Replies

Senate Bill 517: Revise child support collection detail
Introduced in the Senate on September 29, 2015, to repeal the current version of a Uniform Interstate Family Support Act that facilitates collection of court-ordered child support payments across state lines, and replace it with an updated version.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170298

Senate Bill 518: Revise child support collection details
Introduced in the Senate on September 29, 2015, to revise references in the state friend of the court law to reflect changes to a uniform interstate child support enforcement code proposed by Senate Bill 517.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170299

Senate Bill 519: Revise child support collection details
Introduced by Sen. Judy Emmons (R) on September 29, 2015, to revise references in the state child support law to reflect changes to a uniform interstate child support enforcement code proposed by Senate Bill 517.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170300

Senate Bill 520: Revise child support collection details
Introduced by Sen. Judy Emmons (R) on September 29, 2015, to revise references in the state parenting time law to reflect changes to a uniform interstate child support enforcement code proposed by Senate Bill 517.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170301

Senate Bill 521: Revise Michigan Historical Commission
Introduced by Sen. Kenneth Horn (R) on September 29, 2015, to revise details of the management and mission of a “Michigan Historical Commission”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170302

Senate Bill 522: Revise Michigan Historical Commission
Introduced by Sen. Margaret O’Brien (R) on September 29, 2015, to revise details of the management and mission of a “Michigan Historical Commission”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170303

Senate Bill 523: Create a government “Native American historical recognition program”
Introduced by Sen. Wayne Schmidt (R) on September 29, 2015, to create a government “Native American historical recognition program” to disseminate information on Indian history and relevant places. Among other things it would be required to help other entities get government and private grants for this purpose.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170304

Senate Bill 524: Revise “big box” store property tax assessments
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on September 29, 2015, to require property tax assessors to reduce assessments on “big box” retail stores and other retail store property whose real cash value if sold to another owner may be less than its value to the enterprise that currently operates the store as part of a “going concern”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170305

Senate Bill 525: Increase unemployment benefits
Introduced by Sen. Morris Hood, III (D) on September 29, 2015, to repeal a 2011 law that reduced from 26 weeks to 20 weeks the maximum period a person is eligible for state unemployment benefit, increase the amount of those benefits, and index the higher amount to inflation.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170306

Senate Bill 527: Impose motorcycle helmet mandate
Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on September 29, 2015, to mandate that motorcycle operators wear a helmet. The bill would re-impose a helmet mandate that was repealed in 2011 after 20 years of lobbying by motorcycle riders.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170308

Senate Bill 529: Revise guardianship detail
Introduced by Sen. Judy Emmons (R) on September 29, 2015, to revise a law that authorizes a family court to place an abused or neglected minor with grandparents or other relatives who are willing to care for the child. The bill would allow a “successor” guardian to be named in case the first one dies or becomes incapacitated.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170310

Senate Bill 530: Revise foster care detail
Introduced by Sen. Judy Emmons (R) on September 29, 2015, to establish that for purposes of the law that authorizes placing an abused or neglected child in foster care, a stepparent, ex-stepparent, or the parent who shares custody of a half-sibling is considered a relative for the purpose of foster care placement. Also, to define “sibling” in that law as child who is related through birth or adoption by at least one common parent, and that “sibling” includes that term as defined by the American Indian or Alaskan native child’s tribal code or custom.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170311

Senate Bill 531: Authorize electronic court records system and fees
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on September 30, 2015, to authorize an electronic system for filing documents in civil cases in state courts, and fees to use and pay for it.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170333

Senate Bill 532: Authorize electronic court records system
Introduced by Sen. John Proos (R) on September 30, 2015, to create a state fund to hold the court case filing fee money authorized by Senate Bill 531.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170334

Senate Bill 533: Authorize electronic court records system
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on September 30, 2015, to prohibit a court or court funding unit from charging a fee to retrieve and inspect a case document including those kept in the electronic filing system proposed by Senate Bill 531, but allow fees to copy a document.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170335

Senate Bill 534: Ban fringe benefits for unmarried partners of government employees
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on September 30, 2015, to prohibit government employers from granting health or other fringe benefit to the unmarried same-sex domestic partner of an employee.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170336

Senate Bill 535: Make it crime for ballot access petitioners to lie
Introduced by Sen. Curtis Hertel, Jr. (D) on September 30, 2015, to make it a crime for a ballot access petition circulator to misrepresent the contents of a ballot question or recall petition, or whether the circulator is paid or a volunteer.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170337

Senate Bill 536: Revise utility regulation
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on September 30, 2015, to require a “multistate jurisdictional utility” to get permission from the state Public Service Commission to change its corporate form to create a Michigan-only “state jurisdictional utility”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170338

Senate Bill 537: Revise state tax tribunal membership
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on October 1, 2015, to change the membership of the seven-member state “tax tribunal” that issues judgments on property tax appeals, and revise other details of how this entity operates. The bill would require five members to be lawyers, one to be a tax assessor and one to be an accountant.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170344

Senate Bill 538: Revise unclaimed property law
Introduced by Sen. Jack Brandenburg (R) on October 1, 2015, to revise details of the state ”escheats law” that lets the state government take possession of unclaimed property if the owner does not claim it within three years. Among other changes the bill authorizes a streamlined audit process for holders of unclaimed assets.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170345

Senate Bill 539: Expand “promise zone” tax increment financing authorities
Introduced by Sen. Goeff Hansen (R) on October 1, 2015, to expand from 10 to 15 the number of “promise zone” tax increment financing authorities (TIFA) located in low income and “low educational attainment” areas. These entities were authorized by a 2008 law to “capture” a portion of any increases in the state portion of school property tax revenue in the area, and use the money to partially subsidize college tuition for local students.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170346

Senate Bill 540: Expand allowable uses of state education tax
Introduced by Sen. Jim Ananich (D) on October 1, 2015, to revise the law that authorizes a 6 mill state property tax for school funding, to authorize using some of this money for other purposes. This appears to be related to changes to the proposal in Senate Bill 539 of expanding “promise zone” tax increment financing schemes.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170347

House Bill 4907: Restrict setting auto insurance rates by location
Introduced by Rep. Brian Banks (D) on September 29, 2015, to prohibit auto insurance companies from setting prices on the basis of the zip code in which a person lives and garages their car (“territorial ratings”), despite huge differences in claims in different geographical areas (especially Detroit).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170313

House Bill 4908: Extend authority to ban deer feeding
Introduced by Rep. John Kivela (D) on September 29, 2015, to eliminate the 2016 sunset on Department of Natural Resources authority to prohibit feeding deer and elk.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170314

House Bill 4909: Prohibit some use restrictions on vacant big box stores
Introduced by Rep. John Kivela (D) on September 29, 2015, to prohibit deed or lease restrictions, covenants, or other “negative use restrictions” on larger retail stores or “big box” stores that are vacant, to the extent that the restrictions cause the property to remain vacant, subject to various criteria and exceptions specified in the bill.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170315

House Bill 4910: Require EMT training to include drug overdose info
Introduced by Rep. Hank Vaupel (R) on September 29, 2015, to require training programs for medical first responders to include training related to drug overdose victims.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170316

House Bill 4911: Revise adoption detail
Introduced by Rep. Kathy Crawford (R) on September 29, 2015, to revise procedures for cases where a child is claimed to be born out of wedlock and the mother wants to either relinquish her rights to the child or join in a petition for adoption filed by her spouse, and the release or consent of the natural father cannot be obtained.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170317

House Bill 4912: Authorize service dog grants to disabled veterans
Introduced by Rep. Holly Hughes (R) on September 29, 2015, to authorize state government grants of up to $3,000 to disabled veterans who want to buy a trained service dog, which is broadly defined in the bill as “a dog trained to do tasks for an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.” The bill would create a state fund for this but does not identify a funding source or make an appropriation (except for the voluntary contributions proposed by House Bill 4913).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170318

House Bill 4913: Authorize service dog grants to disabled veterans
Introduced by Rep. Holly Hughes (R) on September 29, 2015, to require government dog license application forms to include a checkoff box that would let an applicant make a voluntary $10.00 contribution to the veterans service dog fund proposed by House Bill 4912.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170319

House Bill 4914: Create a government “Native American historical recognition program”
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on September 29, 2015, to create a government “Native American historical recognition program” to disseminate information on Indian history and noteworthy landmarks. Among other things the program would be required to help other entities get government and private grants for this purpose.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170320

House Bill 4915: Impose additional regulations on animal breeders, shelters and pet shops
Introduced by Rep. Michael McCready (R) on September 29, 2015, to impose a number of new regulations on animal breeders, shelters and pet shops. Among other things shelters would have to hold an animal for at least one week and make efforts to identify the owner before euthanizing it, selling it, making it available for adoption, etc. However, for dogs and cats without traceable evidence of ownership, the holding period would be four days. Also, to prohibit local governments from imposing a ban on sterilization release program, even if they include the live trapping of cats.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170321

House Bill 4916: Require utilities provide customer “smart meter” opt-out
Introduced by Rep. Gary Glenn (R) on September 29, 2015, to require electric utilities that adopt advanced “smart meters” to allow customers to opt out without penalty. The bill would impose restrictions on how utilities could use information collected from the meters, and require utilities to implement a system for allowing customers to read their own meters and self-report electricity or gas use. Utilities would still check meters themselves once per year, and would be prohibited from charging extra to allow this option.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170322

House Bill 4917: Permit social media liquor promotions
Introduced by Rep. Klint Kesto (R) on September 29, 2015, to revise the extensive state government regulations and restrictions on liquor advertising to permit using social media promotions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170323

House Bill 4918: Grant exception to liquor license transfer
Introduced by Rep. Klint Kesto (R) on September 29, 2015, to create an exception for one or a small handful of merchants, allowing them to transfer a “specially designated distributor” liquor license (which permits sales of packaged liquor for off-premises consumption).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170324

House Bill 4919: Empower condo board to sue
Introduced by Rep. Klint Kesto (R) on September 29, 2015, to give a condominium association’s board of directors the power to make, defend, or settle legal claims on behalf of all co-owners in connection with the condominium project. The bill would make void condominium bylaws that prohibit this, or that require a vote of the members for this.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170325

House Bill 4920: Authorize income tax old age credit
Introduced by Rep. Scott Dianda (D) on September 29, 2015, to authorize a $2,300 state income tax credit for individuals over age 65 and each of their dependents. This figure would then go up with inflation.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170326

House Bill 4921: Revise homestead income tax credit
Introduced by Rep. Christine Greig (D) on September 29, 2015, to increase and index to inflation certain income and home value caps that limit the principle residence property tax credit that homeowners can claim against their state income tax liability.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170327

House Bill 4922: Create income tax child credit
Introduced by Rep. Stephanie Chang (D) on September 29, 2015, to authorize a “refundable” state income tax credit of $400 per dependent child age 18 and younger. “Refundable” means the state will send the individual a check for the amount that the credit exceeds his or her tax liability.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170328

House Bill 4923: Authorize state child care subsidies and tax breaks
Introduced by Rep. Winnie Brinks (D) on September 29, 2015, to authorize a “refundable” state income tax credit (essentially a cash subsidy in many cases) that would be a percentage of child care credit individuals can claim on their federal income tax, with the actual amount higher or lower based on a person’s gross income.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170329

House Bill 4924: Increase process server fees
Introduced by Rep. Earl Poleski (R) on September 29, 2015, to increase allowable travel, mileage, and various other fees paid to process servers who deliver court documents. When an individual is sued, the constitutional right of due process requires that he or she must be notified of the pending lawsuit, which is called “service of process.” These fees were also raised by a 2012 law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170330

House Bill 4925: Spend $8.9 million to keep state reformatory open
Introduced by Rep. Martin Howrylak (R) on September 30, 2015, to spend $8.9 million to keep open the Maxey state reformatory in Wayne County, the closure of which was strongly opposed by the prison guard union and its political allies when it was included in the fiscal year 2015-16 state budget. The bill was cosponsored by Republican Mike Callton and Democrats Andy Schor, Bill LaVoy, Robert Wittenberg, Stephanie Chang, Scott Dianda and Harvey Santana.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170341

House Bill 4926: Require state contractors verify no illegal aliens on job
Introduced by Rep. Jim Runestad (R) on September 30, 2015, to require state contractors to verify the legal residency status of employees.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170342

House Bill 4927: Automatically register new drivers to vote
Introduced by Rep. Derek Miller (D) on September 30, 2015, to automatically register to vote a person getting a drivers license or state I.D. for the first time.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170352

House Bill 4928: Automatically register new drivers to vote
Introduced by Rep. Julie Plawecki (D) on September 30, 2015, to require an applicant for a drivers license to include a declaration of United States citizenship on the application in order to be automatically registered to vote, as proposed by House Bill 4927.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170353

House Bill 4929: Automatically register state I.D. applicants to vote
Introduced by Rep. John Chirkun (D) on September 30, 2015, to require an applicant for a state identification card to include a declaration of United States citizenship on the application in order to be automatically registered to vote, as proposed by House Bill 4927.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170354

House Bill 4930: Exempt family’s life estate property from assessment “bump up”
Introduced by Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R) on September 30, 2015, to exempt from the taxable value “bump up,” the transfer of a “life estate” interest in a principle residence from the owner to family members. This is the provision of the 1994 Proposal A tax limitation initiative that makes a property’s new basis for tax assessments the state equalized value (market value), rather than the (lower) “taxable value” of the previous owner, growth of which is restricted by law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170355

House Bill 4931: Give overdosing drug user immunity when seeking treatment
Introduced by Rep. Sam Singh (D) on September 30, 2015, to extend immunity from illegal drug laws for an overdosed individual who shows up at a health facility for observation or treatment. This would also apply a friend who accompanies or assists the overdosed individual.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170356

House Bill 4932: Authorize a Kiwanis specialty license plate
Introduced by Rep. Peter Lucido (R) on September 30, 2015, to authorize a Kiwanis Club specialty license plate, with the net revenue going to the Kiwanis Club.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170357

House Bill 4933: Revise health insurance claim review law
Introduced by Rep. Tom Barrett (R) on September 30, 2015, to revise details of a “Patient’s Right to Independent Review Act,” which establishes a uniform external appeals process, under which persons with health insurance may request a review by an independent review organization to resolve disputes over covered benefits. Among other changes bill adds a definition of “evidence-based standard,” and provisions related to experimental drugs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170358

House Bill 4934: Revise health insurance “coordination of benefits” rules
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on September 30, 2015, to revise, update or clarify many provisions of the comprehensive regulatory regime that governs the “coordination of benefits” for an individual eligible for health care coverage from different providers (such as both an auto insurance policy and a separate health insurance policy).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170359

House Bill 4935: Revise insurance regulation details
Introduced by Rep. Tom Leonard (R) on September 30, 2015, to revise, update or clarify many provisions of the comprehensive regulatory regime that governs heath insurance providers and policies.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170360