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
Senate Bill 399: Limit telecom right of way bonds
Introduced by Sen. Wayne Schmidt (R) on June 16, 2015, to limit the extent to which a road commission can require telecommunications providers to post bonds or provide other indemnification for their placement of cables and other facilities in a public right of way.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169844
Senate Bill 400: Regulate liquid industrial waste “byproducts”
Introduced by Sen. Wayne Schmidt (R) on June 16, 2015, to revise details of environment law regulations on “liquid industrial waste” so that they also apply to “by-products” of this.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169845
Senate Bill 401: Regulate liquid industrial waste “byproducts”
Introduced by Sen. Jim Stamas (R) on June 16, 2015, to revise details of environment law regulations on “liquid industrial waste” so that they also apply to “by-products” of this.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169846
Senate Bill 402: Regulate liquid industrial waste “byproducts”
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on June 16, 2015, to revise details of environment law regulations on “liquid industrial waste” so that they also apply to “by-products” of this.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169847
Senate Bill 403: Revise dog and cat euthanasia regulations
Introduced by Sen. Marty Knollenberg (R) on June 16, 2015, to require an animal control or protection shelter to use only injections of a commercially prepared solution for euthanizing a dog or cat.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169848
Senate Bill 404: Create motorcycle safety course liability waiver
Introduced by Sen. Joe Hune (R) on June 16, 2015, to grant a liability waiver to the owner of property used for a motorcycle safety course, which would apply to property damage or injuries caused by the training, with exceptions for failing to warn of a dangerous condition and willful or wanton misconduct.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169849
Senate Bill 405: Revise truancy definitions and enforcement
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on June 18, 2015, to prohibit expelling a public school student for truancy or being “chronically absent.” Also to place definitions of these terms in statute, with “chronically absent” defined as absent more than 10 percent of the time, “truant” defined as having 10 or more “unexcused” absences per year, and “unexcused” defined as an absence that is neither excused nor “disciplinary.” Being late 10 times would count as one “unexcused” absence.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169892
Senate Bill 406: Revise truancy definitions and enforcement
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on June 18, 2015, to prescribe the types of intervention a public school may or must provide for student who is truant or chronically absent (more than 10 percent of the time).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169893
Senate Bill 407: Revise truancy definitions and enforcement
Introduced by Sen. Judy Emmons (R) on June 18, 2015, to require public schools to include in annual reports to the state information about the number of students who were suspended, truant or chronically absent, including the disciplinary outcomes and the data sources used.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169894
Senate Bill 408: Revise truancy definitions and enforcement
Introduced by Sen. Judy Emmons (R) on June 18, 2015, to clarify court jurisdiction over truant or chronically absent schoolchildren by using the definitions Senate Bill 405 would codify.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169895
Senate Bill 409: Expand meth-related pseudoephedrine restrictions
Introduced by Sen. Margaret O’Brien (R) on June 18, 2015, to authorize up to one year in prison and a $1,000 fine for attempting to persuade a person to purchase ephedrine or pseudoephedrine while knowing that it will be used to manufacture methamphetamine. Current penalties apply only if the attempt succeeds in persuading someone.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169896
Senate Bill 410: Expand meth-related pseudoephedrine restrictions
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on June 18, 2015, to establish sentencing guidelines for the penalties proposed by Senate Bill 409 for attempting to persuade a person to purchase ephedrine or pseudoephedrine to manufacture methamphetamine.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169897
Senate Bill 411: Restrict injection well placement
Introduced by Sen. Steve Bieda (D) on June 18, 2015, to prohibit locating an “injection” well for disposing of hazardous material, or for storing other material (potentially including carbon dioxide), in a region determined to have “Karst geology”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169898
Senate Bill 412: Collect MCCA auto insurance assessments with vehicle registration tax
Introduced by Sen. Marty Knollenberg (R) on June 18, 2015, to require the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association auto insurance assessments to be paid with annual vehicle registration (license plate) taxes collected by the Secretary of State, rather than tacked-on to an owner’s regular auto insurance bills. These assessments pay for very high personal injury claims under the unlimited medical cost coverage required by Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169899
Senate Bill 413: Collect MCCA auto insurance assessments with vehicle registration tax
Introduced by Sen. Marty Knollenberg (R) on June 18, 2015, to require the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association auto insurance assessments to be paid with annual vehicle registration (license plate) taxes collected by the Secretary of State, rather than tacked-on to an owner’s regular auto insurance bills. These assessments pay for very high personal injury claims under the unlimited medical cost coverage required by Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169900
Senate Bill 414: Reduce state income tax rate 0.05 percent
Introduced by Sen. Wayne Schmidt (R) on June 18, 2015, to reduce the state income tax from 4.25 percent to 4.20 percent as of Oct. 1, 2015.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169901
Senate Bill 415: Revise road funding formula
Introduced by Sen. Goeff Hansen (R) on June 18, 2015, to create a new state road and bridge fund that would allocate revenue to state and local road projects using the same formula as in current law (39.1 percent to state projects, 39.1 percent to counties and 21.8 percent to local governments) but would not allocate any amounts to transit and local bus service subsidies.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169902
Senate Bill 416: Exempt aviation fuel from sales tax
Introduced by Sen. Jack Brandenburg (R) on June 18, 2015, to exempt aviation gasoline and jet fuel from the state sales tax. Senate Bill 418 would increase the excise tax on these fuels.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169903
Senate Bill 417: Exempt aviation fuel from use tax
Introduced by Sen. Jack Brandenburg (R) on June 18, 2015, to exempt aviation gasoline and jet fuel from the state use tax. Senate Bill 418 would increase the excise tax on these fuels.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169904
Senate Bill 418: Increase and revise taxation of airplane fuel
Introduced by Sen. Wayne Schmidt (R) on June 18, 2015, to increase the tax imposed on aviation fuel from 3 cents to six cents per gallon, or 4 percent of the wholesale price, whichever is greater. Senate Bills 416 and 117 would exempt aviation fuel from sales and use tax.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169905
House Bill 4750: Authorize state job training subsidies through ISDs
Introduced by Rep. Phil Potvin (R) on June 18, 2015, to authorize another government job training subsidy program for particular employers like one used by community colleges, except this would apply to intermediate school districts. Under the scheme an ISD could borrow (“sell bonds”) to pay for training a particular employer’s new hires. The principle and interest would be repaid by means of the state transferring to the ISD a portion of the personal income tax that the particular employer withholds from the pay of new employees. In essence, the subsidy would be paid out of the state general fund in the form of foregone income tax revenues. The bill requires the employer to agree to make the amount of the debt a lien on the firm’s property. However the ISD’s bonds would also be backed by taxpayers. ISDs statewide could borrow up to $50 million for this purpose.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169920