House Bill 4601: Increase gas and diesel tax
Introduced by Rep. David E. Rutledge (D) on May 14, 2015, to gradually increase the tax on gasoline and diesel from 19 cents and 15 cents per gallon respectively to 34 cents per gallon by 2018.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169602
House Bill 4605: House GOP road funding package
Introduced by Rep. Al Pscholka (R) on May 14, 2015, to earmark a portion of state income tax revenue to road funding, starting with $192 million in 2016 and increasing to $717 million in 2019. The 2019 level would then be indexed to inflation in future years.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169606
House Bill 4606: House GOP road funding package
Introduced by Rep. Phil Potvin (R) on May 14, 2015, to earmark a portion of annual state sales tax revenue (around $130 million) to road funding.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169608
House Bill 4607: House GOP road funding package (corporate subsidies repeal)
Introduced by Rep. Peter Pettalia (R) on May 14, 2015, to no longer spend $75 million annually on various direct and indirect subsidies granted to corporations and developers under the “21st Century Jobs Fund” rubric, and instead use this money on road repairs and improvements.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169609
House Bill 4608: House GOP road funding package (corporate subsidies repeal)
Introduced by Rep. Lee Chatfield (R) on May 14, 2015, to no longer channel $60 million in payments from Indian casinos to the “Michigan Strategic Fund,” which is the entity under which the state’s various corporate subsidy programs are organized, and instead use this money for road repairs and improvements.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169610
House Bill 4609: House GOP road funding package (EITC repeal)
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Farrington (R) on May 14, 2015, to eliminate the state earned income tax credit, which grants recipients an amount equal to 6 percent of the federal EITC. The EITC is a refundable tax credit (or “reverse income tax”) that sends checks to low income workers, totalling around $115 million annually. This is part of a House Republican road funding package, that earmarks more money to roads from the same state “general fund” from which EITC payments are paid.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169611
House Bill 4610: House GOP road funding package
Introduced by Rep. Aaron Miller (R) on May 14, 2015, to establish that if a township contributes 50 percent or more to the cost of a road project, it can require the county road commission to contract for the work through competitive bidding.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169612
House Bill 4611: House GOP road funding package
Introduced by Rep. Edward Canfield (R) on May 14, 2015, to require road agencies to seek competitive bids for road maintenance projects greater than $100,000.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169613
House Bill 4612: House GOP road funding package
Introduced by Rep. Eric Leutheuser (R) on May 14, 2015, to impose an annual vehicle registration surtax of $100 on gas-electric hybrid-drive vehicles, $200 on hybrid trucks over 8,000 pounds, $225 on electric cars and plug-in hybrids, and $400 on electric trucks over 8,000 pounds (if any are produced).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169614
House Bill 4613: House GOP road funding package
Introduced by Rep. Dan Lauwers (R) on May 14, 2015, to require local road agencies to get a contractor’s warranty on all road projects that cost more than $1 million.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169615
House Bill 4614: House GOP road funding package
Introduced by Rep. Andrea LaFontaine (R) on May 14, 2015, to revise details of the Michigan version of the “Streamlined Sales Tax” project being pursued this and most states with the goal of taxing out-of-state purchase, so that it conforms with the proposal in House Bill 4615 to extend motor fuel taxes to natural gas burned in Michigan by trucks that was purchased in other states, and to extend the sales tax credit interstate truckers are allowed on fuel purchased in this state.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169616
House Bill 4615: House GOP road funding package
Introduced by Rep. Rob VerHeulen (R) on May 14, 2015, to increase the current 15 cents per gallon diesel fuel tax to 19 cents per gallon, and then increase it each year by 5 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is less. Also, to apply this tax to natural gas or other “alternative fuels” burned by vehicles, at a rate equivalent to their diesel fuel energy equivalent.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169617
House Bill 4616: House GOP road funding package
Introduced by Rep. Michael McCready (R) on May 14, 2015, to increase the current 15 cent per gallon motor carrier fuel tax imposed on interstate truckers to 19 cents per gallon, and revise it to conform with the extension of this tax to natural gas and other “alternative fuels” burned by interstate trucks, both of which mirror the proposals in House Bill 4615 to raise and extend the tax on regular in-state diesel purchases.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169618
Bump for later.
Senate Bill 319: Repeal school “adequacy study” mandate
Introduced by Sen. Mike Shirkey (R) on May 12, 2015, to repeal a law passed on the last day of the 2013-2014 Legislature that requires the state to pay a contractor to study and report on how much money per student is needed to teach public school students sufficiently well to meet state graduation requirements. Reportedly this law was passed to get Democratic votes on a sales tax increase measure that became part of the failed 2015 Proposal 1 road funding ballot initiative.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169553
Senate Bill 320: Revise nurse scope of practice
Introduced by Sen. Mike Kowall (R) on May 7, 2015, to revise the scope of practice allowed for certified registered nurse anesthetists, by allowing these professionals to anesthetize patients without the direct supervision of an anesthetist who is a medical doctor.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169499
Senate Bill 321: Revise Bay County judge details
Introduced by Sen. Michael Green (R) on May 12, 2015, to not reduce the number of judges in the 18th judicial circuit (Bay County) by one as prescribed by current law, and instead decrease by one the number of judges in the 74th district court, which also covers Bay County.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169554
Senate Bill 322: Eliminate sunset on road commission eliminations
Introduced by Sen. Dale W. Zorn (R) on May 12, 2015, to eliminate a Jan. 1, 2015 sunset on a 2011 law that provides procedures for eliminating a county road commission and transferring its duties to the county board.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169555
Senate Bill 323: Eliminate sunset on road commission eliminations
Introduced by Sen. Dale W. Zorn (R) on May 12, 2015, to eliminate a Jan. 1, 2015 sunset on a 2011 law that provides procedures for eliminating a county road commission and transferring its duties to the county board.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169556
Senate Bill 324: Require local agency policies for police involved in a death
Introduced by Sen. Coleman Young, II (D) on May 12, 2015, to require local police and sheriff departments to have a policy on deaths that involve a law enforcement officer. This would have to include requiring an investigation by two officers who are not employed by the same agency.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169557
Senate Bill 325: Authorize police body camera pilot program
Introduced by Sen. Coleman Young, II (D) on May 12, 2015, to authorize grants that Wayne County law enforcement agencies could apply for that would provide police body cameras, with the information collected used to establish a statewide policy and rules for this. The bill prescribes various requirements and restrictions on the use of police body cameras. See also House Bill 4229.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169558
Senate Bill 326: Establish B-24 Liberator as symbolic “state airplane”
Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on May 12, 2015, to establish that the B-24 Liberator flown by he U.S. Army Air Force and Navy in WW II shall be deemed the “official airplane” of the state of Michigan. The B-24 was a sophisticated four-engine bomber produced in huge numbers by the Ford Motor Company on an unprecedented mile-length assembly line at the purpose-built Willow Run plant in Wayne County.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169559
Senate Bill 327: Create annual “Korean American Day”
Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on May 12, 2015, to enact a new law that would establish Jan. 13 of each year as “Korean American Day”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169560
Senate Bill 328
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on May 12, 2015, Authorize more State Police officer grades to create two new grades of State Police officer, called inspector and recruit. The current grades are colonel, lieutenant colonel, major, captain, lieutenant, sergeant and trooper.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169561
Senate Bill 329: Authorize correction of Flint mayor election error
Introduced by Sen. Jim Ananich (D) on May 12, 2015, to revise the state election law to allow several candidates for the mayor of Flint to be placed on the ballot even though they missed the candidate filing deadline, reportedly because the Flint city clerk office posted a wrong filing deadline on the city website.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169562
Senate Bill 330: Preempt local employer labor law mandates
Introduced by Sen. John Proos (R) on May 13, 2015, to prohibit local governments from imposing any contractual, zoning, permitting, licensing, or other conditions on an employer’s or employee’s full freedom to act under federal labor laws. This includes an employer’s or employee’s right to express views on unionization and other labor issues, to have secret ballots and other procedural protections in unionization votes, to not have to deliver employee information to unions, and more.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169563
Senate Bill 331: Ban buying used rims, wheels and tires for cash
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on May 14, 2015, to prohibit licensed used vehicle parts dealers from paying cash to an individual for used tires, wheels and rims. Only payments by traceable checks, electronic transfers, etc. would be allowed.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169564
Senate Bill 332: Reduce minor-in-possession of alcohol sanctions
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on May 14, 2015, to remove the misdemeanor penalties for a second violation minor-in-possession of alcohol law, but not on a third violation, which carries a potential 60 day jail sentence for failing to abide by sanctions imposed for previous violations and other conditions. The bill also revises certain permissible police actions such as giving chemical breath tests to minors an officer suspects are in violation.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169565
Senate Bill 333: Suspend drivers license for third “minor in possession” violation
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on May 14, 2015, to suspend the drivers license of a minor for a third violation of the state minor-in-possession of alcohol law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169566
Senate Bill 334: Revise child abuse reporting mandate
Introduced by Sen. Judy Emmons (R) on May 14, 2015, to revise the law that requires certain health care professionals, social workers and other designated professionals to report suspected child abuse, so that a report filed via an online reporting system the bill would require the state to create would complete the duty to report.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169567
Senate Bill 335: Require sending suspicious death DNA to national center
Introduced by Sen. Judy Emmons (R) on May 14, 2015, to require county medical examiners take DNA and fingerprint samples from the body of an unidentified person who died under suspicious circumstances, and report this to an national crime information center.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169568
Senate Bill 336: Authorize “Amber Alert” type system for at-large cop killer
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on May 14, 2015, to establish procedures for rapidly disseminating useful information to radio and television stations when a person suspected of killing or seriously injuring a police officer is on the loose and dangerous. This would be called a “blue alert”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169569
Senate Bill 337: Preempt local employer mandates
Introduced by Sen. Peter MacGregor (R) on May 14, 2015, to preempt local governments, public schools, state colleges and universities, and other governmental authorities from imposing mandatory wage, benefit, or leave time requirements on employers that exceed those required by state or federal law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169570
House Bill 4571: Revise electric generation plant property tax detail
Introduced by Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R) on May 12, 2015, to place in statute a definition of “turbine” for purposes of local property tax breaks on electric generating plant systems authorized by an industrial development and plant rehabilitation law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169572
House Bill 4572: Revise electric generation plant property tax detail
Introduced by Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R) on May 12, 2015, to place in statute a definition of “turbine” for purposes of “personal property tax” exemptions authorized for electric generating plants.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169573
House Bill 4573: Revise electric generation plant property tax detail
Introduced by Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R) on May 12, 2015, to place in statute a definition of “turbine” for purposes of limits on the state school property tax and electric generation plants.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169574
House Bill 4574: Let veterans ride city buses for free
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on May 12, 2015, to require local bus agencies to let veterans and active duty military ride buses for free, if they get a state military transportation card the bill would authorize.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169575
House Bill 4575: Establish process to combine Upper and Lower Peninsula power grids
Introduced by Rep. Triston Cole (R) on May 12, 2015, to establish a process for the state to choose an electric utility power line operator that would connect the Upper and Lower Peninsulas into a single electric grid. This relates to recent conflicts involving Wisconsin utilities and plants that serve central and western U.P. customers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169576
House Bill 4576: Establish B-24 Liberator as symbolic “state airplane”
Introduced by Rep. David E. Rutledge (D) on May 12, 2015, to establish that the B-24 Liberator flown by he U.S. Army Air Force and Navy in WW II shall be deemed the “official airplane” of the state of Michigan. The B-24 was a sophisticated four-engine bomber produced in huge numbers by the Ford Motor Company on an unprecedented mile-length assembly line at the purpose-built Willow Run plant in Wayne County.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169577
House Bill 4577: Revise seasonal restricted commercial driver licenses
Introduced by Rep. Dan Lauwers (R) on May 12, 2015, to allow holders of unexpired seasonal restricted commercial driver licenses to renew their license once a year. These licenses are issued for agricultural activities in the spring and fall and have a maximum duration of 180 days.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169578
House Bill 4578: Authorize school recreation millages
Introduced by Rep. Phil Potvin (R) on May 12, 2015, to revise the law which authorizes recreational authorities to be created by several local governments, so that the districts could be organized by a school district. The authorities have the power to levy up to one-mill of property tax for swimming pools, recreation centers, public auditoriums, public conference centers, and parks, upon the approval of voters in each municipality in which the school district is located. The law itself is silent on whether the recreational facilities of an authority may be located at a school, or may be school facilities themselves, but it does require them to be open to the public.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169579
House Bill 4579: Revise workers comp law to accommodate Amish
Introduced by Rep. Ken Goike (R) on May 12, 2015, to revise the state’s injured worker compensation law to accommodate Amish-owned businesses, which do not use this system.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169580
House Bill 4580: Let local governments selectively revoke selective property tax breaks
Introduced by Rep. Andy Schor (D) on May 12, 2015, to allow local governments to revoke certain property tax breaks selectively granted to particular corporations or developers if the beneficiary does not abide by the terms of the tax break agreement, or is judged to no longer meet the criteria under which the tax break was authorized.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169581
House Bill 4581: Revise liquor control regulation detail
Introduced by Rep. Kathy Crawford (R) on May 12, 2015, to eliminate a $7.50 cap on the per case distribution fee that can be charged for liquor distributed to retailers by an “authorized distribution agent,” which is the term applied to the private companies authorized to warehouse and distribute hard liquor in Michigan.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169582
House Bill 4582: Authorize interstate medical licensure compact
Introduced by Rep. Jim Tedder (R) on May 12, 2015, to revise the licensing process for Michigan physicians so that it conforms with provisions in the interstate medical licensure compact proposed by House Bill 4583.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169583
House Bill 4583: Authorize interstate medical licensure compact
Introduced by Rep. Jim Tedder (R) on May 12, 2015, to authorize Michigan’s participation in an interstate medical licensure compact that would establish “a streamlined process that allows physicians to become licensed in multiple states.” Among other things this would make it easier for residents to access innovative “telemedicine” health care delivery services.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169584
House Bill 4584: Revise foreign money judgments recognition law
Introduced by Rep. Thomas Hooker (R) on May 12, 2015, to amend a uniform foreign-country money judgments recognition law, so that it explicitly excludes foreign defamation lawsuit judgements for speech covered by the “free speech defense act” proposed by House Bill 4585.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169585
House Bill 4585: Authorize a state “free speech defense act”
Introduced by Rep. Thomas Hooker (R) on May 12, 2015, to adopt a “free speech defense act” that would prohibit Michigan courts from enforcing a libel judgement issued by a court in a country that does not practice specified due process safeguards, or that upholds a cause deemed “repugnant to the public policy of this state.” Similar laws adopted by other states are seen as a response to so-called “libel tourism,” and in particular to perceived Islamicist persecution.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169586
House Bill 4586: Lower allowable truck weights
Introduced by Rep. George T. Darany (D) on May 12, 2015, to lower the maximum gross weight for vehicles on Michigan roads from 164,000 pounds to 120,000 pounds.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169587
House Bill 4587: Authorize sanctions for bad faith patent infringement claim
Introduced by Rep. Mike Callton (R) on May 12, 2015, to authorize damages for the target of a patent infringement claim that is made in bad faith. Damages of up to $50,000 or triple the actual loss would be authorized, plus legal costs. If the target demonstrates a “reasonable likelihood” that the claim is made in bad faith then the court could order the claim seeker to post a bond equal to the target’s likely legal expenses.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169588