Senate Bill 312: Revise college scholarship “promise zone” criteria
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on October 17, 2013, to revise a 2008 law authorizing “promise zone” tax increment financing authorities (TIFA) to subsidize college tuition for students in low educational attainment areas, by allowing these subsidies for vocational education or training; allowing an authority to also pay for books and supplies; and giving authorities more latitude in setting academic performance standards they may or may not require students to meet. The bill would also expand the power of an authority to reset the “base year” for determining its future tax increment “capture” amounts.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=673820
Senate Bill 332: Exempt “natural fertilizer” from phosphate content restrictions
Passed 102 to 6 in the House on October 17, 2013, to exempt “natural fertilizer” from restrictions imposed by a 2010 law restricting spreading a fertilizer containing more than 0.5 percent of the plant nutrient “available phosphate” (p2o5) on a lawn, golf course or other grass.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=673864
Senate Bill 358: Authorize certain manufacturing & mining electrician licensure exemptions
Passed 21 to 17 in the Senate on October 17, 2013, to exclude certain work in manufacturing and mining operations, or at an “independent power producer” facility, from a state licensure mandate that prohibits an individual from earning a living as an electrician without a state license (which among other things requires at least four years of apprenticeship in which 8,000 hours of experience must be accumulated).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=673819
Senate Bill 476: Repeal auctioneer registration mandate
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on October 17, 2013, to repeal a law that imposes a registration (licensure) mandate on auctioneers.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=673821
Senate Bill 477: Repeal auctioneer registration mandate
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on October 17, 2013, to repeal a law that imposes a registration (licensure) mandate on auctioneers. This bill repeals various fee mandates.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=673822
Senate Bill 478: Repeal auctioneer registration mandate
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on October 17, 2013, to revise references to snowmobile dealers in the state environmental law so as to reflect the provisions of Senate Bill 476, which would repeal a law that imposes a registration (licensure) mandate on auctioneers.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=673823
Senate Bill 489: Revise “personal property tax” reform details
Passed 82 to 26 in the House on October 17, 2013, to revise details of a 2012 law that exempts from property tax up to $80,000 ($40,000 in “taxable value”) worth of tools and equipment owned or leased by a business in a particular jurisdiction. (This so-called “personal property tax” imposes annual property taxes on business tools and equipment.) The bill would empower local assessors to retroactively deny exemptions for the three past years; authorize criminal penalties for claiming the exemption on ineligible property; revise details of the definition of what property is eligible; revise procedures for claiming the exemption; impose new record-keeping requirements on businesses; and more. It is considered a “clean up” of provisions in that 2012 law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=673878
Senate Bill 490: Revise “personal property tax” reform details
Passed 81 to 27 in the House on October 17, 2013, to revise details of a 2012 law that gradually phases out a so-called “personal property tax” that imposes annual property taxes on tools and equipment owned by “industrial” firms. The bill would revise details of the definition of what property is taxable and what business operations are considered “industrial”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=673879
Senate Bill 494: Repeal licensure of “community planners”
Passed 26 to 12 in the Senate on October 17, 2013, to repeal the registration mandate imposed on “community planners.” This bill repeals the registration, application, and examination fees, and a bill to be introduced later repeals the mandate itself.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=673824
House Bill 4949: Unemployment insurance reform package
Passed 35 to 3 in the Senate on October 17, 2013, to increase the potential sanctions for taking unemployment benefits to which a person is not entitled. However, the bill would require, rather than just permit, the state unemployment benefits agency to waive recovery of improperly paid benefits when the payment was not the recipient’s fault and repayment would be “contrary to equity and good conscience”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=673826
House Bill 4950: Unemployment insurance reform package
Passed 34 to 4 in the Senate on October 17, 2013, to potentially increase the unemployment insurance assessments (payroll tax) on an employer who fails to provide a timely notice to the state unemployment agency that a person has been fired rather than laid off, and so is not eligible for benefits.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=673827
House Bill 4951: Unemployment insurance reform package
Passed 35 to 3 in the Senate on October 17, 2013, to revise the allocation of money recovered from unemployment benefit fraud investigations to various government funds.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=673828
House Bill 4952: Halt unemployment benefits for failed drug test
Passed 28 to 10 in the Senate on October 17, 2013, to make a person ineligible to collect unemployment benefits if a prospective employer requires a drug test as a condition of a job offer and the individual either refuses to take the test or fails it. The proposed law would “sunset” the drug testing one year after it goes into effect.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=673829
House Bill 4953: Unemployment insurance reform package
Passed 35 to 3 in the Senate on October 17, 2013, to potentially increase the unemployment payroll tax on an employer who fails to provide a timely notice to the state unemployment agency that a person has been fired, not laid off, and so is not eligible for benefits. This is a companion to House Bill 4950.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=673830
House Bill 4954: Unemployment insurance reform package
Passed 35 to 3 in the Senate on October 17, 2013, to revise the allocation of money recovered from unemployment benefit fraud investigations to various government funds.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=673831
House Bill 4966: Expand prisons’ access to the state’s criminal information database
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on October 17, 2013, to give the Department of Corrections access to non-public information in the state’s LEIN criminal information database for use “in the performance of their duties” rather than just for employee screening purposes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=673873
House Bill 4967: Expand prisons’ access to the state’s criminal information database
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on October 17, 2013, to give the Department of Corrections access to non-public information in the state’s LEIN criminal information database for use “in the performance of their duties” rather than just for employee screening purposes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=673875
House Bill 4968: Expand prisons’ access to the state’s criminal information database
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on October 17, 2013, to give the Department of Corrections access to non-public information in the state’s LEIN criminal information database for use “in the performance of their duties” rather than just for employee screening purposes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=673876
House Bill 4969: Expand prisons’ access to the state’s criminal information database
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on October 17, 2013, to give the Department of Corrections access to non-public information in the state’s LEIN criminal information database for use “in the performance of their duties” rather than just for employee screening purposes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=673874
House Bill 5048: Revise drunk or stoned doctor penalties
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on October 17, 2013, to revise the penalties for a health care professional practicing while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The bill would establish a maximum fine of $2,500 for second or subsequent offenses; under current law there is a minimum penalty of $1,000 (plus up to 180 days in jail) but no maximum fine (which is unusual in Michigan’s criminal code). The bill would also slightly expand access to non-public records of first offenses where the sentence was deferred if offender meets conditions and terms imposed by the court.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=673877
Senate Bill 616: Appropriations: Supplemental budget
Introduced by Sen. Roger Kahn (R) on October 15, 2013, to provide a template or “place holder” for a potential supplemental appropriation for Fiscal Year 2013-2014. This bill contains no appropriations, but may be amended at a later date to include them.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161150
Senate Bill 617: Create government “brain injury services and prevention council”
Introduced by Sen. Jim Marleau (R) on October 15, 2013, to create a government “brain injury services and prevention council” comprised of individuals representing various agencies and interests, with the task of developing a “comprehensive statewide plan” and recommending specific expansions of current social welfare programs to “address the needs of individuals” with brain injuries.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161151
Senate Bill 618: Revise security guard and alarm installer regulations
Introduced by Sen. Dave Hildenbrand (R) on October 15, 2013, to revise details of the law establishing a comprehensive regulatory and licensure regime for private security services and security alarm installers, in part to reflect the provisions of a 2012 law that imposed similar regulations on providers of “internet-protocol enabled premises security systems”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161152
Senate Bill 619: Revise security service and security alarm installer regulations
Introduced by Sen. Dave Hildenbrand (R) on October 15, 2013, to revise details of the law establishing a comprehensive regulatory and licensure regime for private security services and security alarm installers, in part to reflect the provisions of a 2012 law that imposed similar regulations on providers of “internet-protocol enabled premises security systems”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161153
Senate Bill 620: Revise security guard and alarm installer regulations
Introduced by Sen. Dave Hildenbrand (R) on October 15, 2013, to revise references to security alarm providers in the Michigan vehicle code to reflect regulatory changes proposed by Senate Bills 618 and 619.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161154
Senate Bill 621: Revise security guard and alarm installer regulations
Introduced by Sen. Dave Hildenbrand (R) on October 15, 2013, to revise references to security alarm providers in the state personal identification card law to reflect regulatory changes proposed by Senate Bills 618 and 619.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161155
Senate Bill 622: Clarify real estate improvement use tax provision
Introduced by Sen. Darwin Booher (R) on October 15, 2013, to clarify the applicability of the state use tax on “a manufacturer that affixes its product to real estate”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161156
Senate Bill 623: Revise nonprofit corporations law
Introduced by Sen. Mike Kowall (R) on October 16, 2013, to revise and update details of many provisions in the state law governing nonprofit corporations.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161162
Senate Bill 624: Revise nonprofit corporations law
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on October 16, 2013, to revise and update details of many provisions in the state law governing the dissolution or merger of “domestic charitable purpose corporations”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161163
Senate Bill 625: Revise nonprofit corporations law
Introduced by Sen. Steve Bieda (D) on October 16, 2013, to revise references to nonprofit corporations in the Michigan law governing limited liability companies to reflect changes proposed by Senate Bill 623.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161164
Senate Bill 626: Repeal criminal penalties for marijuana possession
Introduced by Sen. Coleman Young (D) on October 16, 2013, to repeal criminal sanctions on possession of one ounce or less of marijuana, and instead authorize a civil penalty of $25, and $50 to $100 for subsequent violations.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161165
Senate Bill 627: Require hospitals to post their “prices”
Introduced by Sen. Joe Hune (R) on October 17, 2013, to require hospitals to place on their website or make available in other ways a copy of their “charge description master,” defined as “a uniform schedule of charges represented by the hospital as its gross billed charge for a given service or item, regardless of payer type”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161172
Senate Bill 628: Revise crime victim rights detail
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on October 17, 2013, to revise the law that allows crime victims to receive notices and provide input regarding the prosecution of the perpetrator, including providing a victim “impact statement.” Under current law, this applies to the parents or guardian of a victim who is a minor, and the bill would change this so that it defines “victim” as someone who was less than 18 “at the time of the commission of the crime”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161173
Senate Bill 629: Allow local governments to extend debt refinancing duration
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on October 17, 2013, to allow local governments to refinance debt with new loans that have maturities extending through 2043, rather than 2039 as currently, and exempt refinancings done before 2020 from a 2001 law that restricts these if they increase the total debt service payments over the life of the loan.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161174
Senate Bill 630: Allow local governments to extend debt refinancing duration
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on October 17, 2013, to allow certain “tax increment finance authorities” to refinance debt with new loans that have maturities extending through 2043, rather than 2039 as currently, and exempt refinancings done before 2020 from a 2001 law that restricts these if they increase the total debt service payments over the life of the loan.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161175
Senate Bill 631: Revise carrier pigeon licensure mandate
Introduced by Sen. Hoon-Yung Hopgood (D) on October 17, 2013, to prohibit a person from getting a state-mandated carrier pigeon license if his or her facilities do not meet regulations imposed by the local government.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161176
House Bill 5078: Create criminal sentencing commission
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Haveman (R) on October 15, 2013, to create a sentencing commission in the legislative council to collect, prepare, analyze, and disseminate information regarding sentencing practices for felonies and the use of prisons and jails.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161158
House Bill 5079: Let more cities impose additional public safety property tax
Introduced by Rep. Marilyn Lane (D) on October 15, 2013, to allow cities with more than 15,000 residents impose “special assessment” property taxes to pay for police and fire services. These taxes would be imposed over and above regular property taxes, and would require a vote of the community.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161159
House Bill 5081: Require law enforcement property seizure reports
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on October 16, 2013, to require law enforcement agencies to file detailed reports on their criminal asset seizures (which in many cases involve individuals charged with a crime but not convicted). The reports would have to include details about the alleged crime and pre-seizure investigations, whether the person was convicted, descriptions of the seized or forfeited assets, whether the property was returned if the person was not convicted, the disposition of the property including any fees charged to the owner, how the agency used money from the sale of the assets and more.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161167
House Bill 5082: Authorize child custody “parenting time coordinator”
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on October 16, 2013, to authorize the appointment in child custody disputes of a “parenting time coordinator” to help implement court orders related to parenting time, if the parties agree.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161168
House Bill 5083: Facilitate “land banks” obtaining tax-reverted property
Introduced by Rep. David E. Rutledge (D) on October 16, 2013, to allow certain tax-reverted property to be transferred to a government “land bank” authority if it is not sold at the first of two required auctions after a tax foreclosure, and if no local government wants to purchase the property.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161169
House Bill 5084: Give name to U.P. portion of I-75
Introduced by Rep. Greg MacMaster (R) on October 17, 2013, to designate the portion of I-75 in the Upper Peninsula as the “Michigan Military Veterans Highway”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161181
House Bill 5085: Revise restrictions on minors shooting pistols
Introduced by Rep. Phil Potvin (R) on October 17, 2013, to revise the law that requires minors shooting a pistol to do so only under the supervision of a parent or guardian, so as to allow this supervision to be provided by an adult age 21 or older who has successfully completed a pistol safety training course that meets the requirements of the state’s concealed pistol law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161182
House Bill 5086: Revise homestead income tax credit
Introduced by Rep. Cindy Denby (R) on October 17, 2013, to establish that a person who is blind is considered equivalent to “disabled” for purposes of eligibility for an income tax credit against property taxes imposed on a person’s primary residence.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161183