516 billion the prior year. Community colleges would get $394 million, vs. $364 million the prior year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=713133
House Bill 4069: Revise criminal defendant “youthful trainee status”
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on May 7, 2015, to make 21 to 23 year old offenders eligible for criminal defendant “youthful trainee status,” which provides a mechanism for not including the offense on a youth’s permanent record. The bill would also establish various conditions for this status, including a full time school, work or community service requirement and more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=713275
House Bill 4071: Restrict child custody changes for active military member
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on May 7, 2015, to revise a 2005 law prohibiting a court from changing an established child custody or parenting time order of a parent has been called to active duty in the military (unless it is the best interest of the child), so as to also allow the military parent to request a stay until he or she has returned from duty at any stage before final judgment in the proceedings.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=713330
House Bill 4135: Revise criminal defendant “youthful trainee status”
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on May 7, 2015, to require (rather than just “allow”) that if a young criminal assigned to “youthful trainee status” (which provides a mechanism for not including an offense on the youth’s permanent record) is convicted for a serious felony listed in the bill while in this program, the “trainee” status must be revoked (which means the previous crime also goes on the person’s record).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=713277
House Bill 4169: Revise “boot camp” prison alternative detail
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on May 7, 2015, to eliminate the option of sending a youthful offender to prison for up to three years eligible instead of assigning him to a “special alternative incarceration” sentencing program, changing this instead to sending him to prison for two years, parole for three years, or a county jail for up to one year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=713276
House Bill 4333: Prohibit MEGA corporate subsidy deal modifications
Passed 105 to 5 in the House on May 7, 2015, to prohibit state “economic development” officials from amending or modifying a corporate tax break and subsidy deal granted to certain businesses and developers under a Michigan Economic Growth Authority law repealed in 2011. The bill was introduced after it was revealed that these agreements have generated an unfunded liability of nearly $10 billion for the state, and that officials continue to amend the deals in ways that may increase this.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=713292
House Bill 4334: Prohibit MEGA corporate subsidy deal modifications
Passed 104 to 6 in the House on May 7, 2015, to prohibit state “economic development” officials from amending or modifying a corporate tax break and subsidy deal granted to certain businesses and developers under a Michigan Economic Growth Authority law repealed in 2011. The bill was introduced after it was revealed that these agreements have generated an unfunded liability of nearly $10 billion for the state, and that officials continue to amend the deals in ways that may increase this.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=713293
House Bill 4362: Revise workers comp insurance detail
Passed 109 to 1 in the House on May 7, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=713376
House Bill 4389: Redesignate a road
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on May 7, 2015, to designate a segment of US 12 in Berrien County as the “ Trooper Steven B. Devries Memorial Highway”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=713328
House Bill 4432: Ban “two for one” or “all you can drink” sales at bars
Passed 106 to 4 in the House on May 7, 2015, to prohibit bars and restaurants from offering “all you can drink” for a fixed price or “two for the price of one” promotions and sales. This would not be prohibited at a private function.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=713294
House Bill 4467: Allow more dangerous prisoners at Baldwin private prison
Passed 57 to 53 in the House on May 7, 2015, to allow more dangerous adult prisoners to be held at a privately owned and managed prison whose previous contract with the state to house juvenile prisoners was revoked by Gov. Jennifer Granholm in 2005. Since then the prison has contracted with other states to house their prisoners, although it is closed now.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=713322
House Bill 4468: Authorize regional airport authorities
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on May 7, 2015, to authorize the establishment of regional airport authorities to manage the business operations of local airports. This is primarily directed at creating an authority for the Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Kent County, but it would apply statewide.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=713295
House Bill 4482: Restrict child custody changes for active military member
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on May 7, 2015, to clarify the definition of “active duty” for purposes of a 2005 law prohibiting a court from changing an established child custody or parenting time order of a parent has been called to active duty in the military. See also Senate Bill 9 and House Bill 4071.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=713331
Senate Bill 313: Limit auto insurance medical charges
Introduced by Sen. Marty Knollenberg (R) on May 5, 2015, to limit the amount that hospitals and doctors may charge for treatment covered by automobile insurance personal injury protection (PIP) benefits. The bill would prohibit charging more than the amount a provider “customarily” receives for the same services under rates negotiated with insurers for regular health coverage. This is one of several bills that would authorize cost controls on the unlimited PIP benefits mandated by Michigan’s no fault insurance law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169493
Senate Bill 314: Authorize truck weight limit exceptions for maple sap haulers
Introduced by Sen. Wayne Schmidt (R) on May 5, 2015, to include maple syrup sap in the definition of agricultural products hauled by a truck that may exceed axle-weight limits by 10 percent when being moved from the field to storage.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169494
Senate Bill 315: Make homosexuals a civil rights law “protected class”
Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on May 5, 2015, to add “sexual orientation” and “gender identity or expression” to the characteristics that define membership in a protected class, against whom it is a crime to discriminate under the state’s Elliott-Larsen civil rights law. This would make it a crime to deny employment, housing, use of public accommodations, public services, and educational facilities to another person on the basis of a perception that the person has a particular sexual orientation or gender identity.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169495
Senate Bill 316: Revise workers comp hearing detail
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on May 7, 2015, to clarify the application of an exemption to the state Open Meetings Act that applies to hearings on the merits of a worker’s compensation case by the administrative appeals board that hears these cases.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169496
Senate Bill 317: Accelerate vehicle trade-in “sales tax on the difference”
Introduced by Sen. David Robertson (R) on May 7, 2015, to eliminate the 24-year phase-in of a 2013 law that exempted from sales tax the value of a trade-in when buying a motor vehicle, titled watercraft or recreational vehicle, and instead grant the full exemption beginning Oct. 1, 2015.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169497
Senate Bill 318: Establish annual state “Fred Korematsu Day”
Introduced by Sen. Marty Knollenberg (R) on May 7, 2015, to designate January 30 as “Fred Korematsu Day” in the state of Michigan. Korematsu was an American-born citizen of Japanese descent who resisted the internment of Japanese Americans in World War II.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169498
House Bill 4540: Exempt critical infrastructure information from FOIA
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on May 5, 2015, to exempt public records related to critical energy infrastructure and government or private cybersecurity systems from disclosure under the state Freedom of Information Act.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169500
House Bill 4541: Increase Michigan education savings plan balance cap
Introduced by Rep. Anthony Forlini (R) on May 5, 2015, to increase from $235,000 to $500,000 the maximum balance allowed in Michigan “section 529” education savings plans for a particular beneficiary.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169502
House Bill 4542: Create college saving plan for disabled students
Introduced by Rep. Anthony Forlini (R) on May 5, 2015, to authorize a new “ABLE” tax advantaged education savings plan for beneficiaries who are disabled. Mirroring the federal law that created them, under House Bill 4544 balances and distributions from a student’s account would not be included in gross income for purposes of caps on various scholarship and aid programs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169503
House Bill 4543: Create college saving plan for disabled students
Introduced by Rep. Anthony Forlini (R) on May 5, 2015, to authorize an income tax deduction of $5,000 for an individual, $10,000 for a joint account, for contributions to the “ABLE” education savings accounts that House Bill 4542 would authorize.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169504
House Bill 4544: Create college saving plan for disabled students
Introduced by Rep. Nancy Jenkins (R) on May 5, 2015, to prohibit the state from considering contributions, distributions, earnings or balances in a student’s ABLE education savings account (see House Bill 4542) in the calculation used to determine financial eligibility for various welfare-related benefits.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169505
House Bill 4545: Appropriations: K-12 School Aid budget
Introduced by Rep. Al Pscholka (R) on May 5, 2015, to provide a “template” or “place holder” for a partial school aid budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 2015. This bill contains no appropriations, but may be amended at a later date to include them. Bills like this are “procedural” in nature and intended to facilitate eventual passage or adjustment of a real budget based on amounts and conditions approved by the House and Senate.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169506
House Bill 4546: Appropriations: Supplemental school aid budget
Introduced by Rep. Al Pscholka (R) on May 5, 2015, to provide a template or “place holder” for a potential supplemental school aid appropriation for Fiscal Year 2015-2016. This bill contains no appropriations, but may be amended at a later date to include them.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169507
House Bill 4547: Mandate recording of child abuse/neglect interviews
Introduced by Rep. Thomas Hooker (R) on May 5, 2015, to require interviews of children by government officials in alleged or suspected neglect or abuse cases to be recorded on video.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169508
House Bill 4548: Revise child abuse/neglect interview details
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on May 5, 2015, to allow the child interview video recordings mandated by House Bill 4547 to be used in a hearing on an alleged or suspected neglect or abuse case. The bill would also increase the penalty for a person who improperly and intentionally releases such a recording, authorizing up to one year in prison.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169509
House Bill 4549: Revise child abuse/neglect interview details
Introduced by Rep. Harvey Santana (D) on May 5, 2015, to allow the child interview video recordings mandated by House Bill 4547 to be used in proceedings on an alleged or suspected neglect or abuse case. The bill would also increase the penalty for a person who improperly and intentionally releases such a recording, authorizing up to one year in prison.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169510
House Bill 4550: Revise vulnerable adult abuse law
Introduced by Rep. Derek Miller (D) on May 5, 2015, to define as fourth degree vulnerable adult abus acts by a caregiver that create an “unreasonable risk or harm or injury to a vulnerable adult” even if no harm results.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169511
House Bill 4551: Authorize energy efficient new home purchase tax breaks
Introduced by Rep. Derek Miller (D) on May 5, 2015, to authorize a $5,000 individual income tax credit for a person who buys a new home that has been deemed a “green structure” by a particular private entity specified in the bill (“Green Built Michigan”), and a $2,000 credit for an addition or renovation that meets the criteria established by this entity, or by a similar entity that has been empowered with this authority by the state Department of Labor and Economic Growth. The credit would not be “refundable” (that is, would not be a potential cash subsidy), but the amount exceeding the person’s tax liability could be “carried forward” and used against future years’ tax liability.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169512
House Bill 4552: Impose additional training mandate on high school counselors
Introduced by Rep. Brett Roberts (R) on May 5, 2015, to mandate that middle school and high school counselors must take and pass a separate 45-hour course on the college admissions process and counseling, in addition to other existing licensure requirements. There would be an exception for current counselors who have at least three years experience in this particular area.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169513
House Bill 4553: Revise Personal Property Tax reform details
Introduced by Rep. David Maturen (R) on May 5, 2015, to revise details of the personal property tax reforms approved by voters in August 2014, which lowered or eliminated this tax for industrial firms and most small businesses, but not for larger commercial enterprises. This bill is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4553 to 4558, and would revise business reporting requirements and extend the new law’s tax exemptions to personal property not yet in use. The “personal property tax” is property taxes that are imposed on business tools and equipment.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169514
House Bill 4554: Revise Personal Property Tax reform details
Introduced by Rep. David Maturen (R) on May 5, 2015, to revise details of the personal property tax reforms approved by voters in August 2014, which lowered or eliminated this tax for industrial firms and most small businesses, but not for larger commercial enterprises. This bill is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4553 to 4558, and would revise the basis on which a so-called “alternative services” tax is levied, which was a device used to shift the burden of this business tax cut from local governments to the state. The “personal property tax” is property taxes that are imposed on business tools and equipment.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169515
House Bill 4555: Revise Personal Property Tax reform details
Introduced by Rep. Ken Yonker (R) on May 5, 2015, to revise details of the personal property tax reforms approved by voters in August 2014, which lowered or eliminated this tax for industrial firms and most small businesses. This bill is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4553 to 4558, and would revise the basis on which a so-called “alternative services” tax is levied, which is a device the 2014 reform to shift the burden of this business tax cut from local governments to the state. The “personal property tax” is property taxes that are imposed on business tools and equipment.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169516
House Bill 4556: Revise Personal Property Tax reform details
Introduced in the House on May 5, 2015, to revise details of the personal property tax reforms approved by voters in August 2014, which lowered or eliminated this tax for industrial firms and most small businesses. This bill is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4553 to 4558, and would revise details of a “Local Community Stabilization Authority,” which is a device the 2014 reform used to shift the burden of this business tax cut from local governments to the state. The “personal property tax” is property taxes that are imposed on business tools and equipment.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169517
House Bill 4557: Revise Personal Property Tax reform details
Introduced by Rep. Jim Townsend (D) on May 5, 2015, to revise details of the personal property tax reforms approved by voters in August 2014, which lowered or eliminated this tax for industrial firms and most small businesses. This bill is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4553 to 4558, and amends details of the law that authorizes local governments to grant property tax abatements to particular businesses so that it conforms with the 2014 reforms. The “personal property tax” is property taxes that are imposed on business tools and equipment.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169518
House Bill 4558: Revise Personal Property Tax reform details
Introduced by Rep. Jim Townsend (D) on May 5, 2015, to revise details of the personal property tax reforms approved by voters in August 2014, which lowered or eliminated this tax for industrial firms and most small businesses. This bill is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4553 to 4558, and amends details of the law that authorizes local governments to grant “industrial facility” tax breaks to particular businesses so that it conforms with the 2014 reforms. The “personal property tax” is property taxes that are imposed on business tools and equipment.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169519
House Bill 4559: Prohibit independent Strategic Fund revenue sources and spending
Introduced by Rep. Martin Howrylak (R) on May 7, 2015, to longer allow the Michigan Strategic Fund to collect the revenue paid to the state through Indian casino gaming compacts. This is the agency under which various entities such as the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and local versions of it deliver direct and indirect subsidies to particular companies or developers selected by agency staffers and political appointees on the different program’s boards. Under the bill, all revenue and assets of the Strategic Fund would be “declared public money and assets” and only disbursed through an appropriations bill passed by the legislature.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169520
House Bill 4560: Use some auto injury reserve fund money for roads
Introduced by Rep. Peter Lucido (R) on May 7, 2015, to take $1 billion from the insurance claims reserve fund of the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA), and use it for road repair projects. The bill would direct the MCCA to replace this money from future customer insurance bills, and from growth in reserve fund investments. The MCCA is the reinsurance provider that covers unlimited vehicle crash medical claims when they go above $500,000, coverage that is mandated by the state no-fault auto insurance law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169521
House Bill 4561: Increase juror compensation
Introduced by Rep. Peter Lucido (R) on May 7, 2015, to increase juror compensation to $45 a day after the first day of jury duty (instead of the current $40), and similar increases for first days and half days.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169522
House Bill 4562: Redesignate a road
Introduced by Rep. Jon Bumstead (R) on May 7, 2015, to designate a portion of M-37 in Newaygo County as the “Brian Derks Memorial Highway”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169523
House Bill 4563: Authorize townships contracting for domestic violence victim services
Introduced by Rep. Eric Leutheuser (R) on May 7, 2015, to authorize townships to issue contracts to nonprofit entities to deliver specified services to victims of domestic violence.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169524
House Bill 4564: Simplify rules on transporting a firearm in a vehicle
Introduced by Rep. Scott Dianda (D) on May 7, 2015, to remove various rules on transporting a firearm in various containers or places in a vehicle, and instead simply require that it be unloaded.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169525
House Bill 4565: Simplify rules on transporting a firearm in a vehicle
Introduced by Rep. Scott Dianda (D) on May 7, 2015, to remove various rules on transporting a firearm in various containers or places in a vehicle, and instead simply require that it be unloaded.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169526
House Bill 4566: Earmark some sales tax to roads
Introduced by Rep. Phil Potvin (R) on May 7, 2015, to earmark part of the sales tax revenue collected on gasoline purchases to road projects, based on a formula specified in the bill.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169527
House Bill 4567: Let public schools engage in commercial business
Introduced by Rep. Bradford Jacobsen (R) on May 7, 2015, to establish that property owned or leased by a public school is considered “exempt and immune” from local zoning ordinances, and establish very broad definitions of “school building” and “school purpose.” “School purpose” would be defined as “any purpose that may provide a benefit to a public school or its governing board, including…a benefit of a commercial or financial nature”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169528
House Bill 4568: Let Secretary of State keep using some fees for administration
Introduced by Rep. Al Pscholka (R) on May 7, 2015, to extend until Oct. 1, 2019 the authority of the Secretary of State to charge for various commercial services and use that money to administer the department.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169529
House Bill 4569: Let Secretary of State keep using some fees for administration
Introduced by Rep. Al Pscholka (R) on May 7, 2015, to extend until Oct. 1, 2019 the authority of the Secretary of State use specified fees it collects to administer the department.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169530