Weekly/biweekly Michigan legislative activism thread December 7, 2012

Senate Bill 165: Authorize pedal-powered beer bars
Passed 96 to 13 in the House on June 18, 2015, to establish in statute that a “commercial quadricycle,” which is a pedal-powered mobile beer bar, is not considered a “motor vehicle” even if it has auxiliary power, and instead would be subject to the less onerous regulations imposed on “low-speed vehicles,” or if operated on a sidewalk, the regulations imposed on “Segways.” Under this and Senate Bill 166 passengers would be allowed to have open beer or wine containers, but the driver would be required to have a blood alcohol level of zero.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715520

Senate Bill 166: Authorize pedal-powered beer bars
Passed 100 to 9 in the House on June 18, 2015, to establish in statute that a “commercial quadricycle,” which is a pedal-powered mobile beer bar, is not considered a “motor vehicle” even if it has auxiliary power, and instead would be subject to the less onerous regulations imposed on “low-speed vehicles,” or if operated on a sidewalk, the regulations imposed on “Segways.” Under this and Senate Bill 165 passengers would be allowed to have open beer or wine containers, but the driver would be required to have a blood alcohol level of zero.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715521

Senate Bill 298: Expand scope of service dog law
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to expand the scope of a law that originally permitted places of public accommodation to allow seeing-eye dogs, and later was amended to require this and expanded to include other specific types of “service dogs.” This bill would expand this law to include service animals employed by individuals with a broad range of physical or mental impairments. It would expand a mandate that places of “public accommodation” must allow service dogs to miniature horses used for this purpose, if they are housebroken and under control.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715437

Senate Bill 299: Expand scope of service dog law
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to revise the law that exempts seeing-eye and other service dogs from canine license fees, so that it reflects the proposal in Senate Bill 298 to expand the range of disabilities covered by this and related service animal laws.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715438

Senate Bill 343: Prorate unfunded university pension “catch up” costs
Passed 32 to 5 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to cap the percentage of payroll that state universities must pay to “catch up” on past underfunding in the school pension system run by the state. This would mean that the state (taxpayers) would be required to cover required catch-up cost contributions above this level, which has also been the case for public school districts since 2012. The bill would also reduce year-to-year variations in the amount of each university’s payroll that is subject to these assessments. Seven state universities were part of this system, but it was closed to new university employees in 1997.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715458

House Bill 4039: Revise tax foreclosure publication details
Passed 93 to 17 in the House on June 17, 2015, to revise details of the publication notice provisions of the law authorizing foreclosure for delinquent property taxes. The bill would reduce the number of times a notice must be published in a newspaper from three to two.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715371

House Bill 4122: Repeal film producer subsidies
Passed 24 to 13 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to repeal the program that gives Michigan tax dollars to film producers as of October, 2016. Since 2008 some $500 million in state tax revenue has been distributed to producers.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715432

House Bill 4185: Revise salvage vehicle inspection certification detail
Passed 108 to 2 in the House on June 17, 2015, to establish a process for appealing the suspension, revocation, or denial of a salvage vehicle inspection certification.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715390

House Bill 4204: Change reference to “crippled children” in state law
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to revise a reference to “crippled children” in state law to instead refer to “children and youth with special health care needs”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715434

House Bill 4205: Change reference to “crippled children” in state law
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on June 18, 2015, to concur with the Senate-passed version of the bill.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715524

House Bill 4226: Expand technology business subsidies
Passed 33 to 4 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to increase from three to nine the number of areas in which “certified technology parks” (previously dubbed “smart zones”) are allowed to expand by creating a “satellite” zone. These entities use “tax increment financing” to provide infrastructure or other subsidies to technology-based businesses. Like the better-known Downtown Development Authorities, they collect the extra local property tax revenue that (hopefully) results from property value increases generated by their selective subsidies and projects.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715439

House Bill 4271: Eliminate February election date
Passed 30 to 7 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to revise details of the state election law to accommodate the proposal in House Bill 4273 to eliminate the February election date authorized by a 2003 election consolidation law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715451

House Bill 4273: Eliminate February election date
Passed 30 to 7 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to eliminate the February election date authorized by a 2003 election consolidation law, which required all regular elections in the state to be held on either the last Tuesday in February, or the Tuesday after the first Monday in either May, August, or November.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715453

House Bill 4274: Eliminate February election date
Passed 30 to 7 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to revise details of the state election law to accommodate the proposal in House Bill 4273 to eliminate the February election date authorized by a 2003 election consolidation law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715454

House Bill 4276: to revise details of the state election law
Passed 31 to 6 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to accommodate the proposal in House Bill 4273 to eliminate the February election date authorized by a 2003 election consolidation law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715455

House Bill 4325: Establish overspending public school “early warning system”
Passed 25 to 12 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to establish a process by which school districts would be required to submit their budget projections and assumptions to the state each July, and require intermediate school districts to declare whether they concur with the projections and assumptions. If they did not this would trigger a detailed reporting and oversight process specified in this and related bills. This is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4325 to 4330 intended to create an “early warning system” for school districts with financial problems.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715462

House Bill 4326: Establish overspending public school “early warning system”
Passed 25 to 12 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to revise a 2012 law establishing various alternative processes for resolving financial crises in school districts to accommodate the proposal in House Bill 4325 and related bills establishing an “early warning system” for school districts with financial problems. This is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4325 to 4330.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715463

House Bill 4327: Establish overspending public school “early warning system”
Passed 25 to 12 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to revise a law that requires overspending school districts to adopt a deficit elimination plan approved by the state. Among other things the bill would require these plans to be posted online and include an academic reform plan, require additional disclosures to the legislature, and prescribe “enhanced” deficit elimination plans for chronically overspending districts. It would also give the Department of Education explicit authority to withhold state school aid payments to an overspending district. This is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4325 to 4330 intended to create an “early warning system” for school district with financial problems.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715464

House Bill 4328: Establish overspending public school “early warning system”
Passed 61 to 47 in the House on June 18, 2015, to give the Department Treasury the authority to withhold state school aid payments from an overspending school district that fails to submit an acceptable “deficit elimination plan” as required by law, or which falls more deeply into financial trouble and must operate under an “enhanced” deficit plan. This is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4325 to 4330 intended to create an “early warning system” for school district with financial problems.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715547

House Bill 4328: Establish overspending public school “early warning system”
Passed 25 to 12 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to give the Department Treasury the authority to withhold state school aid payments from an overspending school district that fails to submit an acceptable “deficit elimination plan” as required by law, or which falls more deeply into financial trouble and must operate under an “enhanced” deficit plan. This is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4325 to 4330 intended to create an “early warning system” for school district with financial problems.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715465

House Bill 4329: Establish overspending public school “early warning system”
Passed 25 to 12 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to authorize appointment of an Emergency Manager for an overspending public school district that fails to comply with the deficit reduction plans and procedures required by House Bill 4325 and related bills.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715466

House Bill 4330: Establish overspending public school “early warning system”
Passed 25 to 12 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to update references to deficit elimination plans in the school aid act to accommodate the overspending school district “early warning system” proposals contained in House Bill 4325 to 4329. The bill would make forfeit 10 percent of a district’s state aid if it fails to comply with provisions of this package or to post budget and other financial information on its website.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715467

House Bill 4385: Eliminate February election date
Passed 30 to 7 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to revise details of the state election law to accommodate the proposal in House Bill 4273 to eliminate the February election date established by a 2003 election consolidation law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715456

House Bill 4391: Increase pesticide registration fees and conditions
Passed 74 to 34 in the House on June 18, 2015, to increase a registration fee mandated for pesticides or fertilizers used in this state, impose increased record keeping requirements on registrants, and require the company the files the application (a pest control service or pesticide maker) to continuously maintain a registered Michigan office or comply with extensive record submission requirements.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715541

House Bill 4457: Eliminate adoptive parent registry enrollment fee
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to eliminate a $100 fee that is charged to potential parents to be placed on a central state clearinghouse for information for biological parents and child placing agencies.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715436

House Bill 4459: Allow embedding emergency contact info in drivers license
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on June 17, 2015, to allow the Secretary of State to embed machine-readable emergency contact information in digitized drivers licenses starting in 2018, if a person requests this.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715372

House Bill 4460: Allow embedding emergency contact info in state ID
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on June 17, 2015, to allow the Secretary of State to embed machine-readable emergency contact information in digitized state identification cards starting in 2018, if a person requests this.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715373

House Bill 4517: Revise school bond refunding detail
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on June 18, 2015, to allow the bond debt of a school district that was consolidated into a larger or different district to be refinanced.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715522

House Bill 4553: Revise Personal Property Tax reform details
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to revise details of the personal property tax reforms approved by voters in August 2014, which lowered or eliminated this tax for industrial firms and most small businesses, but not for larger commercial enterprises. This bill is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4553 to 4558, and would revise business reporting requirements and extend the new law’s tax exemptions to personal property not yet in use. The “personal property tax” is property taxes that are imposed on business tools and equipment.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715440

House Bill 4554: Revise Personal Property Tax reform details
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to revise details of the personal property tax reforms approved by voters in August 2014, which lowered or eliminated this tax for industrial firms and most small businesses, but not for larger commercial enterprises. This bill is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4553 to 4558, and would revise the basis on which a so-called “alternative services” tax is levied, which was a device used to shift the burden of this business tax cut from local governments to the state. The “personal property tax” is property taxes that are imposed on business tools and equipment.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715441

House Bill 4555: Revise Personal Property Tax reform details
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to revise details of the personal property tax reforms approved by voters in August 2014, which lowered or eliminated this tax for industrial firms and most small businesses. This bill is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4553 to 4558, and would revise the basis on which a so-called “alternative services” tax is levied, which is a device the 2014 reform to shift the burden of this business tax cut from local governments to the state. The “personal property tax” is property taxes that are imposed on business tools and equipment.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715442

House Bill 4556: Revise Personal Property Tax reform details
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to revise details of the personal property tax reforms approved by voters in August 2014, which lowered or eliminated this tax for industrial firms and most small businesses. This bill is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4553 to 4558, and would revise details of a “Local Community Stabilization Authority,” which is a device the 2014 reform used to shift the burden of this business tax cut from local governments to the state. The “personal property tax” is property taxes that are imposed on business tools and equipment.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715443

House Bill 4557: Revise Personal Property Tax reform details
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to revise details of the personal property tax reforms approved by voters in August 2014, which lowered or eliminated this tax for industrial firms and most small businesses. This bill is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4553 to 4558, and amends details of the law that authorizes local governments to grant property tax abatements to particular businesses so that it conforms with the 2014 reforms. The “personal property tax” is property taxes that are imposed on business tools and equipment.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715444

House Bill 4558: Revise Personal Property Tax reform details
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 18, 2015, to revise details of the personal property tax reforms approved by voters in August 2014, which lowered or eliminated this tax for industrial firms and most small businesses. This bill is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4553 to 4558, and amends details of the law that authorizes local governments to grant “industrial facility” tax breaks to particular businesses so that it conforms with the 2014 reforms. The “personal property tax” is property taxes that are imposed on business tools and equipment.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715445

Senate Bill 399: Limit telecom right of way bonds
Introduced by Sen. Wayne Schmidt (R) on June 16, 2015, to limit the extent to which a road commission can require telecommunications providers to post bonds or provide other indemnification for their placement of cables and other facilities in a public right of way.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169844

Senate Bill 400: Regulate liquid industrial waste “byproducts”
Introduced by Sen. Wayne Schmidt (R) on June 16, 2015, to revise details of environment law regulations on “liquid industrial waste” so that they also apply to “by-products” of this.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169845

Senate Bill 401: Regulate liquid industrial waste “byproducts”
Introduced by Sen. Jim Stamas (R) on June 16, 2015, to revise details of environment law regulations on “liquid industrial waste” so that they also apply to “by-products” of this.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169846

Senate Bill 402: Regulate liquid industrial waste “byproducts”
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on June 16, 2015, to revise details of environment law regulations on “liquid industrial waste” so that they also apply to “by-products” of this.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169847

Senate Bill 403: Revise dog and cat euthanasia regulations
Introduced by Sen. Marty Knollenberg (R) on June 16, 2015, to require an animal control or protection shelter to use only injections of a commercially prepared solution for euthanizing a dog or cat.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169848

Senate Bill 404: Create motorcycle safety course liability waiver
Introduced by Sen. Joe Hune (R) on June 16, 2015, to grant a liability waiver to the owner of property used for a motorcycle safety course, which would apply to property damage or injuries caused by the training, with exceptions for failing to warn of a dangerous condition and willful or wanton misconduct.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169849

Senate Bill 405: Revise truancy definitions and enforcement
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on June 18, 2015, to prohibit expelling a public school student for truancy or being “chronically absent.” Also to place definitions of these terms in statute, with “chronically absent” defined as absent more than 10 percent of the time, “truant” defined as having 10 or more “unexcused” absences per year, and “unexcused” defined as an absence that is neither excused nor “disciplinary.” Being late 10 times would count as one “unexcused” absence.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169892

Senate Bill 406: Revise truancy definitions and enforcement
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on June 18, 2015, to prescribe the types of intervention a public school may or must provide for student who is truant or chronically absent (more than 10 percent of the time).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169893

Senate Bill 407: Revise truancy definitions and enforcement
Introduced by Sen. Judy Emmons (R) on June 18, 2015, to require public schools to include in annual reports to the state information about the number of students who were suspended, truant or chronically absent, including the disciplinary outcomes and the data sources used.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169894

Senate Bill 408: Revise truancy definitions and enforcement
Introduced by Sen. Judy Emmons (R) on June 18, 2015, to clarify court jurisdiction over truant or chronically absent schoolchildren by using the definitions Senate Bill 405 would codify.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169895

Senate Bill 409: Expand meth-related pseudoephedrine restrictions
Introduced by Sen. Margaret O’Brien (R) on June 18, 2015, to authorize up to one year in prison and a $1,000 fine for attempting to persuade a person to purchase ephedrine or pseudoephedrine while knowing that it will be used to manufacture methamphetamine. Current penalties apply only if the attempt succeeds in persuading someone.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169896

Senate Bill 410: Expand meth-related pseudoephedrine restrictions
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on June 18, 2015, to establish sentencing guidelines for the penalties proposed by Senate Bill 409 for attempting to persuade a person to purchase ephedrine or pseudoephedrine to manufacture methamphetamine.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169897

Senate Bill 411: Restrict injection well placement
Introduced by Sen. Steve Bieda (D) on June 18, 2015, to prohibit locating an “injection” well for disposing of hazardous material, or for storing other material (potentially including carbon dioxide), in a region determined to have “Karst geology”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169898

Senate Bill 412: Collect MCCA auto insurance assessments with vehicle registration tax
Introduced by Sen. Marty Knollenberg (R) on June 18, 2015, to require the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association auto insurance assessments to be paid with annual vehicle registration (license plate) taxes collected by the Secretary of State, rather than tacked-on to an owner’s regular auto insurance bills. These assessments pay for very high personal injury claims under the unlimited medical cost coverage required by Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169899

Senate Bill 413: Collect MCCA auto insurance assessments with vehicle registration tax
Introduced by Sen. Marty Knollenberg (R) on June 18, 2015, to require the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association auto insurance assessments to be paid with annual vehicle registration (license plate) taxes collected by the Secretary of State, rather than tacked-on to an owner’s regular auto insurance bills. These assessments pay for very high personal injury claims under the unlimited medical cost coverage required by Michigan’s no-fault auto insurance law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169900

Senate Bill 414: Reduce state income tax rate 0.05 percent
Introduced by Sen. Wayne Schmidt (R) on June 18, 2015, to reduce the state income tax from 4.25 percent to 4.20 percent as of Oct. 1, 2015.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169901

Senate Bill 415: Revise road funding formula
Introduced by Sen. Goeff Hansen (R) on June 18, 2015, to create a new state road and bridge fund that would allocate revenue to state and local road projects using the same formula as in current law (39.1 percent to state projects, 39.1 percent to counties and 21.8 percent to local governments) but would not allocate any amounts to transit and local bus service subsidies.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169902

Senate Bill 416: Exempt aviation fuel from sales tax
Introduced by Sen. Jack Brandenburg (R) on June 18, 2015, to exempt aviation gasoline and jet fuel from the state sales tax. Senate Bill 418 would increase the excise tax on these fuels.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169903

Senate Bill 417: Exempt aviation fuel from use tax
Introduced by Sen. Jack Brandenburg (R) on June 18, 2015, to exempt aviation gasoline and jet fuel from the state use tax. Senate Bill 418 would increase the excise tax on these fuels.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169904

Senate Bill 418: Increase and revise taxation of airplane fuel
Introduced by Sen. Wayne Schmidt (R) on June 18, 2015, to increase the tax imposed on aviation fuel from 3 cents to six cents per gallon, or 4 percent of the wholesale price, whichever is greater. Senate Bills 416 and 117 would exempt aviation fuel from sales and use tax.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169905

House Bill 4750: Authorize state job training subsidies through ISDs
Introduced by Rep. Phil Potvin (R) on June 18, 2015, to authorize another government job training subsidy program for particular employers like one used by community colleges, except this would apply to intermediate school districts. Under the scheme an ISD could borrow (“sell bonds”) to pay for training a particular employer’s new hires. The principle and interest would be repaid by means of the state transferring to the ISD a portion of the personal income tax that the particular employer withholds from the pay of new employees. In essence, the subsidy would be paid out of the state general fund in the form of foregone income tax revenues. The bill requires the employer to agree to make the amount of the debt a lien on the firm’s property. However the ISD’s bonds would also be backed by taxpayers. ISDs statewide could borrow up to $50 million for this purpose.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169920

House Joint Resolution U: Revise effective date of new laws
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on June 18, 2015, to place before voters in the next general election a Constitutional amendment to establish that, unless a bill specifies otherwise, bills passed by the legislature would go into effect 90 days after the governor has approved them and “filed” them with the Secretary of State. Under current law the “default” effective date of new bills after the legislature adjourns for the year.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169906

House Joint Resolution V: Repeal term limits
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on June 18, 2015, to place before voters in the next general election a Constitutional amendment to repeal legislative term limits.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169907

House Joint Resolution W: Extend legislator term limits
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on June 18, 2015, to place before voters in the next general election a Constitutional amendment to extend legislative term limits. Under Michigan’s current term limits, representatives may only get three terms of two-years each, and senators may only get two terms of four-years each. The measure would extend this to 16 years combined in the House and Senate.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169908

House Joint Resolution X: Extend legislator term limits
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on June 18, 2015, to place before voters in the next general election a Constitutional amendment to extend legislative term limits. Under Michigan’s current term limits, representatives may only get three terms of two-years each, and senators may only get two terms of four-years each. The measure allow change this to not more than three House terms or two Senate terms in a row.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169909

House Joint Resolution T: Ban state taxes on individual incomes or business earnings
Introduced by Rep. Cindy Gamrat (R) on June 17, 2015, to place before voters in the next general election a Constitutional amendment to prohibit a state income tax or business tax.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169883

House Joint Resolution S: Increase maximum age of judges
Introduced by Rep. Hank Vaupel (R) on June 11, 2015, to place before voters in the next general election a Constitutional amendment to revise the current age limit on judges, from 70 to 75 years old.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169836

House Joint Resolution R: Require legislative consent for new regulations
Introduced by Rep. Gary Glenn (R) on June 8, 2015, to place before voters in the next general election a Constitutional amendment to prohibit any new administrative regulations from being imposed and enforced by state agencies if a majority of the House and Senate pass a resolution rejecting them. Approval of the governor would not be required.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169813

House Joint Resolution Q: Repeal term limits to place before voters in the next general election
Introduced by Rep. Charles Smiley (D) on April 30, 2015, a Constitutional amendment to repeal the term limits on legislators, the governor, the lieutenant governor, the Secretary of State, and Attorney General. Currently, members of the House may only serve three terms of two-years each, and senators may only serve two terms of four-years each; the statewide officeholders are limited to two four-year terms.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169470

House Joint Resolution P: Require “pay-go” rule on bills that reduce state revenue
Introduced by Rep. Jim Townsend (D) on April 28, 2015, to place before voters in the next general election a constitutional amendment to prohibit passage of any bill that would reduce state revenue or increase spending unless another bill is passed to cut spending or increase revenue from another source. The measure would also require a “fiscal impact note” to be prepared by the legislative fiscal agencies quantifying the projected impact of each bill on state revenues, local governments, businesses and citizens.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169439

Senate Joint Resolution J: Increase maximum age of judges
Introduced by Sen. Steve Bieda (D) on April 16, 2015, to place before voters in the next general election a Constitutional amendment to revise the current age limit on judges, from 70 to 75 years old.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169282

House Bill 4716: Ban employment discrimination based on “reproductive health decisions”
Introduced by Rep. Marcia Hovey-Wright (D) on June 16, 2015, to prohibit an employer from asking about or discriminating in compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment on the basis of an employee or job applicant’s “reproductive health decisions,” or those of a dependent, or on the basis of the employer’s personal beliefs concerning such issues.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169851

House Bill 4717: Require government “morning after” pill information campaign
Introduced by Rep. Marcia Hovey-Wright (D) on June 16, 2015, to require the Department of Community Health to disseminate specified information about “emergency contraceptives” (the “morning after” pill) to the public, health care professionals and facilities, various agencies and more.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169852

House Bill 4718: Impose “cranial hair prosthesis” (wig) insurance mandate
Introduced by Rep. Sarah Roberts (D) on June 16, 2015, to impose a new coverage mandate that would require health insurance policies to include coverage for a “cranial hair prosthesis” (wig) for a person less than age 19 who loses their hair as a result of a medical condition or treatment.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169853

House Bill 4719: Authorize home accessibility improvements tax credit
Introduced by Rep. Jeremy Moss (D) on June 16, 2015, to authorize an income tax credit of up to $5,000 for a person who purchases or retrofits a residence with modifications that make it accessible for a disabled individual. This would not apply to an owner’s rental property.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169854

House Bill 4720: Increase mandated minimum wage for tipped employees
Introduced by Rep. Pam Faris (D) on June 16, 2015, to mandate that employers pay workers who receive tips a base wage that is the same as the minimum wage mandated for non-tipped workers. Under current law the base rate for tipped employees is 38 percent of the minimum wage for other workers, but a tipped-worker’s employer must still pay the difference between this amount and the regular amount if tips come up short. The current regular minimum wage is $8.15 per hour, which rises to $9.25 in 2018.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169855

House Bill 4721: Give free state park admission to families of fallen service members
Introduced by Rep. Thomas Hooker (R) on June 16, 2015, to waive state park and campground admission fees for the families of service members who were killed in action (“gold star family”). Specifically, the bill grants these families the vehicle registration “recreation passport” without the regular $11 charge.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169856

House Bill 4722: Give free state park admission to families of fallen service members
Introduced by Rep. Thomas Hooker (R) on June 16, 2015, to waive state park and campground admission fees for the families of service members who were killed in action (“gold star family”). Specifically, the bill grants these families the vehicle registration “recreation passport” without the $11 charge.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169857

House Bill 4723: Revise wage garnishment detail
Introduced by Rep. Leslie Love (D) on June 16, 2015, to require an employer to notify an employee a that a court-ordered garnishment of an individual’s wages will begin at least one pay period or 10 days in advance, whichever is longer. Current law require notice “at least one pay period” in advance.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169858

House Bill 4724: Allow no-reason absentee voting
Introduced by Rep. Lisa Lyons (R) on June 16, 2015, to eliminate the requirement that a person give a specific reason for requesting an absentee ballot, and require an individual who applies in person for an absentee ballot to show a picture ID.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169859

House Bill 4725: Repeal legalization of small fireworks
Introduced by Rep. Henry Yanez (D) on June 16, 2015, to repeal the sentencing guidelines associated with the 2012 law that legalized the sale and use of “consumer fireworks,” which would itself be repealed by House Bill 4726.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169860

House Bill 4726
Introduced by Rep. Henry Yanez (D) on June 16, 2015, Repeal legalization of small fireworks to repeal the 2012 law that legalized the sale and use of “consumer fireworks” including firecrackers, bottle rockets, aerial spinners, Roman candles, etc.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169861

House Bill 4727: Restrict “meteorological towers”
Introduced by Rep. Triston Cole (R) on June 17, 2015, to prohibit the state aeronautics commission from allowing construction of a tower that does not comply with local zoning restrictions, and impose regulations and restrictions on “meteorological towers” erected to measure wind for commercial wind generation turbines. Owners of existing towers would be required to register them, paint them and place lights on the according to specifications in the bill, and meet other regulations.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169870

House Bill 4728: Repeal healthcare facility rationing (“certificate of need”)
Introduced by Rep. Cindy Gamrat (R) on June 17, 2015, to repeal the state “Certificate of Need” (CON) program, which rations the availability of health care facilities and technology by requiring health care providers to seek permission from a government commission for new or expanded facilities and capital equipment (like MRIs).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169871

House Bill 4729: Repeal healthcare facility rationing (“certificate of need”)
Introduced by Rep. Cindy Gamrat (R) on June 17, 2015, to repeal the state “Certificate of Need” (CON) program, which rations the availability of health care facilities and technology by requiring health care providers to seek permission from a government commission for new or expanded facilities and capital equipment (like MRIs). House Bill 4728 is the main bill in this package; this bill would repeal references to CON in the administrative procedures act.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169872

House Bill 4730: Revoke corporate subsidies and tax breaks
Introduced by Rep. Cindy Gamrat (R) on June 17, 2015, to repeal the Michigan Business Tax as of Jan. 1, 2016, which would actually mean revoking nearly $9 billion worth of corporate subsidies and tax breaks that were mostly granted by the Granholm administration under the repealed Michigan Economic Growth Authority program. The MBT was repealed as the state’s main business tax in 2011, and replaced by a lower corporate income tax, but it was left on the books as a “vehicle” for delivering the already-granted MEGA subsidies and tax breaks, contracts for which the current administration says it does not want to impair.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169873

House Bill 4731: Repeal marriage license requirement, and marriages performed by government officials
Introduced by Rep. Todd Courser (R) on June 17, 2015, to revise details of provisions that allow a marriage between a man and a woman to be kept private and unpublished. Along with House Bill 4732 the bill would also to repeal the state’s marriage license requirement, and only allow clergy to “solemnize” marriages. State marriage certificates would still be issued, and a couple could still become married through a common law procedure (see House Bill 4733).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169874

House Bill 4732: Repeal marriage licenses, and marriages performed by government officials
Introduced by Rep. Todd Courser (R) on June 17, 2015, to repeal the state’s marriage license requirement, and only allow clergy to “solemnize” marriages rather than government officials. A couple could still become married through a common law procedure (see House Bill 4733).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169875

House Bill 4733: Repeal marriage license, and marriages performed by government officials
Introduced by Rep. Todd Courser (R) on June 17, 2015, to repeal the state’s marriage license requirement, only allow clergy to “solemnize” marriages (rather than government officials), and recognize “common law” marriages in which the couple files an affidavit of common law marriage containing specified information with the county, rather than (or in addition to) making vows in a formal ceremony.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169876

House Bill 4734: Authorize seasonal load limit exceptions for septic haulers
Introduced by Rep. Ken Goike (R) on June 17, 2015, to allow an emergency exemption from seasonal road weight limit restrictions for septage haulers in emergency cases, such as when a homeowner’s septic system has backed up.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169877

House Bill 4735: Require law enforcement next of kin notification of crashes
Introduced by Rep. Charles Brunner (D) on June 17, 2015, to require a law enforcement officer who responds to a traffic crash that results in death or serious bodily impairment to notify the victim’s next of kin (if they can be determined), to tell the kin that they should notify the person’s insurance company, and within 30 days notify the insurance company directly.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169878

House Bill 4736: Increase vehicle registration tax, pay down road repair debt
Introduced by Rep. Michael McCready (R) on June 17, 2015, to increase the annual vehicle registration (license plate) tax by $100 per vehicle, and earmark the revenue to paying down some $2 billion in debt incurred by the previous two administrations (Granholm and Engler) for road repairs. Annual debt service on this borrowing currently costs the state road repair budget some $200 million annually. Supposedly the higher tax would end after five years.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169879

House Bill 4737: Increase vehicle registration tax, pay down road repair debt
Introduced by Rep. Michael McCready (R) on June 17, 2015, to earmark the $100 increase per vehicle in annual registration (license plate) tax proposed by House Bill 4738 to paying down some $2 billion in debt incurred by the previous two administrations (Granholm and Engler) for road repairs. Annual debt service on this borrowing currently costs the state road repair budget some $200 million annually.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169880

House Bill 4738: Increase gas and diesel tax
Introduced by Rep. Michael McCready (R) on June 17, 2015, to increase the state gasoline and diesel taxes to between 23 cents and 30 cents per gallon, depending on the wholesale price of these fuels. The current gas and diesel tax rates are 19 cents and 15 cents per gallon, respectively.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169881

House Bill 4739: Increase gas and diesel tax
Introduced by Rep. Michael McCready (R) on June 17, 2015, to replace the current 15 cent per gallon motor carrier fuel tax imposed on interstate truckers with the higher tax that House Bill 4738 would authorize (between 23 cents and 30 cents per gallon, depending on the wholesale price).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169882

House Bill 4740
Introduced by Rep. Laura Cox (R) on June 18, 2015, Require indication that building uses “lightweight” construction to require the state bureau that promulgates and enforces building code rules to create rules for designating when a commercial or multi-family building uses “light frame truss-type” construction. Owners would have to place signs or symbols indicating this on the building where they would be visible to firefighters.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169910

House Bill 4741: Repeal sales tax on fuel purchases
Introduced by Rep. Dan Lauwers (R) on June 18, 2015, to repeal the 6 percent state sales tax on gasoline and diesel motor fuel purchases.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169911

House Bill 4742: Revise interstate child support collection details
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on June 18, 2015, to repeal a Uniform Interstate Family Support Act that facilitates collection of court-ordered child support payments across state lines, and replace it with an updated version.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169912

House Bill 4743: Revise interstate child support collection details
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on June 18, 2015, to revise references in the state child support law to reflect changes to a uniform interstate child support enforcement code proposed by House Bill 4742.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169913

House Bill 4744: Revise interstate child support collection details
Introduced by Rep. Klint Kesto (R) on June 18, 2015, to revise references in the state parenting time law to reflect changes to a uniform interstate child support enforcement code proposed by House Bill 4742.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169914

House Bill 4745: Revise interstate child support collection details
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on June 18, 2015, to revise references in the state friend of the court law to reflect changes to a uniform interstate child support enforcement code proposed by House Bill 4742.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169915

House Bill 4746: Authorize public school teacher income tax break
Introduced by Rep. Sheldon Neeley (D) on June 18, 2015, to authorize a $23,530 state income tax deduction for a teacher at a public school (but not a private school) who lives within the same school district.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169916

House Bill 4747: Ban adverse possession against local government
Introduced by Rep. Holly Hughes (R) on June 18, 2015, to not permit adverse possession actions against a local government. Adverse possession is the doctrine that allows a person who is in open possession of real property for a certain period of time to claim title to it.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169917

House Bill 4748: Require health department inspection of privatized prison kitchens
Introduced by Rep. John Kivela (D) on June 18, 2015, to give local health departments the authority to inspect prison kitchens that are run by employees of a private contractor, and require the contractor to pay for these. Prison kitchens operated by government employees would not get health department inspections.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169918

House Bill 4749: Require health department inspection of privatized prison kitchens
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on June 18, 2015, to remove a prison exemption to the law that requires food service establishments to be inspected by local health departments, if the prison’s kitchen is managed and staffed by a private contractor. Prison kitchens operated by government employees would continue to be exempt from health department inspections.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169919

House Bill 4751: Authorize state job training subsidies through ISDs
Introduced by Rep. Phil Potvin (R) on June 18, 2015, to revise details of the state income tax law to accommodate the proposal in House Bill 4750 to let intermediate school districts incur debt to pay for training a particular employer’s new hires, with the loans repaid (indirectly) with future state income tax revenue.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169921

House Bill 4752: Require disclosure of MCCA assessment methodology to require the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association
Introduced by Rep. Derek Miller (D) on June 18, 2015, to disclose the actuarial computation used to determine the amount of insurance reserve funds and customer assessments required to meet future claims under for the unlimited vehicle crash personal injury protection (PIP) coverage required by the state no fault auto insurance law. MCCA provides reinsurance for the most costly of these claims.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169922

House Bill 4753: Institute Headlee Amendment unfunded mandate restrictions
Introduced by Rep. Lee Chatfield (R) on June 18, 2015, to prohibit a state agency from imposing any new increase in local government services or activities unless the legislature has appropriated money to pay for it. The bill would also create a “fiscal note” process to quantify how much the mandate will cost. This and House Bills 4754 to 4755 are intended to bring the state into compliance with the Headlee amendment provision prohibiting the legislature or state agencies from imposing unfunded mandates on local governments.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169923

House Bill 4754: Institute Headlee Amendment unfunded mandate restrictions
Introduced by Rep. Michael Webber (R) on June 18, 2015, to explicitly give local governments standing to sue the state under the Headlee Amendment’s unfunded mandate ban in the state constitution.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169924

House Bill 4755: Institute Headlee Amendment unfunded mandate restrictions
Introduced by Rep. Laura Cox (R) on June 18, 2015, to prohibit a state agency from imposing any new increase in local government services or activities unless the legislature has appropriated money to pay for it, and establish a process to determine if a rule does so.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169925

House Bill 4756: Revise effective date of new laws
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on June 18, 2015, to establish that, unless a bill specifies otherwise, bills passed by the legislature would go into effect 90 days after the governor has approved them and “filed” them with the Secretary of State. Under current law the “default” effective date of new bills after the legislature adjourns for the year. See also House Joint Resolution U.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169926

House Bill 4757: Revise House member seat assignement process
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on June 18, 2015, to replace the current lottery system for determining which seats members of the House of Representatives will occupy on the House floor, with one in which either the House clerk assigns seats, or seat assignments are given in a resolution passed by a majority vote.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169927

House Bill 4758: Revise drain commission debt detail
Introduced by Rep. Al Pscholka (R) on June 18, 2015, to revise details of the types of debt drain commissions are allowed to incur to provide for term bonds with mandatory redemption.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169928

House Bill 4759: Expand political speech regulation
Introduced by Rep. Anthony Forlini (R) on June 18, 2015, to eliminate a time limit on a regulation that requires sponsors of “issue ads” or flyers that reference a candidate or ballot initiative to disclose their sponsor if posted within 30 days of a primary election or 60 days of a general election. The bill would mandate disclosure for any ad at any time that names a politician who will be on the ballot in the next election.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=169929

Senate Bill 69: Extend business job training subsidy program
Passed 104 to 5 in the House on June 18, 2015, to extend until 2023 the sunset on a 2008 law that authorized state job training subsidies for particular employers provided through community colleges. Also, to revise details of a minimum wage condition on the subsidies. The House removed a Senate-passed provision prohibiting the beneficiary companies from also collecting certain other state subsidies and tax breaks. Senate Bill 71 would repeal a $50 million annual debt cap on the program.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=715519

House Bill 4331: Increase municipal and school “emergency loan” funding
Passed 25 to 10 in the Senate on June 30, 2015, to increase from $50 million to $70 million the amount allocated through 2018 for “financial emergency” loans from the state to public school districts, and increase from $35 million to $48 million the amount of such loans to cities, townships, villages, and counties. The bill would also place minimum interest rates and/or durations on these loans, and give the state to penalize borrowers for missing payments. The bill is linked to House Bills 4225 and 4226, which are designed to create an overspending public school “early warning system”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716097

House Bill 4332: Increase municipal and school “emergency loan” funding
Passed 28 to 7 in the Senate on June 30, 2015, to increase from $50 million to $70 million the amount allocated through 2018 for “financial emergency” loans from the state to public school districts, and increase from $35 million to $48 million the amount of such loans to cities, townships, villages, and counties. See House Bill 4331.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716098

Senate Bill 414: Road funding package - income tax earmark
Passed 27 to 11 in the Senate on July 1, 2015, to earmark $350 million from state income tax collections to road funding in the next fiscal year, and $700 million in subsequent years. The bill would also place in statute a scheme to potentially roll back future income tax rates if the amount of revenue deposited into the general fund in a given year grew faster than inflation.
Note that the legislature controls the level of these deposits, and can reduce them by redirecting revenue elsewhere, or depositing money into the state rainy day fund. So even if overall state tax collections do increase more than inflation, income tax rate reductions would essentially be at the discretion of each legislature, as under current law..
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716225

House Bill 4319: Revise stop at railroad crossings law detail
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on July 1, 2015, to revise the law that requires a vehicle to stop at railroad crossings. Currently, this does not apply if a track is “abandoned,” and the bill would expand this to one that is “inactive,” which means the track has been covered or removed and all signs, signals, and other warning devices have been removed.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716212

House Bill 4320: Revise stop at railroad crossings law detail
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on July 1, 2015, to authorize posting signs that say “exempt” at inactive railroad crossings where the tracks have been removed or covered up, which would mean school buses are not required to stop. See also House Bill 4319.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716213

House Bill 4610: Road funding package - local contract practices
Passed 27 to 11 in the Senate on July 1, 2015, to establish that if a township contributes 50 percent or more to the cost of a road project, it can require the county road commission to contract for the work through competitive bidding.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716228

House Bill 4611: Road funding package - local contract practices
Passed 27 to 11 in the Senate on July 1, 2015, to clarify and revise details of ambiguous sections of a law that appears to require road agencies to seek competitive bids for projects greater than $100,000.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716229

House Bill 4612: Road funding package - hybrid and electric car surcharge
Passed 21 to 17 in the Senate on July 1, 2015, to impose an annual vehicle registration surtax of $30 on gas-electric hybrid-drive cars, and $100 on pure electric (battery) cars. Other bills in this package would tax “alternative” fuels like compressed or liquefied natural gas at rates comparable to gasoline and diesel taxes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716227

House Bill 4613: Road funding package - income tax earmark details
Passed 28 to 10 in the Senate on July 1, 2015, to limit to road projects only - and not public transportation - the state income tax revenue that House Bill 4614 would earmark for road repairs. The bill would also limit use of this money to cover administrative expences, require local road agencies to get a contractor’s warranty on all road projects that cost more than $1 million, earmark some annual revenue for railroad grade crossing surface work, and revise details of how money from various road funding sources can be used.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716226

House Bill 4614: House GOP road funding package - alternative fuels tax details
Passed 20 to 18 in the Senate on July 1, 2015, to revise details of the Michigan version of the “Streamlined Sales Tax” project being pursued this and most states with the goal of taxing out-of-state purchase, so that it conforms with the proposal in House Bill 4615 to extend motor fuel taxes to natural gas burned in Michigan by trucks that was purchased in other states, and to extend the sales tax credit interstate truckers are allowed on fuel purchased in this state.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716230

House Bill 4615: Increase motor fuel tax
Passed 19 to 19 in the Senate on July 1, 2015, to increase the current gasoline and diesel fuel tax to 34 cents per gallon, an increase of 15 cents and 19 cents, respectively. The increase would come in three annual steps beginning Oct. 1, 2015, and would also be indexed to inflation. When combined with the 6 percent sales this would give Michigan the second highest gas tax in the nation, and one 15 cents higher than nearby states. The bill would also tax natural gas and other “alternative fuels” burned by vehicles at an equivalent rate.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716223

House Joint Resolution Y: Replace House and Senate with unicameral legislature
Introduced by Rep. Martin Howrylak (R) on July 15, 2015, to place before voters in the next general election a Constitutional amendment to establish a nonpartisan unicameral legislature (instead of a separate House and Senate) with 110 districts apportioned on the basis of formulas specified in the resolution. Legislators would have four year terms and term limits would be repealed.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170039

House Joint Resolution Z: Ban Obamacare exchange
Introduced by Rep. Todd Courser (R) on July 15, 2015, to prohibit creating a state based version of the health insurance exchanges that are part of the federal health care law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170040

House Bill 4760: Impose regulations, fees on puppy breeders
Introduced by Rep. Sarah Roberts (D) on July 14, 2015, to impose detailed regulations and a $500 annual inspection fee (in addition to existing license fees) on “large scale commercial breeding kennels,” defined as ones where at least 15 female dogs are housed for purposes of breeding. This bill imposes the inspection fees and House Bill 4761 imposes the regulations.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170045

House Bill 4761: Impose regulations, fees on puppy breeders
Introduced by Rep. Christine Greig (D) on July 14, 2015, o impose detailed regulations on the care of dogs kept in “large scale commercial breeding kennels,” defined as ones where at least 15 female dogs are housed for purposes of breeding. Violations could be prosecuted as a criminal misdemeanor. Among other restrictions the bill would ban breeders from having more than 50 adult female dogs. House Bill 4760 would impose $500 annual inspection fees.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170007

House Bill 4762: Impose annual mileage tax on all vehicles
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on July 14, 2015, to impose a new tax of $50 for every 10,000 miles a car, truck or motorcycle is driven, in addition to current vehicle registration (license plate) taxes. Owner would be required to appear annually in person at a Secretary of State office to pay the tax, and the SOS would have to verify and keep records of the mileage driven, which implies that the vehicle would have to be brought in also.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170008

House Bill 4763: Authorize state poet laureate
Introduced by Rep. Sarah Roberts (D) on July 14, 2015, to authorize the appointment by each governor of a state poet laureate, who would serve at the pleasure of the governor (meaning the governor could withdraw the appointment at any time). The bill authorizes no compensation, but does allow government money to be used to reimburse the individual’s travel expenses. The bill has 41 cosponsors from both parties.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170009

House Bill 4764: Repeal ban on abortion coverage through federal health care law exchange
Introduced by Rep. Sarah Roberts (D) on July 14, 2015, to repeal the 2013 law initiated by a petition from the people and enacted by a legislative majority to prohibit health insurance policies sold through the federal health care law’s “exchange” from including abortion coverage, which requires individuals to use their own money to purchase a policy “rider” covering abortion if this is what they want.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170010

House Bill 4765: Allow adoption of dog-fight dogs
Introduced by Rep. Michael McCready (R) on July 14, 2015, to revise a law that bans breeding, buying or selling an animal that has been trained or used for fighting, or its offspring, so as to allow for adoption of these animals if the shelter or agency responsible for the animal finds that it is fit for placement and does not pose a threat to public safety.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170011

House Bill 4766: Authorize a state “teen court”
Introduced by Rep. Andrea LaFontaine (R) on July 14, 2015, to authorize a “teen court” for teenagers between the ages of 13 and 17 who are charged with certain criminal misdemeanors. If a youth accepted responsibility for the crime met the conditions and terms imposed by the court then the charges would be dismissed and the record of the proceedings would not become a public record, although records would be visible to law enforcement officials.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170012

House Bill 4767: Expand meth-related pseudoephedrine restrictions
Introduced by Rep. John Kivela (D) on July 14, 2015, to authorize up to one year in prison and a $1,000 fine for attempting to persuade a person to purchase ephedrine or pseudoephedrine while knowing that it will be used to manufacture methamphetamine. Current penalties apply only if the attempt succeeds in persuading someone.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170013

House Bill 4768: Expand meth-related pseudoephedrine restrictions
Introduced by Rep. John Kivela (D) on July 14, 2015, to establish sentencing guidelines for the penalties proposed by House Bill 4767 for attempting to persuade a person to purchase ephedrine or pseudoephedrine to manufacture methamphetamine.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170014

House Bill 4769: Increase meth production penalties near school
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on July 14, 2015, to increase the penalties for manufacturing methamphetamine near a school or library.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170015

House Bill 4770: Transfer Detroit water and sewer system to regional “alliance”
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on July 14, 2015, to transfer governance of the Detroit water and sewer system to a regional “alliance” controlled by a nine-member board with three members appointed by the Detroit mayor or council, three appointed by the governor (two of these from outside Detroit), and one each by the Wayne, Oakland and Macomb county executives. House Bill 4771 would give the state Public Service Commission the power to regulate the entity’s rates and fees.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170016

House Bill 4771: Give state PSC oversight over city water/sewer systems
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on July 14, 2015, to extend the jurisdiction of the state Public Service Commission to include regulating the rates and fees of the Detroit water and sewer system. See also House Bill 4770.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170017

House Bill 4772: Scale back firearm purchase and carry restrictions
Introduced by Rep. Cindy Gamrat (R) on July 14, 2015, to repeal state laws that restrict or require permits for law abiding citizens’ to purchase, transport and carry firearms openly or concealed.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170018

House Bill 4773: Scale back firearm purchase and carry restrictions
Introduced by Rep. Cindy Gamrat (R) on July 14, 2015, to revise statutory references to reflect the proposal in House Bill 4772 to scale back firearms purchase and carry restrictions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170019

House Bill 4774: Scale back firearm purchase and carry restrictions
Introduced by Rep. Cindy Gamrat (R) on July 14, 2015, to revise references in the state’s game and fishing law to reflect the proposal in House Bill 4772 to scale back firearms purchase and carry restrictions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170020

House Bill 4775: Scale back firearm purchase and carry restrictions
Introduced by Rep. Cindy Gamrat (R) on July 14, 2015, to revise references in the state’s sentencing guidelines law to reflect the proposal in House Bill 4772 to scale back firearms purchase and carry restrictions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170021

House Bill 4776: Scale back firearm purchase and carry restrictions
Introduced by Rep. Cindy Gamrat (R) on July 14, 2015, to revise references in the state’s corrections code to reflect the proposal in House Bill 4772 to scale back firearms purchase and carry restrictions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170022

House Bill 4777: Scale back firearm purchase and carry restrictions
Introduced by Rep. Cindy Gamrat (R) on July 14, 2015, to revise references in the state’s sentencing guidelines law to reflect the proposal in House Bill 4772 to scale back firearms purchase and carry restrictions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170023

House Bill 4778: Scale back firearm purchase and carry restrictions
Introduced by Rep. Cindy Gamrat (R) on July 14, 2015, to essentially repeal the law that prohibits law abiding citizens’ from acquiring a pistol without a pistol license. Pistol purchase permit requirements were repealed by a 2012 law for purchases from federal firearms dealers, but still apply to purchases from an individual.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170024

House Bill 4779: Allow registered-by-mail to vote absentee in first election
Introduced by Rep. Jeremy Moss (D) on July 14, 2015, to allow a person to vote by absentee ballot in the first election after registering to vote by mail. Current law requires that such voters show up in person the first time that they vote in a new jurisdiction, but they may vote by absentee ballot in all subsequent elections.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170025

House Bill 4780: Prohibit fuel sale cash discounts
Introduced by Rep. John Chirkun (D) on July 14, 2015, to prohibit gas stations from offering discounts for cash payment, or posting prices based on a discount-for-cash price.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170026

House Bill 4781: Require school internet filters and “digital citizenship” promotion
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on July 14, 2015, to require public schools to have internet filters that prevent students from viewing “harmful content” on school computers. Also, to require schools to promote “digital citizenship,” defined as “norms of appropriate, responsible, and healthy behavior related to the use of a telecommunications access device or other technology, including digital literacy, ethics, etiquette, and security”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170027

House Bill 4782: Require insurance for ORV shoulder riding
Introduced by Rep. Joel Johnson (R) on July 14, 2015, to require off road vehicle users who drive on the shoulder of a road to have the same kind of liability insurance that ORV dealers must have when they rent out an ORV or let someone take a test drive. (Or alternatively, have a regular auto insurance policy that covers the liability.) Shoulder-riding was permitted in some counties by a 2008 law and expanded by a 2013 law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170028

House Bill 4783: Increase landfill permit violation penalties
Introduced by Rep. Al Pscholka (R) on July 14, 2015, to increase the fines imposed 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.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170029

House Bill 4784: Build veterans monument on Capitol grounds
Introduced by Rep. Pam Faris (D) on July 14, 2015, to authorize construction of a monument on the state Capitol grounds honoring military veterans.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170030

House Bill 4785: Waive certain vehicle title fees for disabled veterans
Introduced by Rep. Pam Faris (D) on July 14, 2015, to waive the vehicle title transfer tax for the sale of a handicap accessible vehicle by one disabled veteran to another disabled veteran.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170031

House Bill 4786: Mandate that businesses, gated communities allow process server entry
Introduced by Rep. Mike Callton (R) on July 14, 2015, to mandate that businesses and gated residential communities must allow entry by legal action process servers. A 2013 law also exempted process servers from trespassing laws.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170032

House Bill 4787: Authorize enhanced penalties for abortion coercion
Introduced by Rep. Amanda Price (R) on July 14, 2015, to authorize enhanced penalties for threatening or committing a “stalking” or assaultive crime with the intent to coerce a pregnant female to have an abortion, or taking other coercive actions with that goal. The bill authorizes additional fines of $5,000 to $10,000 on top of penalties imposed for the underlying crimes.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170033

House Bill 4788: Authorize enhanced penalties for abortion coercion
Introduced by Rep. Amanda Price (R) on July 14, 2015, to establish sentencing guidelines for the enhanced coerced abortion penalties proposed by House Bill 4787.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170034

House Bill 4789: Mandate notice to employee of employer discipline records
Introduced by Rep. George T. Darany (D) on July 14, 2015, to mandate that employers send a notice to and get a receipt from an employee who has been the subject of a disciplinary report, reprimand letter or other record of disciplinary action if this will be retained in the employer’s records.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170035

House Bill 4790: Expand non-enrolled public school student offerings to kindergarten
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on July 15, 2015, to include kindergarten offerings under a law that allows a school district to offer some classes to a private school or home-schooled student, and collect some state school aid money for the additional children who may participate. See also House Bill 4594.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170036

House Bill 4791: Mandate schools post policy on student-teacher social media interaction
Introduced by Rep. Adam Zemke (D) on July 15, 2015, to require public schools to adopt and post a policy regulating social media interaction between students and school employees.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170037

House Bill 4792: Let out of state team phycisians practice while in Michigan
Introduced by Rep. Robert Wittenberg (D) on July 15, 2015, to establish that a physician licensed in another state can provide medical care to a member of an athletic team under an agreement with that team while the team is in Michigan, subject to various restrictions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170038

House Bill 4248: Repeal archaic laws
Passed 105 to 0 in the House on August 19, 2015, to repeal statutes that ban posting “reproachful or contemptuous language for not fighting a duel;” or using “indecent, immoral, obscene, vulgar or insulting language in the presence or hearing of any woman or child; or leaving an abandoned refrigerator or other container where a child could crawl in and suffocate; or singing and playing the Star Spangled Banner in an entertainment venue as part of a medley. This is part of an archaic laws package comprised of House Bills 4247 to 4252.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716673

House Bill 4249: Repeal archaic laws
Passed 105 to 0 in the House on August 19, 2015, to repeal various statutes that ban trespassing for purposes of damaging or stealing various crops or natural resources. This is part of an archaic laws package comprised of House Bills 4247 to 4252.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716674

House Bill 4250: Repeal ban on “walkathons” and similar endurance events
Passed 105 to 0 in the House on August 19, 2015, to repeal a law prohibiting “walkathons” and similar endurance contests. This is part of an archaic laws package comprised of House Bills 4247 to 4252.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716675

House Bill 4251: Repeal archaic laws
Passed 104 to 1 in the House on August 19, 2015, to repeal a law that bans the sale of artificially colored baby chicks, rabbits, or ducklings. This is part of an archaic laws package comprised of House Bills 4247 to 4252.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716676

House Bill 4612: Road funding package - hybrid and electric car surcharge
Failed 0 to 103 in the House on August 18, 2015, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill. The vote sends the measure to a House-Senate conference committee to work out the differences.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716582

House Bill 4613: Road funding package - income tax earmark details
Failed 32 to 71 in the House on August 18, 2015, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill. The vote sends the measure to a House-Senate conference committee to work out the differences.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716583

House Bill 4615: Increase motor fuel tax
Failed 0 to 103 in the House on August 19, 2015, to concur with the Senate-passed version of the bill. The vote sends the measure to a House-Senate conference committee to work out the differences
. This committee of three members each from the House and Senate is charged with crafting a compromise between different road funding bills passed by each body. The Senate version increases the 19 cent gas tax and 15 cent diesel tax to 34 cents per gallon. The House version only increases the diesel tax, by 4 cents per gallon. Both bodies propose earmarking a portion of state income tax collections to road repairs. The House version compensate for the funding shift by spending less on corporate welfare and social welfare programs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716661

House Bill 4709: Reword ban on displaying a “human monstrosity”
Passed 105 to 0 in the House on August 19, 2015, to eliminate the reference to a “human monstrosity” in a law that makes it a misdemeanor for a doctor to exhibit a disfigured individual for other than scientific purposes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716677

House Bill 4710: Remove criminal penalties from camping law
Passed 105 to 0 in the House on August 19, 2015, to repeal the criminal penalties in the law that requires a person camping on state land to post a registration card registration card with his or her name, address, arrival date and departure date. Violations would instead be a civil offense punishable by a $500 fine.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716678

House Bill 4711: Repeal obsolete penalties and prohibitions
Passed 105 to 0 in the House on August 19, 2015, to repeal a law empowering courts to specify that a prison sentence should include solitary confinement or hard labor, and another law authoring criminal penalties for rebuilding a selling an electric storage battery without disclosing this on the packaging in letters of a specified size. Also, to repeal a statute prohibiting a prisoner’s release until any fines and costs imposed as part of the sentence are paid in full.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716679

House Bill 4793: Revise mental treatment commitment procedures
Introduced by Rep. Peter Lucido (R) on August 18, 2015, to require that the petition filings and “clinical certificates” in cases of a person seeking to have someone committed by a court for mental health treatment must by held by the court as a “confidential record”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170053

House Bill 4794: Require government oil and gas “drilling impact” study
Introduced by Rep. Peter Lucido (R) on August 18, 2015, to require the state to contract for an oil and gas “drilling impact” study that includes a manual of best practices for drilling near residential areas.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170054

House Bill 4795: Authorize sanctions against local gun ban preemption scofflaws
Introduced by Rep. Lee Chatfield (R) on August 18, 2015, to authorize private lawsuits against a local government that violates a state preemption on local firearms ownership or use restrictions, which would allow plaintiffs to collect actual damages and costs if they prevail. Also, to authorize a $5,000 civil fine against elected or appointed local officials who “knowingly and willfully” enact or enforce local restrictions that violate the state preemption.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170055

House Bill 4796: Expand National Guard absence from work excuse
Introduced by Rep. Ray Franz (R) on August 18, 2015, to expand a prohibition on employers sanctioning employees who are absent because they are National Guard members called to active duty. The bill would specify that this also applies to members of a different state’s National Guard.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170056

House Bill 4797: Require adult always in room with infant in child care
Introduced by Rep. Charles Brunner (D) on August 18, 2015, to require that a staff member must be in the room at all times when an infant less than one year old is in the care of a child care center, group child care home, or family child care home.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170057

House Bill 4798: Increase cap on local “rainy day” funds
Introduced by Rep. Charles Brunner (D) on August 18, 2015, to increase the amount that local governments are allowed to place in a “rainy day fund,” from 15 percent to 20 percent of most recent general fund annual budget.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170058

House Bill 4799: Allow 16 and 17 year olds to “preregister” to vote
Introduced by Rep. Kristy Pagan (D) on August 18, 2015, to allow 16 and 17 year olds to “preregister” to vote when they turn 18.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170059

House Bill 4800: Establish independent political redistricting commission
Introduced by Rep. Jeremy Moss (D) on August 18, 2015, to establish procedures and statutory prescriptions for implementing the proposal in House Joint Resolution AA to create a 14 member citizens redistricting commission to redraw congressional and legislative boundaries after decennial census counts, with members selected in a process overseen by the legislature’s Auditor General office.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170060

House Bill 4801: Revise campaign finance disclosure deadlines
Introduced by Rep. Jon Hoadley (D) on August 18, 2015, to revise various campaign finance disclosure filing deadlines for independent and political committees.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170061

House Bill 4802: Establish central election mistake database
Introduced by Rep. Jon Hoadley (D) on August 18, 2015, to require the Secretary of State to create a centralized registry for electors to report any errors that occur during an election. For context, see Senate Bill 329, now Public Act 43 of 2015.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170062

House Bill 4803: Revise polling place electioneering ban detail
Introduced in the House on August 18, 2015, to require local governments to ensure that electioneering that is not otherwise prohibited by state law be allowed in a nondiscriminatory manner on any property used as a polling place, while the polls are open. Under current law electioneering is prohibited within 100 feet of the doors of a polling place, in the room where voting takes place or in a connected “compartment”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170063

House Bill 4804: Create exception to mail-in registration plus absentee first-time vote ban
Introduced by Rep. Jon Hoadley (D) on August 18, 2015, to allow first-time voters to vote absentee if their voter registration signature is notarized. Under current law first-time voters who registered by mail must vote in person, so that election officials can confirm they are a real individual.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170064

House Bill 4805: Require picture ID exception notice at polling places
Introduced by Rep. Jon Hoadley (D) on August 18, 2015, to require polling places to post a written notice informing voters without a picture identification that they can still vote by signing an affidavit saying that they are who they say they are.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170065

House Bill 4806: Revise polling place electioneering ban detail
Introduced by Rep. Jon Hoadley (D) on August 18, 2015, to clarify that a prohibition on electioneering within 100 feet of a polling place is measured from the doorway into the building. Current law specifies the “entrance” to the building.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170066

House Bill 4807: Explicitly include CPL card as acceptable photo ID for voting
Introduced by Rep. Jon Hoadley (D) on August 18, 2015, to make explicit in statute that a concealed pistol license is among the forms of valid photo identification for voting. Current law requires voters to show a drivers license, state ID card or “other generally recognized picture identification card”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170067

House Bill 4808: Include “cranial hair prosthesis” (wig) in Medicaid coverage
Introduced by Rep. Jon Hoadley (D) on August 18, 2015, to include “cranial hair prosthesis” (wig) for a person less than age 19 who loses their hair as a result of a medical condition or treatment among the expenses that the state’s medical welfare programs (Medicaid) will pay for.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170068

House Bill 4809: Make mental health treatment a foster child entitlement
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on August 18, 2015, to include children who are in foster care among those who are legally entitled to mental heath treatment paid for by the state.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170069

House Bill 4810: Make ban on blocking left-lane more emphatic
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on August 18, 2015, to make more explicit the statute that requires a driver cruising in the left land of a multi-lane highway to move over when someone wants to pass, with the usual exceptions for road conditions, obstructions, emergency vehicles, etc.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170070

House Bill 4811: Expand controlled substance prescription monitoring
Introduced by Rep. Bill LaVoy (D) on August 18, 2015, to require the Department of Community Health to revise its system for monitoring controlled substance prescriptions, so as to allow interstate information sharing with other states that have entered a compact for this and related purposes.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170071

House Bill 4812: Allow FDA-designated interchangeable biological drugs
Introduced by Rep. John Bizon (R) on August 18, 2015, to allow pharmacists to dispense FDA-designated interchangeable biological drug products.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170072

House Bill 4813: Revise electrician licensure mandate detail
Introduced by Rep. Amanda Price (R) on August 18, 2015, to revise staff ratio details in a mandate that requires individuals working as an electrician apprentice to be registered with the state. Current law prohibits registering if the “master” to whom the individual is apprenticed has more than one apprentice. The bill would increase this to two or three based on various factors.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170073

House Bill 4814: Require state agencies post organization chart online
Introduced by Rep. Jim Runestad (R) on August 18, 2015, to require each state department to post on its website an organizational staffing chart.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170074

House Bill 4815: Mandate landlords give new tenants voter registration info
Introduced by Rep. Robert Wittenberg (D) on August 18, 2015, to mandate that landlords provide voter registration information for tenants when they move in.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170075

House Bill 4816: Allow voter registration up to 10 days before an election
Introduced by Rep. Robert Wittenberg (D) on August 18, 2015, to change the deadline for voter registration from 30 days to 10 days before an election.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170076

House Bill 4817: Authorize “junior achievement” income tax checkoff
Introduced by Rep. Brandt Iden (R) on August 18, 2015, to allow an individual to choose to automatically contribute $5 or more from his or her state income tax refund to provide grants to local “Junior Achievement” organizations.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170077

House Bill 4818: Authorize “junior achievement” income tax checkoff
Introduced by Rep. Brandt Iden (R) on August 18, 2015, to allow an individual to choose to automatically contribute $5 or more from his or her state income tax refund to provide grants to local “Junior Achievement” organizations.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170078

House Bill 4819: Repeal Right to Work law
Introduced by Rep. John Chirkun (D) on August 18, 2015, to repeal the state’s right to work law for private sector employees. Specifically, the bill would allow employers to enter an agreement with a union under which all employees would be required to pay “agency fees” to the union as a condition of employment.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170079

House Bill 4820: Repeal Right to Work law
Introduced by Rep. John Chirkun (D) on August 18, 2015, to repeal the state’s right to work law for government and public school employees. Specifically, the bill would allow employers to enter an agreement with a union under which all employees would be required to pay “agency fees” to the union as a condition of employment.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170080

House Bill 4821: Mandate employers describe reproductive health coverage to applicants
Introduced by Rep. Gretchen Driskell (D) on August 18, 2015, to mandate that employers give job applicants information about any reproductive health services and products covered by the employer’s health insurance policy, using notification methods specified in the bill, and notify employees of any change in such coverage at least 90 days before it goes into effect, with failure to do so subject to a $5,000 fine.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170081

House Bill 4822: Ban “social promotions” for third graders who can’t read
Introduced by Rep. Amanda Price (R) on August 18, 2015, to prohibit “social promotions” of third graders who have not reached minimum reading proficiency benchmarks specified in the bill.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170082

House Bill 4823: Mandate reading instruction in teacher certification and training
Introduced by Rep. Amanda Price (R) on August 18, 2015, to mandate that teacher colleges provide lessons in reading instruction and diagnosing reading problems, and that this be included in the requirement to get the government teaching certificate required to teach in public schools.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170083

House Bill 4824: Give free fishing to developmentally disabled
Introduced by Rep. Marcia Hovey-Wright (D) on August 18, 2015, to give free fishing licenses to individuals who have a developmental disability.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170084

House Bill 4825: Authorize local landfill regulation on top of state regulation
Introduced by Rep. Peter Lucido (R) on August 18, 2015, to give local governments the power to impose their own landfill regulations on top of the ones imposed by the state.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170085

House Bill 4826: Ban insurance ownership of body shops
Introduced by Rep. Brain Banks (D) on August 18, 2015, to prohibit auto insurance companies from owning auto repair shops. The bill also prohibits an auto insurance provider from requiring an insured customer to use a particular shop, or having a “preferred facility” list.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170086

House Bill 4827: Create “seed to sale” medical marijuana database
Introduced by Rep. Klint Kesto (R) on August 18, 2015, to require the state to develop a comprehensive “seed-to-sale” tracking system for commercial marijuana, with information on each step including recording final sales to individual customers. This would all be contained in a computer database and would not be a public record, but could be used for enforcing the medical marijuana law, including tracking how much individual card holders purchase and from who.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170087

House Bill 4828: Establish legislative ethics committee
Introduced by Rep. Andy Schor (D) on August 18, 2015, to require the legislature to create a bipartisan legislative ethics committee to investigate ethics violations by lawmakers and employees.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170088

House Bill 4829: Mandate non-Detroit employers withhold Detroit income tax
Introduced by Rep. Al Pscholka (R) on August 18, 2015, to require employers who are located outside of Detroit and who employee individuals who live inside the city to withhold city income taxes from the compensation of those employees. This would not apply to small employers (less than 10 employees and $500,000 in annual payroll). This bill has been mentioned as a component in a potential “logroll” deal to get Detroit legislator votes on a large Republican gas tax increase proposal.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170089

House Bill 4830: Authorize enhanced penalties for abortion coercion
Introduced by Rep. Nancy Jenkins (R) on August 19, 2015, to establish sentencing guidelines for penalties proposed by House Bill 4787 of coercing a female to have an abortion against her will.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170096

House Bill 4831: Ban fetal tissue sellers from abortion counseling
Introduced by Rep. Mike Callton (R) on August 19, 2015, to prohibit an organization that buys, sells or collect fetal tissue, or profits from such sales, from providing abortion counseling. The bill was introduced following release of undercover videos showing Planned Parenthood officials discussing such activities.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170097

House Bill 4832: Revise pharmacist drug storage detail
Introduced by Rep. Stephanie Chang (D) on August 19, 2015, to clarify that the law regulating the location of “schedule 1” drug stocks sold by pharmacists (including narcotics and painkillers) does not apply to drugs kept at home for personal (and presumably legal and prescribed) use.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170098

House Bill 4833: Ban “dismemberment abortion”
Introduced by Rep. Laura Cox (R) on August 19, 2015, to include “dismemberment abortion” in the acts specified in the state’s ban against late-term “partial birth” abortions. The bill defines this as deliberately and intentionally using an instrument to “dismember a living fetus by disarticulating limbs or decapitating the head from the fetal torso and removing the dismembered fetal body parts from the uterus.” The bill was introduced following release of undercover videos showing Planned Parenthood officials discussing the collection and sale of fetal body parts.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170099

House Bill 4834: Ban “dismemberment abortion”
Introduced by Rep. Laura Cox (R) on August 19, 2015, to provide sentencing guidelines for the crime proposed by House Bill 4433 of performing a “dismemberment abortion”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170100

House Bill 4835: Provide for removal of tax appeals board member
Introduced by Rep. Ray Franz (R) on August 20, 2015, to authorize and prescribe a process for removing a member of a local property tax assessment appeals board of review for malfeasance or for just not doing the job.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170101

House Bill 4836: Accommodate long term care insurance Medicaid “partnership” policies
Introduced by Rep. Lisa Lyons (R) on August 20, 2015, to revise the state’s regulations on long term care insurance products to reflect federal rules specifying they include various provisions related to “partnership policies,” which let individuals whose assets exceed the value permitted by Medicaid to nevertheless get Medicaid reimbursements for part of their nursing home costs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170102

House Bill 4837: Revise disabled veteran property tax exemption detail
Introduced by Rep. Holly Hughes (R) on August 20, 2015, to revise details in the law authorizing corrections of an error that results in the denial of a property tax exemption for a disabled veteran.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170103

House Bill 4838: Impose licensure on athlete agents
Introduced by Rep. Rob VerHeulen (R) on August 20, 2015, to impose licensure (styled as “registration” in the bill) on athlete agents, and create regulations for their activities.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170104

House Bill 4839: Impose licensure on athlete agents
Introduced by Rep. Rob VerHeulen (R) on August 20, 2015, to establish fees for the athlete agents licensure mandate proposed by House Bill 4838 (which is styled as “registration” in that bill). These would include a $250 application fee and $150 annual license (registration) fee.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170105

House Bill 4840: Mandate faith-based adoption agencies participate in placements with homosexuals
Introduced by Rep. Robert Wittenberg (D) on August 20, 2015, to essentially repeal the 2015 law that prohibits requiring adoption agencies to participate in child placements that violate their moral convictions (which essentially means faith-based agencies and placements with homosexuals).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170106

House Bill 4841: Mandate faith-based adoption agencies participate in placements with homosexuals
Introduced by Rep. Jon Hoadley (D) on August 20, 2015, to essentially repeal the 2015 law that prohibits requiring adoption and foster care agencies to participate in child placements that violate their moral convictions (which essentially means faith-based agencies and placements with homosexuals).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170107

House Bill 4842: Mandate faith-based adoption agencies participate in placements with homosexuals
Introduced by Rep. Alberta Tinsley Talabi (D) on August 20, 2015, to essentially repeal the 2015 law that prohibits government sanctions against foster care agencies that won’t participate in child placements that violate their moral convictions (which essentially means faith-based agencies and placements with homosexuals).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170108

House Bill 4843: Give overdosing minors immunity if they turn themselves in
Introduced by Rep. Al Pscholka (R) on August 20, 2015, to extend immunity from illegal drug laws for an overdosed minor who shows up at a health facility for observation or treatment. This would also apply a friend who accompanies or assists the overdosed individual.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170109

House Bill 4844: Revise regulatory agency submissions deadlines
Introduced by Rep. Holly Hughes (R) on August 20, 2015, to establish that information demanded by regulatory agencies from regulated individuals or organizations meet any specified deadlines the submittal is postmarked no later than the deadline date.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170110

House Bill 4845: Require court approval for shorter moves by custodial parent
Introduced by Rep. Jim Runestad (R) on August 20, 2015, to revise a law requiring a court order before a parent subject to a child custody order may move more than 100 miles. The bill would change this to 50 miles, as measured by the odometer of a vehicle making the trip.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170111

House Bill 4846: Revise “gun free zone” CPL exception
Introduced by Rep. Tom Barrett (R) on August 20, 2015, to revise the “gun free zone” provision of the concealed pistol permit law to exempt uniformed members of the active duty military, National Guard or reserve forces.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170112

House Resolution 139: Expel Rep. Todd Courser
Failed 67 to 14 in the House on September 10, 2015, to expel freshmen Representative Todd Courser from the House for using government personnel and resources to cover up an extramarital affair, and for other irregularities in the operation of his office. This was a “trial vote” that failed because two-third of the House is needed to expel a member. Courser resigned within hours of this vote, just before the vote that expelled the other legislator involved in this scandal, Rep. Cindy Gamrat (see House Resolution 141).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716966

House Resolution 141: Expel Reps. Gamrat and Courser
The amendment passed by voice vote in the House on September 11, 2015, to require the House to also adopt HR 145, which requests the Attorney General and State Police to investigate possible criminal violations related to this episode. This was reportedly adopted as part of a deal to get Democratic votes for the expulsion.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170162

House Resolution 141: Expel Reps. Gamrat and Courser
Passed 91 to 11 in the House on September 11, 2015, to expel freshmen Representatives Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat from the House for using government personnel and resources to cover up an extramarital affair, and for other irregularities in the operation of their offices. Courser resigned moments before the vote, so the final version only expels Gamrat.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716968

House Resolution 145: Request criminal investigation of (former) Reps. Courser and Gamrat
Passed by voice vote in the House on September 11, 2015, to request the Attorney General and State Police to investigate possible criminal violations by former Reps. Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat related to their use of government resources to cover up an extramarital affair. See also House Resolution 141, which expelled the pair from the House.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170201

Senate Bill 356: Authorize property tax to cover dissolved school district’s debt
Passed 31 to 7 in the Senate on September 10, 2015, to allow the school districts that absorbed portions of the Buena Vista school district in Saginaw County, which was dissolved in 2012 after becoming fiscally unviable, to levy non-homestead property taxes in the dissolved district’s territory to pay off some of debt the failed district incurred to cover operational expenses, subject to restrictions specified in the bill (and in the state constitution). Reportedly the alternative would be for a court to impose a “judgment levy” property tax on residents.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716896

Senate Bill 384: Authorize establishment of welfare agency police force
Passed 27 to 11 in the Senate on September 10, 2015, to give the Department of Human Services (the state welfare agency) the authority to appoint agents with the same powers as peace (police) officers and limited arrest powers, for the purpose of investigating welfare fraud.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=716890

House Bill 4856: Require human fetus images be shown in high school biology classes
Introduced by Rep. Cindy Gamrat (R) on September 9, 2015, to require public high school biology courses to include “ultrasound and positron emission tomography (PET) scan images showing the development of an unborn child in the womb”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170174

House Bill 4858: Ban forcing clerics to perform homosexual marriages
Introduced by Rep. Cindy Gamrat (R) on September 9, 2015, to prohibit requiring a religious official to perform or “recognize” a marriage in violation of his or her conscience or religious beliefs. Probably by coincidence, the bill was introduced shortly after a county clerk in Kentucky was jailed for refusing to issue marriage license for homosexuals following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling whose effect was to mandate that state and local governments do this.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170176

House Bill 4847: Establish right to jury trial in some lawsuits against state
Introduced by Rep. Gary Glenn (R) on September 9, 2015, to establish that a person who sues the state has a right to a jury trial, with the jury to decide all questions of fact and law. This would not apply to Michigan “Court of Claims” cases.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170165

House Bill 4848: Revise disabled veteran property tax exemption detail
Introduced by Rep. Joel Johnson (R) on September 9, 2015, to require that a receipt be given to disabled veterans when they file an affidavit claiming eligibility for a property tax exemption on their principle residence.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170166

House Bill 4850: Give “biobased” product state purchasing preference
Introduced by Rep. Jason Sheppard (R) on September 9, 2015, to require the state to give preference in purchasing and procurement to “biobased” products. Contracts would have to be given to providers of equivalent “biobased” products, rather than to the lowest bidder, if the price was not more than 5 percent higher. The bill was cosponsored by Republicans Triston Cole, Ben Glardon, Hank Vaupel, along with Democrats George Darany and Bill LaVoy.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170168

House Bill 4851: Ban abortion after 20 weeks
Introduced by Rep. Cindy Gamrat (R) on September 9, 2015, to ban abortions from the 20th week of pregnancy, based on a declaration in the bill that a fetus feels pain at this stage of development, except to save the life of the mother. The person who performs a banned abortion would be subject to 15 years in prison.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170169

House Bill 4852: Ban abortion after 20 weeks
Introduced by Rep. Cindy Gamrat (R) on September 9, 2015, to establish sentencing guidelines for the abortion ban proposed by House Bill 4851.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170170

House Bill 4853
Introduced by Rep. Jim Tedder (R) on September 9, 2015, Increase cap on motorcycle safety course price to increase from $25 to $50 the maximum price that governmental agencies can charge for a state-approved motorcycle safety course. Taking this course is necessary to get a drivers license motorcycle “endorsement.” See also House Bill 4854.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170171

House Bill 4854: Revise motorcycle operators license detail
Introduced by Rep. Jim Tedder (R) on September 9, 2015, to waive the requirement that an applicant for a drivers license motorcycle “endorsement” must take a written knowledge test, road sign test, and driving skills test, if the person has successfully passed a motorcycle safety course approved by the state.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170172

House Bill 4855: Ban suing clerics who refuse to “solemnize” same sex marriage
Introduced by Rep. Gary Glenn (R) on September 9, 2015, to ban lawsuits against a “minister of the Gospel, cleric, or religious practitioner” who refuses to perform a marriage ceremony (“solemnize”) that violates his or her conscience or religious beliefs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170173

House Bill 4857: Require human fetus images be shown in high school biology classes
Introduced by Rep. Henry Yanez (D) on September 9, 2015, to require public high school biology courses to include “ultrasound and positron emission tomography (PET) scan images showing the development of an unborn child in the womb”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170175

House Bill 4859: Require “comprehensive sexuality” classes in public schools
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on September 9, 2015, to require public schools to offer sex education classes that include “comprehensive sexuality education that is medically accurate and age-appropriate for all grade levels.” The bill does and law not define “sexuality.” Current law allows but does not require this.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170177

House Bill 4860: Revise modernization of deed and recorded instrument details
Introduced by Rep. Tim Kelly (R) on September 10, 2015, to cap the amount that counties may keep in an “automation fund” the state requires them to have for computerizing documents, instruments, abstracts, maps, plats, and other items that are recorded and maintained by the register of deeds. For larger counties (more than 100,000 residents) the cap would be $50,000, and $20,000 for smaller counties.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170204

House Bill 4861: Mandate condo board members be residents
Introduced by Rep. Michael McCready (R) on September 10, 2015, to require condominium board members to be residents of the condo, and that they certify familiarity with certain condominium documents.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170205

House Bill 4862: Allow local drop-off recycling bin permit mandates
Introduced by Rep. Lee Chatfield (R) on September 10, 2015, to allow local governments to impose a permit mandate on closed recycling bins placed to collect used clothes, shoes, books, etc. (“textile recycling bins”), which would include bins placed by second hand shops and charitable institutions. Permit-applicants would have to pay annual fees and meet specified registration and location requirements. However, local governments could not impose an outright ban on bins.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170206

House Bill 4863: Allow local drop-off recycling bin permit mandates
Introduced by Rep. Lee Chatfield (R) on September 10, 2015, to revise the state statute authorizing local zoning laws to conform with the proposal in House Bill 4863 to give local governments the authority to impose a permit mandate on closed recycling bins placed to collect used clothes, shoes and books (“textile recycling bins”).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170207

House Bill 4864: Expand meth-related pseudoephedrine purchase restrictions
Introduced by Rep. John Kivela (D) on September 10, 2015, to impose a five-year “stop sale alert” on individuals convicted of the crime proposed by House Bill 4767 of attempting to persuade a person to purchase ephedrine or pseudoephedrine while knowing that it will be used to manufacture methamphetamine (called “smurfing”). This refers to an existing mandate on retailers to electronically submit information on would-be pseudophed buyers to a national database, which is capable of generating a real-time “stop sale” alert on an individual.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170208

Senate Bill 439: Require DEQ to submit EPA-mandated electric generation plan to legislature
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on September 9, 2015, to require the Department of Environmental Quality to submit a plan to comply with recently promulgated federal greenhouse gas emissions mandates to the legislature at least 40 session days before submitting it to the federal Environmental Protection Agency. The recently imposed federal mandate would reportedly require 60 percent of the state’s coal-fired generator plants to be shut down and replaced.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170121

Senate Bill 440: Require health department inspection of privatized prison kitchens
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on September 9, 2015, to give local health departments the authority to inspect prison kitchens that are run by employees of a private contractor, and require the contractor to pay for these. Prison kitchens operated by government employees would not get health department inspections.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170122

Senate Bill 441: Authorize health department inspection of privatized prison kitchens
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on September 9, 2015, to remove a prison exemption to the law that requires food service establishments to be inspected by local health departments, if the prison’s kitchen is managed and staffed by a private contractor. Prison kitchens operated by government employees would continue to be exempt from health department inspections.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170123

Senate Bill 442: Ban open carry in “gun free” zone
Introduced by Sen. Michael Green (R) on September 9, 2015, to prohibit openly carrying a pistol in one of the “gun free zones” specified in the concealed pistol permit law, with exceptions for the owner and security staff of one of those zones (which include bars and other privately owned venues).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170124

Senate Bill 443: Revise auto insurance repair shop “steering” law
Introduced by Sen. Dale W. Zorn (R) on September 9, 2015, to prohibit insurance company adjustors or officials from attempting to compel an auto insurance policy holder to use a certain body shop; mandate that adjusters inform policy holders with a claim that they are free to use any body shop; prohibit adjusters from trying to coerce or manipulate a body shop to revise or alter an estimate, or use non-OEM parts and more, subject to being liable for triple damages and other sanctions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170125

Senate Bill 444: Make “critical incident stress management services” confidential
Introduced by Sen. Jim Stamas (R) on September 9, 2015, to establish confidentiality requirements and liability limitations for providers of “critical incident stress management services” for emergency service responders, which involves counselling and other services for post-traumatic-stress type troubles.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170126

Senate Bill 445: Ban local “sanctuary city” policies
Introduced by Sen. Mike Kowall (R) on September 9, 2015, to prohibit local governments from adopting or enforcing a policy that limits officials or police from communicating or cooperating with appropriate federal officials concerning the status of illegal aliens.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170127

Senate Bill 446: Extend authority to ban deer feeding
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on September 9, 2015, to eliminate the 2016 sunset on Department of Natural Resources authority to prohibit feeding deer and elk.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170128

Senate Bill 447: Give more state aid to consolidated school districts
Introduced by Sen. David Knezek (D) on September 9, 2015, to make slightly more generous the formula used to determine the per-pupil school “foundation allowance” grants for school districts that were created by consolidating two or more districts.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170129

Senate Bill 448: Give small distributors a cut of state liquor monopoly profits
Introduced by Sen. John Proos (R) on September 9, 2015, to give small distillers a share of the profit the state makes as the sole wholesaler statewide of all distilled liquor. Under Michigan’s “three tier” liquor market control system retail liquor stores may only obtain liquor sold by the state, and must all sell it at a single price that is set by the state.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170130

Senate Bill 449: Impose child hearing aid insurance mandate
Introduced by Sen. Dale W. Zorn (R) on September 9, 2015, to impose a new coverage mandate that would require health insurance policies to include coverage that pays for hearing aids for individuals age 21 or younger.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170131

Senate Bill 450: Repeal 2012 legalization of small fireworks
Introduced by Sen. David Knezek (D) on September 9, 2015, to repeal the 2012 law that legalized the sale and use of “consumer fireworks” including firecrackers, bottle rockets, aerial spinners, Roman candles, etc.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170132

Senate Bill 451: Repeal 2012 legalization of small fireworks
Introduced by Sen. David Knezek (D) on September 9, 2015, to repeal the sentencing guidelines associated with the 2012 law that legalized the sale and use of “consumer fireworks,” which would itself be repealed by Senate Bill 450.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170133

Senate Bill 452: Revise Court of Appeals election detail
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on September 9, 2015, to revise details of the election procedures used when Court of Appeals candidates are appointed to another judgeship during the campaign.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170134

Senate Bill 453: Revise judge residency detail
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on September 9, 2015, to expand the residency requirement for a magistrate in the third class district courts when the district is operating under a plan of “concurrent jurisdiction”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170135

Senate Bill 454: Waive liability for damaging car to save sweltering child
Introduced by Sen. Curtis Hertel, Jr. (D) on September 9, 2015, to waive liability for damages caused by an individual who breaks into a locked car to rescue a child he or she believes to be in danger, subject to limits and conditions specified in the bill.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170136

Senate Bill 455: Mandate environmental assessments for new schools
Introduced by Sen. David Knezek (D) on September 9, 2015, to prohibit building a new school unless a preliminary assessment is done to discover whether any hazardous substances are on the property, and if this indicates there are, to undertake the extensive cleanup procedures specified under state environmental law. The bill also adds a variety of public notice requirements.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170137

Senate Bill 456: Revise procedures for dissolving fiscally failed school district
Introduced by Sen. David Knezek (D) on September 9, 2015, to establish that when buildings or land transferred from a dissolved school district to an adjacent district are sold, the proceeds would go to paying off the debt of the dissolved district. This refers to the property of the former Buena Vista school district.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170138

Senate Bill 457: Require certain training for school officials
Introduced by Sen. Goeff Hansen (R) on September 9, 2015, to require public school superintendents and elementary school principals to receive “leadership development” training, and instruction in early literacy and diagnostic methods.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170139

Senate Bill 458: Revise termination of parental rights detail
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on September 9, 2015, to revise details of the termination of parental rights of a parent subject to a child support order who hasn’t complied for two years or more, when the other parent gets married or remarried.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170140

Senate Bill 459: Decriminalize fantasy football betting
Introduced by Sen. Curtis Hertel, Jr. (D) on September 9, 2015, to decriminalize betting on “fantasy football” and other “simulation or educational” games and contests.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170141

Senate Bill 460: Create vulnerable adult abuse registry
Introduced by Sen. Steve Bieda (D) on September 9, 2015, to establish a public, online registry for perpetrators of vulnerable adult abuse, similar to the one for criminal sex offenders.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170142

Senate Bill 461: Authorize charitable contribution income tax credits
Introduced by Sen. Patrick Colbeck (R) on September 9, 2015, to authorize state income tax credits for charitable donations to public art, public radio and TV, colleges, universities, and museums.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170143

Senate Bill 462: Authorize charitable contribution income tax credits
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on September 9, 2015, to authorize state income tax credits for charitable donations to food banks, shelters, and community foundations.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170144

Senate Bill 463: Authorize adoption tax credit/subsidy
Introduced by Sen. Goeff Hansen (R) on September 9, 2015, to authorize a $1,200 “refundable” income tax credit for adoption expenses. “Refundable” means the state will send the individual a check for the amount that the credit exceeds his or her tax liability.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170145

Senate Bill 464: Income tax credit for charitable vehicle donation
Introduced by Sen. Goeff Hansen (R) on September 9, 2015, to authorize an income tax credit of up to 50 percent of the market value of a vehicle that a person donates to a nonprofit organization. A credit greater than a person’s tax liability would not be refundable.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170146

Senate Bill 465: Authorize legislative vote on EPA-mandated electric generation plan
Introduced by Sen. Mike Shirkey (R) on September 9, 2015, to require the Department of Environmental Quality to submit to the legislature its plan to comply with recently promulgated federal greenhouse gas emissions mandates, and prohibit the DEQ from submitting the plan to the federal Environmental Protection Agency if the legislature votes to disapprove it within 30 days. The recently imposed federal mandate would reportedly require 60 percent of the state’s coal-fired generator plants to be shut down and replaced.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170147

Senate Bill 466: Mandate contraceptive insurance coverage
Introduced by Sen. Curtis Hertel, Jr. (D) on September 9, 2015, to impose a new coverage mandate that would require health insurance policies that contain prescription drug coverage to cover contraceptives under the same terms, co-pays, etc. as other covered prescription drugs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170148

Senate Bill 467: Require “comprehensive sexuality” classes in public schools
Introduced by Sen. Hoon-Yung Hopgood (D) on September 9, 2015, to require public schools to offer sex education classes that include “comprehensive sexuality education that is medically accurate and age-appropriate for all grade levels.” The bill and law does not define “sexuality.” Current law allows but does not require this.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170149

Senate Bill 468: Revise pharmacy assistant licensure mandate
Introduced by Sen. Michael Green (R) on September 9, 2015, to revise details of a licensure and regulation on mandate imposed by a 2014 law “pharmacy technicians” (assistants), with license fees, continuing education requirements, test-taking mandates and more. The bill would give government permission for a pharmacy assistant at one drugstore to also work at other stores owned by the same company.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170150

Senate Bill 469: Revise Indian tribe health insurance detail
Introduced by Sen. Wayne Schmidt (R) on September 10, 2015, to exempt health insurance policies for employees of Indian tribes from a health insurance claims tax intended to “game” the federal Medicaid system in ways that result in higher federal payments to Michigan’s medical welfare system.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170179

Senate Bill 470: Revise “reinsurance” regulations
Introduced by Sen. Margaret O’Brien (R) on September 10, 2015, to revise details of regulations, qualifications and insurance claims reserves for providers of “reinsurance,” and the insurance companies that use this risk management tool.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170180

Senate Bill 471: Revise district court detail
Introduced by Sen. David Robertson (R) on September 10, 2015, to clarify that the “fourth division” of the 67th district court includes the city of Fenton, which is located in both Genesee and Oakland counties.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170181

Senate Bill 472: Revise tobacco lawsuit assessment law
Introduced by Sen. Wayne Schmidt (R) on September 10, 2015, to revise details of the law that imposes assessments on tobacco companies that were not parties to 1998 tobacco lawsuit master settlement agreement (which compelled companies to pay hundreds of billions of dollars to states for decades into the future). Under this state law, tobacco companies that are not parties to the agreement must pay assessments to the state as if they were subject to the agreement’s terms.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170182

Senate Bill 473: Revise tobacco lawsuit assessment law
Introduced by Sen. Peter MacGregor (R) on September 10, 2015, to require the Department of Treasury to share with the Attorney General information it obtains that is relevant to the enforcement of the law that imposes assessments on tobacco companies that were not parties to 1998 tobacco lawsuit master settlement agreement (which compelled companies to pay hundreds of billions of dollars to states for decades into the future).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170183

Senate Bill 474: Establish independent political redistricting commission
Introduced by Sen. Steve Bieda (D) on September 10, 2015, to create a nine member legislative redistricting commission, with four members each appointed the Republican and Democratic parties, and one member selected by the legislature’s Auditor General, who would be the chairman.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170184

Senate Bill 475: Establish independent political redistricting commission
Introduced by Sen. Steve Bieda (D) on September 10, 2015, to create a nine member congressional redistricting commission, with four members each appointed the Republican and Democratic parties, and one member selected by the legislature’s Auditor General, who would be the chairman.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170185

Senate Bill 476: Authorize higher cigar tax
Introduced by Sen. Wayne Schmidt (R) on September 10, 2015, to repeal the Oct. 1, 2016 sunset on a law that caps the tobacco tax imposed on cigars at 50 cents per cigar.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170186

Senate Bill 477: Revise state milk market regulations
Introduced by Sen. Michael Green (R) on September 10, 2015, to update references to federal recommendations in the state law that regulates the production, transportation, handling, processing, delivery and sale of milk and milk products.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170187

Senate Bill 478: Impose state permit/license mandate on all private gun purchases
Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on September 10, 2015, to expand a state pistol purchase “license” mandate to all private gun purchases, including rifles and shotguns, This pistol permit regulatory regime was repealed for purchases from licensed gun dealers by a 2012 law, but the bill would restore it, and apply the mandate to private person-to-person sales including long guns.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170188

Senate Bill 479: Impose state permit/license mandate on all private gun purchases
Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on September 10, 2015, to revise references in the state penal code to reflect the firearms purchase permit/license regime proposed by Senate Bill 478.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170189

Senate Bill 481: Authorize school recreation millage
Introduced by Sen. Darwin Booher (R) on September 10, 2015, to revise the law which authorizes recreational authorities to be created by several local governments, so that the districts could be organized by a school district. The authorities have the power to levy up to one-mill of property tax for swimming pools, recreation centers, public auditoriums, public conference centers, and parks, upon the approval of voters in each municipality in which the school district is located. The law itself is silent on whether the recreational facilities of an authority may be located at a school, or may be school facilities themselves, but it does require them to be open to the public.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170191

Senate Bill 482: Require “reasonable efforts” to keep siblings together in foster care
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on September 10, 2015, to require child welfare authorities to make “reasonable efforts” to keep siblings together in foster care placements and adoptions and if this can’t be done, to provide for frequent sibling visitation, unless these things would be contrary to the safety or well-being of any of the siblings.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170192

Senate Bill 483: Require “reasonable efforts” to keep siblings together in foster care
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on September 10, 2015, to require child welfare authorities to make “reasonable efforts” to keep siblings together in foster care placements and adoptions and if this can’t be done, to provide for frequent sibling visitation, unless these things would be contrary to the safety or well-being of any of the siblings.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170193

Senate Bill 484: Revise appeals of termination of parental rights
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on September 10, 2015, to establish a process for allowing the reinstatement of terminated parental rights when children have been placed by a court in a guardianship or adoption, subject to restrictions and conditions specified in the bill.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170194

Senate Bill 485: Define “frequent parenting time” for foster children
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on September 10, 2015, to require children in foster care to have “parenting time” at least once a week, unless a court determines that even supervised time with the child’s parent may be harmful to the child’s life, physical health, or mental well-being. Current law requires “frequent” parenting time but does not define this.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170195

Senate Bill 486: Increase school bus zone penalties
Introduced by Sen. Curtis Hertel, Jr. (D) on September 10, 2015, to authorize a one year drivers license suspension for a second or subsequent violation of the law that requires drivers to stop when a school bus has its lights flashing while dropping off or picking up children.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170196

Senate Bill 487: Ban drones near prisons
Introduced by Sen. Darwin Booher (R) on September 10, 2015, to make it a felony subject of four years in prison to fly a drone within 1,000 feet of a correctional facility including a jail or prison.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170197

Senate Bill 488: Ban drones near prisons
Introduced by Sen. Darwin Booher (R) on September 10, 2015, to establish sentencing guidelines for the felony crime proposed by Senate Bill 487 of flying a drone near a prison.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170198

Senate Bill 489: Pro-rate Michigan’s electoral college presidential votes
Introduced by Sen. Michael Green (R) on September 10, 2015, to require that state political party conventions select one presidential elector from each congressional district and two electors at large be chosen. The elector ultimately chosen for each district would the one whose party’s candidate for president won in that congressional district. The at-large candidates would be, as now, be those who belonged to the political party whose presidential candidate won statewide. This would end the current “winner take all” system for state presidential electors.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170199

Senate Bill 490: Revise library and video rental confidentiality
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on September 10, 2015, to revise a law that restricts disclosing information about videos, books or recordings borrowed or rented by an individual without notifying the individual. The bill would allow the notification to be a written notice included with the material at the time it is rented or borrowed.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170200

House Bill 4849: Cut state income tax
Introduced by Rep. Peter Pettalia (R) on September 9, 2015, to cut the state income tax rate from 4.25 to 3.9 percent as of Jan. 1, 2016.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170167

Senate Bill 62: Update register of deeds procedures to recognize electronic signatures
Passed 101 to 2 in the House on September 16, 2015, to revise a law establishing requirements for recording a document with a register of deeds, so that it facilitates using electronic signatures. Also, to establish that a ‘certified copy’ of a death certificate (as defined in statute) is the same as an original.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717012

Senate Bill 281: Repeal 36th district court bailiff’s “job for life” law
Passed 67 to 36 in the House on September 16, 2015, to allow a bailiff of the 36th district court to be dismissed for inability do the job. This is the former Detroit “Recorders Court,” and the law that replaced it with the 36th district court permitted the current bailiffs to keep their jobs for life and not be replaced except for malfeasance, even if the individual is no longer capable of doing the job.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717014

House Bill 4438: Authorize “epi-pens” in restaurants, camps, arenas and more
Passed 103 to 0 in the House on September 16, 2015, to expand to restaurants, recreation camps, youth sports leagues, amusement parks, sports arenas and other places where allergens capable of causing anaphylaxis may be present, a law that currently allows physicians to prescribe epinephrine auto injectors to schools to keep in their facilities. This law also waives the legal liability of an authorized employee or agent of the facility who has specified training and who provides or administers the drug to a person he or she believes in good faith to be experiencing anaphylaxis, except for gross negligence.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717001

House Bill 4563: Authorize townships contracting for domestic violence victim services
Passed 103 to 0 in the House on September 16, 2015, to authorize townships to issue contracts to nonprofit entities to deliver specified services to victims of domestic violence.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717002

House Bill 4658: Revise claims against the state procedures
Passed 102 to 1 in the House on September 16, 2015, to prohibit the Department of Treasury from authorizing payment of an individual’s successful claim against the state if the individual owes money for back-taxes, child support, or other unpaid levies. Only the amount of the successful claim that exceeds what the person owes could be paid. The bill revises administrative procedures to facilitate this.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717003

Senate Bill 91: Authorize Sleeping Bear Dunes license plate
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on September 17, 2015, to authorize a new license plate recognizing the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, and use the revenue to “preserve historic Sleeping Bear”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717072

Senate Bill 134: Appropriations: “Omnibus” education budget
Passed 99 to 2 in the House on September 17, 2015, to authorize spending an additional $4.35 million on government preschool programs in the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717085

Senate Bill 150: Impose synchronized prescription drug program insurance mandate
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on September 17, 2015, to impose a new coverage mandate that would require health insurance policies that contain prescription drug coverage to cover programs for synchronizing prescriptions for multiple maintenance drugs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717058

Senate Bill 306: Authorize joining multistate “Compact for a Balanced Budget”
Passed 26 to 11 in the Senate on September 17, 2015, to authorize Michigan’s membership in a “Compact for a Balanced Budget.” This would use the device of a multistate compact to submit an application to Congress calling for an Article V “convention to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution.” This would be limited to proposing an amendment prohibiting Congress from increasing the national debt without the approval of a majority of state legislatures.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717071

Senate Bill 364: Exempt trigger locks from sales tax
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on September 17, 2015, to exempt trigger locks, gun safes and lockboxes, and other home firearm safety devices from sales tax.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717063

Senate Bill 365: Exempt trigger locks from use tax
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on September 17, 2015, to exempt trigger locks, gun safes and lockboxes, and other home firearm safety devices from use tax.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717066

Senate Bill 369: Authorize alcohol manufacturer retail shop tax breaks
The amendment failed 13 to 24 in the Senate on September 17, 2015, to require the legislature to appropriate more money from other revenue sources to replace the foregone sales tax revenue implicit in the bill.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717067

Senate Bill 369: Authorize alcohol manufacturer retail shop tax breaks
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on September 17, 2015, to exempt from use tax the tools and equipment purchased by a brewer, winemaker or distilled liquor maker to create products it sells directly to customers at its own locations.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717068

Senate Bill 370: Authorize alcohol manufacturer retail shop tax breaks
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on September 17, 2015, to exempt from sales tax the tools and equipment purchased by a brewer, winemaker or distiller create products it sells directly to customers at its own locations.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717070

Senate Bill 468: Revise pharmacy assistant licensure mandate
Passed 34 to 3 in the Senate on September 17, 2015, to revise details of a licensure and regulation on mandate imposed by a 2014 law “pharmacy technicians” (assistants), with license fees, continuing education requirements, test-taking mandates and more. The bill would give government permission for a pharmacy assistant at one drugstore to also work at other stores owned by the same company.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717073

House Bill 4070: Revise “incompatible offices” detail
Passed 34 to 2 in the Senate on September 17, 2015, to revise the law on incompatible public offices to allow a person elected or appointed to a public office in a community with less than 40,000 people to also serve as a firefighter, police chief, fire chief, police officer, or public safety officer, as long as the individual is not involved in negotiating government employee union contracts.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717057

House Bill 4604: Authorize government erosion control permit exemptions
Passed 66 to 35 in the House on September 17, 2015, to exempt certain routine agricultural practices from the mandate to obtain a government erosion control permit, if the activity would not cause soil to erode into lakes and streams. The exemption would apply to fenceline work, removing trees, shrubs and roots, and installing drainage tiles, irrigation or electric lines.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717083

House Bill 4790: Expand non-enrolled public school student offerings to kindergarten
Passed 101 to 0 in the House on September 17, 2015, to include kindergarten offerings under a law that allows a school district to offer some classes to a private school or home-schooled student, and collect some state school aid money for the additional children who may participate.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717084

Senate Bill 64: Revise nursing home regulation detail
Passed 67 to 37 in the House on September 22, 2015, to revise the extensive regulatory regime imposed on nursing homes, so as to establish that patient care policies, compliance procedures, outcome measures and more should be based on nationally recognized, evidence-based guidelines or best-practices (rather than regulations promulgated by state departments), along with other detail changes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717146

Senate Bill 65: Revise nursing home medical treatment restriction
Passed 69 to 35 in the House on September 22, 2015, to allow any nursing home to employ or contract with a licensed health care professional to provide a program of planned and continuing nursing care and medical treatment for residents. Under current law medical and dental treatment provided in nursing homes are subject to complex regulatory restrictions and constraints.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717147

Senate Bill 66: Revise nursing home medical treatment restriction
Passed 69 to 35 in the House on September 22, 2015, to revise the definition of “services in a learned profession” in the Michigan business corporations act to make it conform with the proposal in Senate Bill 65 potentially dismantling various regulatory obstacles to medical care provided being in nursing homes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717148

Senate Bill 67: Revise nursing home medical treatment restriction
Passed 69 to 35 in the House on September 22, 2015, to revise the definition of “services in a learned profession” in the Michigan business corporations act to make it conform with the proposal in Senate Bill 65 potentially dismantling various regulatory obstacles to medical care being provided in nursing homes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717149

Senate Bill 358: Revise teacher certificate detail for out-of-state teachers
Passed 94 to 10 in the House on September 22, 2015, to remove the current caps on fees charged for the tests given to get a state teacher certification, including a basic skills test, an elementary certification test, and subject area endorsement tests.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717150

Senate Bill 491: Slightly expand alternative teacher authority
Introduced by Sen. Phil Pavlov (R) on September 16, 2015, to expand a law that allows schools to employ a teacher who has not obtained a government teaching certificate to teach courses in computer science, a foreign language, mathematics, biology, chemistry, engineering, physics and robotics. The bill would expand that list to include writing, journalism and health sciences. Current law requires a non-certified teacher to have a major or graduate degree in the relevant subject area, and the bill would also add recent professional experience in the field to this requirement.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170224

Senate Bill 492: Clarify franchised business employee status
Introduced by Sen. Jack Brandenburg (R) on September 16, 2015, to establish that the owner of a business franchise rather than the franchisor is considered the sole employer of the workers for whom he or she provides a benefit plan or pays wages, except as otherwise specified in the franchise agreement, or where prohibited by law. The bill was introduced after President Obama’s appointees on the National Labor Relations Board issued a ruling that all franchise employees are actually employed by the franchiser for purposes of union organizing. Among other things, if sustained this policy would mean that employees at local restaurants franchised by a national chain like McDonalds could be unionized on a nationwide basis.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170225

Senate Bill 493: Clarify franchised business employee status
Introduced by Sen. John Proos (R) on September 16, 2015, to establish that for purposes of workers compensation insurance coverage, the owner of a business franchise rather than the franchisor is considered the sole employer of the workers for he or she provides a benefit plan or pays wages, except as otherwise specified in the franchise agreement, or as prohibited by law. See also Senate Bill 493.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170226

Senate Bill 494: Revise locked classroom doors law
Introduced by Sen. Judy Emmons (R) on September 16, 2015, to revise the state fire code to permit the use of lock block devices on school classroom doors, and locks that can lock a classroom from the inside without a key. “Lock block device” is defined as a device that prevents a classroom door from latching when closed, so that the door may kept locked at all times but still be used without the use of a key.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170227

Senate Bill 495: Revise telemedicine insurance restriction
Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on September 16, 2015, to revise insurance code details to facilitate “telemedicine” services. Specifically, the bill would require insurers to include reimbursement for “asynchronous store and forward action,” which means sending data to a health care provider for later review. Under current law insurers are prohibited from reimbursing telemedicine services from a health care provider who is not licensed or “authorized” to practice in Michigan, and this restriction would not be changed.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170228

Senate Bill 496: Make operating a motorcycle without a license a misdemeanor
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on September 16, 2015, to make operating a motorcycle without a motorcycle “indorsement” on the operator’s drivers license a misdemeanor punishable by a $500 fine and three months in jail for a first offense, and up to a year for subsequent offenses.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170229

Senate Bill 497: Require faith-based adoption agencies participate in placements with homosexuals
Introduced by Sen. David Knezek (D) on September 16, 2015, to essentially repeal the 2015 law that prohibits requiring adoption and foster care agencies to participate in child placements that violate their moral convictions (which essentially means faith-based agencies and placements with homosexuals).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170230

Senate Bill 498: Require faith-based adoption agencies participate in placements with homosexuals
Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on September 16, 2015, to essentially repeal the 2015 law that prohibits requiring adoption agencies to participate in child placements that violate their moral convictions (which essentially means faith-based agencies and placements with homosexuals).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170231

Senate Bill 499: Require faith-based adoption agencies participate in placements with homosexuals
Introduced by Sen. Curtis Hertel, Jr. (D) on September 16, 2015, to essentially repeal the 2015 law that prohibits government sanctions against foster care agencies that won’t participate in child placements that violate their moral convictions (which essentially means faith-based agencies and placements with homosexuals).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170232

Senate Bill 500: Revise workers comp employee assessment detail
Introduced by Sen. Kenneth Horn (R) on September 16, 2015, to authorize a change in the formula that determines employer payroll tax assessments to a state fund that provides expeditious payment of workers compensation claims, if the fund has sufficient money.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170233

Senate Bill 501: Require alien drivers have visa or passport while driving
Introduced by Sen. Jim Stamas (R) on September 17, 2015, to require resident aliens who drive a vehicle in Michigan to have both a valid drivers license issued by their native land and a passport or valid visa. Current law only requires a valid drivers license.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170235

Senate Bill 502: Revise Medicaid fraud law detail
Introduced by Sen. Jim Marleau (R) on September 17, 2015, to establish that a customer rebate from a drug company may be paid to a third party on the customer’s behalf without violating a state health care false claims act.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170236

Senate Bill 503: Revise “Indian family preservation” law
Introduced by Sen. Judy Emmons (R) on September 24, 2015, to make minor revisions to an “Indian family preservation” law enacted in 2013 that requires officials to make active efforts to provide “culturally appropriate” services” that “assure cultural connections” to the tribe.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170275

Senate Bill 504: Revise off track betting law
Introduced by Sen. David Robertson (R) on September 24, 2015, to revise various details of a law authorizing some off-track betting on simulcast horse races, including giving the state racing commissioner more discretion in permitting additional racing dates.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170276

Senate Bill 505: Revise off track betting law
Introduced by Sen. David Robertson (R) on September 24, 2015, to revise the sentencing guidelines for violations of the law authorizing some off-track betting on horse races, in conformance with the changes proposed by Senate Bill 505 to that law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170277

Senate Bill 506: Update weights and measures law references
Introduced by Sen. Michael Green (R) on September 24, 2015, to update references other official reference sources in the state weights and measures law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170278

Senate Bill 507: Impose registration and reporting mandates on larger recyclers
Introduced by Sen. Michael Green (R) on September 24, 2015, to impose registration and reporting mandates on recycling facilities that recycle more than 100 tons of material annually, with some specified exceptions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170279

Senate Bill 508: Criminalize posting revealing images on internet
Introduced by Sen. Steve Bieda (D) on September 24, 2015, to make it a crime to post on the internet any sexually explicit picture, photograph or video of a person without his or her consent, that was obtained under circumstances in which “a reasonable person would know or understand that the sexually explicit visual material was to remain private,” with some specific exceptions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170280

Senate Bill 509: Criminalize posting revealing images on internet
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on September 24, 2015, to make the crime proposed by Senate Bill 508 of posting of sexually explicit visual material of another person without consent subject to 90 days in jail for a first offense, and one year for subsequent offenses.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170281

Senate Bill 510: Restrict commercial use of student data
Introduced by Sen. Phil Pavlov (R) on September 24, 2015, to prohibit use of a website, online service or mobile application designed and used for K–12 school purpose, to sell, share or use for targeted advertising any information in a student’s educational record, including details that would allow contact, discipline records, test results, special education data, juvenile dependency records, grades, evaluations, criminal records, medical records, health records, social security number, biometric information, disabilities, socioeconomic information, food purchases, political affiliations, religious information, text messages, documents, student identifiers, search activity, photos, voice recordings, or geolocation information.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170282

Senate Bill 511: Establish independent political redistricting commission
Introduced by Sen. David Knezek (D) on September 24, 2015, to establish procedures and statutory prescriptions for implementing the proposal in House Joint Resolution AA to create a 14 member citizens redistricting commission to redraw congressional and legislative boundaries after decennial census counts, with members selected in a process overseen by the legislature’s Auditor General office.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170283

Senate Bill 512: Mandate schools teach sexual activity rules/etiquette
Introduced by Sen. Curtis Hertel, Jr. (D) on September 24, 2015, to require public school sex education classes to teach this: “…That in order for consent to be given by both parties to sexual activity it must be affirmative consent and that ‘affirmative consent’ means affirmative, conscious, and voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity; that it is the responsibility of each individual involved in the sexual activity to ensure that he or she has the affirmative consent of the other to engage in the sexual activity; that lack of protest or resistance does not mean consent and that silence does not mean consent; that affirmative consent must be ongoing throughout a sexual activity and can be revoked at any time; and that the existence of a dating relationship between the persons involved, or the fact of past sexual relations between them, should never by itself be assumed to be an indicator of consent”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170284

Senate Bill 513: Redesignate a bridge
Introduced by Sen. Jim Stamas (R) on September 24, 2015, to designate a bridge on U.S. 10 in Midland as the “Seaman Aaron D. Ullom Memorial Bridge”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170285

Senate Bill 514: Make wrongful imprisonment compensation tax exempt
Introduced by Sen. David Robertson (R) on September 24, 2015, to exempt from income tax the compensation proposed by House Bill 4536 and Senate Bill 291 for individuals who were the victim of wrongful imprisonment.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170286

Senate Bill 515: Revise vehicle registration “late fee”
Introduced by Sen. David Robertson (R) on September 24, 2015, to not impose an extra fee on vehicle registration renewals after the previous registration had expired if within 120 days the owner brings evidence to a Secretary of State branch office that the vehicle had been in storage.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170287

Senate Bill 516: Revise “gun free zone” CPL exception
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on September 24, 2015, to revise the “gun free zone” provision of the concealed pistol permit law to exempt active and retired corrections, probation, and parole officers who have concealed pistol licenses from the restrictions, and also retired county jail guards.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170288

House Bill 4891: Require state agencies accommodate non-English speakers
Introduced by Rep. Stephanie Chang (D) on September 22, 2015, to require all state agencies to take reasonable steps to provide equal language access to government institutions and programs for individuals with limited English proficiency.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170256

House Bill 4892: Authorize Lions Club income tax checkoff
Introduced by Rep. Wendell Byrd (D) on September 22, 2015, to allow an individual to choose to automatically contribute $5 or more from his or her state income tax refund to provide grants programs intended to help the blind and deaf.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170257

House Bill 4893: Authorize Lions Club income tax checkoff
Introduced by Rep. Wendell Byrd (D) on September 22, 2015, to allow an individual to choose to automatically contribute $5 or more from his or her state income tax refund to provide grants programs intended to help the blind and deaf.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170258

House Bill 4894: Prohibit using student websites for targeted marketing
Introduced by Rep. Jim Tedder (R) on September 22, 2015, to require public school that contracts with a website or online service to prohibit using the website or service to sell student personal information, or use personal information to target advertising to students.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170259

House Bill 4895: Revise gas station liquor license provision
Introduced by Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R) on September 22, 2015, to allow the owner of a gas station that has a license to sell beer and wine to operate a second location under the same license.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170260

House Bill 4896: Revise gas station liquor license provision
Introduced by Rep. Ray Franz (R) on September 22, 2015, to allow the owner of a gas station that has a license to sell beer and wine to operate a second location under the same license.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170261

House Bill 4897: Revise certain eminent domain takings reimbursement
Introduced by Rep. Erika Geiss (D) on September 22, 2015, to extend the extra amount of compensation that must be paid a homeowner if a unit of government takes his or her principle residence under eminent domain condemnation. Under current law, an extra amount must be paid equal to five years worth of the extra property tax the person would have to pay on a replacement home due to the Proposal A assessed value “pop up.” The bill would change this to 10 years if the person buys a new principle residence in the same community.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170262

House Bill 4898: Regulate “large scale breeding kennels”
Introduced by Rep. Michael McCready (R) on September 22, 2015, to authorize the state Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to impose additional regulations on “large scale breeding kennels,” defined as ones where more at least 15 female dogs are housed for purposes of breeding. Breeding kennels with more than 50 adult female dogs would be banned.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170263

House Bill 4899: Mandate income distribution study of tax changes
Introduced by Rep. Jim Townsend (D) on September 22, 2015, to require the Senate Fiscal Agency to prepare “comparative distributional fiscal impact analyses” on any bill that changes state taxes or rates, which analyze their effect on people of different ages and income levels.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170264

House Bill 4900: Mandate income distribution study of tax changes
Introduced by Rep. Robert Wittenberg (D) on September 22, 2015, to require the House Fiscal Agency to prepare “comparative distributional fiscal impact analyses” on any bill that changes state taxes or rates, which analyze their effect on people of different ages and income levels.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170265

House Bill 4901: Clarify franchised business employee status
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Graves (R) on September 22, 2015, to establish that the owner of a business franchise rather than the franchisor is considered the sole employer of the workers for whom he or she provides a benefit plan or pays wages, except as otherwise specified in the franchise agreement, or where prohibited by law. The bill was introduced after President Obama’s appointees on the National Labor Relations Board issued a ruling that all franchise employees are actually employed by the franchiser for purposes of union organizing.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170266

House Bill 4902: Clarify franchised business employee status
Introduced by Rep. Daniela Garcia (R) on September 22, 2015, to establish that for purposes of workers compensation insurance coverage, the owner of a business franchise rather than the franchisor is considered the sole employer of the workers for he or she provides a benefit plan or pays wages, except as otherwise specified in the franchise agreement, or as prohibited by law. See also House Bill 4901.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170267

House Bill 4903: Mandate schools teach sexual behavior rules/etiquette
Introduced by Rep. Tom Cochran (D) on September 22, 2015, to require public school sex education classes to teach this: “…That in order for consent to be given by both parties to sexual activity it must be affirmative consent and that ‘affirmative consent’ means affirmative, conscious, and voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity; that it is the responsibility of each individual involved in the sexual activity to ensure that he or she has the affirmative consent of the other to engage in the sexual activity; that lack of protest or resistance does not mean consent and that silence does not mean consent; that affirmative consent must be ongoing throughout a sexual activity and can be revoked at any time; and that the existence of a dating relationship between the persons involved, or the fact of past sexual relations between them, should never by itself be assumed to be an indicator of consent”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170268

House Bill 4904: Establish GOP presidential primary as official state election date
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on September 22, 2015, to establish that a Michigan Republican presidential primary election held early in a presidential election year will be considered one of the official state election days.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170269

House Bill 4906: Revise tax foreclosure detail
Introduced by Rep. Phil Phelps (D) on September 24, 2015, to revise details of when unpaid property taxes are considered “delinquent,” which initiates the process that can lead to tax foreclosure.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170294

House Bill 4865: Authorize back to school sales tax “holiday”
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on September 16, 2015, to authorize a sales tax “holiday” on the third Saturday in August, during which sales tax would not be imposed on purchases of school clothing items that cost less that $75 each and school supply items that cost less than $15 each.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170214

House Bill 4866: Ban drones near prisons
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on September 16, 2015, to make it a felony subject of four years in prison to fly a drone within 1,500 feet of a correctional facility including a jail or prison.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170215

House Bill 4867: Ban drones near prisons
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on September 16, 2015, to establish sentencing guidelines for the felony crime proposed by House Bill 4866 of flying a drone near a prison.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170216

House Bill 4868: Ban drone interference with public safety
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on September 16, 2015, to make it a crime to fly drone within in a way that interferes with public safety or public utility activities.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170217

House Bill 4869: Authorize jury duty exemption for physicians
Introduced by Rep. Andy Schor (D) on September 16, 2015, to exempt physicians from jury duty if they have one or more patients with immediate, imminent, and life-threatening health issues.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170218

House Bill 4870: Ban police participation in data-seeking road checkpoints
Introduced by Rep. Jim Runestad (R) on September 16, 2015, to prohibit law enforcement agencies from allowing officers to participate in or be present in any official capacity at a voluntary motor vehicle checkpoint or stop conducted by a private company or research group to collect human samples from consenting drivers for research or statistical purposes.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170219

House Bill 4871: Index income tax credits caps to inflation
Introduced by Rep. Martin Howrylak (R) on September 16, 2015, to index to inflation the caps on various state income tax credits that are based on a taxpayer’s income and home value.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170220

House Bill 4872: Increase funding to school districts with fewer students
Introduced by Rep. Julie Plawecki (D) on September 16, 2015, to allow school districts that had more students the previous year than the current year to get per-pupil state foundation allowance grants based on the prior year’s enrollment figure.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170221

House Bill 4873: Increase funding to school districts with fewer students
Introduced by Rep. Julie Plawecki (D) on September 16, 2015, to allow school districts that have gone into debt because they spent more than the amount of revenue they took in and which had more students the previous year than the current year to get per-pupil state foundation allowance grants based on the prior year’s enrollment figure.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170222

House Bill 4874: Rename a road
Introduced by Rep. Tom Leonard (R) on September 16, 2015, to designate a portion of business US-127 in Clinton “PFC Andrew H. Nelson Memorial Highway”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170223

House Bill 4875: Ban “sky lanterns”
Introduced by Rep. Peter Lucido (R) on September 17, 2015, to ban the use or sale of “sky lanterns,” which are miniature, candle-fired hot air balloons made of paper and sold as a novelty item..
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170237

House Bill 4876: Ban flamethrowers
Introduced by Rep. Sarah Roberts (D) on September 17, 2015, to ban the sale or possession of “flamethrowers,” which are defined in the bill as “any portable device designed or intended specifically to emit or propel a burning stream of combustible or flammable liquid as a projectile”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170238

House Bill 4877: Decriminalize marijuana
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on September 17, 2015, to decriminalize marijuana. The bill would make it legal for adults 21 or older to possess and transfer up to one ounce of marijuana, impose a 10 percent excise tax on sales (in addition to the 6 percent sales tax), and establish a comprehensive regulatory and licensing regime on producers and retailers. Local governments would be allowed to ban retail sales and production.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170239

House Bill 4878: Expand electricity “net metering” mandate
Introduced by Rep. Gary Glenn (R) on September 17, 2015, to expand a “net metering” mandate imposed on utilities, which requires them to purchase electricity from customers who generate small amounts, so it would also apply to so-called “community renewable energy gardens,” in which a number of people subscribe to a larger solar or wind facility that sells electricity to the utility and distributes the proceeds to subscribers in the form of credits on their electric bill. The bill specifies that the credits would reduced by the cost to the utility of accommodating this activity.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170240

House Bill 4879: Expand electricity “net metering” mandate
Introduced by Rep. Scott Dianda (D) on September 17, 2015, to expand a “net metering” mandate imposed on utilities, which requires them to purchase electricity from customers who generate small amounts of electricity. The bill eliminates an overall cap on the amount of electricity utilities can be forced to purchase, and requires utilities to also buy customer-generated electricity at rates determined by the state Public Service Commission.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170241

House Bill 4880: Expand electricity “net metering” mandate
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on September 17, 2015, to require the state Public Service Commission to determine the rates at which utilities are mandated to purchase small amounts of customer-generate electricity under “net metering” and similar programs, using a methodology that includes intangible benefits (such as “benefit to society”) in addition to actual documented costs incurred by a utility in accommodating these small electricity sources.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170242

House Bill 4881: Expand electricity “net metering” mandate
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on September 17, 2015, to eliminate an overall cap on the amount of electricity utilities can be forced to purchase from customers under “net metering” and similar programs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170243

House Bill 4882: Require detailed school performance data online
Introduced by Rep. Thomas Hooker (R) on September 17, 2015, to require the Department of Education to post information individual public school performance that includes: student proficiency and learning gains in reading and mathematics based on state test results; teacher/student ratios; how much of the school’s budget goes to instruction versus administration; the number of third graders who haven’t learned how to read; the number of high school students taking at least one course for college credit; the average ACT college entrance exam score of 11th graders; and the high school graduation rate. Schools could choose to include some other specified metrics that make them look good, if they have evidence to back it up.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170244

House Bill 4883: Ban Planned Parenthood from school sex ed classes
Introduced by Rep. Thomas Hooker (R) on September 17, 2015, to prohibit public schools from allowing Planned Parenthood or other organizations that perform abortions to provide sex education classes. Also, to ban schools from allowing a pupil to “practice” with a family planning drug or device, which mostly refers to students putting condoms on phallic objects.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170245

House Bill 4884: Create Hispanic Heritage Month
Introduced by Rep. Harvey Santana (D) on September 17, 2015, to establish September 15 to October 15 each year as Hispanic Heritage Month in Michigan.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170246

House Bill 4885: Make wrongful imprisonment compensation tax exempt
Introduced by Rep. Martin Howrylak (R) on September 17, 2015, to exempt from income tax the compensation proposed by House Bill 4536 and Senate Bill 291 for individuals who were the victim of wrongful imprisonment.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170247

House Bill 4886: Revise road building standard
Introduced by Rep. Scott Dianda (D) on September 22, 2015, to make more explicit the definition of “life-cycle cost analysis” in a law that requires the Department of Transportation to use this tool to determine the best road building material and technique for a particular project.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170251

House Bill 4887: Revise education savings account rule
Introduced by Rep. Anthony Forlini (R) on September 22, 2015, to remove restrictions on the owner or beneficiary of a Michigan education savings account changing the investment strategy of an account.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170252

House Bill 4888: Permit electronic property tax rolls
Introduced by Rep. Holly Hughes (R) on September 22, 2015, to allow property tax assessor offices to maintain the assessment roll in electronic form.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170253

House Bill 4889: Make DIA subject to OMA
Introduced by Rep. Ken Goike (R) on September 22, 2015, to make meetings of the Detroit Institute of Arts board subject to the state Open Meetings Act (and any other art museum collecting money from a 2 mill art tax authorized by a 2010 law).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170254

House Bill 4890: Make DIA subject to FOIA
Introduced by Rep. Jim Runestad (R) on September 22, 2015, to make the records of the Detroit Institute of Arts subject to the state Freedom of Information Act (along with any other art museum collecting money from a 2 mill art tax authorized by a 2010 law).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170255

Senate Bill 144: Repeal inspection requirement for stands selling “low risk foods”
Passed 89 to 16 in the House on September 24, 2015, to give local health departments the option of requiring an “in-office consultation” rather than a facility inspection of a “temporary food service establishment” that serves only “low risk foods” as defined in the bill (examples include precooked hotdogs, popcorn, or ice cream).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717271

Senate Bill 468: Revise pharmacy assistant licensure mandate
Passed 104 to 1 in the House on September 24, 2015, to revise details of a licensure and regulation on mandate imposed by a 2014 law “pharmacy technicians” (assistants), with license fees, continuing education requirements, test-taking mandates and more. The bill would give government permission for a pharmacy assistant at one drugstore to also work at other stores owned by the same company.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717282

House Bill 4166: Repeal county promotions tax
Passed 35 to 2 in the Senate on September 24, 2015, to revise a law that allows counties to impose a 0.5 mill property tax without a vote of the people for trade expositions, tourism promotion or to advertise the county’s “agricultural advantages.” The law was passed before the 1978 Headlee amendment required voter approval of local millages, and the bill would change the law to require voter approval, with a renewal vote required every five years.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717208

House Bill 4463: Clarify aggravated physical abuse sentencing guideline
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on September 24, 2015, to clarify wording in the state sentencing guidelines for the crime of aggravated physical abuse, where the offender’s conduct was “designed to substantially increase the fear and anxiety of a victim.” This relates to recent state Supreme Court cases, People v Hardy and People v Glenn.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717207

House Bill 4535: Revise pistol purchase detail
Passed 102 to 3 in the House on September 24, 2015, to exempt law enforcement officers from the law that prohibits purchasing a pistol from an individual unless a person gets a “purchase permit” from local police. A 2012 law repealed this requirement for pistols bought by civilians from a federally licensed firearms dealer.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717270

House Bill 4660: Eliminate obsolete or useless government reports
Passed 104 to 1 in the House on September 24, 2015, to eliminate a requirement that the state insurance commission prepare an annual report on Health Maintenance Organization enrollment figures, copays and more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717272

House Bill 4661: Eliminate obsolete or useless government reports
Passed 104 to 1 in the House on September 24, 2015, to eliminate a requirement that the state insurance commission prepare an annual report on the medical malpractice insurance market and claim experience in Michigan.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717273

House Bill 4662: Eliminate obsolete or useless government reports
Passed 104 to 1 in the House on September 24, 2015, to eliminate a requirement that the state insurance commission prepare an annual report on the state of competition in the commercial liability insurance market.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717274

House Bill 4663: Eliminate obsolete or useless government reports
Passed 104 to 1 in the House on September 24, 2015, to eliminate a requirement that the state insurance commission compile an annual report on details and the number of health insurance policies with a coverage period of less than six months.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717275

House Bill 4664: Eliminate obsolete or useless government reports
Passed 104 to 1 in the House on September 24, 2015, to eliminate a requirement that the state insurance commission prepare an annual report on the degree of competition in the worker’s compensation insurance market statewide.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717276

House Bill 4665: Eliminate obsolete or useless government reports
Passed 104 to 1 in the House on September 24, 2015, to eliminate a requirement that providers of liability insurance covering a municipality or other government entity submit certain periodic reports to the state, and that the state insurance commission compile these into other reports.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717277

House Bill 4666: Eliminate obsolete or useless government reports
Passed 104 to 1 in the House on September 24, 2015, to eliminate statutory references to the municipal claims reports that House Bill 4665 would eliminate.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717278

House Bill 4667: Eliminate obsolete or useless government reports
Passed 104 to 1 in the House on September 24, 2015, to eliminate a requirement that the state insurance commission prepare an annual report on the availability of liquor licensee liability insurance.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717279

House Bill 4668: Eliminate obsolete or useless government reports
Passed 104 to 1 in the House on September 24, 2015, to eliminate a provision that allows the liquor control commission to waive a requirement that liquor license applicants and renewals have proof of liability insurance, if the annual insurance availability report that House Bill 4667 would repeal indicated that it wasn’t available.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717280

Senate Bill 64: Replace detailed nursing home regulations with “best practices” guidelines
Passed 69 to 37 in the House on September 29, 2015, to repeal sections of the extensive regulatory regime imposed on nursing homes, and instead establish that patient care policies, compliance procedures, outcome measures and more should be based on nationally recognized, evidence-based guidelines or best-practices (rather than detailed regulations promulgated by government agencies).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717381

Senate Bill 360: Create college saving plan for disabled students
Passed 35 to 0 in the Senate on September 29, 2015, to increase from $235,000 to $500,000 the maximum balance allowed in Michigan “section 529” education savings plans for a particular beneficiary. This is part of a legislative package comprised of Senate Bills 359 to 362 and House Bills 4542 to 4544, which create a new type of such account.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717297

House Bill 4389: Redesignate a road
Passed 35 to 0 in the Senate on September 29, 2015, to designate a segment of US 12 in Berrien County as the “ Trooper Steven B. Devries Memorial Highway”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717296

House Bill 4542: Create college saving plan for disabled students
Passed 35 to 0 in the Senate on September 29, 2015, to authorize a new “ABLE account” tax advantaged savings plan to cover education and living expenses for beneficiaries who are disabled. Mirroring the federal law that created these accounts, under House Bill 4544 balances and distributions from a beneficiary’s account would not be included in gross income or assets for purposes of caps limiting various state aid programs. House Bill 4541 would increase the maximum balance allowed in these and other “529” savings plans to $500,000.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717298

House Bill 4543: Create college saving plan for disabled students
Passed 35 to 0 in the Senate on September 29, 2015, to authorize an income tax deduction of $5,000 for an individual, $10,000 for a joint account, for contributions to a disabled person’s “ABLE” education and living expense savings account that House Bill 4542 would authorize.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717299

House Bill 4544: Create college saving plan for disabled students
Passed 35 to 0 in the Senate on September 29, 2015, to prohibit the state from considering contributions, distributions, earnings or balances in a disabled person’s ABLE education and living expense savings account (see House Bill 4542) in the calculation used to determine financial eligibility for various welfare-related benefits.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717300

Senate Bill 195: Revise pharmacy licensure detail
Passed 105 to 1 in the House on October 1, 2015, to revise a licensure mandate requirement that an applicant for a new pharmacy, drug manufacturer or wholesale distributor license who is not a licensed health care professional licensed must submit fingerprints. Under the bill the requirement would not apply if the individual had already submitted fingerprints. As introduced and passed by the Senate the bill would have eliminated the requirement.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717544

Senate Bill 225: Ban gun dealers keeping photos of buyers
Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate on September 30, 2015, to revise the law that requires an individual who obtains a pistol from a private person to first get a government permit. (This does not apply to purchases from a licensed firearms dealer.) The bill would clarify that a person who inherits a pistol would have 30 days to get this government license after taking physical possession of the pistol.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717448

Senate Bill 366: Impose regulation on government record services
Passed 35 to 0 in the Senate on October 1, 2015, to impose regulations, disclosure requirements, price caps and more on businesses that solicit a fee for providing copies of various government records. Financial institutions and real estate brokers would be exempt.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717507

Senate Bill 458: Revise termination of parental rights detail
Passed 34 to 1 in the Senate on October 1, 2015, to revise details of the termination of parental rights of a parent subject to a child support order who hasn’t complied for two years or more, when the other parent gets married or remarried and his or her spouse wants to adopt the child.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717508

Senate Bill 500: Revise unemployment benefits employer assessment detail
Passed 26 to 9 in the Senate on October 1, 2015, to authorize a change in the formula that determines employer payroll tax assessments to a state fund that provides expeditious payment of unemployment benefits, based on whether the fund has sufficient money to cover expected claims.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717511

House Bill 4102: Appropriations: “Omnibus” state budget
Passed 30 to 5 in the Senate on October 1, 2015, to appropriate $7.725 million to settle a lawsuit over injuries sustained in a crash caused by a State Police car chase. Also, to make a $100 “placeholder” appropriation related to the possibility of changing Flint’s municipal water supplier back to the Detroit system (which serves most communities in the metropolitan region).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717512

House Bill 4137: Reduce maximum probation time
Passed 101 to 5 in the House on October 1, 2015, to revise details of probation rules, and of funding and eligibility for a probation program of more intense supervision that reduce recidivism but costs more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717542

House Bill 4138: Authorize “presumptive parole”
Passed 67 to 39 in the House on October 1, 2015, to require that parole be granted to prisoners who have served their minimum time if the person has a “high probability” under a “validated risk assessment instrument” of not being a risk to public safety, and also meets other criteria specified in the bill and current law, subject to a number of restrictions and exceptions.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717540

House Bill 4168: Replace paper tax rolls with electronic
Passed 34 to 1 in the Senate on October 1, 2015, to eliminate a requirement that local governments keep a hard (paper) copy of tax rolls if the information is maintained on computerized database.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717506

House Bill 4193: Allow electronic “proof of insurance”
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on September 30, 2015, to revise the state’s no-fault insurance law to allow “proof of insurance” documents motorists are required to have when driving to be an electronic communication from the insurance company visible on a mobile device. If asked a driver could be required to forward the information to a designated site.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717446

House Bill 4354: Revise insurance company trade secret detail
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on September 30, 2015, to allow insurance companies or rating organizations filing on the insurer’s behalf to designate certain information in filings they are required to make with the state as a trade secret. If the state insurance commissioner agrees the information is proprietary then it would not be subject to open records law disclosure.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717447

House Bill 4713: Require “culpable mental state” for criminal conviction
Passed 106 to 0 in the House on October 1, 2015, to establish that (with some significant exceptions) if a law does not indicate whether a “culpable mental state” (“mens rea”) is required to establish guilt, the presumption will be that this is required, meaning that prosecutors must show that the defendant violated the law “purposely, knowingly or recklessly.” This would not be the case if a law explicitly imposes a “strict liability” standard. Under current law, many complex “administrative” offenses authorize criminal penalties for actions that a regular person would not know are illegal. However, the bill would not apply to offenses.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717541

House Bill 4904: Establish GOP presidential primary as official state election date
Passed 105 to 1 in the House on October 1, 2015, to establish that a Michigan Republican presidential primary election held early in a presidential election year will be considered one of the official state election days.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717545

Senate Bill 340: Increase penalties for tobacco sales to minors
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on October 6, 2015, to increase the penalties for selling tobacco to minors, from $50 to $100 for a first offense, and $500 for a subsequent offense. The increased penalties would also apply to a minor who tries to buy or who possesses tobacco.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717574

Senate Bill 526: Ban Great Lakes aquaculture
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on September 29, 2015, to ban fish farms in the Great Lakes and connecting waters.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170307

Senate Bill 528: Authorize ISD dissolution
Introduced by Sen. Darwin Booher (R) on September 29, 2015, to require an Intermediate School District to be dissolved and its constituent regular districts attached to contiguous ISDs if regular districts representing at least half the students in the ISD request this.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170309

House Bill 4521: Authorize official service dog ID, tag and vest
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on October 6, 2015, to require the Department of Civil Rights to create an identification card, tag, and vest for a service animal (for example a seeing-eye dog) that is used by a person with a disability, which would demonstrate that the person with their animal is allowed to enter public accommodations where dogs are usually not allowed. The bill would also authorize service dog users to submit complaints the department via an existing 800-number “hotline.” See also House Bill 4527.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717575

House Bill 4527: Revise service dog regulations
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on October 6, 2015, to authorize criminal penalties of up to 90 days in jail for falsely claiming to have a disability that makes a person eligible for the service animal identification, tag and vest authorized by House Bill 4521. Also, to expand the range of disabilities that makes a person eligible to bring a service animal (such as a seeing-eye dog) into a place of public accommodation where animals are usually not allowed.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717576

Senate Bill 517: Revise child support collection detail
Introduced in the Senate on September 29, 2015, to repeal the current version of a Uniform Interstate Family Support Act that facilitates collection of court-ordered child support payments across state lines, and replace it with an updated version.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170298

Senate Bill 518: Revise child support collection details
Introduced in the Senate on September 29, 2015, to revise references in the state friend of the court law to reflect changes to a uniform interstate child support enforcement code proposed by Senate Bill 517.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170299

Senate Bill 519: Revise child support collection details
Introduced by Sen. Judy Emmons (R) on September 29, 2015, to revise references in the state child support law to reflect changes to a uniform interstate child support enforcement code proposed by Senate Bill 517.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170300

Senate Bill 520: Revise child support collection details
Introduced by Sen. Judy Emmons (R) on September 29, 2015, to revise references in the state parenting time law to reflect changes to a uniform interstate child support enforcement code proposed by Senate Bill 517.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170301

Senate Bill 521: Revise Michigan Historical Commission
Introduced by Sen. Kenneth Horn (R) on September 29, 2015, to revise details of the management and mission of a “Michigan Historical Commission”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170302

Senate Bill 522: Revise Michigan Historical Commission
Introduced by Sen. Margaret O’Brien (R) on September 29, 2015, to revise details of the management and mission of a “Michigan Historical Commission”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170303

Senate Bill 523: Create a government “Native American historical recognition program”
Introduced by Sen. Wayne Schmidt (R) on September 29, 2015, to create a government “Native American historical recognition program” to disseminate information on Indian history and relevant places. Among other things it would be required to help other entities get government and private grants for this purpose.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170304

Senate Bill 524: Revise “big box” store property tax assessments
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on September 29, 2015, to require property tax assessors to reduce assessments on “big box” retail stores and other retail store property whose real cash value if sold to another owner may be less than its value to the enterprise that currently operates the store as part of a “going concern”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170305

Senate Bill 525: Increase unemployment benefits
Introduced by Sen. Morris Hood, III (D) on September 29, 2015, to repeal a 2011 law that reduced from 26 weeks to 20 weeks the maximum period a person is eligible for state unemployment benefit, increase the amount of those benefits, and index the higher amount to inflation.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170306

Senate Bill 527: Impose motorcycle helmet mandate
Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on September 29, 2015, to mandate that motorcycle operators wear a helmet. The bill would re-impose a helmet mandate that was repealed in 2011 after 20 years of lobbying by motorcycle riders.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170308

Senate Bill 529: Revise guardianship detail
Introduced by Sen. Judy Emmons (R) on September 29, 2015, to revise a law that authorizes a family court to place an abused or neglected minor with grandparents or other relatives who are willing to care for the child. The bill would allow a “successor” guardian to be named in case the first one dies or becomes incapacitated.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170310

Senate Bill 530: Revise foster care detail
Introduced by Sen. Judy Emmons (R) on September 29, 2015, to establish that for purposes of the law that authorizes placing an abused or neglected child in foster care, a stepparent, ex-stepparent, or the parent who shares custody of a half-sibling is considered a relative for the purpose of foster care placement. Also, to define “sibling” in that law as child who is related through birth or adoption by at least one common parent, and that “sibling” includes that term as defined by the American Indian or Alaskan native child’s tribal code or custom.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170311

Senate Bill 531: Authorize electronic court records system and fees
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on September 30, 2015, to authorize an electronic system for filing documents in civil cases in state courts, and fees to use and pay for it.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170333

Senate Bill 532: Authorize electronic court records system
Introduced by Sen. John Proos (R) on September 30, 2015, to create a state fund to hold the court case filing fee money authorized by Senate Bill 531.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170334

Senate Bill 533: Authorize electronic court records system
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on September 30, 2015, to prohibit a court or court funding unit from charging a fee to retrieve and inspect a case document including those kept in the electronic filing system proposed by Senate Bill 531, but allow fees to copy a document.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170335

Senate Bill 534: Ban fringe benefits for unmarried partners of government employees
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on September 30, 2015, to prohibit government employers from granting health or other fringe benefit to the unmarried same-sex domestic partner of an employee.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170336

Senate Bill 535: Make it crime for ballot access petitioners to lie
Introduced by Sen. Curtis Hertel, Jr. (D) on September 30, 2015, to make it a crime for a ballot access petition circulator to misrepresent the contents of a ballot question or recall petition, or whether the circulator is paid or a volunteer.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170337

Senate Bill 536: Revise utility regulation
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on September 30, 2015, to require a “multistate jurisdictional utility” to get permission from the state Public Service Commission to change its corporate form to create a Michigan-only “state jurisdictional utility”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170338

Senate Bill 537: Revise state tax tribunal membership
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on October 1, 2015, to change the membership of the seven-member state “tax tribunal” that issues judgments on property tax appeals, and revise other details of how this entity operates. The bill would require five members to be lawyers, one to be a tax assessor and one to be an accountant.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170344

Senate Bill 538: Revise unclaimed property law
Introduced by Sen. Jack Brandenburg (R) on October 1, 2015, to revise details of the state ”escheats law” that lets the state government take possession of unclaimed property if the owner does not claim it within three years. Among other changes the bill authorizes a streamlined audit process for holders of unclaimed assets.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170345

Senate Bill 539: Expand “promise zone” tax increment financing authorities
Introduced by Sen. Goeff Hansen (R) on October 1, 2015, to expand from 10 to 15 the number of “promise zone” tax increment financing authorities (TIFA) located in low income and “low educational attainment” areas. These entities were authorized by a 2008 law to “capture” a portion of any increases in the state portion of school property tax revenue in the area, and use the money to partially subsidize college tuition for local students.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170346

Senate Bill 540: Expand allowable uses of state education tax
Introduced by Sen. Jim Ananich (D) on October 1, 2015, to revise the law that authorizes a 6 mill state property tax for school funding, to authorize using some of this money for other purposes. This appears to be related to changes to the proposal in Senate Bill 539 of expanding “promise zone” tax increment financing schemes.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170347

House Bill 4907: Restrict setting auto insurance rates by location
Introduced by Rep. Brian Banks (D) on September 29, 2015, to prohibit auto insurance companies from setting prices on the basis of the zip code in which a person lives and garages their car (“territorial ratings”), despite huge differences in claims in different geographical areas (especially Detroit).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170313

House Bill 4908: Extend authority to ban deer feeding
Introduced by Rep. John Kivela (D) on September 29, 2015, to eliminate the 2016 sunset on Department of Natural Resources authority to prohibit feeding deer and elk.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170314

House Bill 4909: Prohibit some use restrictions on vacant big box stores
Introduced by Rep. John Kivela (D) on September 29, 2015, to prohibit deed or lease restrictions, covenants, or other “negative use restrictions” on larger retail stores or “big box” stores that are vacant, to the extent that the restrictions cause the property to remain vacant, subject to various criteria and exceptions specified in the bill.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170315

House Bill 4910: Require EMT training to include drug overdose info
Introduced by Rep. Hank Vaupel (R) on September 29, 2015, to require training programs for medical first responders to include training related to drug overdose victims.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170316

House Bill 4911: Revise adoption detail
Introduced by Rep. Kathy Crawford (R) on September 29, 2015, to revise procedures for cases where a child is claimed to be born out of wedlock and the mother wants to either relinquish her rights to the child or join in a petition for adoption filed by her spouse, and the release or consent of the natural father cannot be obtained.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170317

House Bill 4912: Authorize service dog grants to disabled veterans
Introduced by Rep. Holly Hughes (R) on September 29, 2015, to authorize state government grants of up to $3,000 to disabled veterans who want to buy a trained service dog, which is broadly defined in the bill as “a dog trained to do tasks for an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.” The bill would create a state fund for this but does not identify a funding source or make an appropriation (except for the voluntary contributions proposed by House Bill 4913).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170318

House Bill 4913: Authorize service dog grants to disabled veterans
Introduced by Rep. Holly Hughes (R) on September 29, 2015, to require government dog license application forms to include a checkoff box that would let an applicant make a voluntary $10.00 contribution to the veterans service dog fund proposed by House Bill 4912.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170319

House Bill 4914: Create a government “Native American historical recognition program”
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on September 29, 2015, to create a government “Native American historical recognition program” to disseminate information on Indian history and noteworthy landmarks. Among other things the program would be required to help other entities get government and private grants for this purpose.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170320

House Bill 4915: Impose additional regulations on animal breeders, shelters and pet shops
Introduced by Rep. Michael McCready (R) on September 29, 2015, to impose a number of new regulations on animal breeders, shelters and pet shops. Among other things shelters would have to hold an animal for at least one week and make efforts to identify the owner before euthanizing it, selling it, making it available for adoption, etc. However, for dogs and cats without traceable evidence of ownership, the holding period would be four days. Also, to prohibit local governments from imposing a ban on sterilization release program, even if they include the live trapping of cats.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170321

House Bill 4916: Require utilities provide customer “smart meter” opt-out
Introduced by Rep. Gary Glenn (R) on September 29, 2015, to require electric utilities that adopt advanced “smart meters” to allow customers to opt out without penalty. The bill would impose restrictions on how utilities could use information collected from the meters, and require utilities to implement a system for allowing customers to read their own meters and self-report electricity or gas use. Utilities would still check meters themselves once per year, and would be prohibited from charging extra to allow this option.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170322

House Bill 4917: Permit social media liquor promotions
Introduced by Rep. Klint Kesto (R) on September 29, 2015, to revise the extensive state government regulations and restrictions on liquor advertising to permit using social media promotions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170323

House Bill 4918: Grant exception to liquor license transfer
Introduced by Rep. Klint Kesto (R) on September 29, 2015, to create an exception for one or a small handful of merchants, allowing them to transfer a “specially designated distributor” liquor license (which permits sales of packaged liquor for off-premises consumption).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170324

House Bill 4919: Empower condo board to sue
Introduced by Rep. Klint Kesto (R) on September 29, 2015, to give a condominium association’s board of directors the power to make, defend, or settle legal claims on behalf of all co-owners in connection with the condominium project. The bill would make void condominium bylaws that prohibit this, or that require a vote of the members for this.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170325

House Bill 4920: Authorize income tax old age credit
Introduced by Rep. Scott Dianda (D) on September 29, 2015, to authorize a $2,300 state income tax credit for individuals over age 65 and each of their dependents. This figure would then go up with inflation.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170326

House Bill 4921: Revise homestead income tax credit
Introduced by Rep. Christine Greig (D) on September 29, 2015, to increase and index to inflation certain income and home value caps that limit the principle residence property tax credit that homeowners can claim against their state income tax liability.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170327

House Bill 4922: Create income tax child credit
Introduced by Rep. Stephanie Chang (D) on September 29, 2015, to authorize a “refundable” state income tax credit of $400 per dependent child age 18 and younger. “Refundable” means the state will send the individual a check for the amount that the credit exceeds his or her tax liability.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170328

House Bill 4923: Authorize state child care subsidies and tax breaks
Introduced by Rep. Winnie Brinks (D) on September 29, 2015, to authorize a “refundable” state income tax credit (essentially a cash subsidy in many cases) that would be a percentage of child care credit individuals can claim on their federal income tax, with the actual amount higher or lower based on a person’s gross income.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170329

House Bill 4924: Increase process server fees
Introduced by Rep. Earl Poleski (R) on September 29, 2015, to increase allowable travel, mileage, and various other fees paid to process servers who deliver court documents. When an individual is sued, the constitutional right of due process requires that he or she must be notified of the pending lawsuit, which is called “service of process.” These fees were also raised by a 2012 law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170330

House Bill 4925: Spend $8.9 million to keep state reformatory open
Introduced by Rep. Martin Howrylak (R) on September 30, 2015, to spend $8.9 million to keep open the Maxey state reformatory in Wayne County, the closure of which was strongly opposed by the prison guard union and its political allies when it was included in the fiscal year 2015-16 state budget. The bill was cosponsored by Republican Mike Callton and Democrats Andy Schor, Bill LaVoy, Robert Wittenberg, Stephanie Chang, Scott Dianda and Harvey Santana.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170341

House Bill 4926: Require state contractors verify no illegal aliens on job
Introduced by Rep. Jim Runestad (R) on September 30, 2015, to require state contractors to verify the legal residency status of employees.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170342

House Bill 4927: Automatically register new drivers to vote
Introduced by Rep. Derek Miller (D) on September 30, 2015, to automatically register to vote a person getting a drivers license or state I.D. for the first time.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170352

House Bill 4928: Automatically register new drivers to vote
Introduced by Rep. Julie Plawecki (D) on September 30, 2015, to require an applicant for a drivers license to include a declaration of United States citizenship on the application in order to be automatically registered to vote, as proposed by House Bill 4927.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170353

House Bill 4929: Automatically register state I.D. applicants to vote
Introduced by Rep. John Chirkun (D) on September 30, 2015, to require an applicant for a state identification card to include a declaration of United States citizenship on the application in order to be automatically registered to vote, as proposed by House Bill 4927.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170354

House Bill 4930: Exempt family’s life estate property from assessment “bump up”
Introduced by Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R) on September 30, 2015, to exempt from the taxable value “bump up,” the transfer of a “life estate” interest in a principle residence from the owner to family members. This is the provision of the 1994 Proposal A tax limitation initiative that makes a property’s new basis for tax assessments the state equalized value (market value), rather than the (lower) “taxable value” of the previous owner, growth of which is restricted by law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170355

House Bill 4931: Give overdosing drug user immunity when seeking treatment
Introduced by Rep. Sam Singh (D) on September 30, 2015, to extend immunity from illegal drug laws for an overdosed individual who shows up at a health facility for observation or treatment. This would also apply a friend who accompanies or assists the overdosed individual.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170356

House Bill 4932: Authorize a Kiwanis specialty license plate
Introduced by Rep. Peter Lucido (R) on September 30, 2015, to authorize a Kiwanis Club specialty license plate, with the net revenue going to the Kiwanis Club.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170357

House Bill 4933: Revise health insurance claim review law
Introduced by Rep. Tom Barrett (R) on September 30, 2015, to revise details of a “Patient’s Right to Independent Review Act,” which establishes a uniform external appeals process, under which persons with health insurance may request a review by an independent review organization to resolve disputes over covered benefits. Among other changes bill adds a definition of “evidence-based standard,” and provisions related to experimental drugs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170358

House Bill 4934: Revise health insurance “coordination of benefits” rules
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on September 30, 2015, to revise, update or clarify many provisions of the comprehensive regulatory regime that governs the “coordination of benefits” for an individual eligible for health care coverage from different providers (such as both an auto insurance policy and a separate health insurance policy).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170359

House Bill 4935: Revise insurance regulation details
Introduced by Rep. Tom Leonard (R) on September 30, 2015, to revise, update or clarify many provisions of the comprehensive regulatory regime that governs heath insurance providers and policies.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170360

Senate Bill 92: Revise law enforcement accreditation procedures
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on October 7, 2015, to codify into law the rules governing the process by which standards and qualifications for law enforcement officers are created any overseen by a 17 member Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES). Among other things the bill would replace law enforcement officer “certification” with a licensure system, authorize rules for mandatory license suspension or revocation and more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717655

Senate Bill 93: Revise law enforcement accreditation
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on October 7, 2015, to revise details of allowable distributions to law enforcement agencies from a state “administration of Michigan justice training fund” to reflect changes proposed by Senate Bill 92.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717651

Senate Bill 94: Authorize “non-public” criminal record checks for prospective police
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on October 7, 2015, to require that the state entity responsible for certifying new law enforcement officers (the Michigan commission on law enforcement standards) be given access to non-public records of individuals who were given probation and “deferred sentencing” for a drug-related offense.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717652

Senate Bill 95: Revise law enforcement accreditation procedures
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on October 7, 2015, to revise references in the statute authorizing a state “justice system fund” to reflect changes proposed by Senate Bill 92 and others contained in some recently revised statutes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717653

Senate Bill 96: Revise law enforcement accreditation procedures
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on October 7, 2015, to revise references in the state criminal code to reflect changes proposed by Senate Bill 92.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717654

Senate Bill 298: Expand scope of service dog law
Passed 106 to 0 in the House on October 7, 2015, to expand the scope of a law that originally permitted places of public accommodation to allow seeing-eye dogs, and later was amended to require this and expanded to include other specific types of “service dogs.” This bill would expand this law to include service animals employed by individuals with a broad range of physical or mental impairments. It would expand a mandate that places of “public accommodation” must allow service dogs or miniature horses used for this purpose, if they are housebroken and under control.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717677

Senate Bill 299: Expand scope of service dog law
Passed 106 to 0 in the House on October 7, 2015, to revise the law that exempts seeing-eye and other service dogs from canine license fees, so that it reflects the proposal in Senate Bill 298 to expand the range of disabilities covered by this and related service animal laws.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717678

Senate Bill 427: Extend “good Samaritan” liability protection to EMTs
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on October 7, 2015, to extend immunity from tort claims (lawsuits) to emergency medical technicians and similar first responders who perform lifesaving activities or render other emergency care. This expands the “good Samaritan” law. Gross negligence would not be immune from liability.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717643

House Bill 4209: Allow, regulate medical marijuana dispensaries
Passed 95 to 11 in the House on October 7, 2015, to impose a licensure mandate and authorize a comprehensive regulatory regime for medical marijuana growers, transporters, dispensaries and more, with civil and criminal penalties for violations. Also, to impose a 3 percent tax on retail sales. The provisions of the state’s voter-authorized medical marijuana law, Initiated Law 1 of 2008, were ambiguous on dispensaries, and in 2013 the state Supreme Court declared the law does not authorize them. The bill would authorize them, but let local governments choose to ban them.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717683

House Bill 4210: Authorize medical “marijuana infused products”
Passed 96 to 10 in the House on October 7, 2015, to authorize the use of edible “marijuana infused products” under the state’s medical marijuana law, Initiated Law 1 of 2008, and establish regulations for these substances.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717684

House Bill 4461: Authorize income tax refund interest payments
Passed 106 to 0 in the House on October 7, 2015, to revise details of the calculation of interest payments on overdue state income tax refunds.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717680

House Bill 4462: Authorize income tax refund interest payments
Passed 106 to 0 in the House on October 7, 2015, to revise details of the calculation of interest payments on overdue city income tax refunds.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717681

House Bill 4499: Increase civil asset forfeiture burden of proof
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on October 7, 2015, to require a more rigorous “clear and convincing evidence” burden of proof standard in a law that gives government the power to take ownership of an owner’s property that has been deemed a “nuisance” due to being associated with criminal activity. Under current law property may be “forfeited” in this way under the least rigorous “preponderance of the evidence” standard. Other bills in the package (House Bills 4499 to 4507) make the same change to other criminal statutes and require more disclosures by agencies.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717644

House Bill 4500: Require police civil asset forfeiture disclosures
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on October 7, 2015, to amend the state law authorizing sanctions and remedies for identity theft to conform with the criminal asset forfeiture disclosures proposed by House Bill 4504. This is part of a civil forfeiture reform package consisting of House Bills 4499 to 4507.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717645

House Bill 4503: Require police civil asset forfeiture disclosures
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on October 7, 2015, to amend the state’s “Revised Judicature Act” to incorporate the requirements proposed by House Bill 4504 that law enforcement agencies file detailed annual reports on the number of criminal asset forfeiture proceedings they were involved in. This is part of a civil forfeiture reform package consisting of House Bills 4499 to 4507.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717646

House Bill 4504: Require police civil asset forfeiture disclosures
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on October 7, 2015, to require law enforcement agencies to file annual reports on the number of civil asset forfeiture proceedings concluded, pending or “negotiated.” The reports would have to disclose the alleged violation; whether any person was charged or convicted; a description of the property; its value; whether there was a plea or other agreement; the property’s final disposition; whether the seizure was based on arrangements with federal, state or local agencies (“adoptive” seizure); how much the agency realized from the sale of the forfeited property; and more. The State Police would be required to compile these disclosures and post a report on the internet. This is part of a civil forfeiture reform package consisting of House Bills 4499 to 4507.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717647

House Bill 4505: Increase civil asset forfeiture burden of proof
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on October 7, 2015, to require a more rigorous “clear and convincing” burden of proof standard in the law that gives police agencies the power to take ownership of property that has been seized because it may be connected with an illegal drug crime, even if the property owner is not charged or convicted. Under current law property may be taken under the least rigorous “preponderance of the evidence” standard. Other bills in the package (House Bills 4499 to 4507) make the same change to other criminal statutes and require more disclosures by agencies.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717648

House Bill 4506: Require police civil asset forfeiture disclosures
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on October 7, 2015, to amend the illegal drug law provisions of the Public Health Code to incorporate the requirements proposed by House Bill 4504 that law enforcement agencies file detailed annual reports on the number of criminal asset forfeiture proceedings they were involved in. This is part of a civil forfeiture reform package consisting of House Bills 4499 to 4507.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717649

House Bill 4507: Require police civil asset forfeiture disclosures
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on October 7, 2015, to amend the law that gives government the power to seize and sell a person’s property if it is deemed a “nuisance” because is connected with unlawful activity, so that it reflects the requirements proposed by House Bill 4504 that law enforcement agencies file detailed annual reports on the number of criminal asset forfeiture proceedings they were involved in. This is part of a civil forfeiture reform package consisting of House Bills 4499 to 4507.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717650

House Bill 4685: Revise sales tax on motor fuel detail
Passed 105 to 1 in the House on October 7, 2015, to revise details of the sales tax “prepayments” made by gasoline and diesel fuel refiners, wholesalers, distributors, etc., when these involve “bulk transfers” between such entities. Under current law most sales tax on fuel is not paid by consumers and collected by retailers “at the pump,” but is collected when the fuel is transferred to a distributor.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717679

House Bill 4827: Create “seed to sale” medical marijuana database
Passed 99 to 7 in the House on October 7, 2015, to require the state to develop a comprehensive “seed-to-sale” tracking system for commercial marijuana, with information on each step including recording final sales to individual customers. This would all be contained in a computer database and would not be a public record, but could be used for enforcing the medical marijuana law, including tracking how much individual card holders purchase and from who.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=717685