Senate Bill 80: Increase certain school expense reporting
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on October 1, 2013, to require school districts to include the total amount of employee and school board member expense reimbursements in the budget and spending data they are supposed to post online. See also Senate Bill 81.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=672880
Senate Bill 81: Ban school spending on luxuries and gifts
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on October 1, 2013, to extend to regular public school districts, charter schools and the state “Education Achievement Authority” created to take over academically-failed public schools a provision in a 2004 law banning corrupt Intermediate School District (ISD) practices that requires them to have a policy against using public money to buy alcoholic beverages, jewelry, gifts, entertainment tickets, sporting event tickets, golf fees, other recreational activity fees, or illegal items.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=672881
House Bill 4786: Increase vital records fees
Passed 20 to 18 in the Senate on October 1, 2013, to increase the fees for obtaining copies of vital records such as birth and death certificates. The fee increases range from $4 to $15 per record, and the bill also authorizes an extra $25 fee for “expedited” service.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=672897
House Bill 4786: Increase vital records fees
Failed 18 to 19 in the Senate on October 1, 2013, to increase the fees for obtaining copies of vital records such as birth and death certificates. The fee increases range from $4 to $15 per record, and the bill also authorizes an extra $25 fee for “expedited” service.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=672882
House Bill 4787: Increase CON health facility rationing fees
Passed 23 to 14 in the Senate on October 1, 2013, to increase from $1,500 to $3,000 the “base” fee for a hospital or other health care providers seeking government permission to open or expand a health care facility, or add certain capital-intensive equipment (like MRIs), under an existing state “Certificate of Need” rationing regime. The bill would also authorize additional fee increases of $5,000 for large projects, $3,000 for “complex” projects, $500 for “letter of intent” reviews, and more. These fees would then be indexed to inflation so that legislative authorization would not be required for future fee hikes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=672898
House Bill 4961: Increase state share of foster care rate increase cost
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on October 1, 2013, to require the Department of Human Services to pay all of a $3 administrative rate increase for private providers of foster care services as provided in the 2013-14 state budget, rather than half the amount (with counties responsible for the rest which is what current law requires).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=672899
Senate Concurrent Resolution 10: Adjourn 2013 legislature immediately so Medicaid expansion can begin Jan. 1
Failed by voice vote in the Senate on October 1, 2013, to adjourn the 2013 legislative session immediately (rather than the usual time in the last week of December, so that the federal health care law (Obamacare) Medicaid expansion can go into effect at the start of 2013. When the legislature approved the approved the expansion in August they did not give the measure “immediate effect,” which means it cannot go into effect for three months after the legislature adjourns for the year.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160927
Senate Bill 404: Revise landfill performance bond detail
The amendment failed by voice vote in the Senate on October 2, 2013, to increase the state “tipping fee” tax imposed on dumping in landfills, from 12 cents per-cubic yard to $2.50 pwer yard, (a 20-fold increase).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159828
Senate Bill 404: Revise landfill performance bond detail
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on October 2, 2013, to revise details of the financial instruments that may used by a landfill operator to satisfy the performance bond-like “perpetual care fund” requirements related to the future upkeep of closed landfills.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=672950
Senate Bill 428: Ban governments placing foreign-made American flags on veterans’ graves
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on October 2, 2013, to prohibit local governments from buying American flags made outside this country to place on veteran’s graves, unless no competitively-priced American-made flags are available.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=672951
House Bill 4355: Revise condominium audit standards
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on October 2, 2013, to allow a majority of a condominium association’s members to choose not to obtain an annual audit if the association has annual revenues of less than $20,000, and instead only require that a certified public accountant review the books.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=672952