Senate Bill 21: Increase some State Police pensions
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 17, 2015, to revise wording in a provision of the State Police pension law so it conforms with Senate Bill 22, which increases some pensions.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715330
Senate Bill 22: Increase some State Police pensions
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 17, 2015, to increase the annual pension benefits to at $16,000 for certain State Police employees who retired and were collecting pension payments before October 1, 1986.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715331
House Bill 4052: Preempt local employer wage, benefit or labor law mandates
Passed 22 to 16 in the Senate on June 17, 2015, to preempt local governments, public schools, state colleges and universities, and other governmental authorities from imposing mandatory wage, benefit, leave time, apprenticeship and other requirements on employers which exceed those required by state or federal law. The vote occurred after the House removed a provision making the bill retroactive and described as a “catch-all” provision restricting any local regulation on “the relationship” between employers and employees rather than just specified mandates.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715329
House Bill 4052: Preempt local employer wage, benefit or labor law mandates
Passed 59 to 51 in the House on June 16, 2015, to preempt local governments, public schools, state colleges and universities, and other governmental authorities from imposing mandatory wage, benefit, leave time, apprenticeship and other requirements on employers which exceed those required by state or federal law. The vote occurred after the House removed a provision making the bill retroactive and described as a “catch-all” provision restricting any local regulation on “the relationship” between employers and employees rather than just specified mandates.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715229
House Bill 4496: Liberalize school debt repayment requirements
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 17, 2015, to ease certain restrictions on school districts refinancing loans (bonds) covered by a state School Bond Loan Fund program. A Senate Fiscal Agency explains this complicated program and the revisions the bill proposes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715332
House Bill 4496: Liberalize school debt repayment requirements
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on May 21, 2015, to ease certain restrictions on school districts refinancing loans (bonds) covered by a state School Bond Loan Fund program. A Senate Fiscal Agency explains this complicated program and the revisions the bill proposes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=714188
House Bill 4497: Liberalize school debt repayment requirements
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 17, 2015, to eliminate a requirement that school districts must pay back their debt to a state School Bond Loan Fund by a “final repayment date” determined for each district by the state treasurer. The requirement was instituted by a 2005 law to fix the problem of districts extending debt on old projects by combining with additional borrowing for new projects. See also House Bill 4496.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715333
House Bill 4637: Regulate Uber, Lyft, etc.; preempt local bans
Passed 71 to 39 in the House on June 17, 2015, to establish a regulatory framework that would enable “transportation network companies” like Uber and Lyft to operate in this state, including a preemption on local government regulations or bans. The companies would have to get a permit from the Department of Transportation and carry liability insurance as specified in the bill. Drivers would have to carry insurance that gives passengers the unlimited medical coverage required by the state no-fault law. Drivers would have to get a background check and be at least 21 years old. Vehicles would have to get an annual inspection by a licensed mechanic and bear signs. Riders would have be given specified information and options, including a photo image of the driver when they request a ride, and systems to protect their personal information. Street hailing and the use of cab stands by the vehicles would be prohibited.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715375
House Bill 4638: Regulate Uber, Lyft, etc.
Passed 73 to 37 in the House on June 17, 2015, to exempt “transportation network companies” like Uber and Lyft from restrictive state regulations on “limousine” services. See also House Bill 4637.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715386
House Bill 4639: Regulate Uber, Lyft, etc.
Passed 73 to 37 in the House on June 17, 2015, to permit auto insurance companies to exclude from coverage an owner’s use of a vehicle to provide “transportation network company” services like those provided by companies like Uber and Lyft. See also House Bill 4637.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715387
House Bill 4640: Regulate Uber, Lyft, etc.
Passed 70 to 40 in the House on June 17, 2015, to establish that passengers using “transportation network companies” like Uber and Lyft would be covered by the same type of insurance as passengers in taxicabs. This means the unlimited personal injury protection (PIP) coverage required by the state no-fault insurance law would not be provided by the driver’s policy unless the passenger’s own auto insurance (if any) covered the risk. See also House Bill 4637.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715388
House Bill 4641: Regulate Uber, Lyft, etc.
Passed 74 to 36 in the House on June 17, 2015, to exempt drivers for “transportation network companies” like Uber and Lyft from having to get a chauffer’s license, and define vehicle insurance coverage requirements and limits for them. See also House Bill 4637 and 4339.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715389
Senate Bill 165: Authorize pedal-powered beer bars
Passed 96 to 13 in the House on June 18, 2015, to establish in statute that a “commercial quadricycle,” which is a pedal-powered mobile beer bar, is not considered a “motor vehicle” even if it has auxiliary power, and instead would be subject to the less onerous regulations imposed on “low-speed vehicles,” or if operated on a sidewalk, the regulations imposed on “Segways.” Under this and Senate Bill 166 passengers would be allowed to have open beer or wine containers, but the driver would be required to have a blood alcohol level of zero.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715520
Senate Bill 166: Authorize pedal-powered beer bars
Passed 100 to 9 in the House on June 18, 2015, to establish in statute that a “commercial quadricycle,” which is a pedal-powered mobile beer bar, is not considered a “motor vehicle” even if it has auxiliary power, and instead would be subject to the less onerous regulations imposed on “low-speed vehicles,” or if operated on a sidewalk, the regulations imposed on “Segways.” Under this and Senate Bill 165 passengers would be allowed to have open beer or wine containers, but the driver would be required to have a blood alcohol level of zero.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715521
Senate Bill 298: Expand scope of service dog law
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to expand the scope of a law that originally permitted places of public accommodation to allow seeing-eye dogs, and later was amended to require this and expanded to include other specific types of “service dogs.” This bill would expand this law to include service animals employed by individuals with a broad range of physical or mental impairments. It would expand a mandate that places of “public accommodation” must allow service dogs to miniature horses used for this purpose, if they are housebroken and under control.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715437
Senate Bill 299: Expand scope of service dog law
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to revise the law that exempts seeing-eye and other service dogs from canine license fees, so that it reflects the proposal in Senate Bill 298 to expand the range of disabilities covered by this and related service animal laws.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715438
Senate Bill 343: Prorate unfunded university pension “catch up” costs
Passed 32 to 5 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to cap the percentage of payroll that state universities must pay to “catch up” on past underfunding in the school pension system run by the state. This would mean that the state (taxpayers) would be required to cover required catch-up cost contributions above this level, which has also been the case for public school districts since 2012. The bill would also reduce year-to-year variations in the amount of each university’s payroll that is subject to these assessments. Seven state universities were part of this system, but it was closed to new university employees in 1997.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715458
House Bill 4039: Revise tax foreclosure publication details
Passed 93 to 17 in the House on June 17, 2015, to revise details of the publication notice provisions of the law authorizing foreclosure for delinquent property taxes. The bill would reduce the number of times a notice must be published in a newspaper from three to two.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715371
House Bill 4122: Repeal film producer subsidies
Passed 24 to 13 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to repeal the program that gives Michigan tax dollars to film producers as of October, 2016. Since 2008 some $500 million in state tax revenue has been distributed to producers.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715432
House Bill 4185: Revise salvage vehicle inspection certification detail
Passed 108 to 2 in the House on June 17, 2015, to establish a process for appealing the suspension, revocation, or denial of a salvage vehicle inspection certification.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715390
House Bill 4204: Change reference to “crippled children” in state law
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to revise a reference to “crippled children” in state law to instead refer to “children and youth with special health care needs”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715434
House Bill 4205: Change reference to “crippled children” in state law
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on June 18, 2015, to concur with the Senate-passed version of the bill.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715524
House Bill 4226: Expand technology business subsidies
Passed 33 to 4 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to increase from three to nine the number of areas in which “certified technology parks” (previously dubbed “smart zones”) are allowed to expand by creating a “satellite” zone. These entities 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=715439
House Bill 4271: Eliminate February election date
Passed 30 to 7 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to revise details of the state election law to accommodate the proposal in House Bill 4273 to eliminate the February election date authorized by a 2003 election consolidation law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715451
House Bill 4273: Eliminate February election date
Passed 30 to 7 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to eliminate the February election date authorized by a 2003 election consolidation law, which required all regular elections in the state to be held on either the last Tuesday in February, or the Tuesday after the first Monday in either May, August, or November.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715453
House Bill 4274: Eliminate February election date
Passed 30 to 7 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to revise details of the state election law to accommodate the proposal in House Bill 4273 to eliminate the February election date authorized by a 2003 election consolidation law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715454
House Bill 4276: to revise details of the state election law
Passed 31 to 6 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to accommodate the proposal in House Bill 4273 to eliminate the February election date authorized by a 2003 election consolidation law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715455
House Bill 4325: Establish overspending public school “early warning system”
Passed 25 to 12 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to establish a process by which school districts would be required to submit their budget projections and assumptions to the state each July, and require intermediate school districts to declare whether they concur with the projections and assumptions. If they did not this would trigger a detailed reporting and oversight process specified in this and related bills. This is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4325 to 4330 intended to create an “early warning system” for school districts with financial problems.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715462
House Bill 4326: Establish overspending public school “early warning system”
Passed 25 to 12 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to revise a 2012 law establishing various alternative processes for resolving financial crises in school districts to accommodate the proposal in House Bill 4325 and related bills establishing an “early warning system” for school districts with financial problems. This is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4325 to 4330.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715463
House Bill 4327: Establish overspending public school “early warning system”
Passed 25 to 12 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to revise a law that requires overspending school districts to adopt a deficit elimination plan approved by the state. Among other things the bill would require these plans to be posted online and include an academic reform plan, require additional disclosures to the legislature, and prescribe “enhanced” deficit elimination plans for chronically overspending districts. It would also give the Department of Education explicit authority to withhold state school aid payments to an overspending district. This is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4325 to 4330 intended to create an “early warning system” for school district with financial problems.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715464
House Bill 4328: Establish overspending public school “early warning system”
Passed 61 to 47 in the House on June 18, 2015, to give the Department Treasury the authority to withhold state school aid payments from an overspending school district that fails to submit an acceptable “deficit elimination plan” as required by law, or which falls more deeply into financial trouble and must operate under an “enhanced” deficit plan. This is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4325 to 4330 intended to create an “early warning system” for school district with financial problems.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715547
House Bill 4328: Establish overspending public school “early warning system”
Passed 25 to 12 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to give the Department Treasury the authority to withhold state school aid payments from an overspending school district that fails to submit an acceptable “deficit elimination plan” as required by law, or which falls more deeply into financial trouble and must operate under an “enhanced” deficit plan. This is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4325 to 4330 intended to create an “early warning system” for school district with financial problems.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715465
House Bill 4329: Establish overspending public school “early warning system”
Passed 25 to 12 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to authorize appointment of an Emergency Manager for an overspending public school district that fails to comply with the deficit reduction plans and procedures required by House Bill 4325 and related bills.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715466
House Bill 4330: Establish overspending public school “early warning system”
Passed 25 to 12 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to update references to deficit elimination plans in the school aid act to accommodate the overspending school district “early warning system” proposals contained in House Bill 4325 to 4329. The bill would make forfeit 10 percent of a district’s state aid if it fails to comply with provisions of this package or to post budget and other financial information on its website.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715467
House Bill 4385: Eliminate February election date
Passed 30 to 7 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to revise details of the state election law to accommodate the proposal in House Bill 4273 to eliminate the February election date established by a 2003 election consolidation law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715456
House Bill 4391: Increase pesticide registration fees and conditions
Passed 74 to 34 in the House on June 18, 2015, to increase a registration fee mandated for pesticides or fertilizers used in this state, impose increased record keeping requirements on registrants, and require the company the files the application (a pest control service or pesticide maker) to continuously maintain a registered Michigan office or comply with extensive record submission requirements.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715541
House Bill 4457: Eliminate adoptive parent registry enrollment fee
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to eliminate a $100 fee that is charged to potential parents to be placed on a central state clearinghouse for information for biological parents and child placing agencies.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715436
House Bill 4459: Allow embedding emergency contact info in drivers license
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on June 17, 2015, to allow the Secretary of State to embed machine-readable emergency contact information in digitized drivers licenses starting in 2018, if a person requests this.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715372
House Bill 4460: Allow embedding emergency contact info in state ID
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on June 17, 2015, to allow the Secretary of State to embed machine-readable emergency contact information in digitized state identification cards starting in 2018, if a person requests this.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715373
House Bill 4517: Revise school bond refunding detail
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on June 18, 2015, to allow the bond debt of a school district that was consolidated into a larger or different district to be refinanced.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715522
House Bill 4553: Revise Personal Property Tax reform details
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 18, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715440
House Bill 4554: Revise Personal Property Tax reform details
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 18, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715441
House Bill 4555: Revise Personal Property Tax reform details
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 18, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715442
House Bill 4556: Revise Personal Property Tax reform details
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 18, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715443
House Bill 4557: Revise Personal Property Tax reform details
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 18, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715444
House Bill 4558: Revise Personal Property Tax reform details
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 18, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715445