Weekly/biweekly Michigan legislative activism thread December 7, 2012

Make Michigan a "right-to-work" state: Passed 58 to 52 in the House To prohibit employers from enforcing a union contract provision that compels employees to join or financially support a union as a condition of employment. The bill also includes a $1 million appropriation to make it "referendum-proof." All Democrats voted "no" and all Republicans voted "yes" except for Reps. Forlini, Goike, Horn, McBroom, Somerville and Zorn.

, Make Michigan a "right-to-work" state: Passed 22 to 16 in the Senate The Senate vote on the same "right-to-work" measure described above. All Democrats voted "no" and all Republicans voted "yes" except for Sens. Casperson, Green, Nofs and Rocca.

, Extend "right-to-work" to government and school employees: Passed 22 to 4 in the Senate To prohibit Michigan governments and schools from enforcing a union contract provision that compels employees to join or financially support a union as a condition of employment.

, Subsidize new Red Wings Stadium: Passed 27 to 11 in the Senate To allow property tax revenue "captured" by the Detroit "Downtown Development Authority" to pay the debt on money borrowed to provide taxpayer subsidies for a particular developer's new sports stadium and associated projects (Mike Ilitch). The bill would also exempt DDAs from property and other taxes, and revise details of public officials' appointments to DDA boards.

, Create Detroit streetlight authority: Passed 25 to 13 in the Senate To authorize a Detroit streetlight authority with the power to borrow money to restore the city's streetlights, 70 percent of which are reportedly out. The bill requires passage of House Bill 5705, which would let Detroit earmark current utility tax revenue to pay off the new debt, and Senate Bill 970, which would suspend a required city income tax reduction until the new debt is paid off. It also allows Detroit's city unions to bargain for the unionization of the authority's employees.

, Create Detroit regional mass transit authority: Passed 57 to 50 in the House To create a new Detroit area regional transportation authority covering Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties, and potentially others. Among other powers, the authority could levy property taxes (special assessments) and higher local vehicle registration taxes if approved by a majority of voters in the region, meaning a particular community could not “opt out” of the tax increase. The authority would be specifically authorized to create “rolling rapid transit” corridors along some streets and highways, potentially with dedicated lanes that other motorists could not use. It would be run by a board appointed by the counties and the City of Detroit.

, Authorize Detroit regional transit vehicle registration tax: Passed 57 to 50 in the House To give the regional transit authority proposed by Senate Bill 909 (above) the power to impose a higher vehicle registration tax in the region to pay for buses and other public transportation. A vote of the people would be required, but if approved region-wide the tax would still be imposed on individual communities that vote against it (no local "opt-out").

, Ban abortion coverage from "Obamacare“ exchange: Passed 27 to 11 in the Senate To prohibit health insurance acquired (and subsidized) through an “exchange” created under the federal health care law from including coverage for elective abortion.

, Give county officials power to halt recall as "non-factual": Passed 65 to 43 in the House To require county election commissions to determine whether the reasons for a recall petition are stated both "factually and clearly." Under current law, they must simply determine whether the recall language is clear. Note: This may violate Article 8, Section 8 of Michigan's constitution, which asserts that recallers don't have to justify their reasons, but only make them clear.

, Require parental permission to place student with "ineffective" teacher: Passed 60 to 49 in the House To require a public school district to get the written consent of a parent or guardian before placing a child in a classroom with a teacher who is rated “ineffective” under a new state rating system.

Authorize “essential services” tax on industrial plants: Passed 57 to 52 in the House To give local governments the power to impose targeted property taxes on industrial and commercial property deemed by the bill to be “especially benefited” by fire, police and ambulance services. This would replace some of the revenue from proposed reductions in the property tax imposed on business tools and equipment ("personal property tax").

, Repeal BCBS tax exemption, regulate like other insurers: Passed 61 to 49 in the House To convert Blue Cross Blue Shield into a “nonprofit mutual insurance company” (technically "owned" by the policy holders), make it subject to the same regulations as regular health insurers, and no longer exempt BCBS from state and local taxes.

, Give special treatment to firms submitting to “environmental leader” process: Passed 65 to 43 in the House To give certain businesses special treatment in awarding state contracts, eligibility for government subsidies, environmental permit and inspection mandates, and more, if the firm submits itself to a government “environmental leader” designation process. This would require a company to demonstrate that it has no outstanding permit violations or serious past ones, adopt certain practices not required by law, submit to certain additional reporting mandates, participate in “workshops,” etc.

Senate Bill 51, Expand forest property tax breaks: Passed 35 to 0 in the Senate
To expand the eligibility for certain forest property tax breaks, increase their value, double the number of acres eligible for the tax breaks from 1.2 million to 2.4 million statewide, authorize a new 2 mill property tax on property in this program that would go to a proposed “Private Forestland Enhancement Fund” to subsidize private forestland management activities, and revise many other details of this program.

Senate Bill 48, Ease bear cub “petting zoo” restriction: Passed 26 to 9 in the Senate
To exempt bear cubs up to 36 weeks old from restrictions on the possession and handling of large carnivores older than 20 weeks. This would allow “petting zoos” and similar operations to let members of the public have contact with bear cubs. Reportedly the bill was introduced after Oswald’s Bear Ranch in Newberry was ordered to halt this activity.

Noteworthy Committee Hearings

House and Senate appropriations subcommittees held informational hearings on Gov. Snyder’s request that they appropriate $30.5 million in federal grant money for a so-called “partnership exchange” under the federal “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,” a.k.a. Obamacare. This would be a federal health insurance subsidy and eligibility operation in which the state performs certain ancillary functions, as determined through negotiations with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, possibly including customer assistance. According to the Gongwer and MIRS news services, lawmakers had more questions than executive branch officials were able to answer at this time.

Recently Introduced Bills of Interest

Senate Bill 99: Expand school “sinking fund” uses to include security
Introduced by Sen. Howard Walker (R), to allow school districts to use “sinking fund” taxes for “school security.” Under current law, school sinking funds are permanent funds that may be used only for infrastructure-related spending including buying land, construction and major repairs. Schools can levy up to five mills for sinking funds. Since new operating expense millages were prohibited by a vote of the people in the 1994 Proposal A initiative, it is likely that the bill would require a 3/4 majority vote in the House and Senate, as required by the Constitution on any bill amending an initiative adopted by popular vote. Referred to committee, no further action at this time.

Senate Bill 128: Increase state Earned Income Tax Credit
Introduced by Sen. Bert Johnson (D), to increase the state earned income tax credit from an amount equal to 6 percent of the federal EITC, to 20 percent. This is a “refundable” credit for low income workers (meaning that a check is sent to the taxpayer for the balance of the credit exceeding taxes owed). According to a House Fiscal Agency analysis, this increase would cost $261 million annually. Referred to committee, no further action at this time.

Senate Bill 137: Ban abortion coverage in state “Obamacare“ exchange
Introduced by Sen. Mark Jansen (R), to prohibit the insurance “exchange” created under the federal health care law from providing policies that include coverage for abortion. A person could use their own money to buy an optional insurance policy rider that reimburses the costs of an abortion. Referred to committee, no further action at this time.

Senate Bill 169: Allow driverless car testing
Introduced by Sen. Mike Kowall (R), to allow the operation on highways of an automated “driverless” vehicle for testing purposes, subject to narrow conditions. A human operator would have to be present to monitor performance and intervene if necessary. Gov. Rick Snyder called for this in his 2013 State of the State address, and the bill was the subject of an informational hearing this week.

House Bill 4148: Authorize more community college bachelors degrees
Introduced by Rep. Mike Shirkey (R), to allow community colleges to grant bachelor degrees in nursing, “ski area management,” wastewater treatment technology, “allied health,” information technology, and manufacturing technology. This would be in addition to community college bachelor degrees authorized by a 2012 law, which included cement technology, maritime technology, energy production technology and culinary arts. Referred to committee, no further action at this time.

House Bill 4202: Impose “Amazon tax” on internet purchases
Introduced by Rep. Eileen Kowall (R), to impose the state sales tax on catalog or internet purchases made from a seller outside the state if the seller has an “affiliate” located in Michigan, in the manner pioneered by internet retailer Amazon.com. The bill has 17 cosponsors from both parties, and is the reintroduction of a 2011 bill that appeared to be part of a national lobbying campaign by “big box” retail stores. Referred to committee, no further action at this time.

House Bill 4241: Authorize seasonal load limit exceptions for septic haulers
Introduced by Rep. Ken Goike (R) on February 12, 2013, 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=154255

House Bill 4242: Raise burden of proof to justify new government regulations
Introduced by Rep. Ken Goike (R) on February 12, 2013, to require government agencies to demonstrate that a rule they want to impose is “necessary and suitable to achieve its purpose in proportion to the burdens it places on individuals”..
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154256

House Bill 4243: Revise forest property tax breaks
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on February 12, 2013, to revise the formula used to calculate the property tax “recapture rate” assessed when productive forestland is withdrawn from a program granting property tax exemptions. The change would have the effect of lowering the amount of this recapture payment depending on whether timber has been harvested on the property. See also Senate Bill 51.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154257

House Bill 4244: Revise forest property tax breaks
Introduced by Rep. Bruce Rendon (R) on February 12, 2013, to revise details of the procedures and fees used by forest property owners to get certain forest property tax breaks, so that these conform to the changes and expansion of the program proposed by Senate Bill 51.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154258

House Bill 4245: Exempt windmills from property tax
Introduced by Rep. Kevin Daley (R) on February 12, 2013, to exempt from property taxes “renewable energy systems” that generate electric (this mostly means wind turbines).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154259

House Bill 4246: Give “biobased” product state purchasing preference
Introduced by Rep. Paul Muxlow (R) on February 12, 2013, 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.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154260

House Bill 4247: Give government loan guarantees to certain food processing entities
Introduced by Rep. Marcia Hovey-Wright (D) on February 12, 2013, to create a new government loan program guaranteeing loans of up to $5 million each for “innovation in value-added agricultural processing and related production operations” or the “commercialization of agriculture technologies, processes or products”..
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154261

House Bill 4248: Require prescription to buy pseudophedrine
Introduced by Rep. John Kivela (D) on February 12, 2013, to prohibit the sale of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine cold medications except with a doctor’s prescription.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154262

House Bill 4249: Ban local mandates that private employers must grant leave
Introduced by Rep. Earl Poleski (R) on February 12, 2013, to preempt local governments from adopting ordinances or policies that require private sector employers to provide paid or unpaid employee leave that is not required under state or federal law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154263

House Bill 4250: Mandate homeschool parents register with state
Introduced by Rep. Woodrow Stanley (D) on February 13, 2013, to require the parents of children who are homeschooled to submit the name and age of each child to the state Department of Education at the start of each school year.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154380

House Bill 4251: Revise local road project contracting details
Introduced by Rep. Kevin Cotter (R) on February 13, 2013, 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 contract for the work through competitive bidding.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154381

House Bill 4252: Allow no-reason absentee voting
Introduced by Rep. Marilyn Lane (D) on February 13, 2013, to eliminate the requirement that a person give a specific reason for requesting an absentee ballot.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154382

House Bill 4253: Allow no-reason absentee voting
Introduced by Rep. George T. Darany (D) on February 13, 2013, to eliminate the requirement that a person give a specific reason for requesting an absentee ballot.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154383

House Bill 4254: Exempt “electric carriages” from motor vehicle regulations
Introduced by Rep. John Walsh (R) on February 14, 2013, to exempt “electric carriages” from regulations authorized under the Michigan vehicle code. These are defined as “a horse-drawn carriage that has been retrofitted to be propelled by an electric motor instead of by a horse and that is used to provide taxi service”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154399

House Bill 4255: Ban surcharge to use credit
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Farrington (R) on February 14, 2013, to prohibit merchants from charging a surcharge to use a credit card.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154400

House Bill 4256: Exempt House cafeteria from blind concessionaire mandate
Introduced by Rep. Cindy Denby (R) on February 14, 2013, to exempt the cafeteria in the House Office Building from a law that requires contracts for concessions in state buildings to be granted only to blind people.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154401

House Bill 4257: Revise liquor license detail
Introduced by Rep. Cindy Denby (R) on February 14, 2013, to extend to counties, villages and townships the provisions of a law that authorizes “redevelopment project area liquor licenses” over and above a particular city’s liquor license quota if the city meets certain redevelopment capital investment thresholds.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154402

House Bill 4258: Authorize a memorial highway designation
Introduced by Rep. Margaret O’Brien (R) on February 14, 2013, to designate a portion of I-94 in Kalamazoo county as the “Officer Eric Zapata Memorial Highway”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154403

House Bill 4259: Extend “Obsolete Property” tax break
Introduced by Rep. Fred Durhal, Jr. (D) on February 14, 2013, for particular developer to revise the criteria in the law that authorizes tax breaks for the rehabilitation and reuse of “obsolete structures” in a way that will allow granting these tax breaks to a particular Detroit developer.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154404

House Bill 4260: Revise mammography report disclosure details
Introduced by Rep. Winnie Brinks (D) on February 14, 2013, to require the summary and written report of a mammography examination sent to a doctor or patient by a federally certified mammography facility to include cautionary information regarding breast density if the patient is determined to have “heterogeneously or extremely dense breast tissue”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154405

House Bill 4261: Mandate dialysis center backup generators
Introduced by Rep. Marcia Hovey-Wright (D) on February 14, 2013, to mandate that dialysis treatment centers have a backup emergency generator.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154406

House Bill 4262: Revise ban on carrying dangerous weapons
Introduced by Rep. Frank Foster (R) on February 14, 2013, to revise details of which items are banned in the law prohibiting carrying knives “with unlawful intent.” The new language would prohibit an “object designed, manufactured, or intended to be used to cause death or injury.” Among other things this would replace language banning knives with “a blade over three inches in length.” The bill also clarifies that the prohibition does not apply to weapons kept in a person’s home or workplace, or ones being transported between these places and the hunting fields.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154407

House Bill 4263: Designate “Michigan Man” as official state song
Introduced by Rep. Frank Foster (R) on February 14, 2013, to designate “Michigan Man” by Mike Ridley as the official state song. Senate Bill 644 of 2003 would have established as a matter of law that “Michigan, My Michigan” by Douglas Malloch and W. Otto Meissner would be the official state song.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154408

House Bill 4264: Allow consecutive sentences for financial exploitation crime
Introduced by Rep. Tom Leonard (R) on February 14, 2013, to allow sentences imposed for committing certain “financial exploitation” crimes against a vulnerable or incapacitated adult to be served consecutively with sentences imposed for other violations of this statute.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154409

House Bill 4265: Allow consecutive sentences for financial exploitation crime
Introduced by Rep. Mike Shirkey (R) on February 14, 2013, to allow sentences imposed for for committing certain “financial exploitation” crimes against a vulnerable or incapacitated adult to be served consecutively with sentences imposed for other violations of this statute.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154410

Senate Bill 19: Revise mortgage licensure law detail
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on February 20, 2013, to revise details of the selection of representatives of the mortgage industry for a government “mortgage industry advisory board” that advises a state “commissioner of the office of financial and insurance regulation,” but does not itself have any regulatory authority.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=645891

Senate Bill 97: Repeal child car seat penalty waiver provision
Passed 35 to 1 in the Senate on February 20, 2013, to repeal a provision of the law mandating child car seats that waives penalties for a violation if the driver gets a car seat and brings the receipts to court.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=645893

House Bill 4125: Repeal osteopath school “advisory board”
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on February 20, 2013, to eliminate an advisory board created as part of a 1969 law authorizing a state-supported school of osteopathic medicine.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=646050

Senate Bill 205: Increase solicitation of sex from minor penalties
Introduced by Sen. Judy Emmons (R) on February 19, 2013, to increase the penalties for the crime of soliciting sex from a minor who is at least 16 years of age.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155089

Senate Bill 206: Increase solicitation of sex from minor penalties
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on February 19, 2013, to revise the sentencing guidelines for the penalty increase proposed by House Bill 4209 for the crime of soliciting a minor 16 years of age or older to commit prostitution..
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155090

Senate Bill 207: Subsidize rail and marine freight facilities
Introduced by Sen. John Proos, IV (R) on February 20, 2013, to require rather than just allow the department of transportation to give financial aid to rail and marine freight facilities, including grants and loan subsidies.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155226

Senate Bill 208: Revise unemployment benefits detail
Introduced by Sen. Bruce Caswell (R) on February 20, 2013, to clarify an unemployment benefits provision related to charges levied against a employer when two or more employers of a single employee are involved.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155227

Senate Bill 209: Extend charity sales tax exemption
Introduced by Sen. Michael Green (R) on February 20, 2013, to veterans groups to include nonprofit veterans organizations under an exemption allowing charitable entities to sell up to $5,000 in goods at retail for fundraising purpose without incurring sales tax liability.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155228

Senate Bill 210: Revise nonprofit sales tax exemption
Introduced by Sen. Michael Green (R) on February 20, 2013, to exempt from sales tax up to $25,000 in aggregate annual retail sales made by a nonprofit organization for fundraising purposes, rather than $5,000 under current law. At least 10 similar bills raising the $5,000 cap have been introduced since 2002.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155233

Senate Bill 211: Establish firefighters’ cancer presumption
Introduced by Sen. Tory Rocca (R) on February 20, 2013, to establish a presumption that cases of certain types of cancer contracted by non-volunteer firefighters arose out of and in the course of employment for purposes of granting workers compensation benefits, unless there is evidence to the contrary, and unless the person is a consistent cigarette smoker.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155229

Senate Bill 212: Revise concealed pistol law sentencing guidelines
Introduced by Sen. Michael Green (R) on February 20, 2013, to revise sentencing guidelines to reflect the concealed pistol license law revisions proposed by Senate Bill 213.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155230

Senate Bill 213: Allow concealed pistols in schools; revise CPL procedures
Introduced by Sen. Michael Green (R) on February 20, 2013, to allow a teacher, administrator, or other school employee to licensed to carry a concealed pistol to do so in school if the school’s chief executive officer or school board authorizes this. The bill would also remove taverns, child care centers and certain arenas from the concealed pistol permit law’s “gun free zone” provision; eliminate county concealed weapon licensing boards, and transfer the responsibility for issuing concealed pistol licenses to the state police; and revise various other details of this law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155231

Senate Bill 214: Allow NRTC funds for dredging, timber & mining infrastructure
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on February 20, 2013, to revise the rules for use of the money in the Natural Resources Trust Fund. The trust fund receives money from oil, gas, and mineral royalties and leases on state-owned lands and uses this for land acquisitions, and conservation and recreation projects. The bill would allow the money to also be used to be used to develop and maintain road infrastructure for natural-resource based industries including timber and mining, and for waterways infrastructure including breakwaters and dredging.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155232

Senate Bill 215: Authorize state loans to marinas
Introduced by Sen. Jack Brandenburg (R) on February 21, 2013, to authorize state loans of up to $500,000 to marinas for dredging.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155374

Senate Bill 216: Revise liquor control regulatory regime
Introduced by Sen. Howard Walker (R) on February 21, 2013, to revise many details of the state’s liquor distribution regulatory regime to reflect the recommendations of an advisory committee convened by Gov. Rick Snyder. Among many other changes, the bill would exempt small breweries and wineries from the mandate to only distribute their products through the wholesaler distribution monopolies authorized by this law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155375

House Bill 4266: Increase EITC
Introduced by Rep. Phil Cavanagh (D) on February 19, 2013, to increase the state earned income tax credit from an amount equal to 6 percent of the federal EITC, to 20 percent. This is a “refundable” credit for low income workers (meaning that a check is sent to the taxpayer for the balance of the credit exceeding taxes owed). According to a House Fiscal Agency analysis, this increase would cost $261 million annually.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155098

House Bill 4267: Authorize Detroit college fund
Introduced by Rep. David Nathan (D) on February 19, 2013, to establish a “Detroit college promise fund” to hold and disburse the tax refund contributions proposed by House Bill 4268.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155099

House Bill 4268: Authorize Detroit college fund
Introduced by Rep. David Nathan (D) on February 19, 2013, to allow an individual to choose to automatically contribute $5 or more from his or her state income tax refund to a new a “Detroit college promise fund” proposed by House Bill 4267.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155100

House Bill 4269: Create state school safety commission
Introduced by Rep. David Nathan (D) on February 19, 2013, to create a statewide school safety commission to recommend policies and practices to prevent violent incidents at schools.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155101

House Bill 4270: Subsidize motorists’ gas expense
Introduced by Rep. Jim Ananich (D) on February 19, 2013, to give individuals with annual incomes below $50,000 a gasoline purchase subsidy equal to half the amount they spend on fuel for traveling to and from work. A 25 percent subsidy could be claimed by those with incomes between $50,000 and $75,000, and a 10 percent subsidy for incomes between $75,000 and $100,000. The subsidies are styled as “refundable” tax credits. The bill does not specify which government spending would be cut or taxes raised to provide these subsidies.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155102

House Bill 4271: Authorize and regulate medical marijuana dispensaries
Introduced by Rep. Mike Callton (R) on February 19, 2013, to authorize and establish a comprehensive regulatory regime for medical marijuana dispensaries, including municipal licensure or prohibition, with civil and criminal penalties for violations.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155103

House Bill 4272: Authorize school “cardiac emergency response drills”
Introduced by Rep. Gail Haines (R) on February 19, 2013, to allow schools to substitute a “cardiac emergency response drill” (presumably involving the use of defibrillator devices) for one of the six fire drills schools are required to hold each year.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155104

House Bill 4273: Require youth athlete cardiac arrest protocols
Introduced by Rep. Gail Haines (R) on February 19, 2013, to require the Department of Community Health to develop sudden cardiac arrest educational materials, a training program, and protocols for limiting affected young athletes’ participation in athletic programs; and require schools, recreation agencies, leagues, etc. to comply with procedures the department recommends. Among other things, they would have get youth athletes and their parents or guardian to sign an acknowledgement that they have received the relevant education materials.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155105

House Bill 4274: Revise insurance drug pre-approval details
Introduced by Rep. Gail Haines (R) on February 19, 2013, to require Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance policies that require prior authorization for prescription drug reimbursements to use a standardized prior authorization form.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155106

House Bill 4275: Revise insurance drug pre-approval details
Introduced by Rep. Gail Haines (R) on February 19, 2013, to require insurance companies that require prior authorization for prescription drug reimbursements to use a standardized prior authorization form.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155107

House Bill 4276: Ban mandating “common core standards” in public schools
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on February 19, 2013, to prohibit the Michigan state Board of Education from implementing the “common core standards” promoted by the “Common Core State Standards Initiative” associated with the National Governor Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers. Also, to require the board to rescind its adoption of those standards in a 2010 resolution.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155108

House Bill 4277: Require expeditious liquor license issue
Introduced by Rep. Ray Franz (R) on February 19, 2013, to require the Liquor Control Commission to issue a conditional liquor license within 20 days of an applicant submitting all the necessary paperwork, fees, “proof of financial responsibility,” etc. This would expire after one year, or when the regular license is approved or denied, whichever comes first.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155109

House Bill 4278: Mandate environmental assessments for new schools
Introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D) on February 19, 2013, 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=155110

House Bill 4279: Authorize rewards for littering informants
Introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D) on February 19, 2013, to establish an illegal dumping informant program which would provide rewards to persons who materially contribute to the imposition of civil fines against litterers or illegal dumpers. The reward would be equivalent to half the fine collected from an illegal dumper.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155111

House Bill 4280: Authorize rewards for littering informants
Introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D) on February 19, 2013, to establish an illegal dumping informant program which would provide rewards to persons who materially contribute to the imposition of civil fines against litterers or illegal dumpers. The reward would be equivalent to half the fine collected from an illegal dumper.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155112

House Bill 4281: Expand school “sinking fund” uses to include “technology” and “security”
Introduced by Rep. Michael McCready (R) on February 19, 2013, to allow school districts to use “sinking fund” taxes for “upgrading of technology” or for “school security.” Under current law, sinking funds are permanent funds that may be used only for infrastructure-related spending including the purchase of land or construction and (major) repair of school buildings. The conventional public school establishment has been trying for a dozen years to get this restriction expanded, with more than a dozen bills introduced, several to allow technology spending. In January 2013, following the Newtown school shooting incident, a bill was introduced to allow this property tax revenue to be used for “security;” now this one adds “technology” to that.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155113

House Bill 4282: Post legislative committee recordings online
Introduced by Rep. Tim Kelly (R) on February 19, 2013, to require the Legislature to create an publicly accessible online repository with audio or video recordings of House and Senate committee meetings.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155114

House Bill 4283: Revise allowable deer hunting guns south of “rifle line”
Introduced by Rep. Matt Lori (R) on February 19, 2013, to revise the types of firearms allowed for deer hunting south of the “rifle line” in the Lower Peninsula. In addition to shotguns and muzzle-loading rifles, hunters could use a .35 caliber or larger pistol capable of holding no more than nine rounds, and a .35 caliber or larger rifle loaded with straight-walled cartridges and a maximum case length of 1.80 inches (in other words, not a high-power rifle cartridge, which carry for extremely long distances).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155115

House Bill 4284: Revise ORV shoulder-riding details
Introduced by Rep. Joel Johnson (R) on February 19, 2013, to authorize local governments to ask the Department of Transportation to allow ORV’s on the shoulders of state trunk line highways in northern Michigan at the request of local governments, where necessary to connect existing ORV networks.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155116

House Bill 4285: Earmark timber sale proceeds to local government PILT disbursements
Introduced by Rep. Joel Johnson (R) on February 19, 2013, to earmark revenue from sales of timber on state land for “payments in lieu of (property) taxes” (PILT) to local governments on state-owned property in their jurisdictions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155117

House Bill 4286: Authorize adoption tax credit/subsidy
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on February 19, 2013, 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=155118

House Bill 4287: Designate veteran status on state ID card if requested
Introduced by Rep. George T. Darany (D) on February 19, 2013, to require the Secretary of State to designate on state identification cares whether the card holder is a military veteran, if this is requested by a veteran who has specified documents proving this status.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155119

House Bill 4310: Revise cosmetologists licensure mandate details
Introduced by Rep. Kevin Cotter (R) on February 26, 2013, to revise details of the state licensure mandate imposed on cosmetologists and schools that teach cosmetology and electrology.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155638

House Bill 4311: Mandate specified nurse-patient ratios
Introduced by Rep. Jon Switalski (D) on February 26, 2013, to mandate that hospitals maintain detailed staff-to-patient ratios specified in the bill.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155639

House Bill 4312: Authorize enhanced penalties for drive-by shooting
Introduced by Rep. Stacy Erwin Oakes (D) on February 26, 2013, to authorize up to life in prison for intentionally discharging a firearm from a vehicle when this causes death (as in a “drive-by” shooting), and 15 to 20 years if someone is injured. These penalties would be on top of any imposed for assault, attempted murder, etc.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155640

House Bill 4313: Authorize enhanced penalties for drive-by shooting
Introduced by Rep. Stacy Erwin Oakes (D) on February 26, 2013, to establish sentencing guidelines for the enhanced “drive-by” shooting penalties proposed by House Bill 4312.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155641

House Bill 4314: Create FOIA compliance commission
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on February 26, 2013, to create a state commission comprised of lawmakers and media representatives to investigate complaints about the state and local governments compliance with the Freedom of Information Act, including fees charged and exemptions or exclusions claimed. The commission could refer complaints to the state Attorney General or issue opinions which in some cases may be binding on a government, and would also have the duty of recommending changes in the law based on information it gathers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155642

House Bill 4315: Require utilities provide customer “smart meter” opt-out
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on February 26, 2013, to require electric utilities that adopt advanced “smart meters,” which are “capable of measuring, recording, storing, and reporting usage according to predetermined time criteria and that allows 2-way communications suited for demand-response programs,” to allow customers to “opt out” without penalty. The bill would impose restrictions on how utilities could collect, use and retain information collected from the meters.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155643

House Bill 4317: Require city tax liability disclosure on state tax forms
Introduced by Rep. David Nathan (D) on February 26, 2013, to require income tax filers to disclose on state tax returns whether they have local government income tax liability, whether their employer has withheld money from paychecks for this, and how much they owe to the local government. State tax forms would have to include a list of local income taxes and a worksheet to calculate the liability.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155645

House Bill 4318: Authorize community college bachelors degree in nursing
Introduced by Rep. Joel Johnson (R) on February 26, 2013, to allow community colleges to grant bachelor degrees in nursing. This would be in addition to community college bachelor degrees authorized by a 2012 law in cement technology, maritime technology, energy production technology or culinary arts.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155646

House Bill 4319: Revise judge and statewide officeholder post-retirement health benefits
Introduced by Rep. Al Pscholka (R) on February 26, 2013, to establish a new retirement system for judges and statewide officeholders in which they would contribute 2 percent of their salary to post-retirement health care benefits in the form of a health reimbursement account maintained by the state for the individual’s benefit.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155647

House Bill 4320: Expand forest property tax breaks
Introduced by Rep. Andrea LaFontaine (R) on February 26, 2013, to expand the eligibility for certain forest property tax breaks, increase the size of the tax breaks to owners, double the number of acres eligible for the tax breaks from 1.2 million to 2.4 million statewide, authorize a new 2 mill property tax on property in this program that would go to proposed “Private Forestland Enhancement Fund” to subsidize private forestland management activities, and revise other details of this tax break program.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155648

House Bill 4321: Expand forest property tax breaks
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on February 26, 2013, to earmark to a proposed “private forestland enhancement fund” the tax revenue that is “recaptured” from a parcel which had been eligible for certain commercial forest property tax breaks but no longer meets the eligibility criteria. See also House Bill 4320.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155649

House Bill 4322: Expand forest property tax breaks
Introduced by Rep. Roger Victory (R) on February 26, 2013, to revise details of the procedures and fees used by forest property owners to get certain forest property tax breaks, so that these conform to the changes and expansion of the program proposed by House Bill 4320.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155650

House Bill 4323: Expand forest property tax breaks
Introduced by Rep. Peter Pettalia (R) on February 26, 2013, to expand the powers and duties of the 79 government “conservation district” authorities in the state, among other things giving them a role in granting the extensive property tax breaks for forestland owners which House Bill 4320 would expand and modify.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155651

House Bill 4324: Expand forest property tax breaks
Introduced by Rep. Frank Foster (R) on February 26, 2013, to expand to privately owned forestland a state program in which farms are inspected and their compliance with certain conservation, environmental risk, soil nutrient protocols, etc. is verified, giving them qualified exemptions from certain environmental law penalties. See also House Bill 4320.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155652

House Bill 4325: Revise DNR and Agriculture Department “mission statements”
Introduced by Rep. Ken Goike (R) on February 26, 2013, to explicitly include among the duties of the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Agriculture that they work together to jointly promote forestry and development of the state’s forest products industry.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155653

House Bill 4326: Authorize hospice and palliative care specialty plate
Introduced by Rep. Joel Johnson (R) on February 26, 2013, to authorize a specialty license plate honoring the institutions of hospice and palliative care, with the premium revenue going to the Michigan Hospice and Palliative Care Organization.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155654

House Bill 4327: Allow “tax increment finance” scheme reset to make up for property value declines
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Farrington (R) on February 26, 2013, to allow “corridor improvement authorities” to “reset” their tax increment financing schemes (TIF) to reflect declining property assessments, which undermine the ability of these schemes to divert property tax revenue from other local taxing authorities to pay for the authority’s debt-funded spending projects. A TIF “captures” the “increment” of extra local property tax revenue that supposedly will result from its spending on various projects or subsidies; this money is then used to repay debt incurred to accommodate that spending.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155655

House Bill 4328: Appropriations: 2013-2014 “omnibus” budget
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Haveman (R) on February 27, 2013, to appropriate $36.605 billion in non-education state spending in the fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1, 2013, compared to $34.355 billion enacted the previous year. (Both figures are the overall “gross” spending amount, which are the figures generally cited in news reports; the proposed new budget nets-out to $35.767 billion “adjusted gross” when inter-department transfers are accounted for.) Some $18.955 billion of this will come from federal government. The total executive budget recommendation including education is $51.607 billion gross ($50.769 billion “adjusted gross”).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155924

House Bill 4329: Authorize other-state funeral director license reciprocity
Introduced by Rep. Kenneth Kurtz (R) on February 27, 2013, to authorize fees for the “limited” funeral director license proposed by House Bill 4303.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155925

House Bill 4330: Authorize other-state funeral director license reciprocity
Introduced by Rep. Kenneth Kurtz (R) on February 27, 2013, to recognize as valid in Michigan a license in the field of “mortuary science” or funeral directing issued by another state that has substantially the same standards. House Bill 4303 contains the main part of this proposal.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155927

House Bill 4331: Ban employment decisions based on credit history
Introduced by Rep. Henry Yanez (D) on February 27, 2013, to prohibit an employer from making employment decisions based on an individual’s credit history, unless a good credit history is an established bona fide occupational requirement of a particular position.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155929

House Bill 4332: Lower CPL minimum age for military
Introduced by Rep. Earl Poleski (R) on February 27, 2013, to lower the minimum age to get a concealed pistol permit from 21 to 18 for a young person who is in the armed forces.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155930

House Bill 4333: Revise accountant business licensure detail
Introduced by Rep. Earl Poleski (R) on February 27, 2013, to establish that a “professional service corporation” may engage in the practice of public accounting if more than 50 percent of the equity and voting rights of the company are held by individuals who are licensed public accountants.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155932

House Bill 4334: Revise accountant business licensure detail
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on February 27, 2013, to establish that a “professional limited liability company” may engage in the practice of public accounting if more than 50 percent of the equity and voting rights of the company are held by individuals who are licensed public accountants.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155933

House Bill 4335: Allow dogs in outdoor cafés
Introduced by Rep. Margaret O’Brien (R) on February 27, 2013, to revise a prohibition on restaurants allowing dogs in the dining area, so as to allow a restaurant to allow customers’ dogs in outside dining areas. Under current law only seeing-eye and other service dogs are allowed. Local governments could still ban dogs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155935

House Bill 4336: Expand child support order authority to include mentally impaired adults
Introduced by Rep. Jim Ananich (D) on February 27, 2013, to give courts the power in to order child support payments after a child reaches age 18 if the child has a development disability or is mentally retarded.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155937

House Bill 4337: Authorize Ducks Unlimited fundraising plate
Introduced by Rep. Dale W. Zorn (R) on February 27, 2013, to require the Secretary of State to develop a Ducks Unlimited fundraising license plate, with fees collected for the plate going to the Michigan Chapter of Ducks Unlimited.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155938

House Bill 4338: Require more hazmat licensee disclosures
Introduced by Rep. Douglas Geiss (D) on February 27, 2013, to require a person who is required to have a state license to build, manage or operate a hazardous waste treatment, storage, or disposal facility to disclose any past environmental-law related criminal convictions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155939

House Bill 4339: Exempt road projects from “wetland mitigation” mandate
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on February 27, 2013, to prohibit the Department of Environmental Quality from imposing a “wetland mitigation” requirement on a road project within the right of way of an existing road. “Wetland mitigation” is generally requiring a new swampy area to be created if an existing one is filled in.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155941

House Bill 4340: Require specific not general NRTF land acquisition
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on February 27, 2013, recommendations to require the board of the state Natural Resources Trust Fund to specifically identify property to be acquired or developed when submitting its recommendations to the legislature for approval, and not simply include “broad references such as ecoregions.” NRTF money comes mostly from oil and gas drilling royalties.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155942

House Bill 4341: Revise bodies donated to science accredidations
Introduced by Rep. Matt Lori (R) on February 28, 2013, to give the Department of Community Health the authority to designate any accredited medical school in this state to accept dead bodies donated to science. Under current law only the University of Michigan, Michigan State and Wayne State may be designated.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155945

House Bill 4342: Subsidize low income savings accounts
Introduced by Rep. Jim Ananich (D) on February 28, 2013, to authorize state matching grants of up to $250 annually to a low income person who deposits part of their federal income tax refund in a “qualified savings account,” the nature of which would be determined by the Department of Treasury.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155946

House Bill 4343: Revise Detroit powers population threshold
Introduced by Rep. David Nathan (D) on February 28, 2013, to revise the population threshold in a law that authorizes Detroit to impose its own regulatory regime on “limousines,” defined as a vehicle for hire capable carrying up to 15 passengers. The Michigan constitution prohibits passing “local acts” with less than a two thirds majority vote in the House and Senate, so the legislature has circumvented this by granting certain privileges or exemptions to “a city with a population greater than 1 million,” later revised to 900,000, and then 750,000. This bill changes that to 500,000.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155947

House Bill 4344: Revise special Detroit powers population threshold
Introduced by Rep. Thomas Stallworth, III (D) on February 28, 2013, to revise the population threshold in a law that gives Detroit the power to define a fire arson investigator as a police officer. The Michigan constitution prohibits passing “local acts” with less than a two-thirds majority vote in the House and Senate, so the legislature has circumvented this by granting certain privileges or exemptions to “a city with a population greater than 1 million,” later revised to 900,000, and then 750,000. This bill changes that to 600,000.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155949

House Bill 4345: Mandate certain child lead exposure screening
Introduced by Rep. Thomas Stallworth, III (D) on February 28, 2013, to mandate that a health professional who provides primary care services to a child age 12 to 24 months (not including emergency care) must order lead exposure screening according to exposure criteria specified in the bill.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155950

House Bill 4346: Classify fatal drive-by shooting as first degree murder
Introduced by Rep. Thomas Stallworth, III (D) on February 28, 2013, to classify as first degree murder the act of intentionally discharging a firearm at an occupied building when this causes death (as in a “drive-by” shooting).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155952

House Bill 4347: Revise property transfer taxable value detail
Introduced by Rep. Amanda Price (R) on February 28, 2013, to allow a property owner to transfer ownership of his or her property to a corporation (or other type of “limited liability company”) that the person owns, without triggering the Proposal A “pop-up,” in which the state equalized value (SEV, meaning market value) of transferred property becomes the basis for its property tax assessment, rather than the capped “taxable value” of the previous owner.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155954

House Bill 4348: Exempt school districts from property split subdivision mandate
Introduced by Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R) on February 28, 2013, to exempt school districts from the law that limits the amount of parcels a land owner may divide his or her property into without undergoing very rigorous subdivision platting requirements.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155955

House Bill 4349: Make government firearms ownership databases non-public information
Introduced by Rep. Hugh Crawford (R) on February 28, 2013, to establish that state databases containing information on licenses issued to individuals to purchase, carry, possess, or transport pistols are confidential and not subject to disclosure under the state Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155957

House Bill 4350: Revise “gun free zone” CPL exception
Introduced by Rep. Tom Leonard (R) on February 28, 2013, to revise the “gun free zone” provision of the concealed pistol permit law to exempt current and former county prosecutors and assistant prosecutors who have concealed pistol licenses from the restrictions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155958

House Bill 4351: Exempt college students from jury duty
Introduced by Rep. Sam Singh (D) on February 28, 2013, to allow full time college students to be exempted from jury duty.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155959

House Bill 4352: Mandate schools have “epi-pens”
Introduced by Rep. Lisa Lyons (R) on February 28, 2013, to allow physicians to prescribe epinephrine auto injectors for schools to have in their facilities under a mandate proposed by House Bill 4353, and except for gross negligence, waive the legal liability of the physician and pharmacist in the event that use of these “epi-pens” causes an injury.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155909

House Bill 4353: Mandate schools have “epi-pens”
Introduced by Rep. Lisa Lyons (R) on February 28, 2013, to require public schools to have at least one or two staffers depending on the school’s size who are trained in the administration of an epinephrine auto injector, and to have at least two of these “epi-pens” on site. This is a syringe prefilled with epinephrine which is used to treat anaphylactic reactions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155911

House Bill 4354: Require gross negligence for suits against emergency room physicians
Introduced by Rep. John Walsh (R) on February 28, 2013, to restrict medical malpractice lawsuits against emergency room physicians to cases of gross negligence.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155913

House Bill 4355: Revise condominium audit standards
Introduced by Rep. Paul D. Clemente (D) on February 28, 2013, to allow required annual audits required of condominium association to choose by majority vote to not meet certain standards recommended by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, if the association has annual revenues of less than $100,000.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155914

House Bill 4356: Specify “best interest” in child custody “permanency plan” judgments
Introduced by Rep. Rudy Hobbs (D) on February 28, 2013, to specify the factors determining the “best interest of the child” in child custody “permanency plan” judgments.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155915

House Bill 4357: Exempt veterans associations from some property tax
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on February 28, 2013, to exempt from “personal property taxes” the tools and equipment of veterans associations if their total value in a particular jurisdiction is less than $100,000.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155917

House Bill 4069: Expand forest property tax breaks
Passed 98 to 12 in the House on March 19, 2013, to not impose a property tax “recapture” charge assessed when property is withdrawn from a program granting tax exemptions to owners of large tracts of forest generally grown for “industrial” uses (like paper mills), if the property is entered into a similar “qualified forest” tax break program for private owners of smaller parcels. The program for the larger “industrial” forests requires owners to grant public recreational access, while the small-owner one does not. See also House Bill 4320.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654664

House Bill 4243: Revise forest property tax breaks
Passed 95 to 15 in the House on March 19, 2013, to revise the formula used to calculate the property tax “recapture rate” assessed when productive forestland is withdrawn from a program granting property tax exemptions to owners of smaller “non-industrial” sized parcels of forestland, with the rate depending on whether timber has been harvested on the property. See also House Bills 4069 and 4320.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654665

House Bill 4244: Revise forest property tax breaks
Passed 95 to 15 in the House on March 19, 2013, to revise details of the procedures and fees used by forest property owners to get certain forest property tax breaks, so that these conform to the changes and expansion of the program proposed by House Bill 4243.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654666

House Bill 4320: Expand forest property tax breaks
Passed 94 to 16 in the House on March 19, 2013, to expand the eligibility for certain forest property tax breaks to owners of smaller parcels (a separate program gives breaks to large “industrial” forest tracts), double the number of acres eligible for these smaller “qualified forest” tax breaks from 1.2 million to 2.4 million statewide, authorize a new 2 mill property tax on property in this program that would go to proposed “Private Forestland Enhancement Fund” to subsidize private forestland management activities, and revise other details of this program.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654667

House Bill 4321: Expand forest property tax breaks
Passed 95 to 15 in the House on March 19, 2013, to earmark to a proposed “private forestland enhancement fund” the tax revenue that is “recaptured” from a parcel which had been eligible for certain commercial forest property tax breaks but no longer meets the eligibility criteria. See also House Bill 4320.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654668

House Bill 4322: Expand forest property tax breaks
Passed 93 to 17 in the House on March 19, 2013, to revise details of the procedures and fees used by forest property owners to get certain forest property tax breaks, so that these conform to the changes and expansion of the program proposed by House Bill 4320.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654669

House Bill 4323: Expand forest property tax breaks
Passed 99 to 11 in the House on March 19, 2013, to expand the powers and duties of the 79 government “conservation district” authorities in the state, among other things giving them a role in granting the extensive property tax breaks for forestland owners which House Bill 4320 would expand and modify.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654670

House Bill 4324: Expand forest property tax breaks
Passed 100 to 10 in the House on March 19, 2013, to expand to privately owned forestland a state program in which farms are inspected and their compliance with certain conservation, environmental risk, soil nutrient protocols, etc. is verified, giving them qualified exemptions from certain environmental law penalties. See also House Bill 4320.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654671

House Bill 4325: Revise DNR and Agriculture Department “mission statements”
Passed 99 to 11 in the House on March 19, 2013, to explicitly include among the duties of the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Agriculture that they work together to jointly promote forestry and development of the state’s forest products industry.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654672

House Bill 4337: Authorize Ducks Unlimited fundraising plate
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on March 19, 2013, to require the Secretary of State to develop a Ducks Unlimited fundraising license plate, with most of the fees collected for the plate going to the Michigan Chapter of Ducks Unlimited, and some spent on wetland conservation “education and outreach” campaigns.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654551

Senate Bill 19: Revise mortgage licensure law detail
Passed 109 to 1 in the House on March 20, 2013, to revise details of the selection of representatives of the mortgage industry for a government “mortgage industry advisory board” that advises a state “commissioner of the office of financial and insurance regulation,” but does not itself have any regulatory authority.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654946

Senate Bill 31: Revise regulation of trusts detail
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on March 20, 2013, to establish that a trustee of a trust has an “insurable interest” in the life of an individual insured under a life insurance policy owned by the trustee acting in a fiduciary capacity for the trust, given certain conditions specified in the bill.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654863

Senate Bill 32: Revise regulation of trusts detail
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on March 20, 2013, to establish that a trustee of a trust has an “insurable interest” in the life of an individual insured under a life insurance policy owned by the trustee acting in a fiduciary capacity for the trust, given certain conditions specified in the bill.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654864

Senate Bill 65: Revise income tax withholding detail
Passed 107 to 3 in the House on March 20, 2013, to revise details of the statute requiring employee income tax payments for businesses categorized as a “flow-through entity”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654945

Senate Bill 95: Repeal right-to-work
The motion passed 26 to 9 in the Senate on March 19, 2013, to postpone any action on a Democratic motion to discharge the bill from committee and bring the bill directly to the full Senate until the very last day of 2013 session, which is generally a pro-forma session in which substantive measures are not voted on.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654641

Senate Bill 96: Repeal right-to-work
The motion passed 26 to 9 in the Senate on March 19, 2013, to postpone any action on a Democratic motion to discharge the bill from committee and bring the bill directly to the full Senate until the very last day of 2013 session, which is generally a pro-forma session in which substantive measures are not voted on.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654642

Senate Bill 178: Revise insurance drug pre-approval details
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on March 20, 2013, to require insurance companies that require prior authorization for prescription drug reimbursements to use a standardized prior authorization form.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654865

Senate Bill 179: Revise insurance drug pre-approval details
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on March 20, 2013, to require Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance policies that require prior authorization for prescription drug reimbursements to use a standardized prior authorization form.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654866

Senate Bill 219: Designate veteran status on state ID card if requested
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on March 20, 2013, to require the Secretary of State to designate on state identification cares whether the card holder is a military veteran, if this is requested by a veteran who has specified documents proving this status.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654862

Senate Bill 233: Appropriate $23.5 million for state land acquisitions and recreation projects
The amendment passed by voice vote in the House on March 20, 2013, to specify that money the bill appropriates to research criminal sentencing reform be used for a contract with the Council of State Governments to continue a review of the length of prison stays and parole board discretion in this state.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155877

Senate Bill 233: Appropriate $23.5 million for state land acquisitions and recreation projects
Passed 107 to 3 in the House on March 20, 2013, to appropriate $23.3 million from the state Natural Resources Trust Fund for various land acquisitions and recreation projects, $21 million in non-NRTF money for dredging public boating access sites and harbors, and another $3 million for a veterans benefits initiative. State oil and gas well royalty money is earmarked to the NRTF.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654983

Senate Bill 236: Revise legal notice publishing detail
Passed 35 to 2 in the Senate on March 20, 2013, to make permanent a provision allowing annual cost-of-living increases in the rates that newspapers may charge for publishing legal notices from matters arising out of court proceedings that are required by law to be published.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654867

Senate Bill 252: Authorize state subsidies for marina dredging projects
Passed 106 to 4 in the House on March 20, 2013, to appropriate $1 million for state subsidies to private marinas for harbor dredging. The state would pay 5 percent of bank loans of up to $500,000 per marina.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654984

Senate Bill 256: Revise state “supply chain management development commission”
Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate on March 20, 2013, to revise details of a 2008 law that created a state “supply chain management development commission” with the mission of developing “a road map for attracting, supporting, marketing, and growing the international trade, supply chain, and logistics industries.” The bill would change the name of this entity, move it from the Department of Treasury to the Michigan Strategic Fund agency, allow this entity to be funded with state tax and fee revenue (rather than just federal or other funds), and more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654868

Senate Bill 264: Accelerate dredging permit processing deadlines
Passed 35 to 0 in the Senate on March 21, 2013, to accelerate the deadline for the state to process a dredging permit, and reduce the fees if the dredged material is at least 90 percent sand.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655146

House Bill 4093: Eliminate .08 BAC drunk driving sunset
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on March 20, 2013, to make permanent the 2003 decrease in the drunk driving intoxication threshold (from .10 to .08 grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood) mandated by the federal government as a condition of federal road funding.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654943

House Bill 4127: Require GPS tether for “assaultive crime” bail
Passed 109 to 1 in the House on March 21, 2013, to specifically authorize GPS “tether” monitoring of defendants on bail for any “assaultive” crime, at the discretion of the judge.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655370

House Bill 4131: Eliminate .08 BAC drunk driving sunset
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on March 20, 2013, to eliminate the 2013 sunset on the .08 grams per 100 milliliters blood-alcohol-content (BAC) threshold for drunk driving offences. Under current law, on Oct. 1, 2013 the limit returns to .10 grams per 100 milliliters. This bill amends the state sentencing guidelines law; see also House Bill 4093.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=654944

House Bill 4177: Revise vulnerable adult abuse law detail
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on March 21, 2013, to clarify a reference to vulnerable adult abuse in the first degree murder statute. The bill would define first-degree murder as murder perpetrated in the commission of not just first degree vulnerable adult abuse, but also second degree.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655371

House Bill 4264: Allow consecutive sentences for financial exploitation crime
Passed 102 to 8 in the House on March 21, 2013, to allow sentences imposed for committing certain “financial exploitation” crimes against a vulnerable or incapacitated adult to be served consecutively with sentences imposed for other violations of this statute. Consecutively means “back-to-back” sentences, as opposed to “concurrently,” which means sentences are served at the same time.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655369

House Bill 4274: Revise insurance drug pre-approval details
Passed 102 to 7 in the House on March 21, 2013, to require Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance policies that require prior authorization for prescription drug reimbursements to use a standardized prior authorization form.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655344

House Bill 4275: Revise insurance drug pre-approval details
Passed 101 to 8 in the House on March 21, 2013, to require insurance companies that require prior authorization for prescription drug reimbursements to use a standardized prior authorization form.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655345

House Bill 4277: Require expeditious liquor license issue
Passed 109 to 1 in the House on March 21, 2013, to require the Liquor Control Commission to issue a conditional liquor license for a new beer-and-wine retail merchant, or the transfer of an existing restaurant or bar’s license, within 20 days of an applicant submitting all the necessary paperwork, fees, “proof of financial responsibility,” etc. This license would expire after one year, or when the regular license is approved or denied, whichever comes first.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655361

House Bill 4369: Codify “education achievement authority” for failed schools
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on March 20, 2013, to repeal the law authorizing charter schools.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=156558

House Bill 4369: Codify “education achievement authority” for failed schools
The amendment passed by voice vote in the House on March 20, 2013, to phase-in an eventual cap of 50 on the number of academically-failed schools the authority could manage.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=156558

House Bill 4369: Codify “education achievement authority” for failed schools
Passed 57 to 53 in the House on March 21, 2013, to codify in statute the powers and structure of a state “education achievement authority” (already created by means of an administrative “interlocal agreement”), which is an office in the Department of Education tasked with managing, overseeing or contracting-out the operations of public schools deemed to have failed academically.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655375

House Bill 4376: Repeal “proprietary school solicitor” permit mandate
Passed 109 to 1 in the House on March 21, 2013, to repeal a law that requires an individual operating as a proprietary school solicitor to obtain a permit from the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Solicitors are responsible for recruiting potential students to proprietary schools that provide training in a specific trade, occupation or vocational field.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655362

House Bill 4377: Repeal “community planner” registration mandate
Passed 95 to 15 in the House on March 21, 2013, to repeal a registration mandate imposed on professional “community planners” who prepare government land use plans.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655363

House Bill 4378: Repeal interior designer registration
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on March 21, 2013, to repeal a law that establishes a government interior designer registry and makes it available to state or local government agencies. To be included on the registry a designer must have passed a test created by a national organization of incumbent interior designers. This organization has sought repeatedly in this state to impose a full licensure and regulatory regime on interior designers, with several bills introduced in previous legislatures. The bill was amended to leave in place a peculiar provision “allowing” interior designers to provide design services (explicit government permission is generally not required to practice a non-licensed occupation in this country).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655364

House Bill 4379: Repeal registration for foresters
Passed 105 to 5 in the House on March 21, 2013, to repeal statutory references to registered foresters. House Bill 4281 would repeal registration provisions for foresters.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655365

House Bill 4380: Repeal registration for foresters
Passed 105 to 5 in the House on March 21, 2013, to repeal statutory references to registered foresters. House Bill 4281 would repeal registration provisions for foresters.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655366

House Bill 4381: Repeal registration for foresters
Passed 105 to 5 in the House on March 21, 2013, to repeal a law that provides for government registration of foresters. Individuals are prohibited from using the title of “registered forester” unless they have graduated from an accredited college or university and have two or more years of forestry work experience.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655367

House Bill 4392: Repeal ocularist registration
Passed 105 to 5 in the House on March 21, 2013, to repeal a law that provides for the registration of ocularists and ocularist apprentices, who design, fabricate, and fit “ocular prosthetic appliances,” or artificial eyes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655368

House Bill 4398: Reduce certain dredging permit fees and restrictions
Passed 33 to 2 in the Senate on March 21, 2013, to reduce the permit fees for dredging projects where 90 percent of the dredge material is shown to be sand, and allow the Department of Environmental Quality to bypass a 20-day objection period and issue permits if emergency conditions exist. This and House Bill 4400 reduce the fees, and House Bill 4399 allows the objection period waiver.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655147

House Bill 4399: Reduce certain dredging permit fees and restrictions
Passed 34 to 1 in the Senate on March 21, 2013, to reduce the permit fees for dredging projects where 90 percent of the dredge material is shown to be sand, and allow the Department of Environmental Quality to bypass a 20-day objection period and issue permits if emergency conditions exist. This bill allows the objection period waiver, and House Bill 4400 reduces the fees.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=655148

Senate Bill 92: Impose licensure on pharmacy assistants
Passed 35 to 1 in the Senate on April 9, 2013, to impose licensure and regulation on “pharmacy technicians” (assistants), with license fees, continuing education requirements, test-taking mandates and more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=657894

Senate Bill 165: Require disclosure of medical futility policies
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on April 9, 2013, to require a hospital, health facility or agency that maintains a written policy that encourages or allows a health care professional to withhold or discontinue treatment on the grounds of “medical futility” to provide a copy of the policy to the patient or resident upon request.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=657893

House Bill 4026: Require review and posting of inter-government agreements
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on April 10, 2013, to require that before a state agency or a local government enters a cross-border memorandum of understanding, agreement, compact, or similar binding agreement with the federal government or another state, it must do a review to determine it does not exceed its authority or violate the state constitution. Information on each agreement would also be forwarded to the Attorney General (who would not be required to do anything with it) and posted on a state web site. Existing agreements that are legally binding would also have to be posted on this state website. In 2012, Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed a nearly identical bill that passed the legislature with no votes in opposition.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=658431

House Bill 4045: Revise electricians license law detail
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on April 9, 2013, to revise details of the law that imposes licensure mandates on electricians and fire alarm specialty technicians and authorizes apprenticeship programs to qualify people for these licenses. Among other things the bill would repeal a requirement that apprenticeship programs must have requirements equivalent to certain federal ones.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=657895

House Bill 4081: Authorize Alzheimer’s Association tax checkoff
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on April 10, 2013, to allow an individual to choose to automatically contribute $5 or more from his or her state income tax refund to provide grants to the Michigan Alzheimer’s Association. The checkoff would have the effect of reducing the amount of a person’s tax refund. A person not receiving a refund could use his or her tax return to contribute to the program.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=658370

House Bill 4082: Authorize Alzheimer’s association tax checkoff
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on April 10, 2013, to allow an individual to choose to automatically contribute $5 or more from his or her state income tax refund to provide grants to the Michigan Alzheimer’s Association. The checkoff would have the effect of reducing the amount of a person’s tax refund. A person not receiving a refund could use his or her tax return to contribute to the program.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=658371

House Bill 4084: Authorize Lou Gehrig’s disease income tax checkoff
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on April 10, 2013, to allow an individual to choose to automatically contribute $5 or more from his or her state income tax refund to provide government subsidies to research or clinics treating persons with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or “Lou Gehrig’s disease”). The checkoff would have the effect of reducing the amount of a person’s tax refund. A person not receiving a refund could use his or her tax return to contribute to the program.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=658372

House Bill 4085: Authorize Lou Gehrig’s disease income tax checkoff
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on April 10, 2013, to allow an individual to choose to automatically contribute $5 or more from his or her state income tax refund to provide government subsidies to research or clinics treating persons with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or “Lou Gehrig’s disease”). The checkoff would have the effect of reducing the amount of a person’s tax refund. A person not receiving a refund could use his or her tax return to contribute to the program.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=658373

House Bill 4166: Impose regulations on amateur mixed martial competitions
Passed 106 to 3 in the House on April 10, 2013, to establish sentencing guidelines for violations the Michigan amateur mixed martial arts regulatory act proposed by House Bill 4167.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=658369

House Bill 4167: Impose regulations on amateur mixed martial competitions
Passed 106 to 3 in the House on April 10, 2013, to impose impose regulations, licensure mandates and fees on amateur mixed martial arts competitions. The bill establishes a new comprehensive regulatory regime. Among other things, it would prohibit pros from participating in an amateur event, mandate licensing and fees for promoters, authorize criminal penalties for violations, mandate insuruance coverage levels, and more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=658368

House Bill 4262: Revise ban on carrying dangerous weapons
Passed 107 to 2 in the House on April 9, 2013, to revise details of the law prohibiting carrying concealed weapons “with unlawful intent.” The new language would replace references to specific types of blades with language prohibit carrying an “object designed, manufactured, or intended to be used to cause death or injury.” The bill also clarifies that the prohibition does not apply to weapons being transported to the field if they are securely encased and not readily accessible for immediate use.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=658082

Senate Bill 35: Authorize criminal penalties for nonpayment of “administrative hearing bureau” fines
Passed 35 to 1 in the Senate on April 18, 2013, to authorize additional penalties for failing to pay fines imposed by “administrative hearing bureaus” that most cities are allowed to create for enforcing “blight violations” under a 2003 law. Under that law, cities already have the power to place a lien against the property. The bill would authorize additional fines of $500, 93 days in jail for a second offense, and up to a year for a third offense.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=659555

Senate Bill 36: Authorize penalties for nonpayment of “administrative hearing bureau” fines
Passed 35 to 1 in the Senate on April 18, 2013, to allow a local government to ban giving an approval required under a local zoning ordinance to a property owner who has failed to pay fines imposed by “administrative hearing bureaus” that most cities are allowed to create for enforcing “blight violations” under a 2003 law. Under that law, cities already have the power to place a lien against the property. Senate Bill 35 would also authorize jail time for second offenses.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=659556

Senate Bill 37: Authorize penalties for nonpayment of “administrative hearing bureau” fines
Passed 35 to 1 in the Senate on April 18, 2013, to allow a local government to ban giving an approval required under a building code ordinance to a property owner who has failed to pay fines imposed by “administrative hearing bureaus” that most cities are allowed to create for enforcing “blight violations” under a 2003 law. Under that law, cities already have the power to place a lien against the property.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=659557

Senate Bill 38: Authorize wage garnishment for nonpayment of “administrative hearing bureau” fines
Passed 35 to 1 in the Senate on April 18, 2013, to allow a local government to garnish the wages of a property owner who has failed to pay fines imposed by “administrative hearing bureaus” that most cities are allowed to create for enforcing “blight violations” under a 2003 law. Under that law, cities already have the power to place a lien against the property.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=659558

Senate Bill 39: Authorize foreclosure for nonpayment of “administrative hearing bureau” fines
Passed 35 to 1 in the Senate on April 18, 2013, to allow a local government to foreclose on property owned by a person who has failed to pay fines imposed by “administrative hearing bureaus” that most cities are allowed to create for enforcing “blight violations” under a 2003 law. Under that law, cities already have the power to place a lien against the property. Senate Bill 35 would also authorize jail time for second offenses.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=659559

Senate Bill 108: Authorize a memorial highway designation
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on April 18, 2013, to designate a portion of I-94 in Kalamazoo county as the “Officer Eric Zapata Memorial Highway”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=659733

Senate Bill 218: Expand borrow-and-spend “water resource improvement authorities”
Passed 92 to 16 in the House on April 18, 2013, to eliminate the sunset on local governments creating new “water resource improvement authorities”which use extra property tax levies and “tax increment financing” schemes to divert other taxing units’ property tax revenue to cover debt service payments on debt they incur for various recreation and development projects. The bill would also expand the scope of activities and geographic limits of these entities, letting them borrow and spend for dredging among other things.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=659732

Senate Bill 243: Use constitutional “waterway fund” money for dredging
Passed 27 to 7 in the Senate on April 17, 2013, to require that, for the next three years only, at least half the money spent by a state “waterways account” (to which the state constitution earmarks certain fuel tax and water-recreation related fee revenue) for boat harbor dredging and breakwalls.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=659404

House Bill 4002: Increase interest to taxpayers owed refunds
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on April 18, 2013, to require the state to pay 3 percent in interest (annual rate) to a taxpayer who is due a tax refund because of an overpayment (including excessive “withholding”), starting 60 days after the claim is filed.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=659725

House Bill 4126: Revise horseback riding liability waiver
Passed 59 to 48 in the House on April 18, 2013, to revise a law limiting the liability of stables and equine event organizers for injury, death or property damage resulting from an inherent risk of an equine activity, by changing an exception allowing suits for “negligence” so that it instead only allows suits for “willful and wanton disregard” for participants’ safety.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=659727

House Bill 4138: Prohibit Michigan National Guard executing federal “indefinite detention”
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on April 18, 2013, to prohibit members of the Michigan National Guard or other state and local government employees from participating in the investigation, prosecution, or detention of any person under a recent federal law giving the current or a future President the power to order the indefinite detention of persons arrested on U.S. soil, without charge or trial (“section 1021 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Year 2012”).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=659734

House Bill 4147: Revise basis of public-safety “special assessment” levies
Passed 57 to 50 in the House on April 18, 2013, to allow local “special assessment” property taxes that are imposed on top of regular property taxes and earmarked for police and fire services to be levied on a flat-rate per parcel basis, rather than the assessed value of each parcel (which is called “ad valorem” in the tax laws). Special assessments were originally intended to only fund improvements that especially benefit properties within a certain “district,” but today are often imposed for core government services like public safety, and differ little from regular property taxes, except they are not subject to a vote of the people and other constitutional restrictions.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=659726

House Bill 4303: Authorize other-state funeral director license reciprocity
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on April 18, 2013, to recognize as valid in Michigan a license in the field of “mortuary science” or funeral directing issued by Indiana, Ohio, or Wisconsin that has substantially the same standards. This would apply for up to two years, when presumably the person would get a Michigan license.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=659731

House Bill 4329: Authorize other-state funeral director license reciprocity
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on April 18, 2013, to authorize fees for the “limited” funeral director license proposed by House Bill 4303.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=659729

House Bill 4330: Authorize other-state funeral director license reciprocity
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on April 18, 2013, to recognize as valid in Michigan a license in the field of “mortuary science” or funeral directing issued by Indiana, Ohio, or Wisconsin that has substantially the same standards. This would apply for up to two years, when presumably the person would get a Michigan license. House Bill 4303 contains the main part of this proposal.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=659728

House Bill 4382: Allow guardians to execute do-not-resuscitate orders
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on April 18, 2013, to revise various court procedures and definitions to reflect the guardian-signed do-not-resuscitate orders proposed by House Bill 4384.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=659730

House Bill 4383: Allow guardians to execute do-not-resuscitate orders
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on April 18, 2013, to revise statutory references to reflect the guardian-signed do-not-resuscitate orders proposed by House Bill 4384.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=659735

House Bill 4384: Allow guardians to execute do-not-resuscitate orders
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on April 18, 2013, to essentially grant the court-appointed guardian of an incapacitated person the authority to sign a do-not-resuscitate order, subject to various restrictions and procedures, including expanded provisions allowing any interested person who objects to petition for a court review. When appointing a guardian for a individual who does not have a lawyer he or she has selected, a court-appointed “guardian ad litem” would have to inform the individual that the actual guardian would have this power.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=659736

House Bill 4583: Authorize termination of parental rights upon child rape conviction
Introduced by Rep. Joel Johnson (R) on April 18, 2013, to authorize the termination of parental rights and child custody dispute visitation rights for a parent or legal guardian who is convicted and sentenced for child rape, if the sentencing court finds this “in the best interest of the child”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158647

House Bill 4584: Authorize termination of grandparent rights upon child rape conviction
Introduced by Rep. Joel Johnson (R) on April 18, 2013, to authorize the termination of any “grandparent rights” related to child custody disputes for a grandparent convicted and sentenced for child rape, if the sentencing court finds this “in the best interest of the child”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158648

House Bill 4585: Authorize paperless architect, engineer and surveyor filings
Introduced by Rep. Rob VerHeulen (R) on April 18, 2013, to authorize the use by architects, professional engineers, and surveyors of electronic versions of the official “seals” that attest their licensed status on documents that they file electronically with public authorities.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158649

House Bill 4586: Revise business tax detail
Introduced by Rep. Patrick Somerville (R) on April 18, 2013, to revise a business tax law “look-back period” detail related to the state tax filing responsibilities of business entities that previously were not required to file a tax return but then are required due to changes in state rules. See this House Fiscal Agency summary for details.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158650

House Bill 4587: Allow family member to get disabled veteran plate
Introduced by Rep. Jon Switalski (D) on April 18, 2013, to allow the spouse, parent, sibling, or child of a totally disabled armed services veteran to get a disabled veteran special license plate.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158651

House Bill 4588: Exempt police and firefighters from property tax
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on April 18, 2013, to exempt police and firefighters from property tax on their principle residence if they live in the same community in which they are employed. A 1999 law prohibited local governments from imposing residency mandates on police and firefighters, and a number of bills have been introduced since to partially repeal that preemption.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158652

House Bill 4589: Revise foster care adoption rules
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on April 18, 2013, to revise details of child foster care and adoption procedures, to among other things, prohibit the adoption of a foster care child by a foster care home or parents if they have been determined to be unsuitable to continue providing foster care.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158653

House Bill 4590: Authorize new specialty plate; give profits to particular organization
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Haveman (R) on April 18, 2013, to authorize a new specialty license plate, with the profits delivered to an entity that calls itself “First in Michigan”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158654

House Bill 4591: Exempt home monitoring system installers from electrician licensure mandate
Introduced by Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R) on April 18, 2013, to establish that an electricians license is not required for a registered or licensed security alarm provider or contractor to install a “home monitoring system,” defined as one that lets a person “remotely monitor their home through audio, video, or sensor detection systems and that may allow them to remotely control the home’s environment, including controlling temperature, humidity, lighting, doors, locks” and more.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158655

House Bill 4592: Exempt home thermostat installers from mechanical contractor licensure
Introduced by Rep. Bradford Jacobsen (R) on April 18, 2013, mandate to establish that an “mechanical contractors” license is not required for a registered or licensed security alarm provider or contractor to install a home thermostat.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158656

House Bill 4593: Expand scrap metal regulatory regime
Introduced by Rep. Paul Muxlow (R) on April 18, 2013, to expand the regulations imposed on scrap metal dealers under a 2008 law that imposed regulations and record keeping requirements on sales of nonferrous scrap metal.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158657

House Bill 4594: Expand scrap metal regulatory regime
Introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D) on April 18, 2013, to expand the scope of a 2008 law imposed regulations and record keeping requirements on dealers who buy and sell nonferrous scrap metal. The bill wood expand these to include transactions involving a larger range of items.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158658

House Bill 4595: Expand scrap metal theft law scope
Introduced by Rep. Jim Ananich (D) on April 18, 2013, to expand penalties authorized for stealing nonferrous metals such as copper, brass, aluminum, bronze, lead, zinc, or nickel, so they apply to any scrap metal theft.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158659

House Bill 4596: Revise county veterans affairs committee detail
Introduced by Rep. Sam Singh (D) on April 18, 2013, to require appointees to a county department of veterans’ affairs administration committee to be recommended by either county residents or a veterans service organization.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158660

House Bill 4597: Restrict health insurance abortion coverage
Introduced by Rep. Amanda Price (R) on April 18, 2013, to prohibit health care providers from accepting health insurance reimbursements from a health policy that covers abortion unless the coverage is added as an optional rider for which an additional premium has been paid.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158661

House Bill 4598: Prohibit coercing a woman to have an abortion
Introduced by Rep. Amanda Price (R) on April 18, 2013, to make it a crime to coerce or attempt to coerce a woman into having an abortion. In addition to potential prison for threats of violence or “stalking,” the bill authorizes penalties for acts like threatening divorce or other living arrangement changes, threatening to withhold current or promised support, etc.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158662

House Bill 4599: Prohibit coercing a woman to have an abortion
Introduced by Rep. Nancy Jenkins (R) on April 18, 2013, to establish sentencing guidelines for the penalties proposed by House Bill 4598 for attempting to coerce a woman into having an abortion.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158663

Senate Bill 182: Appropriations: K-12 School Aid budget
The amendment failed 18 to 18 in the Senate on April 24, 2013, to not use tax revenues earmarked to the state School Aid Fund in the university and community college budgets, but instead use non-earmarked revenue. Although the state constitution explicitly authorizes using SAF money for higher education, the public school establishment contends that the 1994 Proposal A initiative earmarking a sales tax increase to the SAF means it can only be used for K-12 schools.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=660910

Senate Bill 182: Appropriations: K-12 School Aid budget
Passed 21 to 15 in the Senate on April 24, 2013, the Senate version of the K-12 school aid budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct 1, 2013. It would appropriate $13.225 billion for K-12 public schools, compared to $12.944 billion this year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=660922

Senate Bill 187: Appropriations: Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
Passed 33 to 3 in the Senate on April 24, 2013, the Senate version of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs budget for the fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1, 201]. This would appropriate $162.5 million in gross spending, compared to $170.0 million the previous year. Of this, $89.7 million is from federal funds.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=660900

Senate Bill 188: Appropriations: Department of Natural Resources
Passed 26 to 10 in the Senate on April 24, 2013, the Senate version of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 2013. This would appropriate $339.8 million in gross spending, compared to $337.8 million, which was the FY 2012-2013 amount enrolled in 2012. Of this, $67.1 million is federal money, and the rest is from state taxes, fees, fines, royalties, etc..
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=660892

Senate Bill 196: Appropriations: Department of Education
Passed 24 to 12 in the Senate on April 24, 2013, the Senate version of the Department of Education budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 2012. This would appropriate $322.4 million (compared to $328.9 million the previous year), of which $232.4 million would come from the federal government.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=660908

House Bill 4228: Appropriations: “Omnibus” education budget
The substitute passed by voice vote in the House on April 23, 2013, to adopt a version of this budget that expresses the fiscal and policy preferences of the Republican-majority in the House on various spending items and programs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154242

House Bill 4228: Appropriations: “Omnibus” education budget
Passed 58 to 52 in the House on April 24, 2013, the House version of the non-education portion of the state government budget for the fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1, 2013. (House Bill 4228 contains K-12 school, college and university spending.) This would appropriate $33.918 billion, compared to $34.018 billion the previous year. Of this, $15.802 billion comes from state tax, fee and other revenue, compared to $16.149 billion the previous year. The rest of this budget is federal money ($18.116 billion, compared to $17.869 billion the previous year).
The House budget does not include spending requested by the Governor from $1.2 billion in higher transportation taxes he has recommended, or $1.5 billion from the federal health care law’s expansion of Medicaid, which would bring in more federal money in the short term but require higher state spending in a few years.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661000

House Bill 4328: Appropriations: 2013-2014 “omnibus” budget
Passed 59 to 51 in the House on April 24, 2013, the House version of the K-12 school aid, community college and university budgets for the fiscal year that begins Oct 1, 2013. A separate House budget authorizes the rest of state government spending (House Bill 4328). This bill would appropriate $13.235 billion for K-12 public schools, compared to $12.944 billion this year. It also also appropriates $1.430 billion for state universities, compared to $1.399 billion this year. Community colleges would get $334 million, vs. $294 million this year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661002

Senate Joint Resolution S: Place right to hunt and fish in Constitution
Passed 25 to 11 in the Senate on April 25, 2013.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661231

Senate Bill 185: Appropriations: State Police
Passed 33 to 3 in the Senate on April 24, 2013, the Senate version of the State Police budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2013. This would appropriate $600.6 million in gross spending, compared to $577.9 million the previous year. Of this, $98.8 million is from federal revenue.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=660898

Senate Bill 195: Appropriations: Department f Environmental Quality
Passed 29 to 7 in the Senate on April 24, 2013, the Senate version of the Department of Environmental Quality budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 2013. This would appropriate $510.6 million in gross spending, compared to $431.7 million, which was the amount appropriated the previous year. Of this, $150.9 million is federal money, and the rest is from state and local taxes and fees (including a 7/8 cent per gallon fuel tax). The large increase over the previous year’s budget is from a proposal to spend $97 million in borrowed money on grants and loans to municipalities for sewer upgrades and another $3 million for “wetland mitigation banks”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=660894

Senate Bill 201: Appropriations: Department of Agriculture
Passed 32 to 4 in the Senate on April 24, 2013, the Senate version of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 2013. This would appropriate $79.1 million in gross spending, compared to $76.9 million in the prior year’s budget. Of this, $9.7 million is federal money, and the rest is from state and local taxes and fees.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=660888

Senate Bill 288: Give NRC duty of designating huntable game species
Passed 25 to 11 in the Senate on April 25, 2013, to give the state Natural Resources Commission (in addition to the Legislature) the power to designate a species as a huntable game species. Also, to allow members of the military to obtain hunting and fishing licenses for free. The bill was changed on the floor to prohibit the commission from designating mourning doves as a game species, and to remove a modest appropriation intended to make it “referendum-proof”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661229

House Bill 4054: Revise pension in divorce case rules
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on April 24, 2013, to revise procedural details related to an “eligible domestic relations order,” which refers to a court order granting a former spouse a portion of a government employee’s pension payments.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=660901

House Bill 4093: Eliminate .08 BAC drunk driving sunset
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on April 24, 2013, to make permanent the 2003 decrease in the drunk driving intoxication threshold (from .10 to .08 grams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood) mandated by the federal government as a condition of federal road funding.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=660902

House Bill 4131: Eliminate .08 BAC drunk driving sunset
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on April 24, 2013, to eliminate the 2013 sunset on the .08 grams per 100 milliliters blood-alcohol-content (BAC) threshold for drunk driving offences. Under current law, on Oct. 1, 2013 the limit returns to .10 grams per 100 milliliters. This bill amends the state sentencing guidelines law; see also House Bill 4093.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=660903

House Bill 4471: Exempt some schools from minimum instruction days mandate
Passed 109 to 1 in the House on April 24, 2013, to revise the law that requires public schools to provide a minimum of 1,098 hours and 170 days of instruction per year, by exempting schools that closures in the 2012-2013 school year for various reasons specified in the bill.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661003

Senate Joint Resolution S: Place right to fish, hunt and trap in Constitution
Passed 25 to 11 in the Senate on April 25, 2013, to place before voters in the next general election a constitutional amendment to establish that the people have the right fish hunt and trap, and to harvest game and fish.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661231

Senate Bill 43: Revise judgeships
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on April 25, 2013, to add a circuit court judgeship and phase-out a district court judgeship in Clinton County.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661285

Senate Bill 178: Revise insurance drug pre-approval details
Passed 98 to 10 in the House on April 25, 2013, to require insurance companies that require prior authorization for prescription drug reimbursements to use a standardized prior authorization form.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661289

Senate Bill 179: Revise insurance drug pre-approval details
Passed 97 to 11 in the House on April 25, 2013, to require Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance policies that require prior authorization for prescription drug reimbursements to use a standardized prior authorization form.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661290

Senate Bill 193: Appropriations: Higher Education
The amendment failed 16 to 20 in the Senate on April 25, 2013, to not allocate a portion of each university’s money on the basis of best practices “incentive” measures.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661233

Senate Bill 193: Appropriations: Higher Education
The amendment failed 12 to 24 in the Senate on April 25, 2013, to not use tax revenues earmarked to the state School Aid Fund in the higher education budget, but instead use non-earmarked (general fund) revenue. Although the state constitution explicitly authorizes using SAF money for higher education, the public school establishment contends that the 1994 Proposal A initiative earmarking a sales tax increase to the SAF means it can only be used for K-12 schools.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661234

Senate Bill 193: Appropriations: Higher Education
Passed 21 to 15 in the Senate on April 25, 2013, the Senate version of the higher education budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2013. This would appropriate $1.430 billion in gross spending, compared to $1.399 billion the previous year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661237

Senate Bill 199: Appropriations: Community Colleges
The amendment failed 17 to 19 in the Senate on April 25, 2013, to not use tax revenues earmarked to the state School Aid Fund in community college budget, but instead use non-earmarked (general fund) revenue. Although the state constitution explicitly authorizes using SAF money for higher education, the public school establishment contends that the 1994 Proposal A initiative earmarking a sales tax increase to the SAF means it can only be used for K-12 schools.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661216

Senate Bill 199: Appropriations: Community Colleges
Passed 21 to 15 in the Senate on April 25, 2013, the Senate version of the community colleges budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 2013. This would appropriate $335.0 million in gross spending, compared to $294.1 million the previous year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661217

Senate Bill 289: Establish statutory right to hunt, fish, and take game
Passed 27 to 9 in the Senate on April 25, 2013, to establish a statutory right of individuals to hunt, fish, and take game, subject to state regulations and restrictions.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661230

House Bill 4360: Authorize sanctions for accepting welfare “bridge card” for liquor sale
Passed 107 to 1 in the House on April 25, 2013, to suspend or revoke the liquor license of a store or bar that allows a person to use a welfare or food stamp “bridge card” to buy liquor or other non-eligible merchandise.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661287

House Bill 4361: Authorize sanctions for accepting welfare “bridge card” lottery ticket sale
Passed 107 to 1 in the House on April 25, 2013, to suspend or revoke the state lottery sales license of a merchant who allows a person to use a welfare or food stamp “bridge card” to buy a lottery ticket.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661288

House Bill 4393: Revise school ballot proposal filing deadline
The substitute passed by voice vote in the House on April 24, 2013, to make the proposed deadine 12 weeks before the election instead of 15 weeks before.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=156924

House Bill 4393: Revise school ballot proposal filing deadline
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on April 25, 2013, to require a school board that wishes to submit a ballot question to the voters to adopt the resolution calling for this at least 12 weeks before the election, moving the current deadline back two weeks. Also, to require the same deadline for “metropolitan district officer” candidacy filings. Under current law the deadlines for these is 70 days.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661291

House Bill 4395: Move back deadline to place local tax and bond issues on ballot
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on April 25, 2013, to revise a community swimming pool authority to place a 1 mill public swimming pool tax on the ballot at least 12 weeks before the election, moving the current deadline back two weeks. Under current law the deadline is 70 days before the vote.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661292

House Bill 4396: Move back deadline to place local tax and bond issues on ballot
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on April 25, 2013, to require a local government to place an increased building authority debt request (“bond issue”) on the ballot at least 12 weeks before the election, moving the current deadline back two weeks. Under current law the deadline is 70 days before the vote.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661293

House Bill 4397: Move back deadline to place local tax and bond issues on ballot
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on April 25, 2013, to require a “metropolitan authority council” to place a property tax increase request on the ballot at least 12 weeks before the election, moving the current deadline back two weeks. Under current law the deadline is 70 days before the vote.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661294

House Bill 4532: Establish digital court records
Passed 106 to 2 in the House on April 25, 2013, to require all courts in the state to keep writs, processes, proceedings and records in a manner and medium to be determined by the state Supreme Court, which would include electronic records and signatures.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661286

Senate Bill 326: Allow less than unlimited auto crash injury insurance
Introduced by Sen. Virgil Smith, Jr. (D) on April 23, 2013, to allow auto insurance companies to offer limited, low-cost policies in which the personal injury protection (PIP) coverage is less than the mandatory unlimited coverage now provided by the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (and the price would be lower as well). This mandatory PIP coverage is billed as extra assessments on auto insurance bills. The bill would allow a customer to choose policies with a coverage cap of just $50,000.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158755

Senate Bill 327: Ban tax collector “quotas”
Introduced by Sen. David Robertson (R) on April 23, 2013, to establish that Department of Treasury tax collectors and third party contractors or agents are prohibited from using tax collection amount “quotas” and must apply tax laws and rules equally to all taxpayers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158756

Senate Bill 328: Impose scalp hair prosthesis (wig) insurance mandate
Introduced by Sen. Steve Bieda (D) on April 24, 2013, to impose a new coverage mandate that would require health insurance company policies that cover any kind of prosthesis to also include coverage for a scalp hair prosthesis (wig) for a person who loses their hair as a result of a medical condition or treatment, without requiring any dollar limit, deductible or co-pay for these that does not apply to other treatments.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158781

Senate Bill 329: Ease certain winery and distiller restrictions
Introduced by Sen. Dave Hildenbrand (R) on April 24, 2013, to ease current restrictions on a wine maker, distiller or brandy manufacturer possessing real estate that is occupied by another vendor, which would make these restrictions the same as ones that now apply to brewers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158782

Senate Bill 330: Increase state disaster fund deposits
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on April 24, 2013, to require the legislature to annually appropriate between $4 million and $8.5 million to a state disaster and emergency contingency fund; current statute requires between $30,000 and $750,000.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158783

Senate Bill 331: Repeal expanded emergency manager powers
Introduced by Sen. Coleman Young (D) on April 25, 2013, to repeal the 2012 law that greatly expanded the powers of emergency managers appointed by the state to reform the finances of fiscally failed school districts and municipalities.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158826

House Bill 4328: Appropriations: 2013-2014 “omnibus” budget
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 23, 2013, to accept $1.530 billion in federal money to expand Medicaid eligibility under the terms of the federal health care law (”Obamacare”). The amnendment would shift $181 million in current state health care spending onto the federal budget, making those funds available for other purposes in the short-term, but the terms of the expansion would require more money from State of Michigan taxpayers in a few years.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155924

House Bill 4328: Appropriations: 2013-2014 “omnibus” budget
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 23, 2013, to add-back $25 million in film producer subsidies that were stripped-out by another amendment, and instead increase the subsidies to $50 million.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155924

House Bill 4328: Appropriations: 2013-2014 “omnibus” budget
The amendment passed by voice vote in the House on April 23, 2013, to eliminate $25 million proposed for state film subsidies, and also to cut the amount appropriated for targeted corporate subsidies by $25 million, leaving $66.9 million in the budget for this purpose. The $50 million saved would instead be transferred to road funding. Also, to earmark any unspent appropriations at the end of the year to road projects, up to a maximum of $150 million.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155924

House Bill 4600: Exempt killed-in-service spouse from property tax
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Graves (R) on April 23, 2013, to exempt from property tax the principal residence that belongs to the spouse of a service member who was killed while serving in the military.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158764

House Bill 4601: Name a highway
Introduced by Rep. Jon Bumstead (R) on April 23, 2013, to designate a portion of US-10 in Lake County as the “Sheriff Robert Radden Memorial Highway”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158765

House Bill 4602: Reduce income tax
Introduced by Rep. Martin Howrylak (R) on April 23, 2013, to reduce the state income tax by 0.1 percent each year. The tax is currently imposed at a 4.25 percent rate.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158766

House Bill 4603: Create government sickle cell awareness campaign
Introduced by Rep. Jim Ananich (D) on April 23, 2013, to require the Department of Community Health to create a sickle cell disease public awareness campaign and to “coordinate services available” from state, federal, and voluntary sickle cell disease programs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158767

House Bill 4604: Subsidize free doctor care
Introduced by Rep. Jim Ananich (D) on April 23, 2013, to authorize a state income tax credit of up to $5,000 for free medical services donated by a physician to a patient who is not eligible for medical welfare (Medicaid). This would be a “refundable” credit, meaning that a check is sent to the taxpayer for the balance of the credit exceeding actual taxes owed.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158768

House Bill 4605: Establish that military experience meets EMT licensure requirements
Introduced by Rep. Gail Haines (R) on April 23, 2013, to establish that having recent and relevant military medical experience meets the criteria for obtaining an emergency medical technician license.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158769

House Bill 4606: Suspend truants’ drivers licenses
Introduced by Rep. Gail Haines (R) on April 23, 2013, to require courts to notify the Secretary of State of minors prosecuted for truancy, so the Secretary of State can suspend or withhold their drivers license for six months as proposed by House Bill 4607.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158770

House Bill 4607: Suspend truants’ drivers licenses
Introduced by Rep. Gail Haines (R) on April 23, 2013, to suspend for six months the drivers license of a minor who is prosecuted for “willful and repeated” school absence (or withhold a license from a minor who doesn’t have one yet).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158771

House Bill 4608: Increase registration tax on electric or alternate fuel vehicles
Introduced by Rep. Mike Shirkey (R) on April 23, 2013, to increase the annual vehicle registration tax for electric or alternate fuel vehicles, with increases ranging from $25 to $200 depending on all-electric vs. hybrid and on vehicle weight for trucks. Also, to cut the vehicle registration tax on cars with a list price under $45,000 that are over 10 years old, from 0.0036 percent of the list price annually, to 0.0024 percent.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158772

House Bill 4609: Earmark some oil and gas extraction tax to roads
Introduced by Rep. Mike Shirkey (R) on April 23, 2013, to earmark some of the revenue from oil and gas extraction severance taxes to the state road fund.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158773

House Bill 4610: Require “corporate welfare” executive drug testing
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on April 23, 2013, to require drug testing for business executives whose firms receive subsidies from the state.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158774

House Bill 4611: Increase mandate on utilities to reduce consumption
Introduced by Rep. Sam Singh (D) on April 23, 2013, to increase a mandate that requires electric and gas utilities to undertake programs intended to cause net consumption to fall each year. The bill would gradually make the mandates more stringent by requiring annual reductions of 2 percent for electricity and 1.5 percent for gas.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158775

House Bill 4612: Allow limited auto injury insurance; expand auto theft authority
Introduced by Rep. Pete Lund (R) on April 23, 2013, to allow auto insurance companies to offer policies in which the maximum coverage is $1 million. The current no-fault insurance law mandates unlimited personal injury coverage. Also, to expand the duties of a state automobile theft prevention authority to include insurance fraud. Finally, the bill would also replace a 1 percent 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, with a new $25 per vehicle annual auto insurance tax.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158776

House Bill 4613: Establish dead tenant procedures for landlords
Introduced by Rep. Margaret O’Brien (R) on April 24, 2013, to establish specific property entry procedures and notice requirements to be followed by a landlord who believes a tenant has died.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158790

House Bill 4614: Impose licensure on federal health care law “navigators”
Introduced by Rep. Mike Shirkey (R) on April 24, 2013, to impose licensure and regulation on the “navigators” authorized by the federal health care law (“Obamacare”) to assist persons applying for government-subsidized health insurance benefits through the administrative agency this law creates (called the “exchange”). The bill authorizes license fees, background checks, testing and training requirements, and more. Among other things it would prohibit an individual, firm or other entity licensed as a “navigator” from steering a person toward any particular insurance policy, as opposed to just providing information on the policies.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158791

House Bill 4615: Allow Wayne RESA tax hike votes on additional election dates
Introduced by Rep. John Walsh (R) on April 24, 2013, to repeal a provision that limits the Wayne County version of an intermediate school district (the Wayne “RESA”) to only holding a school “enhancement” millage (property tax increase) election on the statewide primary or general election dates.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158792

House Bill 4616: Waive drivers license fee for “homeless”
Introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D) on April 24, 2013, to waive the drivers license application fee for a person who is “homeless” as defined in the bill (which means the individual is getting benefits from a government or nonprofit entity).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158793

House Bill 4617: Create state “office of immigrant integration”
Introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D) on April 24, 2013, to create a state “office of immigrant integration” to study the issue, make recommendations, and provide immigrants with access to information, resources, and services to assist their integration.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158794

House Bill 4618
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on April 24, 2013, to charge in-state tuition at state universities and colleges to most resident aliens, including illegal aliens who entered the country as a child and have been granted a deferral from prosecution by an executive order styled after a proposed federal “dream act” law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158795

House Bill 4619: Authorize drivers license for “dream act” eligible aliens and more
Introduced by Rep. Sam Singh (D) on April 24, 2013, to authorize giving a drivers license to an illegal alien who has “deferred status,” which means the individual entered the country as a child and has been granted a deferral from prosecution by an executive order styled after a proposed federal “dream act” law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158796

House Bill 4620: Authorize state ID card for “dream act” eligible aliens
Introduced by Rep. Adam Zemke (D) on April 24, 2013, to authorize giving a state identification card to an illegal alien who has been granted a deferral from prosecution by an executive order styled after a proposed federal “dream act” law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158797

House Bill 4621: Create pro-illegal alien document state government commission
Introduced by Rep. Brandon Dillon (D) on April 24, 2013, to create a new state government commission to assess the economic, social, and security impact of not issuing driver licenses and state identification cards to illegal aliens.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158798

House Bill 4622: Revise drain code district procedures
Introduced by Rep. Al Pscholka (R) on April 24, 2013, to revise details of the procedures for changing drainage district boundaries (and imposing the cost of new or repaired drains on particular property owners), including notice requirements and procedures for challenging proposed changes, plus details of the drainage district’s interaction with the state transportation and agriculture departments.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158799

House Bill 4623: Repeal criminal penalties for marijuana possession
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on April 24, 2013, to repeal criminal sanctions on possession of 1 ounce or less of marijuana, and instead authorize a civil penalty of $25, and $50 to $100 for subsequent violations.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158800

House Bill 4624: Allow multi-department firefighter employment
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Haveman (R) on April 24, 2013, to prohibit fire department from prohibiting its firefighters from also working as a volunteer, part-time or paid on-call firefighter with another department, if this does not conflict with the original employment. Also, to make this issue a prohibited subject of collective bargaining between a fire department and an employee union.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158801

House Bill 4625: Base new teacher salaries primarily on student performance
Introduced by Rep. Pete Lund (R) on April 24, 2013, to require that going forward, the “primary factor” in setting compensation levels for all new public school teachers and administrators must be “job performance and job accomplishments” as determined by a “rigorous, transparent, and fair evaluation system primarily based upon student growth data as measured by assessments and other objective criteria.” Setting pay on the basis of seniority would be prohibited, and setting it on the basis of academic credentials would be restricted.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158802

House Bill 4626: Authorize land bank sanction and complaint process
Introduced by Rep. Ken Yonker (R) on April 25, 2013, to authorize administrative sanctions for a local government “land bank” that acquired tax reverted property in violation of the law authorizing these entities, and establish a complaint process whereby the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs would have to issue a written determination on a complaint filed by aggrieved party. If the ruling went against the land bank and was upheld by a circuit court, the director of the land bank would have to be fired. This relates to a recent Kent County incident in which the land bank and the local government appeared to cooperate in sidestepping a prohibition on the land bank acquiring tax reverted property before private entities had an opportunity to bid on it at a public tax auction.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158830

House Bill 4627: Exempt “domestic partner” vehicle transfer from use tax
Introduced by Rep. David E. Rutledge (D) on April 25, 2013, to expand a “use tax” exemption on the transfer of vehicles, ORVs, snowmobiles, or watercraft between family members, so that it also includes a transfer to a “domestic partner.” Use tax is levied at the same 6 percent rate as regular sales tax, but the revenue is allocated differently.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158831

House Bill 4628: Let notaries perfrom marriages
Introduced by Rep. Vicki Barnett (D) on April 25, 2013, to allow a notary public to perform marriage ceremonies.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158832

House Bill 4629: Impose extra fees on electronic billboards
Introduced by Rep. Bradford Jacobsen (R) on April 25, 2013, to amend the state billboard law to authorize extra fees for digital signs, and revise a wide range of other details of this law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158833

House Bill 4630: Increase vehicle registration taxes
Introduced by Rep. Michael McCready (R) on April 25, 2013, to increase the annual vehicle registration (license plate) tax by approximately 80 percent, with comparable increases for trucks and trailers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158834

House Bill 4631: Increase penalty on delinquent hotel convention tax
Introduced by Rep. Wayne Schmidt (R) on April 25, 2013, to require a hotel or motel owner who is late paying a room tax of up to 5 percent imposed to pay for regional marketing schemes to also pay the attorney and court costs incurred collecting the tax, in addition to the 1.5 percent “delinquency charge” and 1.5 percent per month interest charge already authorized under current law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158835

Senate Bill 97: Repeal child car seat penalty waiver provision
Passed 92 to 16 in the House on April 30, 2013, to repeal a provision of the law mandating child car seats that waives penalties for a violation if the driver gets a car seat and brings the receipts to court. The bill would allow a court to waive this fine but not require it to.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662079

Senate Bill 184: Appropriations: Department of Transportation
Passed 26 to 11 in the Senate on April 30, 2013, the Senate version of the Transportation budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 2013. This would appropriate $3.493 billion in gross spending, compared to $3.466 billion in the current fiscal year. Of this, $1.198 billion is federal money, and the rest is mostly from state motor fuel tax and vehicle registration tax revenue. The budget does not include spending requested by the Governor from $1.2 billion in higher transportation taxes he has recommended.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662061

Senate Bill 189: Appropriations: Department of Insurance and Financial Services
Passed 34 to 2 in the Senate on April 30, 2013, the Senate version of the budget for a new the Senate version of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 2013. This would appropriate $76.3 million in gross spending. Among other things the budget authorizes $12 million to reimburse insurance companies for the cost of a new autism coverage mandate the legislature imposed in 2012.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662012

Senate Bill 190: Appropriations: Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Passed 33 to 3 in the Senate on April 30, 2013, the Senate version of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 2013. This would appropriate $495.2 million in gross spending, of which $195.5 million is federal money. The creation of a new department of Insurance and Financial Services saw the transfer of $77.2 million out of this budget compared to the previous year, and the loss of a federal block grant related to government unemployment insurance programs removed another $67.1 million.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662014

Senate Bill 191: Appropriations: Judiciary budget
Passed 26 to 11 in the Senate on April 30, 2013, the Senate version of the Department of state Judiciary budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 2013. This would appropriate $273.7 million in gross spending, the same as the current year. Of this, $5.3 million is federal money, and the rest comes from state and local taxes, fees, fines, etc.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662058

Senate Bill 192: Appropriations: Department of Human Services
Passed 25 to 12 in the Senate on April 30, 2013, the Senate version of the Department of Human Services budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 2013. This would appropriate $6.045 billion in gross spending, compared to $6.552 billion, which was the amount originally authorized for the current fiscal year. Of this, $4.222 billion is federal money, and the rest is from state and local taxes and fees. The decline in proposed spending is primarily due to reduced welfare and food stamp caseloads.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662005

Senate Bill 194: Appropriations: General Government
The amendment passed by voice vote in the Senate on April 30, 2013, to delete a provision setting aside $103 million out of the $1.5 billion in extra federal money the state would collect from accepting the federal health care law’s expansion of Medicaid, which would bring in more federal money in the short term but require higher state spending in a few years. As passed by the Senate, this budget does not appropriate money for this “Obamacare” Medicaid expansion.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154628

Senate Bill 194: Appropriations: General Government
The amendment passed by voice vote in the Senate on April 30, 2013, to increase spending on various programs, including an additional $25 million on state subsidies to film producers, raising the total amount for that to $50 million in the next fiscal year.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154628

Senate Bill 194: Appropriations: General Government
The motion passed by voice vote in the Senate on April 30, 2013, the vote by which the fifth set of amendments offered by Senator Johnson were not adopted. These included increases spending on various programs, including an additional $25 million on state subsidies to film producers, raising the total amount for that to $50 million in the next fiscal year.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154628

Senate Bill 194: Appropriations: General Government
The amendment failed 12 to 25 in the Senate on April 30, 2013, to require that all money spent by the “Michigan Strategic Fund” must be actually appropriated by the Legislature. This agency oversees both government job training programs and the state “economic development” apparatus that delivers selective corporate tax breaks and subsidies to particular firms. Under current law, state revenue from Indian casino agreements goes directly to the Strategic Fund with no legislative vote or approval required.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662044

Senate Bill 194: Appropriations: General Government
Passed 21 to 16 in the Senate on April 30, 2013, the Senate version of the General Government budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 2013, which funds legislature, the executive office, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Treasury, Department of Civil Rights, the Department of Technology, Management, and Budget, and various other state agencies. This would appropriate $4.447 billion in gross spending, of which $700.0 million is federal money. $1.117 billion of this budget is paid out in revenue sharing to local governments.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662055

Senate Bill 197: Appropriations: Department of Corrections
The amendment failed 11 to 26 in the Senate on April 30, 2013, to strip out provisions authorizing privatization of prison food service and possibly a prison itself.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662009

Senate Bill 219: Designate veteran status on state ID card if requested
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on April 30, 2013, to require the Secretary of State to designate on state identification cards whether the card holder is a military veteran, if this is requested by a veteran who has specified documents proving this status.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662080

House Bill 4458: Prohibit TIFA “capture” of Detroit Zoo or Arts tax money
Passed 104 to 4 in the House on April 30, 2013, to prohibit the “capture” by a Tax Increment Finance Authority of regional property taxes imposed to subsidize the Detroit Zoo and the Detroit Institute for the Arts.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662081

House Bill 4459: Prohibit TIFA “capture” of Detroit Zoo or Arts tax money
Passed 105 to 4 in the House on April 30, 2013, to prohibit the “capture” by a Downtown Development Authority’s tax increment finance scheme of regional property taxes imposed to subsidize the Detroit Zoo and the Detroit Institute for the Arts.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662082

House Bill 4460: Prohibit TIFA “capture” of Detroit Zoo or Arts tax money
Passed 105 to 4 in the House on April 30, 2013, to prohibit the “capture” by a Brownfield Development Authority’s tax increment finance scheme of regional property taxes imposed to subsidize the Detroit Zoo and the Detroit Institute for the Arts.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662083

House Bill 4461: Prohibit TIFA “capture” of Detroit Zoo or Arts tax money
Passed 105 to 4 in the House on April 30, 2013, to prohibit the “capture” by a local development financing authority’s tax increment finance scheme of regional property taxes imposed to subsidize the Detroit Zoo and the Detroit Institute for the Arts.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662084

House Bill 4462: Prohibit TIFA “capture” of Detroit Zoo or Arts tax money
Passed 105 to 4 in the House on April 30, 2013, to prohibit the “capture” by a “corridor improvement” authority’s tax increment finance scheme of regional property taxes imposed to subsidize the Detroit Zoo and the Detroit Institute for the Arts.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662085

House Bill 4463: Prohibit TIFA “capture” of Detroit Zoo or Arts tax money
Passed 105 to 4 in the House on April 30, 2013, to prohibit the “capture” by a tax increment finance scheme created to subsidize a local “street railway system” of regional property taxes imposed to subsidize the Detroit Zoo and the Detroit Institute for the Arts.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662086

House Bill 4464: Prohibit TIFA “capture” of Detroit Zoo or Arts tax money
Passed 105 to 4 in the House on April 30, 2013, to prohibit the “capture” by a tax increment finance scheme used to pay for public facilities of regional property taxes imposed to subsidize the Detroit Zoo and the Detroit Institute for the Arts.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662087

Senate Bill 25: Revise principal residence property tax exemption appeal detail
Passed 35 to 0 in the Senate on May 2, 2013, to provide property owners with a process to appeal to the Department of Treasury for any year that a principal residence property tax exemption was erroneously not applied, regardless of when the exemption was claimed. Under current law appeals can only cover the past three years.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662259

Senate Bill 29: Mandate “bittering agents” in antifreeze
Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate on May 1, 2013, to mandate that antifreeze engine coolant sold at retail in Michigan must have a “bittering agent” added to make it unpalatable to children, dogs and other animals (who are attracted by the sweet taste of antifreeze, a deadly poison).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662155

Senate Bill 221: Increase sex offender registry fees
Passed 33 to 2 in the Senate on May 2, 2013, to require individuals on the public sex offender registry to pay $50 each year, rather than just a one-time $50 fee.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662258

Senate Bill 288: Give NRC duty of designating huntable game species
Passed 72 to 38 in the House on May 2, 2013, to give the state Natural Resources Commission (in addition to the Legislature) the power to designate a species as a huntable game species. Also, to allow members of the military to obtain hunting and fishing licenses for free. The bill was changed on the floor to prohibit the commission from designating mourning doves as a game species, and to remove a modest appropriation intended to make it “referendum-proof”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662322

House Bill 4037: Designate veteran status on drivers license if requested
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on May 1, 2013, to require the Secretary of State to designate on drivers licenses whether the driver is a military veteran, if this is requested by a veteran who has specified documents proving this status.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662156

House Bill 4118: Require drug testing of welfare applicants
Passed 77 to 33 in the House on May 1, 2013, to require drug testing of state welfare benefit recipients or applicants if an “empirical screening tool” indicates a reasonable suspicion, and prohibit benefits for six months if a person tests positive a second time (or refuses “treatment” the first time). This would begin as a one-year pilot program in three counties.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662227

House Bill 4228: Appropriations: “Omnibus” education budget
Passed 25 to 12 in the Senate on May 1, 2013, to send the bill back to the House “stripped” of all actual appropriations. This vote is basically a procedural method of launching negotiations to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662157

House Bill 4290: Require disclosure of Department of Treasury audit procedures
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on May 2, 2013, to require the Department of Treasury to publish and post online all audit manuals including training manuals, plus all internal policy statements, bulletins, memos, or other documents.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662324

House Bill 4291: Require full tax audit details be given to audit target
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on May 2, 2013, to require the Department of Treasury to provide a person or business who has been audited with a complete copy of the audit work papers, findings, and all the correspondence and documentation which formed a basis for audit determinations. Also, to require such audits to conform with standards the department would have to establish within one year, covering audit evidence, understanding of the audited entity, documentation and much more. The bill is part of a package of reforms related to business complaints regarding state audit procedures.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662325

House Bill 4328: Appropriations: 2013-2014 “omnibus” budget
Passed 26 to 11 in the Senate on May 1, 2013, to send the bill back to the House “stripped” of all actual appropriations. This vote is basically a procedural method of launching negotiations to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662158

House Bill 4388: Ban welfare benefits for truancy scofflaws
Passed 78 to 32 in the House on May 1, 2013, to require welfare recipients who have school age children to ensure the children attend school or else lose benefits, and require the state welfare agency to promulgate rules to make it so. If the child is age 16 or 17 he or she would be “removed” from the welfare “program group,” meaning the family and/or household.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662225

House Bill 4528: Revise “immigration clerical assistant” registration
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on May 1, 2013, to revise details of a 2004 law that imposed registration requirements on “immigration clerical assistants.” The bill would eliminate a duty of the state to maintain a list of these individuals and authorize triple damages for lawsuits against them.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=662226

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