Senate Bill 422: Create new low-income medical welfare program
Failed 9 to 29 in the Senate on August 27, 2013, to create a new state medical welfare program that for a minimal monthly premium ($5 to $20) would provide insurance benefits to individuals below the federal poverty level who are not eligible for federal Medicaid subsidies (which mostly applies to childless adults). This is potentially an alternative to the Medicaid expansion portion of the federal health care law called “Obamacare” by most people.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=671997
House Bill 4132: Revise conservation district vacancy detail
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on August 27, 2013, to give the Department of Natural Resources the authority to appoint a person to fill a county conservation district board vacancy until the next annual meeting at which directors are selected. The bill also revises some other details related to these government entities.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=671988
House Bill 4541: Extend “Obsolete Property” tax break for particular developer
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on August 27, 2013, to revise the criteria in the law that authorizes tax breaks for the rehabilitation and reuse of “obsolete structures” in a way that will allow granting these tax breaks to a particular project. The bill would also require the state Tax Commission to post online information about applications for these tax break exceptions that are approved or disapproved, and also send this information to the legislators representing the area where an applicant is located.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=671991
House Bill 4714: Accept federal health care law Medicaid expansion
Passed 20 to 18 in the Senate on August 27, 2013, to expand Medicaid eligibility to families and childless adults up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, which implements a key component of the federal health care law (aka “Obamacare”). Under that law, the feds are supposed to pay 100 percent of the expansion’s cost during the first three years, with the state responsible for not more than 10 percent of the costs starting in 2020.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=672004
House Bill 4714: Accept federal health care law Medicaid expansion
The motion failed 24 to 14 in the Senate on August 27, 2013, to give the bill immediate effect. Without a two-thirds majority on this vote, the Medicaid expansion cannot proceed until 90 days after the 2013 legislative session concludes at the end of the year. Under the federal health care law, the expansion is scheduled to begin on Jan. 1, 2014.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=672005
House Bill 4891: Earmark liquor tax money to prevention and treatment
Introduced by Rep. Matt Lori (R) on July 18, 2013, to earmark a portion of liquor tax revenue to local drug and alcoholism prevention and treatment programs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160373
House Bill 4892: Revise state contractor detail
Introduced by Rep. Robert Genetski (R) on July 18, 2013, to revise the procedures used when making partial progress payments to contractors on state construction projects. The bill would require these rather than just allow them, and establish deadlines and penalties for failures by the state to pay contractors in a timely manner.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160374
House Bill 4893: Revise child abuse investigation database details
Introduced by Rep. Margaret O’Brien (R) on July 18, 2013, to revise the rules for maintaining or expunging records of investigations contained in a central state registry of serious child abuse cases, and for notifications sent to individuals who are the targets of such investigations.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160375
House Bill 4894: Mandate hours of school health education
Introduced by Rep. Thomas Stallworth, III (D) on July 18, 2013, to mandate that public schools provide at least 50 hours per year of “health education” to students in grades K to 8.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160376
House Bill 4895: Increase concealing stolen car penalties
Introduced by Rep. Klint Kesto (R) on July 18, 2013, to increase the penalty for second and subsequent convictions for concealing a stolen vehicle.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160377
House Bill 4896: Increase concealing stolen car penalties
Introduced by Rep. Klint Kesto (R) on July 18, 2013, to establish sentencing guidelines for the increased penalties proposed by House Bill 4895 for second and subsequent convictions for concealing a stolen vehicle.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160378
House Bill 4897: Use state agency to “facilitate” creating Detroit futures exchange
Introduced by Rep. John Olumba (D) on July 18, 2013, to require the state financial and insurance regulation bureau to collaborate with other government agencies to “facilitate” creation of a Detroit “Mercantile and Commodities Exchange”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160379
House Bill 4898: Repeal state income tax
Introduced by Rep. Robert Genetski (R) on July 18, 2013, to repeal the state income tax, if voters approve. This bill would place the repeal on the ballot as a legislative initiative on the November 2014 general election.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160380
House Bill 4899: Impose new regulations on gas and oil “fracking”
Introduced by Rep. Sarah Roberts (D) on July 18, 2013, to require the Department of Environmental Quality to hold a public hearing before issuing a permit for the extraction of natural gas or oil using “hydraulic fracturing,” if local politicians or residents request a hearing.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160381
House Bill 4900: Impose new regulations on gas and oil “fracking”
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on July 18, 2013, to prohibit the extraction of natural gas using “hydraulic fracturing” unless a driller discloses extensive details on the particular well and the chemicals used in the process, applies for permission, is granted a permit by state environmental regulators and more.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160382
House Bill 4901: Impose new regulations on gas and oil “fracking”
Introduced by Rep. Marcia Hovey-Wright (D) on July 18, 2013, to require the Department of Environmental Quality, the Department of Community Health, and the Department of Natural Resources to jointly undertake a study of the public health, environmental, and natural resource impacts associated with the extraction of oil or gas from shale formations in this state, and detailing potential regulations.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160383
House Bill 4902: Impose “fracking” pollution presumption
Introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D) on July 18, 2013, to establish a rebuttable presumption of legal liability, that any groundwater contamination “in the vicinity” of an oil or gas well using the hydraulic fracturing extraction process was caused by the chemicals used in that process.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160384
House Bill 4903: Impose new regulations on gas and oil “fracking”
Introduced by Rep. Sean McCann (D) on July 18, 2013, to impose a groundwater withdrawal assessment regulatory regime and permit mandates on the use of “hydraulic fracturing” to extract natural gas and oil.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160385
House Bill 4904: Impose new regulations on gas and oil “fracking”
Introduced by Rep. Gretchen Driskell (D) on July 18, 2013, to give counties and townships the power to regulate and possibly ban hydraulic fracturing for oil and gas through their zoning ordinances.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160386
House Bill 4906: Impose new regulations on gas and oil “fracking”
Introduced by Rep. Vicki Barnett (D) on July 18, 2013, to increase from 450 feet to 1,000 feet the distance a gas or oil well must be kept from a residence, school, child care facility, hospital or park.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160388
House Bill 4907: Revise arson law details
Introduced by Rep. John Walsh (R) on July 18, 2013, to clarify wording in the state’s law against arson.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160389
House Bill 4908: Revise arson law details
Introduced by Rep. John Walsh (R) on July 18, 2013, to revise details of state sentencing guidelines for the crime of arson.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160390
House Bill 4909: Repeal ban on same-sex marriage
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on July 18, 2013, to eliminate the state ban on same-sex marriage. Enactment of the bill would require adoption of House Joint Resolution V or another constitutional amendment repealing this ban.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160391
House Bill 4910: Repeal ban on same-sex marriage
Introduced by Rep. Kate Segal (D) on July 18, 2013, to eliminate the state ban on same-sex marriage in a state “foreign marriage act.” Enactment of the bill would require adoption of House Joint Resolution V or another constitutional amendment repealing the ban on same-sex marriage.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160392
House Bill 4911: Require warrant to use or disclose cell phone GPS data
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on July 18, 2013, to prohibit law enforcement agents from using a cell phone GPS to obtain or disclose the location of an individual, unless they obtain a warrant or the person’s permission.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160393
House Bill 4912: Require warrant to use or disclose cell phone GPS data
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on July 18, 2013, to establish sentencing guidelines for violations of the prohibition proposed by House Bill 4911 of using a cell phone GPS to obtain or disclose the location of an individual without a warrant or the person’s permission.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160394
House Bill 4913: Limit SLAPP suits
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on July 18, 2013, to limit “strategic lawsuits against public participation” (SLAPP suits), which are filed against a person who communicates with a governmental unit, public official, or other person to seek relief, influence action, inform, communicate, and otherwise participate in the process of government. The bill would require a court to dismiss such a suit unless there was prima facie evidence that it was not initiated to deny constitutionally protected free speech, and the defendant was prohibited by law from disseminating the information, or the information was false or made with reckless regard for the truth. A defendant could collect damages of up to $5,000 if the plaintiff failed to meet these standards and the case was dismissed.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160395
House Bill 4914: Require militarized police agency disclosures
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on July 18, 2013, to require law enforcement agencies with SWAT teams to file reports every six months disclosing the number of times these were deployed, where, the reason, the legal authority for the raid, the result, the number of arrests made if any, the type of evidence and property seized, whether a forcible entry was made, whether a weapon was discharged by a SWAT team member, and whether a person or pet was injured or killed by a SWAT team member.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160396
House Bill 4915: Extend sunset on crime victim’s rights fund earmark
Introduced by Rep. Matt Lori (R) on July 18, 2013, to extend until October 2018 the sunset on a provision of the state crime victim’s rights fund earmarking money not used by the fund in any given year to pay instead for other law enforcement activities, such as maintaining the state sex offender registry, “Amber alert” programs, sex crime victim treatment services, lie detector tests and expert witness fees.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160397
House Bill 4916: Allow nonprofits to solicit money in the street
Introduced by Rep. Terry Brown (D) on July 18, 2013, to permit individuals to solicit charitable donations in public a right-of-way (street) if this is permitted by the local government and if the money is being raised for a nonprofit 501c organization.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160398
House Bill 4917: Revise asbestos lawsuit detail
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on July 18, 2013, to require a claimant in an asbestos case to disclose any information related to prior claims for compensation from asbestos trust funds.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160399
House Bill 4918: Ban paying “bounties” to local parking enforcement “volunteers”
Introduced by Rep. Tim Kelly (R) on August 2, 2013, to prohibit local governments from paying “bounties” to individuals participating in local volunteer parking meter enforcement programs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160601
House Bill 4919: Authorize state spending to encourage governments to buy local produce
Introduced by Rep. Theresa Abed (D) on August 2, 2013, to authorize a new government program in which the state would spend money to encourage schools and other government entities to buy farm products that are grown, processed, or manufactured in this state.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160602
House Bill 4920: Delay certain mandated large retailer use and sales tax prepayments
Introduced by Rep. John Walsh (R) on August 2, 2013, to postpone until 2015 a new law that increases the amount of use tax and sales tax prepayments large retailers are required to pay in advance to the state.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160603
House Bill 4921: Delay certain mandated large retailer use and sales tax prepayments
Introduced by Rep. John Walsh (R) on August 2, 2013, to postpone until 2015 a new law that increases the amount of use tax and sales tax prepayments large retailers are required to pay in advance to the state.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160604
House Bill 4922: Ban food stamps for beverage deposits
Introduced by Rep. Robert Genetski (R) on August 2, 2013, to prohibit using food stamps (“bridge cards”) to pay the deposit on beverage containers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160605
House Bill 4923: Name a highway after a fallen police officer
Introduced by Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R) on August 2, 2013, to designate a portion of I-94 in Van Buren county as the “Trooper Rick Johnson Memorial Highway”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160606
House Bill 4924: Expand allowable farmers market wine tastings
Introduced by Rep. Mike Shirkey (R) on August 2, 2013, to allow larger winemakers to sell wine and hold wine tastings at farmers markets and special events under a recent law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160607
House Bill 4925: Authorize toll road and bridge “public/private partnerships”
Introduced by Rep. Marilyn Lane (D) on August 2, 2013, to authorize the state Department of Transportation to enter “public/private partnerships” for roads, bridges and other facilities, potentially including additional toll-charging lanes on freeways. The state could borrow against future revenues (“sell bonds”) to pay for these projects, which would be owned by the state, with the private vendor collecting user fees.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160608
House Bill 4926: Revise totaled vehicle title detail
Introduced by Rep. Mike Callton (R) on August 2, 2013, to facilitate insurance companies getting salvage or scrap certificates of title on totaled vehicles from the Secretary of State if needed.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160609