Senate Bill 89: Vehicle trade-in “sales tax on the difference” only
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on October 23, 2013, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill, which would phase the tax break in over 24 years, but suspend that this if the federal health care law’s (”Obamacare”) Medicaid expansion (authorized by House Bill 4714) is rescinded.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674026
Senate Bill 533: Revise “brownfield” reporting detail
Passed 35 to 1 in the Senate on October 29, 2013, to delay a 2013 deadline for a brownfield redevelopment authority to apply to receive revenue from the state school property tax, which is intended to replace property tax revenue the authority would have “captured” but for certain personal property tax exemptions enacted in 2007.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674195
Senate Bill 581: Correct citation reference in jail law
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on October 29, 2013, to correct a citation reference in a statute requiring verification of school enrollment or employment of an individual released from jail for either of these.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674192
Senate Bill 582: Authorize enhanced penalties for drive-by shooting
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on October 29, 2013, to authorize up to life in prison for intentionally discharging a firearm from a vehicle or at a dwelling when this causes death (as in a “drive-by” shooting), and 15 to 20 years if someone is injured. These penalties would be on top of any imposed for assault, attempted murder, etc. The bill also increases the maximum penalty if no one is hurt from four years to 10 years.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674193
Senate Bill 583: Authorize enhanced penalties for drive-by shooting
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on October 29, 2013, to establish sentencing guidelines for the enhanced “drive-by” shooting penalties proposed by Senate Bill 5832.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674194
Senate Bill 606: Repeal ocularist registration
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on October 29, 2013, to repeal a law that imposes a registration mandate on ocularists and ocularist apprentices, who design, fabricate, and fit “ocular prosthetic appliances,” or artificial eyes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674196
Senate Bill 607: Repeal ocularist registration
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on October 29, 2013, to repeal a law that imposes a registration mandate on ocularists and ocularist apprentices, who design, fabricate, and fit “ocular prosthetic appliances,” or artificial eyes. Senate bill 606 repeals the registration and this bill repeals the associated fee.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674197
House Bill 4958: Prohibit unemployment benefits for legal aliens on work visa
Passed 105 to 3 in the House on October 29, 2013, to establish that legal aliens with a work visa are not eligible for Michigan unemployment benefits. Under current law this ineligibility applies to agricultural work, and the bill would expand it to include non-agricultural work. This would mean that their employers wouldn’t have to pay the state unemployment tax (”assessment”) imposed on these workers’ wages.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674227
Senate Bill 442: End automatic tax increases to pay union contract lawsuit judgments
Passed 27 to 10 in the Senate on October 30, 2013, to revise a provision that requires school property taxes be raised to pay off lawsuit-related judgments against a school district, by establishing that this does not apply if the lawsuit was to enforce a school employee union contract or other contract that specifically relates to school operations.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674322
Senate Bill 443: End automatic tax increases to pay union contract lawsuit judgments
Passed 27 to 10 in the Senate on October 30, 2013, to revise a provision that requires school property taxes be raised to pay off lawsuit-related judgments against a school district, by establishing that this does not apply if the lawsuit was to enforce a school employee union contract or other contract that specifically relates to school operations.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674323
Senate Bill 652: Establish state Appeals Court as venue for suits against the state
Passed 26 to 11 in the Senate on October 30, 2013, to establish that the state “court of claims” which is the venue all claims against state agencies, commissions, boards, etc., will no longer be the Ingham County circuit court, but will instead be the state Court of Appeals (which consists of 24 judges elected in four regional elections).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674317
Senate Bill 653: Revise judgeship details
Passed 26 to 11 in the Senate on October 30, 2013, to increase the number of number of judgeships in some circuits and districts, and decrease the number in others, resulting in no net change in the number of judges statewide.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674318
House Bill 4570: Exempt college students from jury duty
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on October 30, 2013, to require the chief judge of a judicial circuit or district to postpone jury duty for a full time student in a college or other educational institution until the end of the current school term, if the student provides evidence the duty will interfere with his or her class schedule.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674332
House Bill 4605: Establish that military experience meets EMT licensure requirements
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on October 30, 2013, to establish that having recent and relevant military medical experience meets the criteria for obtaining an emergency medical technician license, and also waive the license fees for these applicants.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674313
House Bill 4713: Require schools to post emergency drill info on website
Passed 82 to 26 in the House on October 30, 2013, to revise the number and scheduling of required school safety drills, and establish reporting requirements, so that 10 drills would be required each year: five fire drills; two tornado drills; and three school “lockdown” drills. This would mean one fewer fire drill and one additional lockdown drill. Also, schools would have to post documentation of completed school safety drills on their websites within five business days.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674334
House Bill 4731: Waive commercial road test for certain recent veterans
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on October 30, 2013, to waive a required state examination for meeting firefighter professional qualification standards, if an applicant is a recent military veteran with relevant experience.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674314
House Bill 4736: Authorize sexually transmitted disease “expedited partner therapy”
Passed 90 to 18 in the House on October 30, 2013, to authorize the use of “expedited partner therapy” to limit the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, which means a health professional giving a person diagnosed with gonorrhea or chlamydia a single-dose antibiotic for the partner who has not been seen by the health professional. The bill would also extend limited legal immunity to health professionals providing this, except for gross negligence.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674333
House Bill 4752: Establish that military experience meets boiler operator requirements
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on October 30, 2013, to establish that having recent and relevant military training and experience meets the criteria for obtaining a stationary steam engineers and boiler operators registration (license), and also to waive the initial license fees for these applicants.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674316
House Bill 4754: Establish that military experience meets mechanical contractor licensure requirements
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on October 30, 2013, to waive a requirement that an applicant for a mechanical contractor license must have at least three years in the field, if the individual is a recent military veteran with relevant service experience.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674319
House Bill 4756: Establish that military experience meets residential builder licensure requirements
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on October 30, 2013, to waive certain training and industry experience requirements to obtain a license to earn a living as a residential builder, maintenance and alteration contractor, if the individual is a recent military veteran with relevant service experience.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674320
House Bill 4937: Revise utility regulation detail
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on October 30, 2013, to repeal a requirement that gas and electric utilities must periodically disburse money from an “uncollectibles allowance recovery fund” they are required to maintain to a state fund that is supposed to make air pollution reduction grants. According to the House Fiscal Agency the “uncollectibles” funds never accumulated much money, and so the state fund has not made any grants.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674312
House Bill 4970: Require license to install residential lifts
Passed 58 to 50 in the House on October 30, 2013, to require a licensed “residential maintenance and repair” contractor to get a separate license to install a “residential lift.” The contractor would have to be certified by the manufacturer, pay fees to be determined by the state’s occupational licensure bureau, and be deemed by that agency to be “qualified.” Residential lifts can include one-story stair-climbing machines for elderly or handicapped individuals. This is connected to House Bill 4971 which would exempt residential lift installers from the more comprehensive licensure and regulatory regime that applies to regular elevator contractors.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674328
House Bill 4971: Require license to install residential lifts
Passed 58 to 50 in the House on October 30, 2013, to exempt residential lift installers from the comprehensive licensure and regulatory regime that applies to regular elevator contractors. Residential repair contractors would be subject to a less onerous regulatory regime imposed by House Bill 4970. This would greatly increase the number of professionals allowed to install stairway chairlifts and platform lifts in private residences for elderly or handicapped individuals.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674329
House Bill 5020: Eliminate sunset on “sobriety court interlock project”
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on October 30, 2013, to make permanent the “sobriety court interlock project” pilot program authorized by a 2010 law intended to “reduce recidivism among alcohol offenders”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674330
House Bill 5021: Eliminate sunset on “sobriety court interlock project”
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on October 30, 2013, to make permanent the “sobriety court interlock project” pilot program authorized by a 2010 intended to “reduce recidivism among alcohol offenders”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=674331