Senate Bill 219: Revise animal abuser ownership ban
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on January 28, 2016, to revise a law that prohibits an individual convicted of animal abuse from owning a similar animal for five years after being sentenced, to instead extend the ban to five years after completing the sentence, or whichever is later.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=723007
Senate Bill 220: Waive fee for pet adoption criminal background check
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on January 28, 2016, to allow animal shelters to access a government “internet criminal history access tool†(ICHAT) at no charge for purposes of checking whether an individual who wants to adopt an animal has been convicted of an animal abuse offense.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=723008
Senate Bill 632: Revise appeals court jurisdiction
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on January 28, 2016, to give the state court of appeals jurisdiction on appeals of probate court orders and judgments, with some exceptions (see Senate Bill 633).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=723009
Senate Bill 633: Revise appeals court jurisdiction
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on January 28, 2016, to revise the state Estates and Protected Individuals Code to accommodate the procedures specified by Senate Bill 632.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=723010
House Bill 4783: Increase landfill permit violation penalties
Passed 77 to 29 in the House on January 28, 2016, to increase the fines a state agency can impose on landfill operators for not meeting state environmental law standards or requirements in their operating permits to $75,000 per day for second or subsequent violations, and $25,000 per day the first time. These are civil not criminal penalties, which means the procedural safeguards available to a criminal defendant do not apply.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=723058
House Bill 4868: Ban drone interference with public safety
Passed 89 to 17 in the House on January 28, 2016, to make it a crime to fly a drone in a way that interferes with public safety or public utility activities. The bill would define flying a drone over private property “without authority” as trespassing, and prohibit using one to subject someone to eavesdropping or surveillance.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=723059
House Bill 5220: Appropriate money for Flint water contamination response
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on January 28, 2016, to appropriate $28 million to pay for response activities related to the contamination of the Flint water supply, of which $2.8 million is federal money. The Senate revised details of the spending after consulting with on-the-ground experts in the city.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=723006
Senate Bill 718: Mandate school music classes
Introduced by Sen. Curtis Hertel, Jr. (D) on January 26, 2016, to require that public schools provide children in grades K-5 with 30 minutes of music instruction twice a week, taught by an instructor who has particular academic credentials specified in the bill. Also, to impose a quota of one of these instructors for every 400 children in a school.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172033
Senate Bill 719: Revise payday loan rules
Introduced by Sen. Darwin Booher (R) on January 26, 2016, to revise certain payday lending rules, and expand the methods by which a lender can collect this debt.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172035
Senate Bill 720: Tighten process for imposing “historic district” property owner restrictions
Introduced by Sen. Peter MacGregor (R) on January 26, 2016, to revise the procedure for establishing or eliminating local “historic districts,†whose appointed boards have the power to restrict the improvements that property owners may make to their buildings and land. The bill would require two-thirds of the property owners in the affected to give preliminary approval before the process of creating a district could be initiated, and a majority of voters in the community would have to approve it in an election before the district’s restrictions could be imposed. The bill would also put a 10 year sunset on these restrictions, which could be renewed only by another vote of the people.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172036
Senate Bill 721: Reduce restrictions on taxpayer funded electioneering
Introduced by Sen. Kenneth Horn (R) on January 26, 2016, to repeal a prohibition on taxpayer-funded local governments and school district communications that reference a property tax hike or other local ballot measure during the 60 days before the election. The bill would permit taxpayer funded communications that, “under reasonable interpretation,†do not imply “a vote for or against a proposal†and which “provide a fair interpretation of the facts.†Officials in the state elections bureau would examine contested political flyers and communications to determine what is “reasonable”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172037
Senate Bill 722: Revise liquor marketing regulations
Introduced by Sen. Tory Rocca (R) on January 27, 2016, to revise the very detailed regulations and restrictions on alcohol distribution to permit wholesalers and retailers to use social media to promote product tastings and inform consumers of where their products can be located.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172107
Senate Bill 723: Delete mistaken identity arrest records
Introduced by Sen. Bert Johnson (D) on January 28, 2016, to authorize the automatic expunction (deletion) of arrest records for a wrongful arrest due to mistaken identity or identity theft.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172156
Senate Bill 724: Flint water contamination response bills
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on January 28, 2016, to require suppliers of water to schools (including municipal water systems) to test the water from school faucets at least once a year for lead and copper. The bill would also create a school drinking water “task force†consisting of specified political appointees to review and make recommendations on water sampling methods and protocols.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172157
Senate Bill 725: Flint water contamination response bills
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on January 28, 2016, to permit money in a particular state fund to be used for public water supply contamination sampling and testing.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172158
Senate Bill 726: Flint water contamination response bills
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on January 28, 2016, to require municipal water systems to adopt specified water testing procedures when changing the source of their water.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172159
House Bill 5231: Flint water contamination response bills
Introduced by Rep. Sheldon Neeley (D) on January 26, 2016, to appropriate extra money for the Department of Environmental Quality to spend on Flint water contamination response activities. The bill contains no appropriations, but may be amended at a later date to include them.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172040
House Bill 5232: Tighten process for imposing “historic district” property owner restrictions
Introduced by Rep. Chris Afendoulis (R) on January 26, 2016, to revise the procedure for establishing or eliminating local “historic districts,†whose appointed boards have the power to restrict the improvements that property owners may make to their buildings and land. The bill would require two-thirds of the property owners in the affected area to give preliminary approval before the process of creating a district could be initiated, and a majority of voters in the community would have to approve it in an election before the restrictions could be imposed. The bill would also put a 10 year sunset on these restrictions, which could be renewed only by another vote of the people.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172041
House Bill 5233: Revise septage hauler licensure mandate details
Introduced by Rep. John Kivela (D) on January 26, 2016, to reduce the hours of “continuing education†classes a septic hauler is required to take to renew the license the state requires to make a living in this profession.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172042
House Bill 5234: Exempt feminine hygiene products from sales tax
Introduced by Rep. Sarah Roberts (D) on January 26, 2016, to exempt feminine hygiene products from sales tax.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172043
House Bill 5235: Give force to illegal teacher strike sanctions
Introduced by Rep. Tim Kelly (R) on January 26, 2016, to accelerate, streamline and make more certain the procedures for imposing fines of $5,000 per day against a teachers union that orchestrates an illegal strike, and a fine on each striker equal to a day’s pay for each day of the strike. Sanctions would also apply to a school district that imposes an illegal lockout. The timetable for hearings would be changed from 60 days to two days; hearings on all striking employees could be consolidated into one, rather than individual hearings for each required under current law (though still subject to individual appeals). House Bills 5235 to 5237 were introduced following a series of “sick-outs†by Detroit teachers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172044
House Bill 5236: Suspend or revoke teaching certificate of illegally striking teacher
Introduced by Rep. Amanda Price (R) on January 26, 2016, to suspend for two years the teaching certificate of a public school teacher who engages in an illegal strike. If the teacher did not show up at a hearing on the suspension, the license could be revoked permanently.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172045
House Bill 5237: Penalize school district that fails
Introduced by Rep. Patrick Somerville (R) on January 26, 2016, to sanction illegal strikers to penalize school districts that fail to sanction teachers who participated in an illegal strike by forfeiting 5 percent of their state school aid revenue. The proposed teacher sanctions are in House Bills 5235 and 5237.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172046
House Bill 5238: Allow certain local government no-bid contracts
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on January 26, 2016, to prescribe procedures for local government architecture, survey or engineering contracts. The bill would allow a government seeking these services to not seek competitive bids if it has “satisfactory relationship†with a particular vendor, and otherwise would not require accepting the lowest bid, but rather would permit price among other decision factors (including potentially more subjective ones).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172047
House Bill 5239: Allow certain local government no-bid contracts
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on January 26, 2016, to revise the general law village act to conform with the local government procurement procedures specified by House Bill 5238.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172048
House Bill 5240: Allow certain local government no-bid contracts
Introduced by Rep. Peter Lucido (R) on January 26, 2016, to revise the home rule village act to conform with the local government procurement procedures specified by House Bill 5238.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172049
House Bill 5241: Allow certain local government no-bid contracts
Introduced by Rep. Jason Sheppard (R) on January 26, 2016, to revise the charter county act to conform with the local government procurement procedures specified by House Bill 5238.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172050
House Bill 5242: Allow certain local government no-bid contracts
Introduced by Rep. Klint Kesto (R) on January 26, 2016, to revise the home rule city act to conform with the local government procurement procedures specified by House Bill 5238.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172051
House Bill 5243: Allow certain local government no-bid contracts
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on January 26, 2016, to revise the law that prescribes the powers of county governments to conform with the local government procurement procedures specified by House Bill 5238.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172052
House Bill 5244: Allow certain local government no-bid contracts
Introduced by Rep. Andy Schor (D) on January 26, 2016, to revise the law that prescribes the “unified†form of county government organization to conform with the local government procurement procedures specified by House Bill 5238.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172053
House Bill 5245: Allow certain local government no-bid contracts
Introduced by Rep. Harvey Santana (D) on January 26, 2016, to revise the law that authorizes state-appointed emergency managers for fiscally failed local government so it conforms with the local government procurement procedures specified by House Bill 5238.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172054
House Bill 5246: Authorize “Pueblo†incident veteran plate
Introduced by Rep. John Chirkun (D) on January 26, 2016, to permit individuals who were in the military and involved in the 1968 North Korean seizure of a U.S. spy ship (the Pueblo), and their spouses, to pay an extra $5 to get a license plate with a “veteran†label.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172055
House Bill 5247: Permit green flashing lights on snow plow trucks
Introduced by Rep. Rob VerHeulen (R) on January 26, 2016, to allow snow plow trucks to use flashing green lights, in addition to the current yellow lights prescribed by law. Having two colors is said to make the trucks easier to notice in snowstorms.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172056
House Bill 5248: Restrict police use of automated license plate readers
Introduced by Rep. Sam Singh (D) on January 26, 2016, to restrict the use by law enforcement of automated license plate readers unless they are used for a specified (but broad) range of law enforcement purposes, and require the data accumulated by these devices to be purged from the system within 48 hours unless it is related to an active investigation. However, the restrictions would not apply to police use of license plate reader data compiled by private firms.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172057
House Bill 5249: Reduce restrictions on taxpayer funded electioneering
Introduced by Rep. Holly Hughes (R) on January 26, 2016, to repeal a prohibition on taxpayer-funded local governments and school district communications that reference a property tax hike or other local ballot measure during the 60 days before the election. The bill would permit taxpayer funded communications that, “under reasonable interpretation,†do not imply “a vote for or against a proposal†and which “provide a fair interpretation of the facts.†Officials in the state elections bureau would examine contested political flyers and communications to determine what is “reasonable”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172058
House Bill 5250: Authorize use of drivers license photos for CPL license
Introduced by Rep. Edward Canfield (R) on January 26, 2016, to allow the Secretary of State to provide access to digitized drivers license photographs to the State Police for purposes of using this photo on an individual’s concealed pistol license.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172059
House Bill 5251: Permit bank loan raffles
Introduced by Rep. Brandt Iden (R) on January 26, 2016, to allow banks to hold loan promotion raffles, which would not be considered a violation of the state’s illegal gambling laws.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172060
House Bill 5252: Repeal Michigan’s Right to Work law for government employees
Introduced by Rep. John Kivela (D) on January 26, 2016, to repeal the state’s right to work law for government and public school employees. Specifically, the bill would allow public employers to enter an agreement with a union under which all workers would be required to pay “agency fees†to the union as a condition of employment.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172109
House Bill 5253: Let local council remove state-appointed emergency manager
Introduced by Rep. Sherry Gay-Dagnogo (D) on January 26, 2016, to revise a provision that allows a local government under the receivership of a state appointed emergency manager to remove the individual holding this position with a two-thirds vote of its governing body. The bill would remove a provision that only allows this when the emergency manager’s appointment ends.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172110
House Bill 5254: Allow certain local government no-bid contracts
Introduced by Rep. Jason Sheppard (R) on January 26, 2016, to revise the charter township act to conform with the local government procurement procedures specified by House Bill 5238.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172111
House Bill 5255: Ban Great Lakes aquaculture
Introduced by Rep. Jon Bumstead (R) on January 26, 2016, to ban fish farms in the Great Lakes and connecting waters.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172112
House Bill 5256: Appropriations: Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
Introduced by Rep. Larry Inman (R) on January 26, 2016, to provide a “template†or “place holder†for the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 Department of Military and Veterans Affairs budget. This bill contains no appropriations, but may be amended at a later date to include them.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172113
House Bill 5257: Revise liquor marketing regulations
Introduced by Rep. Klint Kesto (R) on January 26, 2016, to revise the very detailed regulations and restrictions on alcohol distribution to permit wholesalers and retailers to use social media to promote product tastings and inform consumers of where their products can be located.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172114
House Bill 5258: Restrict oil and gas drilling in large counties
Introduced by Rep. Jeremy Moss (D) on January 26, 2016, to prohibit oil and gas wells within 2,000 feet of a residential building in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne Counties, unless they hold a hearing in the community. The bill also appears to give local governments to power to enact zoning and other regulations that would ban wells.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172115
House Bill 5259: Lower speed limits on road with hospital driveway
Introduced by Rep. Ray Franz (R) on January 26, 2016, to reduce the maximum speed on roads that have an entrance to a hospital, extending to 2,000 feet of the hospital property.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172116
House Bill 5260: Repeal expanded emergency manager powers
Introduced by Rep. LaTanya Garrett (D) on January 26, 2016, to repeal the 2012 law that greatly expanded the powers of emergency managers appointed by the state to reform the finances of fiscally failed school districts and municipalities.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172117
House Bill 5261: Allow county road loans to townships
Introduced by Rep. Triston Cole (R) on January 26, 2016, to allow counties to give 10-year road project loans to townships.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172118
House Bill 5262: Appropriations: Department of Education
Introduced by Rep. Phil Potvin (R) on January 26, 2016, to provide a “template†or “place holder†for the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 Department of Education budget. This bill contains no appropriations, but may be amended at a later date to include them.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172119
House Bill 5263: Appropriations: State Police
Introduced by Rep. Aaron Miller (R) on January 26, 2016, to provide a “template†or “place holder†for the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 State Police budget. This bill contains no appropriations, but may be amended at a later date to include them.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172120
House Bill 5264: Appropriations: Judiciary budget
Introduced by Rep. Earl Poleski (R) on January 28, 2016, to provide a “template†or “place holder†for the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 Judiciary budget. This bill contains no appropriations, but may be amended at a later date to include them.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172164
House Bill 5265: Appropriations: Community Colleges
Introduced by Rep. Paul Muxlow (R) on January 28, 2016, to provide a “template†or “place holder†for the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 Community Colleges budget. This bill contains no appropriations, but may be amended at a later date to include them.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172165
House Bill 5266: Appropriations: School aid budget
Introduced by Rep. Tim Kelly (R) on January 28, 2016, to provide a “template†or “place holder†for a Fiscal Year 2016-2017 school aid budget. This bill contains no appropriations, but may be amended at a later date to include them.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172166
House Bill 5267: Appropriations: Department of Environmental Quality
Introduced by Rep. Roger Victory (R) on January 28, 2016, to provide a “template†or “place holder†for the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 Department of Environmental Quality budget. This bill contains no appropriations, but may be amended at a later date to include them.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172167
House Bill 5268: Appropriations: Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
Introduced by Rep. Nancy Jenkins (R) on January 28, 2016, to provide a “template†or “place holder†for the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 Department of Agriculture and Rural Development budget. This bill contains no appropriations, but may be amended at a later date to include them.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172168
House Bill 5269: Appropriations: Department of Natural Resources
Introduced by Rep. Jon Bumstead (R) on January 28, 2016, to provide a “template†or “place holder†for the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 Department of Natural Resources budget. This bill contains no appropriations, but may be amended at a later date to include them.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172169
House Bill 5270: Let circuit court judges officiate marriages
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on January 28, 2016, to allow circuit court judges to perform (“solemnizeâ€) marriages.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172170
House Bill 5271: Revise drain tax millage base
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on January 28, 2016, to empower county road commissions to place a road repair property tax millage increase on the ballot of “the electorate residing within the jurisdiction of the (road commission)… but residing outside of the jurisdiction of a city or village located within the countyâ€.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172171
House Bill 5272: Appropriations: Department of Corrections
Introduced by Rep. David Pagel (R) on January 28, 2016, to provide a “template†or “place holder†for the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 Department of Corrections budget. This bill contains no appropriations, but may be amended at a later date to include them.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172172
House Bill 5273: Revise parole granting detail
Introduced by Rep. David Pagel (R) on January 28, 2016, to revise the “veto†a sentencing judge or the judge’s successor has over granting parole to a prisoner convicted of a serious crime. Under current law, a sentencing judge and his or her successor can veto a parole. The bill would repeal this for the successor judge.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172173
House Bill 5274: Appropriations: Department of Community Health
Introduced by Rep. Rob VerHeulen (R) on January 28, 2016, to provide a “template†or “place holder†for the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 Department of Community Health budget. This bill contains no appropriations, but may be amended at a later date to include them.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172174
House Bill 5275: Require DNR create forest trail map
Introduced by Rep. Triston Cole (R) on January 28, 2016, to require the Department of Natural Resources to create a comprehensive inventory of state forest roads that are considered “state roads,†which identifies the condition and development level of the forest roads, and shows the types of motorized and non-motorized uses currently restricted on each segment, including seasonal restrictions. Also, to allow pack-saddle horses in parts of the forests that are otherwise closed to this activity, if it for purposes of hauling out game during hunting season.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172175
House Bill 5276: Appropriations: Department of Talent and Economic Development
Introduced by Rep. Laura Cox (R) on January 28, 2016, to provide a “template†or “place holder†for the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 Department of Talent and Economic Development budget. This bill contains no appropriations, but may be amended at a later date to include them.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172176
House Bill 5277: Appropriations: General Government
Introduced by Rep. Laura Cox (R) on January 28, 2016, to provide a “template†or “place holder†for the Fiscal Year 2016-2017 General Government budget. This bill contains no appropriations, but may be amended at a later date to include them.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172177
House Bill 5278: Revise drain tax millage apportionment
Introduced by Rep. Ben Glardon (R) on January 28, 2016, to revise details of how to apportion debt service payments on multi-county drain projects that are not completed within the five-year period authorized for such projects.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172178
House Bill 5279: Revise drain project approval process
Introduced by Rep. Ben Glardon (R) on January 28, 2016, to include villages in the law that specifies procedures for gaining approval of drain projects that involve property in more than one drain district. This refers to the networks of ditches and streams that are used to “drain†much of Michigan’s farmland, which was largely swamp and bog before the drain networks were created a century ago and more.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=172179