Posted on 12/09/2012 5:00:49 AM PST by cripplecreek
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.
House Bill 4694: Authorize “mental health courts”
Introduced by Rep. Kevin Cotter (R) on May 7, 2013, to authorize a type of alternative judicial proceeding for mentally disturbed or disabled individuals who commit minor crimes, similar to the state “drug courts” for minor drug use crimes. These “mental health” courts would allow dismissal of charges if the individual agrees to and abides by an agreement that includes a prescribed mental health treatment program. This bill establishes criteria for a defendant being allowed to participate; it is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4694 to 4697.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159151
House Bill 4695: Authorize “mental health courts”
Introduced by Rep. Gail Haines (R) on May 7, 2013, to authorize a type of alternative judicial proceeding for mentally disturbed or disabled individuals who commit minor crimes, similar to the state “drug courts” for minor drug use crimes. These “mental health” courts would allow dismissal of charges if the individual agrees to and abides by a prescribed mental health treatment program.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159152
House Bill 4696: Authorize “mental health courts”
Introduced by Rep. John Walsh (R) on May 7, 2013, to authorize a type of alternative judicial proceeding for mentally disturbed or disabled individuals who commit minor crimes, similar to the state “drug courts” for minor drug use crimes. These “mental health” courts would allow dismissal of charges if the individual agrees to and abides by a prescribed mental health treatment program. This bill establishes procedures and duties for both the defendant and the court, including making available and accepting related mental health services; it is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4694 to 4697.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159153
House Bill 4697: Authorize “mental health courts”
Introduced by Rep. Margaret O’Brien (R) on May 7, 2013, to authorize a type of alternative judicial proceeding for mentally disturbed or disabled individuals who commit minor crimes, similar to the state “drug courts” for minor drug use crimes. These “mental health” courts would allow dismissal of charges if the individual agrees to and abides by a prescribed mental health treatment program. This bill would require the state court administrative office to establish standards for such courts, and reporting requirements for the courts themselves; it is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4694 to 4697.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159154
House Bill 4698: Exempt disabled veteran’s home from property tax
Introduced by Rep. Scott Dianda (D) on May 7, 2013, to exempt the principal residence of a totally disabled veteran from property tax.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159155
House Bill 4699: Create scrap metal theft offenders registry
Introduced by Rep. Eileen Kowall (R) on May 7, 2013, to require an individual convicted for stealing scrap metal and related offenses to register on a state “scrap metal offenders registry” and pay an extra $50 for this. Scrap metal dealers would have to check sellers against this registry before buying metal from them, and would have a $1 fee per transaction imposed on their scrap metal purchases.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159156
House Bill 4700: Create scrap metal theft offenders registry
Introduced by Rep. Phil Cavanagh (D) on May 7, 2013, to revoke the parole of a convicted criminal who is on the “scrap metal offenders registry” proposed by House Bill 4699 and who tries to sell stolen scrap metal to a dealer.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159157
House Bill 4701: Create scrap metal theft offenders registry
Introduced by Rep. Eileen Kowall (R) on May 7, 2013, to revoke the “youthful trainee status” (deferred sentence or parole) for a minor who is on the “scrap metal offenders registry” proposed by House Bill 4699 and who tries to sell stolen scrap metal to a dealer.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159158
House Bill 4702: Require telecom equipment on utility pole report
Introduced by Rep. Ray Franz (R) on May 7, 2013, to require the state Public Service Commission to produce a report on the rates charged to telecommunications providers to attach equipment to utility poles.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159159
House Bill 4703: Revise unclaimed property law details
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Farrington (R) on May 7, 2013, to establish an appeals process for holders of unclaimed property who are found under administrative procedures to have under-reported the amount of unclaimed or abandoned property.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159160
House Bill 4704: Restrict legal challenges to county budget
Introduced by Rep. Peter Pettalia (R) on May 7, 2013, to restrict legal challenges to the spending levels in a county’s annual budget, establishing that only the county’s chief administrative officer has standing to bring such a challenge in court. Recent news reports have described a legal complaint by the Wayne County Prosecutor over the amount of money the county board appropriated for the prosecutor’s office.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159161
House Bill 4706: Mandate Michigan employers provide paid sick leave
Introduced by Rep. Rudy Hobbs (D) on May 8, 2013, to mandate that employers grant employees one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours annually for small businesses, and 72 hours annually for larger employers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159211
House Bill 4707: Revise privatization procedural detail
Introduced by Rep. Greg MacMaster (R) on May 9, 2013, to require that if a state agency solicits bids from contractors to privatize services that are currently provided by state employees, it must disclose the current actual costs of providing the service, including all labor costs, retirement and other obligations, and associated administrative costs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159301
House Bill 4708: Revise hazardous material regulatory regime detail
Introduced by Rep. Eileen Kowall (R) on May 9, 2013, to replace one state fund created to hold and disburse fee and fine revenue related to hazardous material permit mandates and regulations with another state fund.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159302
House Bill 4709: Revise beer brewer regulations
Introduced by Rep. Kevin Cotter (R) on May 9, 2013, to increase the maximum production level that subjects a brewer to state “microbrewer” regulations (vs. regular brewer regulations), from 30,000 barrels annually to 60,000.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159303
House Bill 4710: Revise beer brewer regulations
Introduced by Rep. Peter MacGregor (R) on May 9, 2013, to increase the number of “brewpubs” in which a single owner can have an interest, from three to six, with a maximum capacity between them of 18,000 barrels of beer per calendar year.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159304
House Bill 4711: Revise beer brewer regulations
Introduced by Rep. Andy Schor (D) on May 9, 2013, to revise a law that prohibits a brewer from having more than one brewery in the state that sells beer at retail for off-premises consumption. The bill appears to increase this to two, and to extend the same opportunity to microbrewers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159305
House Bill 4712: Revise high school graduation language requirement
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on May 9, 2013, to revise the foreign language requirement in the high school graduation requirements adopted in a 2006 law. The bill would increase this from two to four credits, but allow two of these to be granted for a “combination of other learning experiences and credits” that the state Department of Education deems to be “substantially equivalent”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159306
House Bill 4713: Require schools to post emergency drill info on website
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Graves (R) on May 9, 2013, to require public schools to post documentation of completed school safety drills on their websites within five business days, with details including whether the drill was a fire drill or a “lockdown” drill.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159307
Senate Bill 350: Authorize, regulate electronic billboards
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on May 7, 2013, to amend the state billboard law to authorize regulation of digital signs, and revise a wide range of other details of this law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159140
Senate Bill 351: Clarify fertilizer use restrictions
Introduced by Sen. Arlan Meekhof (R) on May 7, 2013, to clarify that use of fertilizers and other soil conditioners which follows “generally accepted” agricultural and management practices at the time of use does not constitute a “release” of hazardous substances in violation of state regulations.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159141
Senate Bill 352
Introduced by Sen. Dave Hildenbrand (R) on May 7, 2013, Exempt disabled veteran’s home from property tax to exempt the principal residence of a totally disabled veteran from property tax.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159142
Senate Bill 353: Cut state airport parking tax
Introduced by Sen. Joe Hune (R) on May 7, 2013, to reduce a 27 percent state airport parking tax to 6 percent.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159143
Senate Bill 354: Revise dog and cat euthanasia regulations
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on May 8, 2013, to require an animal control or protection shelter to use only injections of a commercially prepared solution for euthanizing a dog or cat.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159177
Senate Bill 355: Create annual “Korean American Day”
Introduced by Sen. Hoon-Yung Hopgood (D) on May 9, 2013, to enact a new law that would establish Jan. 13 of each year as “Korean American Day”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159292
Senate Bill 356: Establish annual state “Fred Korematsu Day”
Introduced by Sen. Hoon-Yung Hopgood (D) on May 9, 2013, to designate January 30 as “Fred Korematsu Day” in the state of Michigan. Korematsu was an American-born citizen of Japanese descent who resisted the internment of Japanese Americans in World War II.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159293
Senate Bill 357: Revise corporation voting share detail
Introduced by Sen. John Pappageorge (R) on May 9, 2013, to revise details of when shares of a corporation are considered to be “beneficially owned” for purposes of exercising the voting rights associated with those shares. Specifically, the bill would establish that shares are not “beneficially owned” by a person unless the corporation’s board passes a resolution to that effect before the person acquires the share.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159294
Senate Bill 358: Authorize certain manufacturing & mining electrician licensure exemptions
Introduced by Sen. Arlan Meekhof (R) on May 9, 2013, to exclude certain work in manufacturing and mining operations, or at an “independent power producer” facility, from a state licensure mandate that prohibits an individual from earning a living as an electrician without a state license (which among other things requires at least four years of apprenticeship in which 8,000 hours of experience must be accumulated).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159295
Senate Bill 359: Require license plates be made with digital printing
Introduced by Sen. Darwin Booher (R) on May 14, 2013, to require the Secretary of State to use a digital printing method to create all standard design license plates.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159378
Senate Bill 360
Introduced by Sen. Goeff Hansen (R) on May 14, 2013, Revise business trailer registration tax detail to change the expiration date for the registration (license plate or tab) issued to a trailer or semitrailer owned by a business, to January 1 instead of the last day of February. The expiration date for a registration issued to other commercial vehicles would continue to be the last day of February. For pickup trucks or vans owned by individuals, registrations would still expire on the owners birthday.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159379
House Bill 4635: Ban insurance ownership of body shop
Introduced by Rep. Greg MacMaster (R) on April 30, 2013, to prohibit auto insurance companies from owning auto repair shops. The bill also prohibits an auto insurance provider from requiring an insured customer to use a particular shop, or having a “preferred facility” list, or requiring repairs that use “non-original” parts, and more.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158943
House Bill 4636: Clarify criminal restitution detail
Introduced by Rep. Tom Leonard (R) on April 30, 2013, to clarify wording in a law that requires convicted criminals to pay restitution to the victim, or if the victim dies, to his or her estate.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158944
House Bill 4637: Allow communities to opt-out of regional transit authority (and tax)
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on April 30, 2013, to allow local communities and counties to withdraw from the Detroit area regional transportation authority created by a 2012 law, and presumably from the extra property and vehicle taxes this authority is authorized to impose. Withdrawal would require a two-thirds vote of the local governing body.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158945
House Bill 4638: Revise deed recording detail
Introduced by Rep. Peter Pettalia (R) on April 30, 2013, to establish a legal presumption that a property conveyance (deed or easement) recorded with the county register of deeds is valid if the conveyance meets the statutory requirements proposed by House Bill 4640, and other legal requirements.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158946
House Bill 4639: Revise deed recording detail
Introduced by Rep. Marilyn Lane (D) on April 30, 2013, to revise the law requiring registers of deeds to maintain an index of recorded deeds and related instruments, so that it conforms with the provisions proposed by House Bill 4640.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158947
House Bill 4640: Revise deed recording detail
Introduced by Rep. Peter Pettalia (R) on April 30, 2013, to establish standards for the affidavit that is required when recording an unrecorded property conveyance (deed or easement) with the county register of deeds.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158948
House Bill 4641: Prohibit occupational licensure exceeding public health and safety interest
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on April 30, 2013, to prohibit the state or local governments from imposing a form of occupational licensure, registration, certification, bond-posting, inspection mandate or other restriction on an individual seeking to perform a lawful occupation, if it is more restrictive than required for public health and safety. Instead, governments would be allowed only to impose the “least restrictive” burden required for public health and safety. Individuals would have a right to sue if an occupational regulation excessively burdens their right to earn a living in a lawful occupation.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158949
House Bill 4642: Repeal striking workers replacement ad disclosure mandate
Introduced by Rep. Amanda Price (R) on April 30, 2013, to repeal a law that prohibits an employer from soliciting or advertising for replacements for striking workers unless the solicitation discloses that there is a strike.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158950
House Bill 4643: Establish legal recourse for target of illegal union picket
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on April 30, 2013, to revise a law that makes it illegal to picket a business for purposes of blocking access to individuals doing or seeking work there. The bill would allow an employer to ask for a court injunction to stop the picketing, and a union that disobeyed the injunction could be fined $10,000 per day, and $1,000 for individuals.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158951
House Bill 4644: End state subsidies to film producers
Introduced by Rep. Joel Johnson (R) on April 30, 2013, to sunset the 2008 law authorizing state subsidies for film producers and facilities, as of Oct. 1, 2013.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158952
House Bill 4645: Require headlights on all the time in rain
Introduced by Rep. George T. Darany (D) on April 30, 2013, to require the use of headlights while driving whenever it is raining or snowing enough to require the use of windshield wipers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158953
House Bill 4646: Revise child adoption/placement details
Introduced by Rep. Mike Shirkey (R) on April 30, 2013, to authorize and specify procedures under which a parent could execute an out-of-court consent to an adoption after the child’s birth.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158954
House Bill 4647: Revise child adoption/placement details
Introduced by Rep. Margaret O’Brien (R) on April 30, 2013, to establish that three months after formal an adoption placement of adoptee who is less than one year old, a court could enter an order of adoption, unless it determined that circumstances had arisen that make adoption undesirable.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158955
House Bill 4648: Revise child adoption/placement details
Introduced by Rep. Kenneth Kurtz (R) on April 30, 2013, to revise details of a law that describes when parental rights can be terminated and when they cannot, so as to establish procedures for when the parental rights of a mother have not been officially terminated, and the court finds that the best interest of the child would be served by granting custody to the putative father.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158956
House Bill 4649: Create foster care parents “bill of rights”
Introduced by Rep. Kevin Cotter (R) on April 30, 2013, to create a foster care parents “bill of rights” that among other things would require state authorities to provide “timely financial reimbursement for foster children in the foster parent’s care,” a “fair, timely, and impartial investigation of complaints concerning the foster parent’s licensure,” due process during any investigation, and more.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158957
House Bill 4650: Create foster care parents “bill of rights”
Introduced by Rep. Ben Glardon (R) on April 30, 2013, to give the state “children’s ombudsman” the duty of investigating matters related to the proposal in House Bill 4649 to create a foster care parents “bill of rights”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158958
House Bill 4651: Further restrict commercial smoking ban exemptions
Introduced by Rep. Sam Singh (D) on April 30, 2013, to revise the exemption of“cigar bars” and tobacco specialty retail stores from the 2009 law that prohibits a business owner from choosing whether to allow smoking in his or her establishment. Under the bill, these exemptions could not be transferred from an existing cigar bar or specialty store to any other. Also, if one of these establishments moved, it would lose the exemption unless the governing body of the new location approves it.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158959
House Bill 4705: Require tax “refund” from school district that collected tax for retired debt
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on May 7, 2013, to require a school district that collected a property tax millage for bonds that were already paid off (retired) to transfer excess revenue collected to the state, and to credit the overcharged revenue against the state school property tax liability of property owners in the district.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159162
House Bill 4714: Accept federal health care law Medicaid expansion, with conditions
Introduced by Rep. Matt Lori (R) on May 9, 2013, to expand Medicaid eligibility to families and childless adults up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, but make this contingent on the federal government allowing the state to implement specified Medicaid reforms. Under the federal health care law (aka “Obamacare”), expansion was originally mandatory for states, but the Supreme Court ruled it can only be optional for states. Under current provisions, the feds are supposed to pay 100 percent of the expansion’s cost during the first three years (not counting administration costs), with the state responsible for not more than 10 percent of the costs starting in 2020.
In its current form, the reforms required by the bill appear to be “poison pill” ones the Obama administration would not approve. They include: A four year cap on Medicaid benefits for non-disabled adults; a requirement that non-disabled adult beneficiaries must contribute “up to” 5 percent of their income as deductibles, copays, etc.; allow Health Savings Accounts for non-disabled adult beneficiaries; allow non-disabled adults to choose a “contracted health plan” through the agency styled as the “exchange” (most Michigan Medicaid recipients are already enrolled in contracted managed-care plans, so without the other reforms this would not appear to represent a significant change in the status quo); allow the state to impose “healthy behavior incentives” on non-disabled adults; require the federal government to permanently assume 100 percent of the state’s expansion-related costs (the language is unclear as to whether this applies to administrative or benefit costs, and sponsors say their intent is the latter).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159308
Senate Bill 16: Authorize wildlife violation compact enforcement
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on May 14, 2013, to require and establish procedures for the Department of Natural Resources to enforce the terms of a multi-state Wildlife Violator Compact, including suspending the hunting and fishing privileges of a Michigan resident who was suspended by another member state for violations there; and also authorize the department to either withdraw from the compact or adopt amendments under the compact’s provisions for doing so. Among other things, the compact requires participating states to treat residents and nonresidents alike in issuing citations for wildlife law violations.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=663923
Senate Bill 284: Revise home heating welfare program
Passed 35 to 3 in the Senate on May 14, 2013, to create a state fund to receive and redistribute up to $60 million annually from customer surcharges on electricity bills to low income households as home heating subsidies.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=663889
House Bill 4069: Expand forest property tax breaks
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on May 14, 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=663886
House Bill 4242: Raise burden of proof to justify new government regulations
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on May 14, 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”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=663925
House Bill 4243: Revise forest property tax breaks
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on May 14, 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=663887
House Bill 4244: Revise forest property tax breaks
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on May 14, 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=663888
House Bill 4471: Exempt some schools from minimum instruction days mandate
Passed 34 to 1 in the Senate on May 9, 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=663619
House Bill 4574: Require funeral home buyers honor prepaid funeral contracts
The amendment passed by voice vote in the House on May 9, 2013, to establish that if passed the bill will go into effect 90 days after it is enacted.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158665
House Bill 4574: Require funeral home buyers honor prepaid funeral contracts
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on May 14, 2013, to require the buyer of a licensed funeral establishment to assume the previous owner’s commitments under existing prepaid funeral contracts.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=663926
House Bill 4586: Revise business tax detail
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on May 14, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=663924
Senate Bill 361: Codify “metes and bounds” description of state boundaries
Introduced by Sen. Darwin Booher (R) on May 15, 2013, to place in statute a precise “metes and bounds” type description of the boundaries of the State of Michigan, which also includes references to historical treaties.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159426
Senate Bill 362: Revise boxing and “mixed martial arts” regulation
Introduced by Sen. David Robertson (R) on May 16, 2013, to revise details of a comprehensive regulatory regime imposed by a 2004 law on professional boxing and “mixed martial arts” competitions. Among other things the bill would allow the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs to increase future licensure fees on contestants, referees, judges, physicians, matchmakers, timekeepers, contestants, and promoters without further authorization from the legislature.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159458
Senate Bill 363: Revise boxing and “mixed martial arts” regulation
Introduced by Sen. David Robertson (R) on May 16, 2013, to extend a waiver of liability for a medical professional who renders emergency care at a licensed boxing or mixed marital arts contest or event, except for gross negligence or willful and wanton misconduct.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159459
House Bill 4633: Require license plates be made with digital printing
Introduced by Rep. Wayne Schmidt (R) on April 25, 2013, to require Secretary of State use a digital printing method to create all standard design license plates.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158837
House Bill 4634: Revise business trailer registration tax detail
Introduced by Rep. Wayne Schmidt (R) on April 25, 2013, to change the expiration date for the registration (license plate or tab) issued to a trailer or semitrailer owned by a business to January 1, instead of the last day of February. The expiration date for a registration issued to other commercial vehicles would continue to be the last day of February. For pickup trucks or vans owned by individual, registrations would still expire on the owners birthday.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158838
House Bill 4715: Ban felons having ammo
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on May 14, 2013, to extend current prohibitions on certain convicted felons having a gun, so that their possession of ammunition is also banned.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159384
House Bill 4716: Ban felons having ammo
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Graves (R) on May 14, 2013, to revise the state sentencing guidelines to reflect the prohibition proposed by House Bill 4715 on convicted felons possessing ammunition.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159385
House Bill 4717: Ban felons having ammo
Introduced by Rep. Klint Kesto (R) on May 14, 2013, to revise a reference in the law allowing a convicted felon to petition for the restoration of his or her right to possess a gun, to reflect the proposal in House Bill 4715 to also prohibit convicted felons whose rights have been suspended from possessing ammunition.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159386
House Bill 4718: Ban insurance ownership of body shop
Introduced by Rep. Brain Banks (D) on May 14, 2013, to prohibit auto insurance companies from owning auto repair shops. The bill also prohibits an auto insurance provider from requiring an insured customer to use a particular shop, or having a “preferred facility” list.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159387
House Bill 4719: Ban unreasonable unattendedness of children
Introduced by Rep. Sean McCann (D) on May 14, 2013, to revise a 2008 law that made it a crime to leave a child unattended in a vehicle for a period of time that a reasonable person would determine poses a risk of harm or injury. The bill would apply the same reasonableness standard and penalties to leaving a child in any location.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159388
House Bill 4720: Ban unreasonable unattendedness of children
Introduced by Rep. Sean McCann (D) on May 14, 2013, to revise the state sentencing guidelines to reflect the criminal sanctions proposed by House Bill 4719 for leaving a child unattended in any location (not just a vehicle) for a period of time that a reasonable person would determine poses a risk of harm or injury.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159389
House Bill 4721: Require “comprehensive sexuality” classes in public schools
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on May 14, 2013, to require public schools to offer sex education classes that include “comprehensive sexuality education that is medically accurate and age-appropriate for all grade levels”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159390
House Bill 4722: Require government “morning after” pill information campaign
Introduced by Rep. Marcia Hovey-Wright (D) on May 14, 2013, to require the Department of Community Health to disseminate specified information about “emergency contraceptives” (the “morning after” pill) to the public, health care professionals and facilities, various agencies and more.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159391
House Bill 4723: Expand ticket points-avoiding driver course eligibility
Introduced by Rep. Kevin Daley (R) on May 14, 2013, to revise a 2008 law that lets an individual cited for a minor moving traffic violation (with some exceptions) to avoid getting drivers license “points” by taking a driver improvement course. Under current law a person can only do this one time, and the bill would change this to once every three years.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159392
House Bill 4724: Exclude veterans disability payments from divorce settlement
Introduced by Rep. Ray Franz (R) on May 14, 2013, to exclude a veteran’s service-related disability compensation from being included in a divorce-related property division or child support determination.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159393
House Bill 4725: Authorize charter boarding school for low income students
Introduced by Rep. John Olumba (D) on May 14, 2013, to allow charter schools to operate residential boarding schools for “at-risk” youth (meaning ones whose low family income makes them eligible for free or reduced price federal school lunch programs). Money for this would come out of the state welfare budget rather than the school aid budget.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159394
House Bill 4726: Increase workers comp funeral allowance
Introduced by Rep. Theresa Abed (D) on May 14, 2013, to increase the amount of funeral and burial expense an employer is liable for under the state workers compensation law, from $6,000 to $8,500.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159395
House Bill 4727: Mandate school “cyberbully” policies
Introduced by Rep. Theresa Abed (D) on May 14, 2013, to revise the 2011 law mandating that schools adopt anti-“bullying” policies, to also mandate that their policies address “cyberbullying.” Also, to require schools to annually file reports on “bullying” incidents to the state.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159396
House Bill 4728: Ban release of advanced utility meter customer info
Introduced by Rep. Amanda Price (R) on May 14, 2013, to prohibit utilities from selling, sharing or disclosing a residential customer’s energy use data, and require advanced utility meters that communicate by wireless networking technology to be encrypted so data cannot be intercepted. The bill would also prohibit a utility from using advanced meter data to communicate a residential customer’s name, social security number, address, or other identifying information.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159397
House Bill 4729: Formalize statewide “intrastate Michigan emergency management assistance agreement”
Introduced by Rep. Dale W. Zorn (R) on May 14, 2013, to automatically enter all local governments into a statewide “intrastate Michigan emergency management assistance agreement,” unless a community’s governing body passes a resolution against participating. The agreement would formalize mutual aid procedures and obligations (and limitations on obligations) for locally declared emergencies, serious threats to public health and safety, etc.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159398
House Bill 4730: Require more and expedited state tax data disclosure
Introduced by Rep. Frank Foster (R) on May 14, 2013, to legislature to require, rather than just allow, the Department of Treasury to disclose information on tax returns requested by the legislature, if this only contains statistical and economic information that would not directly or indirectly identify a particular taxpayer. The bill would also require it disclose department “revenue estimating methodologies, data, and information.” Also, to require the department to respond to requests from the legislature within five days.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159399
House Bill 4731: Waive commercial road test for certain recent veterans
Introduced by Rep. Ray Franz (R) on May 14, 2013, to waive a required state examination for meeting firefighter professional qualification standards, if an applicant is a recent military veteran with relevant experience.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159400
House Bill 4732: Exempt roadside farm stands from building permit mandates
Introduced by Rep. Greg MacMaster (R) on May 15, 2013, to exempt roadside farm stands from building code regulations and permit requirements.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159432
House Bill 4733: Define breastfeeding woman as civil rights “protected class”
Introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D) on May 15, 2013, to include a woman who is breastfeeding in the protected classes in the state civil rights law. The bill would prohibit denying a breastfeeding woman “the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of a place of public accommodation,” and prohibit these places from having or posting a policy that a breastfeeding woman’s patronage or presence is “objectionable, unwelcome, unacceptable, or undesirable”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159433
House Bill 4734: Require Civil Rights Department reimburse school mascot replacement costs
Introduced by Rep. Robert Genetski (R) on May 15, 2013, to transfer $3 million from the Department of Civil Rights budget to local school districts, “to reimburse them for the cost of mascots, uniforms, signage, billboards, gym resurfacing, flags, and other expenses that are made necessary as a direct result of the complaint” the department filed with the U.S. Department of Education over the use by schools of American Indian-related “mascots” or nicknames (such as “Braves” or “Chiefs”).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159434
House Bill 4735: Require Civil Rights Department reimburse school mascot replacement costs
Introduced by Rep. Dan Lauwers (R) on May 15, 2013, to transfer $3 million from the Department of Civil Rights budget to local school districts, “to reimburse them for the cost of mascots, uniforms, signage, billboards, gym resurfacing, flags, and other expenses that are made necessary as a direct result of the complaint” the department filed with the U.S. Department of Education over the use by schools of American Indian-related “mascots” or nicknames (such as “Braves” or “Chiefs”).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159435
House Bill 4736: Authorize sexually transmitted disease “expedited partner therapy”
Introduced by Rep. George T. Darany (D) on May 15, 2013, to authorize the use of “expedited partner therapy” to limit the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, which means a health professional giving a person diagnosed with gonorrhea or chlamydia a single-dose antibiotic for the partner who has not been seen by the health professional. The bill would also extend limited legal immunity to health professionals providing this, except for gross negligence.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159436
House Bill 4737: Don’t require building permit for “home monitoring systems”
Introduced by Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R) on May 15, 2013, to establish that the state building code requires no building permit for work related to a home monitoring system if performed by a registered or licensed provider. “Home monitoring system” is defined as equipment and devices that allow an individual to remotely monitor his or her home through audio, video, or sensor detection systems, and allow remote control of home temperature, humidity, lighting, doors and locks.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159437
House Bill 4738: Establish right to provide “complementary or alternative health care services”
Introduced by Rep. Joel Johnson (R) on May 15, 2013, to establish that “complementary or alternative health care services,” defined as “the broad domain of health care practices, healing therapies and modalities, and methods that are not prohibited by law,” may be provided by an individual who is not a licensed health care professional, subject to specified exceptions, limitations, disclosures, etc.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159438
House Bill 4739: Give more money to fiscally failed Buena Vista schools
Introduced by Rep. Stacy Erwin Oakes (D) on May 15, 2013, to give an extra $600,000 to the Buena Vista school district in Saginaw. After years of not adjusting operations to reflect declining enrollment, and spending more than it collects, the district “hit the wall” financially and closed its doors to students several weeks before the end of the 2012-2013 school year.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159439
House Bill 4740: Revise county medical care facility board of trustees detail
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on May 16, 2013, to revise the details governing appointments by a county board to the board of trustees of a joint county medical care facility.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159467
House Bill 4741: Waive commercial road test for certain recent veterans
Introduced by Rep. Collene Lamonte (D) on May 16, 2013, to revise details and expand a 2012 law expanding a waiver of commercial driver road test requirements for recent veterans who have relevant military experience.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159468
House Bill 4742: Repeal ban on benefits for government worker “domestic partner”
Introduced by Rep. Adam Zemke (D) on May 16, 2013, to repeal a 2011 law that banned public schools, colleges and universities, and local governments from providing medical benefits for the unmarried “domestic partner” of an employee. That law also applied to state employees, but the state Supreme Court ruled only the state Civil Service Commission has the authority to decide whether state employees can be offered such benefits.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159469
House Bill 4743: Allow non-holiday local fireworks ban
Introduced by Rep. Harold Haugh (D) on May 16, 2013, to allow local governments to ban the use of consumer fireworks except between midnight and 8:00 a.m. on the day before, day of, and day after a national holiday. The 2012 law legalizing these fireworks (which include firecrackers, bottle rockets, aerial spinners, Roman candles, etc.) essentially preempted local bans on their use.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159470
House Bill 4744: Revise fireworks seller “safety fee” (tax) details
Introduced by Rep. Harold Haugh (D) on May 16, 2013, to revise details of how revenue from fireworks seller “safety fees” (taxes) imposed on fireworks sellers are collected and earmarked.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159471
Senate Bill 51: Expand forest property tax breaks
Passed 79 to 28 in the House on May 23, 2013, to expand certain exemptions to a state wetland permit mandate, increase some wetland permit fees and reduce others, require permit denials to document their rationale and authority, authorize grants to local governments to create “wetland mitigation banks,” slightly reduce wetland regulatory burdens imposed on county drain commission projects, slightly increase the state’s burden to justify restrictions on an owner’s use of his or her property, prohibit the Department of Environmental Quality from imposing regulations that are beyond the scope those required by federal law, and make other changes to these land use restrictions.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=665310
Senate Bill 55: Expand forest property tax breaks
Passed 80 to 27 in the House on May 23, 2013, to change the definition of land that qualifies for agricultural land property tax breaks to include certain land granted the forest property tax breaks that Senate Bill 51 would expand and modify.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=665312
Senate Bill 56: Expand forest property tax breaks
Passed 87 to 20 in the House on May 23, 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 property tax breaks for forestland owners which Senate Bill 51 would expand and modify.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=665313
Senate Bill 57: Expand forest property tax breaks
Passed 89 to 18 in the House on May 23, 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, which among other things gives owners qualified exemptions from certain environmental law penalties. See also Senate Bill 51.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=665314
Senate Bill 58: Revise DNR and Agriculture Department “mission statements”
Passed 89 to 18 in the House on May 23, 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 development of the state’s forest products industry.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=665315
Senate Bill 64: Revise business tax liability detail
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on May 22, 2013, to place certain limits on the personal liability of a business owner or manager for taxes the firm collects from another person and fails to pay the collected amount to the state.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=664897
Senate Bill 163: Revise wetland use permit details
Passed 25 to 12 in the Senate on May 22, 2013, to expand certain exemptions to a state wetland permit mandate, increase some wetland permit fees and reduce others, require permit denials to document their rationale and authority, authorize grants to local governments to create “wetland mitigation banks,” slightly reduce regulatory burdens imposed on county drain commission activities, slightly increase the state’s burden to justify restrictions on an owner’s use of his or her property, prohibit the Department of Environmental Quality from imposing regulations that beyond the scope those required by federal law, and make other changes to these land use restrictions.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=664906
Senate Bill 165: Require disclosure of medical futility policies
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on May 22, 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=664956
Senate Bill 175: Revise National Guard details
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on May 22, 2013, to revise and update many details in the law that establishes the Michigan National Guard’s organization, command, personnel, administration, training, supply, discipline, deployment, employment, and retirement benefits.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=664900
Senate Bill 193: Revise fireworks regulations
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 6, 2012, to increase penalties for violations of the 2011 law allowing sales of “consumer fireworks.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=617740
Senate Bill 209: Extend charity sales tax exemption to veterans groups
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on May 21, 2013, to greatly expand for nonprofit veterans organizations a sales tax exemption allowing charitable entities to sell up to $5,000 in merchandise annually for fundraising purposes. Under the bill, veterans organizations could sell up to $25,000 in goods at each individual fund-raising event they hold before incurring sales tax liability, if the sales benefit an active duty service member or a veteran.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=664692
Senate Bill 283: Repeal annual union PAC contribution “re-up” requirement
Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate on May 22, 2013, to repeal a requirement that union members who wish to have contributions to a union PAC automatically deducted from their paycheck must affirmatively give consent on an annual basis by means of signing a form. The bill would repeal the annual “re-up” requirement.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=664903
Senate Bill 302: Establish “purple heart state” designation
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on May 22, 2013, to designate Michigan as “a purple heart state honoring our combat wounded veterans for their service and sacrifice by allowing the United States of America to maintain its sovereignty”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=664898
Senate Bill 321: Exempt legal process servers from trespassing laws
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on May 22, 2013, to exempt legal action process servers from the state law against trespassing.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=664899
Senate Bill 335: Extend Medicaid health insurance claims tax
Passed 65 to 44 in the House on May 22, 2013, to extend from 2014 to 2018 the sunset on 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=664965
Senate Bill 341: Authorize Amber Alert income tax checkoff
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on May 22, 2013, to allow an individual to choose to automatically contribute $5 or more from his or her state income tax refund to pay for unspecified expenses related to executing “Amber alerts,” which disseminate useful information about a missing child to law enforcement agencies, radio and television stations. 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=664901
Senate Bill 342: Authorize Amber Alert income tax checkoff
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on May 22, 2013, to allow an individual to choose to automatically contribute $5 or more from his or her state income tax refund to pay for unspecified expenses related to executing “Amber alerts,” which disseminate useful information about a missing child to law enforcement agencies, radio and television stations. 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=664902
Senate Bill 352: Exempt disabled veteran’s home from property tax
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on May 22, 2013, to exempt the principal residence of a totally disabled veteran from property tax.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=664904
House Bill 4038: Add “bush autumn olive” to banned species list
Passed 103 to 4 in the House on May 23, 2013, to add the “bush autumn olive” (elaeagnus umbellata), the giant hogweed (heracleum mantegazzianum), and the Japanese knotweed (fallopian japonica) to the law banning the possession or release of certain non-native species.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=665307
House Bill 4042: Require match of welfare applicants against incarceration lists
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on May 21, 2013, to require the Department of Human Services to perform a monthly jail and prison “incarceration match” and Social Security “death match” to help determine eligibility for a welfare and food stamp benefit “bridge cards,” and not issue or revoke the card of a person on those lists. This would codify current practice in statute.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=664690
House Bill 4050: Revise certain child death investigation details
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on May 21, 2013, to revise details of the criteria that triggers an investigation by the state children’s ombudsman of children under the state’s or a court’s jurisdiction who have died as a result of child abuse or neglect.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=664691
House Bill 4089: Authorize a memorial bridge designation
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on May 22, 2013, to designate a certain bridge in Jackson county as the “Officer James Bonneau Memorial Bridge”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=664957
House Bill 4127: Require GPS tether for “assaultive crime” bail
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on May 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=664688
House Bill 4156: Expand free clinic liability exemption
Passed 97 to 11 in the House on May 22, 2013, to include nurses in a limited liability exemption for health care professionals who provide care at a free clinic.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=664955
House Bill 4177: Revise vulnerable adult abuse law detail
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on May 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=664687
House Bill 4284: Revise ORV shoulder-riding details
Passed 102 to 6 in the House on May 22, 2013, to authorize local governments in the northern part of the state to ask the Department of Transportation to allow ORVs on the shoulders of state trunk line highways where necessary to connect existing ORV networks, and establish criteria and deadlines for MDOT’s consideration of these requests.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=664952
House Bill 4289: Restrict use of “indirect” unclaimed property law audits
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on May 22, 2013, to establish minimum standards for state audits and “indirect audits” of a person or business related to unclaimed property “escheated” to the state, and require such audits to conform with generally accepted government auditing standards published by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=664967
House Bill 4299: Expand ORV shoulder riding
Passed 101 to 7 in the House on May 22, 2013, to expand a 2008 law that allows local governments in the northern part of the state to allow off road vehicles to be driven on either the pavement or the shoulder of some or all streets and roads. The bill would extend the local option statewide; it does not apply to state trunkline roads.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=664953
House Bill 4591: Exempt home monitoring system installers from electrician licensure mandate
Passed 105 to 2 in the House on May 22, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=664941
House Bill 4592: Exempt home thermostat installers from mechanical contractor licensure
Passed 105 to 2 in the House on May 22, 2013, to establish that a “mechanical contractors” license is not required for a registered or licensed security alarm provider or contractor to install a home thermostat.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=664942
House Bill 4654: Revise accountant business licensure detail
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on May 23, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=665309
Senate Bill 364: Revise boxing and “mixed martial arts” regulation
Introduced by Sen. David Robertson (R) on May 16, 2013, to extend a waiver of liability for a medical professional who renders emergency care at a licensed boxing or mixed marital arts contest or event, except for gross negligence or willful and wanton misconduct.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159460
Senate Bill 365: Restrict “bounced check” fees
Introduced by Sen. Gretchen Whitmer (D) on May 21, 2013, to prohibit a savings bank from imposing more than one overdraft fee per day regardless of how many checks a person bounces, and mandate that this fee be charged against the smallest bounced check.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159535
Senate Bill 366: Restrict “bounced check” fees
Introduced by Sen. Gretchen Whitmer (D) on May 21, 2013, to prohibit a state bank from imposing more than one overdraft fee per day regardless of how many checks a person bounces, and mandate that this fee be charged against the smallest bounced check.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159536
Senate Bill 367: Revise business profits tax detail
Introduced by Sen. Jack Brandenburg (R) on May 21, 2013, to revise details of the state tax on business profits to clarify when related companies are considered an “affiliated group” for tax purposes.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159537
Senate Bill 368: Authorize “Right to Life” license plate
Introduced by Sen. Patrick Colbeck (R) on May 21, 2013, to require the Secretary of State to develop a “Right to Life” fund-raising license plate, with fees collected for the plate going to the Michigan Right to Life anti-abortion organization.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159538
Senate Bill 369: Require offering emergency contraception
Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on May 21, 2013, to sexual assault victims to require emergency room or urgent care clinics to offer emergency contraception to victims of sexual assault.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159539
Senate Bill 370: Require government “morning after” pill information campaign
Introduced by Sen. Bert Johnson (D) on May 21, 2013, to require the Department of Community Health to disseminate specified information about “emergency contraceptives” (the “morning after” pill) to the public, health care professionals and facilities, various agencies and more.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159540
Senate Bill 371: Require “comprehensive sexuality” classes in public schools
Introduced by Sen. Hoon-Yung Hopgood (D) on May 21, 2013, to require public schools to offer sex education classes that include “comprehensive sexuality education that is medically accurate and age-appropriate for all grade levels”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159541
Senate Bill 372: Exclude certain farm property sales from property tax assessment basis
Introduced by Sen. Bruce Caswell (R) on May 21, 2013, to require tax assessors to exclude sales of certain types of agricultural property from the “sales ratio studies” that determine the property tax assessments for other farm property.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159542
Senate Bill 373: Require pharmacy best practices pilot programs
Introduced by Sen. Goeff Hansen (R) on May 21, 2013, to require the Michigan Board of Pharmacy to establish a process for the approval of up to 25 pilot projects designed to provide better pharmacy products or more efficient pharmacy services.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159543
Senate Bill 374: Create statewide school violence “hotline”
Introduced in the Senate on May 21, 2013, to require the Attorney General and the State Police to create a “hotline” manned 24 hours a day all year long to collect “confidential reports of unsafe, potentially harmful, dangerous, violent, or criminal activities.” These could include cell phone camera and video images. While the bill does not limit the hotline to school related threats, other parts of it require the information to be shared with local law enforcement and school officials.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159544
Senate Bill 375: Allow local holiday fireworks regulations
Introduced by Sen. Dave Hildenbrand (R) on May 22, 2013, to allow local governments to ban the use of consumer fireworks between midnight and 8:00 a.m. on the day before, day of, and day after a national holiday. The 2012 law legalizing these fireworks (which include firecrackers, bottle rockets, aerial spinners, Roman candles, etc.) essentially preempted local bans on their use during these holiday periods.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159579
Senate Bill 376: Revise fireworks seller “safety fee” (tax) details
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on May 22, 2013, to revise details of how revenue from fireworks seller “safety fees” (taxes) imposed on fireworks sellers are collected and earmarked.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159580
Senate Bill 377: Establish “animal abuse registry”
Introduced by Sen. Steve Bieda (D) on May 22, 2013, to require the State Police to maintain an “animal abuse registry” containing the names of individuals who have been convicted of an “animal abuse offense” within the past five years. Like the state’s sex offender registry, people on this one would have to update the registry every time they move.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159581
Senate Bill 378: Establish “animal abuse registry”
Introduced by Sen. Steve Bieda (D) on May 22, 2013, to mandate that animal shelters run background checks on individuals wanting to adopt an animal, using the “animal abuse registry” proposed by Senate Bill 377.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159582
Senate Bill 379: Exempt roadside farm stands from building permit mandates
Introduced by Sen. Darwin Booher (R) on May 22, 2013, to exempt roadside farm stands from building code regulations and permit requirements.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159583
Senate Bill 380: Revise foreclosure restrictions
Introduced by Sen. Randy Richardville (R) on May 22, 2013, to prohibit a lender from using “foreclosure by advertisement” of a principal residence (the most common form of foreclosure, less costly and prolonged than judicial foreclosure) if the lender complied with federal regulations regarding mortgage servicer policies and procedures, or a “modification agreement” had been made between the debtor and the person who lent the money (or to whom the loan was sold or transferred). The bill revises a 2009 law that imposed a mandate that lenders must give a delinquent debtor 90 days to negotiate a revision of the loan terms.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159584
Senate Bill 381: Extend foreclosure restrictions sunset
Introduced by Sen. Mike Nofs (R) on May 22, 2013, to extend until June 30, 2014 the sunset on a 2009 law that forces mortgage lenders to attempt to negotiate revisions in the terms of delinquent loans before they can proceed to a “foreclosure by advertisement” (instead of the more costly judicial foreclosure process). This would be the second time this “temporary” law has been extended.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159585
Senate Bill 382: Revise foreclosure restrictions
Introduced by Sen. Jim Marleau (R) on May 22, 2013, to extend to “mortgage servicers” including small servicers certain specified federal policies and procedures for foreclosure proceedings begun after January 9, 2014.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159586
Senate Bill 383: Revise foreclosure restrictions
Introduced by Sen. Darwin Booher (R) on May 22, 2013, to reduce the foreclosure redemption period by 120 days for certain properties in which the foreclosure proceedings begin after January 9, 2014, if the mortgage servicer complied with federal regulations and procedures.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159587
Senate Bill 384: Make lottery winners pay back welfare subsidies
Introduced by Sen. John Moolenaar (R) on May 23, 2013, to require the state lottery bureau to check on whether a person who wins more than $600 in the lottery has receive welfare benefits; Senate Bill 339 would require half the winnings go toward paying back the welfare benefits.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159613
Senate Bill 385: Revise rail crossing funding detail
Introduced by Sen. John Moolenaar (R) on May 23, 2013, to establish priorities for the types of rail crossing improvement projects funded by an annual earmark of road tax money for this purpose.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159614
Senate Bill 386: Revise animal abuser ownership ban
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on May 23, 2013, to revise a law that prohibits an individual convicted of animal abuse from owning a similar animal for five years after being sentenced, to instead extend the ban to five years after completing the sentence.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159615
Senate Bill 387: Include reserve and auxiliary law enforcement officers in workers comp
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on May 23, 2013, to expand the state workers disability compensation system to include reserve and auxiliary law enforcement officers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159616
Senate Bill 388: Revise delinquent property tax interest detail
Introduced by Sen. Tupac Hunter (D) on May 23, 2013, to give county treasurers discretion over whether to impose interest on delinquent property taxes owed on parcels subject to tax foreclosure.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159617
Senate Bill 389: Give high school diploma to Viet Nam veterans
Introduced by Sen. Judy Emmons (R) on May 23, 2013, to grant a high school diploma to veterans who did not graduate but joined the armed forces during Vietnam war.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159618
Senate Bill 390: Don’t require drivers license “indorsement” for “autocycle” use
Introduced by Sen. John Moolenaar (R) on May 23, 2013, to not require a motorcycle “indorsement” (a drivers license category) to operate an “autocycle,” which is an enclosed motorcycle.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159619
Senate Bill 391: Allow electronic “proof of insurance”
Introduced by Sen. Michael Green (R) on May 23, 2013, to allow “proof of insurance” documents motorists are required to have when driving under the state’s no-fault insurance law to be an electronic communication from the insurance company.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159620
Senate Bill 392: Allow electronic “proof of insurance”
Introduced by Sen. Joe Hune (R) on May 23, 2013, to allow “proof of insurance” documents motorists are required to have when driving under the state’s no-fault insurance law to be an electronic communication from the insurance company.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159621
House Bill 4745: “Clean up” statute references to reflect department reorganization
Introduced by Rep. Pete Lund (R) on May 21, 2013, to revise references in the state insurance law to reflect a reorganization of regulatory functions into an agency titled the “Department of Insurance and Financial Services”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159567
House Bill 4746: Create adult “cyberbullying” crime
Introduced by Rep. Dale W. Zorn (R) on May 21, 2013, to create a crime of “cyberbullying” another person, subject to 93 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. The bill defines “cyberbully” as bullying through the use of a computer network, program or system, or a telecommunications system. The bill also authorizes a court to order a perpetrator to obtain mental health counseling or other treatment at his or her own expense.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159568
House Bill 4747: Designate tree frog as official state amphibian
Introduced by Rep. Patrick Somerville (R) on May 21, 2013, to establish in law that henceforth the eastern gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) shall be designated as the official State of Michigan amphibian. Note: At present, Michigan does not have an official state amphibian. Past bills have proposed designating the northern spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) and the marbled salamander (Ambystome opacum) as the official state amphibian. Michigan does have an official state reptile, which is the painted turtle.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159569
House Bill 4748: Require semi-annual state unfunded liability estimates
Introduced by Rep. Peter MacGregor (R) on May 21, 2013, to require the twice-a-year state “revenue estimating conferences” at which state officials and academic economists estimate how much tax and fee revenue the state can expect to collect (and spend) in the coming year, to also require them to estimate the state’s unfunded liabilities. These primarily consist of “defined benefit” government and school employee pension plans for which the legislature has failed to set aside sufficient money to pay promised future benefits. State employees hired since 1997 receive 401(k) “defined contribution” benefits that create no new taxpayer liabilities, but new school employees continue to be enrolled in these underfunded pension plans and create new taxpayer liabilities.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159570
House Bill 4749: Impose licensure on midwives
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on May 21, 2013, to impose a state licensure mandate on midwives (as distinct from “nurse midwives), including regulations and license fees.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159571
House Bill 4750: Revise electric utility debt apportionment
Introduced by Rep. Amanda Price (R) on May 21, 2013, to require large electric utilities to apply to the state Public Service Commission for permission (a “financing order”) to assess customers for debt service costs incurred to cover the cost of new water and pollution control equipment required by federal or state regulations. One of the limited number of commercial customers in a customer choice program (who get power produced by another provider but transmitted over the utility’s lines) could not be charged for this.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159572
House Bill 4751: Impose oral chemotherapy insurance mandate
Introduced by Rep. Gail Haines (R) on May 21, 2013, to impose a new coverage mandate that would require insurance companies to include coverage for orally administered chemotherapy in all their health insurance policies that provide for cancer chemotherapy treatments, 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=159573
House Bill 4752: Establish that military experience meets boiler operator requirements
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on May 21, 2013, to establish that having recent and relevant military training and experience meets the criteria for obtaining a stationary steam engineers and boiler operators registration (license).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159574
House Bill 4169: Revise local board of election canvassers details
Passed 32 to 5 in the Senate on May 28, 2013, to eliminate “boards of city canvassers,” “boards of village canvassers” and “boards of township canvassers,” and instead just have county boards of canvassers. The primary function of these boards is to tabulate votes cast in elections.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=665621
House Bill 4170: Revise local board of election canvassers details
Passed 32 to 5 in the Senate on May 28, 2013, to eliminate references in the community college act of 1966 to a “board of city canvassers” or “board of township canvassers.” Under House Bill 4169, the relevant body would become the board of county canvassers.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=665622
House Bill 4171: Revise local board of election canvassers details
Passed 32 to 5 in the Senate on May 28, 2013, to eliminate city and township “boards of canvassers,” and instead just have county boards of canvassers. The primary function of these boards is to tabulate votes cast in elections.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=665624
House Bill 4228: Appropriations: “Omnibus” education budget
Passed 25 to 12 in the Senate on May 29, 2013, the final version of the K-12 school aid, community college and university budgets for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 2013. House Bill 4328 authorizes the rest of state government spending. This bill would appropriate $13.361 billion for K-12 public schools, compared to $12.944 billion the previous year; $1.430 billion for state universities, compared to $1.399 billion the previous year; and $335 million for community colleges, up from $294 million. Of these amounts, $1.861 billion is federal money, vs. $1.798 billion the previous year.
Some highlights include: A $30 per pupil “foundation allowance” increase for school districts, and $60 for ones whose allowance is at the lower end. Spending on preschool programs will increase by $65.0 million to $174.6 million. Students in grades 5 to 12 will be allowed to take up to two online courses per term. Universities would get less money if they raise tuition more than limit of 3.75 percent.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=665665
House Bill 4228: Appropriations: “Omnibus” education budget
Passed 65 to 43 in the House on May 28, 2013, the final version of the K-12 school aid, community college and university budgets for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 2013. House Bill 4328 authorizes the rest of state government spending. This bill would appropriate $13.361 billion for K-12 public schools, compared to $12.944 billion the previous year; $1.430 billion for state universities, compared to $1.399 billion the previous year; and $335 million for community colleges, up from $294 million. Of these amounts, $1.861 billion is federal money, vs. $1.798 billion the previous year.
Some highlights include: A $30 per pupil “foundation allowance” increase for school districts, and $60 for ones whose allowance is at the lower end. Spending on preschool programs will increase by $65.0 million to $174.6 million. Students in grades 5 to 12 will be allowed to take up to two online courses per term. Universities would get less money if they raise tuition more than limit of 3.75 percent.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=665657
House Bill 4328: Appropriations: 2013-2014 “omnibus” budget
Passed 63 to 46 in the House on May 28, 2013, the (almost) final compromise 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 $34.392 billion, compared to $34.355 billion the previous year (when interdepartmental transfers are deducted the amounts are slightly lower). Notably, the budget does not include $1.2 billion from higher transportation taxes Gov. Rick Snyder has recommended, or $1.5 billion from the federal health care law’s expansion of Medicaid. It also does not permit the Department of Education to spend money on a “Common Core” curriculum initiative without explicit legislative authorization.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=665686
House Bill 4743: Allow local holiday fireworks regulations
Passed 107 to 1 in the House on May 28, 2013, to allow local governments to ban the use of consumer fireworks between midnight and 8:00 a.m. on the day before, day of, and day after a national holiday (in larger communities the allowable deadline would be 1:00 a.m. on New Years). The 2012 law legalizing these fireworks (which include firecrackers, bottle rockets, aerial spinners, Roman candles, etc.) essentially preempted local bans on their use during these holiday periods.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=665656
Senate Bill 255: Impose building code standards on fireworks stands
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on May 29, 2013, to clarify that state building code standards, not a National Fire Protection Association standard, would apply to a permanent building or structure used to sell fireworks, notwithstanding provisions in a 2011 fireworks law that regulated rather than banned the sale of many “consumer fireworks” (including firecrackers, bottle rockets, Roman candles, etc.).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=665662
Senate Bill 327: Ban tax collector “quotas”
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on May 29, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=665663
Senate Bill 337: Revise certain tax collection procedures and deadlines
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on May 29, 2013, to require the Department of Treasury to release a business’s known tax liability to a purchaser of the business within 30 days if the owner waives confidentiality. If the department fails to do so, the buyer would not be liable for the firm’s unpaid taxes. Also, to establish notification requirements if the department initiates an examination of a taxpayer’s records, and establish deadlines for completing this. Finally, to establish that if a claim for tax overpayment refund is not approved within one year, it can be treated as denied, and the taxpayer can appeal to the state tax tribunal or court of claims.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=665664
Senate Bill 357: Revise corporation voting share detail
Passed 35 to 1 in the Senate on May 29, 2013, to revise details of when shares of a corporation are considered to be “beneficially owned” for purposes of exercising the voting rights associated with those shares. Specifically, the bill would establish that shares are not “beneficially owned” by a person unless the corporation’s board passes a resolution to that effect before the person acquires the share. This would raise additional barriers to a potential takeover of a firm.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=665661
House Bill 4681: Repeal auctioneer registration mandate
Passed 84 to 21 in the House on May 29, 2013, to repeal a law that imposes a registration mandate on auctioneers.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=665706
House Bill 4682: Repeal auctioneer registration mandate
Passed 84 to 21 in the House on May 29, 2013, to repeal a law that imposes a registration (licensure) mandate on auctioneers.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=665707
House Bill 4683: Repeal auctioneer registration mandate
Passed 85 to 21 in the House on May 29, 2013, to revise references in the state liquor code to reflect the proposal in House Bills 4681 and 4682 to repeal a state registration (licensure) mandate on auctioneers.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=665708
House Bill 4684: Repeal auctioneer registration mandate
Passed 85 to 21 in the House on May 29, 2013, to revise references to auctioneers in a section of the state environmental laws dealing with snowmobiles to reflect the proposal in House Bills 4681 and 4682 to repeal a state registration (licensure) mandate on auctioneers.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=665709
House Bill 4705: Refund excess property tax collected by Stephenson schools on retired debt
Passed 106 to 0 in the House on May 29, 2013, to require a school district (Stephenson, in the Upper Peninsula) that collected a property tax millage for bonds that were already paid off (retired) to transfer the excess revenue collected to the state. The overcharge would then be given back to local taxpayers by reducing the amount of state education property tax on their next tax bill.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=665711
House Bill 4705: Refund excess property tax collected by Stephenson schools on retired debt
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on May 29, 2013, to require a school district (Stephenson, in the Upper Peninsula) that collected a property tax millage for bonds that were already paid off (retired) to transfer the excess revenue collected to the state. The overcharge would then be given back to local taxpayers by reducing the amount of state education property tax on their next tax bill.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=665660
Senate Joint Resolution W: Repeal homosexual marriage ban
Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on June 4, 2013, to place before voters in the next general election a measure to repeal the 2008 state constitutional amendment establishing that “the union of one man and one woman in marriage shall be the only agreement recognized as a marriage or similar union for any purpose”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159825
Senate Joint Resolution V: Call for “Article V” U.S. balanced budget amendment convention
Introduced by Sen. Michael Green (R) on May 23, 2013, to place before voters in the next general election an application to Congress to call an “Article V” constitutional convention, limited to proposing an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that prohibits the federal government from spending more in any fiscal year than it collects in tax and other revenue (balanced budget amendment). Three-quarters of the states must approve any amendment proposed by an “Article V” convention for it to become part of the constitution.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159612
Senate Joint Resolution U: Remove higher education from allowable School Aid Fund uses
Introduced by Sen. Gretchen Whitmer (D) on May 1, 2013, to place before voters in the next general election a constitutional amendment to strip-out language currently in the Constitution of 1963 allowing tax revenue earmarked to the state “School Aid Fund” to be used for “higher education, and school employees’ retirement systems.” In other words, tax dollars earmarked to this fund could only be spend on K-12 public schools.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158964
House Joint Resolution S: Lengthen term limits
Introduced by Rep. Andy Schor (D) on April 30, 2013, to place before voters in the next general election a Constitutional amendment to extend the term limits of state representatives and senators, allowing the former up to six terms of two-years each, and the latter up to three terms of four years each. Currently, representatives may only have three two-year terms, and senators two four-year terms. Term limits on legislators and state officers were adopted by a 59-41 percent vote of the people in 1992. The measure would also impose a two-year moratorium on lobbying by a former member of the Michigan House or Senate.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158960
Senate Joint Resolution T: Make state commissioner of insurance an elected position
Introduced by Sen. Virgil Smith, Jr. (D) on April 23, 2013, to place before voters in the next general election a constitutional amendment to make the state commissioner of insurance an elected position.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158754
Senate Joint Resolution R: Ban for-profit charter school operators
Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on April 10, 2013, to place before voters in the next general election a Constitutional amendment to prohibit charter school boards from contracting with for-profit companies to manage the school.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158366
House Joint Resolution Q: Limit referendum on appropriations ban
Introduced by Rep. Jim Townsend (D) on April 9, 2013, to place before voters in the next general election a constitutional amendment to revise the current prohibition on citizen referendums challenging bills that contain an appropriation. The measure would establish that the ban only applies to bills that substantially fund one or more state departments, or which are needed close current state budget shortfalls. A 2001 Supreme Court ruling interpreted the provision to prohibit referendums on any bill containing an appropriation. In several instances since then, the legislature has deliberately added modest appropriations to controversial bills which, without the appropriation, would likely have been challenged by a referendum. The Constitution gives citizens the right to halt the implementation of a new law by submitting petitions signed by five percent of the total vote cast for all candidates for governor at the last gubernatorial election, within 90 days of the end of an annual legislative session. When this happens, the new law does not go into effect unless it is approved by a majority in the next general election.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158353
House Joint Resolution R: Dock pay of missing legislators
Introduced by Rep. Adam Zemke (D) on April 9, 2013, to place before voters in the next general election a Constitutional amendment to give the state House and Senate the authority to dock the pay of members who miss 10 or more session days (unless their colleagues vote to give them an “excused absence”). Note: This web site contains a Missed Votes Report that shows the number of roll call votes missed by each current legislator, and a link to a list of the particular votes. The missed votes for past legislators can be looked up on the advanced searches page.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158354
House Joint Resolution O: Impose restrictions on corporate political communication
Introduced by Rep. Collene Lamonte (D) on March 12, 2013, to place before voters in the next general election a constitutional amendment adding an 1,800 word regulatory regime restricting political spending by both business and nonprofit corporations (including nonprofit groups motivated by ideological or political concerns), but not by unions. Among other things this would mandate detailed reports filed electronically within 48 hours of any lobbying or campaign communication, with violations subject to criminal penalties.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=157218
House Joint Resolution P: Require legislative candidates live in district before filing
Introduced by Rep. Winnie Brinks (D) on March 12, 2013, to place before voters in the next general election a constitutional amendment requiring candidates for the legislature to live in the district they seek to represent at least 60 days before the candidate filing deadline.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=157219
Senate Joint Resolution Q: Allow NRTC funds for state forest logging roads
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on March 7, 2013, to place before voters in the next general election a Constitutional amendment 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 develop and maintain road infrastructure for natural-resource based industries including timber and mining, for waterways infrastructure including breakwaters and dredging, and to make “payments in lieu of property tax” to local governments with state property in their jurisdiction.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=156880
House Joint Resolution N: Require in-state tuition at universities for all veterans
Introduced by Rep. Jim Stamas (R) on March 7, 2013, to place before voters in the next general election a Constitutional amendment to require public universities to offer in-state tuition rates to all honorably discharged veterans.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=156932
Senate Joint Resolution P: Retain “winner take all” state electoral college votes
Introduced by Sen. Steve Bieda (D) on March 6, 2013, to place before voters in the next general election an Constitutional amendment to establish that the candidates for president and vice president who received the most Michigan votes shall be considered the ones “elected” by this state. This would preempt various proposals to divide the state’s electoral college votes (rather than “winner take all”).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=156644
Senate Joint Resolution O: Increase number of department managers governor can appoint
Introduced by Sen. David Robertson (R) on March 5, 2013, to place before voters in the next general election a Constitutional amendment to increase the number of state employees a governor can hire, as opposed to those who are permanent civil service employees. Under the current constitution, a governor can appoint a maximum of six persons to each state department, including the director. The measure would allow up to 1 percent of the employees in each department to be appointed by the governor.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=156533
House Joint Resolution L: Require in-state tuition at universities for all military
Introduced by Rep. David Knezek (D) on February 28, 2013, to place before voters in the next general election a Constitutional amendment to require public universities to offer in-state tuition rates to all active duty members of the military, reservists and veterans.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155921
House Joint Resolution M: Require in-state tuition at community for all military
Introduced by Rep. David Knezek (D) on February 28, 2013, to place before voters in the next general election a Constitutional amendment to require community colleges to offer in-state tuition rates to all active duty members of the military, reservists and veterans.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155922
Senate Joint Resolution M: Sunset all tax breaks after four years
Introduced by Sen. Vincent Gregory (D) on February 27, 2013, to place before voters in the next general election a constitutional amendment to require a four-year “sunset” be included in any bill to increase or create a new tax exemption or tax credit that have the effect of reducing tax revenue. Presumably this could apply to both targeted “corporate welfare” type tax breaks (or cash subsidies styled as “refundable tax credits”) and general exemptions or credits available to any individual or business, not just those selected by local or state “economic development” bureaucracies.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155879
Senate Joint Resolution N: Lengthen legislative term limits
Introduced by Sen. Mark Jansen (R) on February 27, 2013, to place before voters in the next general election a Constitutional amendment to extend legislative term limits to 12 years in any combination of House or Senate terms. Under Michigan’s current term limits representatives may only get three terms of two-years each, and senators may only get two terms of four-years each.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155880
House Joint Resolution K: Place right to hunt and fish in constitution
Introduced by Rep. Bruce Rendon (R) on February 12, 2013, to place before voters in the next general election a constitutional amendment to establish that the people have the right to hunt and fish, and to harvest game and fish.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=154264
Senate Bill 393: Cut cigarette tax
Introduced by Sen. Joe Hune (R) on May 28, 2013, to cut the $2.00 per pack state cigarette tax to $1.00 per pack.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159673
Senate Bill 394: Ban DEQ imposing groundwater discharge sodium limits
Introduced by Sen. Joe Hune (R) on May 28, 2013, to prohibit the Department of Environmental Quality from imposing limitations on the amount of sodium in groundwater discharges allowed under state water pollution regulations.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159674
Senate Bill 395: Create more exceptions to cap on government/school employee insurance costs
Introduced by Sen. Bruce Caswell (R) on May 28, 2013, to cap on government/school employee insurance costs to exclude various insurance costs from the cap imposed by a 2011 law on the cost of government and school employee health insurance fringe benefits, which would allow local governments and schools to provide more generous benefits than that law would otherwise allow. See also Senate Bill 323, which would have the same effect.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159675
Senate Bill 396: Expand ban on replacement construction assessment hikes
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on May 29, 2013, to revise a provision prohibiting property tax assessment increases on construction that replaces parts of a structure damaged by accident or an act of God, so that the cap also applies to value-increasing improvements required to meet current health, sanitary, zoning, safety, fire, or construction codes and ordinances.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159680
Senate Bill 397: Expand another corporate/developer subsidy regime
Introduced by Sen. Bruce Caswell (R) on May 29, 2013, to authorize creation of a sixth “Next Michigan Development Corporation,” which is a government agency that gives tax breaks and subsidies to particular corporations or developers selected by political appointees on the entity’s board for projects meeting extremely broad “multi-modal commerce” criteria (basically, any form of goods-related commerce).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159681
Senate Bill 398: Expand another corporate/developer subsidy regime
Introduced by Sen. Bruce Caswell (R) on May 29, 2013, to authorize creation of a sixth “Next Michigan Development Corporation,” which is a government agency that gives tax breaks and subsidies to particular corporations or developers selected by political appointees on the entity’s board for projects meeting extremely broad “multi-modal commerce” criteria (basically, any form of goods-related commerce).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159682
Senate Bill 399: Impose harmful chemicals regulatory regime
Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on May 29, 2013, to require the Department of Community Health and the Department of Environmental Quality to identify and post on a website a list of potentially dangerous or harmful chemicals that may be found in household products or dust, including substances whose presence in children’s products would trigger the regulatory regime proposed by Senate Bill 400. The bill would authorize hiring an additional 1.5 “full time equivalent” government employees to do the work.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159683
Senate Bill 400: Impose children’s products regulatory regime
Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on May 29, 2013, to require manufacturers and distributors of children’s products that contain substances deemed harmful by the Department of Environment Quality to submit detailed annual reports to the state regarding the products and the chemicals in them. The bill contains various exceptions and authorizes penalties of up to $150,000.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159684
Senate Bill 401: Insulate DIA art collection from federal bankruptcy liquidation
Introduced by Sen. Randy Richardville (R) on May 29, 2013, to require “art institutes” in the state to adopt a code of ethics for museums published by the American Alliance of Museums. Reportedly this is a means of insulating the Detroit Institute of Art’s collection from being sold off should the city file for bankruptcy in federal court.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159685
House Bill 4774: Impose state permit/license mandate on all private gun purchases
Introduced by Rep. Jim Townsend (D) on May 28, 2013, to expand to all gun purchases, including rifles and shotguns, a state pistol purchase “license” mandate. This pistol permit regulatory regime was repealed for purchases from licensed gun dealers by a 2012 law, but still applies to private person-to-person sales. The bill is co-sponsored by 18 other Democratic representatives.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159687
House Bill 4775: Allow residents to protest assessment hikes by letter
Introduced by Rep. Jim Townsend (D) on May 28, 2013, to allow resident property owners to protest a property tax assessment increase by letter during the one-week annual window for such protests each March. Under current law, non-residents may protest by letter but residents must show up in person.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159688
House Bill 4776: Impose state permit/license mandate on all private gun purchases
Introduced by Rep. Jim Townsend (D) on May 28, 2013, to revise references in the state penal code to reflect the firearms purchase permit/license regime proposed by House Bill 4774.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159689
House Bill 4777: Mandate employers give leave to departing military family member
Introduced by Rep. Theresa Abed (D) on May 28, 2013, to mandate that employers grant 20 work-days of leave (160 hours) to a member of the U.S. military reserves or national guard called to active duty during a period of military conflict, and the same for the spouse of a service member called to duty. The bill does not mandate the leave be with-pay, but does mandate a continuation of fringe benefits during the leave time.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159690
House Bill 4778: Ban off-shore Great Lakes windmills
Introduced by Rep. Ray Franz (R) on May 28, 2013, to prohibit electricity-generating wind turbines from being located in the Great Lakes.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159691
House Bill 4779: Repeal obsolete school code provisions
Introduced by Rep. Ray Franz (R) on May 28, 2013, to repeal a 1977 law that required the state Board of Education to “promulgate rules concerning (student) personality tests…” and also repeal another law requiring school districts that provide specified “auxiliary services” to offer the same services to students at nonpublic schools (including services like health care, crossing guards, speech and language assistance, school social work, remedial reading and more).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159692
House Bill 4780: Revise village election cost allocation
Introduced by Rep. Bill LaVoy (D) on May 28, 2013, to establish that if a village’s regular or special election is held in conjunction with another election conducted by a township, the village only has to pay a proportionate share of the costs, but if it is not then the village must pay the township 100 percent of the costs of conducting election.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159693
House Bill 4781: Revise motorcycle “learner’s permit” detail
Introduced by Rep. Bradford Jacobsen (R) on May 29, 2013, to revise details of a motorcycle operators license “learners permit,” which applies to license applicants who have not yet passed a motorcycle skills test and have not taken an optional safety course. Under current law the 180-day “learner’s permit” only allows riding under the supervision of a person who has a regular motorcycle license (“indorsement”). The bill would prohibit more than two such “learners permits” in a 10-year period.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159694
House Bill 4782: Expand another corporate/developer subsidy regime
Introduced by Rep. John Kivela (D) on May 29, 2013, to authorize creation of a sixth “Next Michigan Development Corporation,” which is a government agency that gives tax breaks and subsidies to particular corporations or developers selected by political appointees on the entity’s board for projects meeting extremely broad “multi-modal commerce” criteria (basically, any form of goods-related commerce).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159695
House Bill 4783: Expand another corporate/developer subsidy regime
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on May 29, 2013, to authorize creation of a sixth “Next Michigan Development Corporation,” which is a government agency that gives tax breaks and subsidies to particular corporations or developers selected by political appointees on the entity’s board for projects meeting extremely broad “multi-modal commerce” criteria (basically, any form of goods-related commerce).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159696
House Bill 4784: Revise teacher certification criteria
Introduced by Rep. Robert Genetski (R) on May 29, 2013, to require the State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Public instruction to “recognize accounting and writing as subject matter fields pertinent to teaching for…purposes related to the issuance of a teaching certificate and subject area endorsement”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159697
House Bill 4785: Increase ambulance and related fees
Introduced by Rep. Matt Lori (R) on May 29, 2013, to authorize or increase various fees and fines related to ambulances, “life support vehicles,” local emergency medical service authorities, etc.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159698
House Bill 4786: Increase vital records fees
Introduced by Rep. Matt Lori (R) on May 29, 2013, to increase the fees for obtaining copies of vital records such as birth and death certificates. The fee increases range from $4 to $18 per record, and the bill also authorizes an extra $25 fee for “expedited” service.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159699
House Bill 4787: Increase CON health facility rationing fees
Introduced by Rep. Matt Lori (R) on May 29, 2013, to increase from $1,500 to $3,000 the “base” fee for a hospital or other health care providers seeking government permission under a state “Certificate of Need” rationing regime to open or expand a health care facility, or to add certain capital-intensive equipment (like MRIs). The bill would also authorize additional fees of $12,000 for large projects, $3,000 for “complex” projects, $500 for “letter of intent” reviews, and more. These fees would then be indexed to inflation so that legislative authorization would not be required for future fee hikes.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159700
House Bill 4788: Authorize fund-raising veterans license plate
Introduced by Rep. Jim Stamas (R) on May 29, 2013, to authorize a fund raising “collector” license plate recognizing Michigan veterans, with the proceeds going to various state veterans programs and tuition subsidies.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159701
House Bill 4789: Replace existing home heating welfare program with new one
Introduced by Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R) on May 29, 2013, to create a new home heating welfare subsidy program, which would redistribute up to $60 million annually from customer surcharges on electricity bills. This would replace an existing program.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159702
House Bill 4790: Transfer Detroit water and sewer system to regional “alliance”
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on May 29, 2013, to transfer governance of the Detroit water and sewer system to a regional “alliance” controlled by a nine-member board with three members from Detroit, three appointed by the governor (two of these from outside Detroit), and one each by the Wayne, Oakland and Macomb county executives. House Bill 4791 would give the state Public Service Commission the power to regulate the entity’s rates and fees.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159703
House Bill 4791: Give state PSC oversight over city water/sewer systems
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on May 29, 2013, to extend the jurisdiction of the state Public Service Commission to include regulating the rates and fees of the Detroit water and sewer system. See also House Bill 4790.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159704
Senate Bill 173: Ban local mandates that private employers must grant leave
Passed 25 to 13 in the Senate on June 5, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666318
Senate Bill 235: Revise state-approved fire safety system inspector detail
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 5, 2013, to allow a person certified by the National Fire Protection Association or the International Code Council to be registered as a state-approved fire safety system inspector and plan reviewer.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666316
Senate Bill 265: Exempt test cars from regional transit tax
Passed 36 to 2 in the Senate on June 4, 2013, to exempt automaker test vehicles from the regional mass transit vehicle registration tax authorized by a 2012 law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666184
Senate Bill 390: Don’t require drivers license “indorsement” for “autocycle” use
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 5, 2013, to not require a motorcycle “indorsement” (a drivers license category) to operate an “autocycle,” which is an enclosed motorcycle. Also, to revise fees the Secretary of State can charge for a “commercial look-up” service, and authorize contracting with a private company to provide this service.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666319
House Bill 4328: Appropriations: 2013-2014 “omnibus” budget
Passed 24 to 14 in the Senate on June 4, 2013, the final version of the non-education portion of the state government budget for the fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1, 2013. This would appropriate $34.392 billion, compared to $34.355 billion the previous year. (When interdepartmental transfers are deducted the amounts are slightly lower.) Notably, the budget does not include $1.2 billion from higher transportation taxes Gov. Rick Snyder has recommended, or $1.5 billion from the federal health care law’s expansion of Medicaid. It also does not permit the Department of Education to spend money on a “Common Core” curriculum initiative without explicit legislative authorization.
When amounts appropriated for education are added (see House Bill 4228), the state budget for the next fiscal year will be $49.520 billion, of which $19.331 billion is federal money. Total state spending from state taxes, fees, fines, etc. will be $30.189 billion, a 3.9 percent increase over the previous year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666183
House Bill 4355: Revise condominium audit standards
The amendment passed by voice vote in the House on June 4, 2013, to clarify the means by which the association votes on the proposed option.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155914
House Bill 4355: Revise condominium audit standards
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on June 5, 2013, to allow a majority of a condominium association’s members to choose not to obtain an annual audit if the association has annual revenues of less than $20,000, and instead only require that a certified public accountant review the books.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666378
House Bill 4360: Authorize sanctions for accepting welfare “bridge card” for liquor sale
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 4, 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=666185
House Bill 4361: Authorize sanctions for accepting welfare “bridge card” lottery ticket sale
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 4, 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=666186
House Bill 4646: Revise child adoption/placement details
Passed 100 to 9 in the House on June 4, 2013, to authorize and specify procedures under which a parent could execute an out-of-court consent to an adoption after the child’s birth. This is part of a legislative package designed to speed-up the adoption process, including reducing the time a birth-parent has to change his or her mind.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666244
House Bill 4647: Revise child adoption/placement details
Passed 103 to 6 in the House on June 4, 2013, to establish that three months after formal an adoption placement of adoptee who is less than one year old, a court could enter an order of adoption, unless it determined that circumstances had arisen that make adoption undesirable. This is part of a legislative package designed to speed-up the adoption process, including reducing the time a birth-parent has to change his or her mind.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666245
House Bill 4648: Revise child adoption/placement details
Passed 98 to 11 in the House on June 4, 2013, to revise details of a law that describes when parental rights can be terminated and when they cannot, so as to establish procedures for when the parental rights of a mother have not been officially terminated, and the court finds that the best interest of the child would be served by granting custody to the putative father. This is part of a legislative package designed to speed-up the adoption process, including reducing the time a birth-parent has to change his or her mind.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666246
House Bill 4659: Revise out-of-wedlock paternity provisions
Passed 99 to 10 in the House on June 4, 2013, This is part of a legislative package designed to speed-up the adoption process, including reducing the time a birth-parent has to change his or her mind. This is part of a legislative package designed to speed-up the adoption process, including reducing the time a birth-parent has to change his or her mind.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666247
House Bill 4660: Revise out-of-wedlock paternity provisions
Passed 97 to 12 in the House on June 4, 2013, to establish that if a child is born out of wedlock and the biological father has registered with the “responsible father registry” proposed by House Bill 4659, the child may not be placed for adoption until the parental rights of the father are officially terminated by a court. This is part of a legislative package designed to speed-up the adoption process, including reducing the time a birth-parent has to change his or her mind.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666248
House Bill 4661: Revise out-of-wedlock paternity provisions
Passed 96 to 13 in the House on June 4, 2013, to require the biological father of a child is born out of wedlock to have registered with the “responsible father registry” proposed by House Bill 4659 in order to receive notice of an adoption or termination of parental rights proceeding. This would replace current provisions requiring a putative father to have filed a notice of intent to claim paternity. This is part of a legislative package designed to speed-up the adoption process, including reducing the time a birth-parent has to change his or her mind.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666249
House Bill 4662: Revise out-of-wedlock paternity provisions
Passed 96 to 13 in the House on June 4, 2013, to establish that if a court is notified that the person whom it determines to be the father of a child born out of wedlock has not filed with the “responsible father registry” proposed by House Bill 4659 in a timely manner, it may permanently terminate the putative father’s parental rights. This is part of a legislative package designed to speed-up the adoption process, including reducing the time a birth-parent has to change his or her mind.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666250
House Bill 4663: Increase allowable agricultural preservation fund admin spending
Passed 102 to 7 in the House on June 5, 2013, to increase from $900,000 to $1.4 million the maximum amount that can be spent each year for the administrative expenses of the state agricultural preservation fund, and index this to inflation going forward.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666380
House Bill 4664: Allow pension double-dipping by some “retired” prison workers
Passed 58 to 51 in the House on June 5, 2013, to repeal a Sept. 30, 2013 sunset on a 2012 law that “temporarily” allowed retired prison employees to simultaneously collect pension benefits and a paycheck for going back to work in a prison. Under current law, prison guards can retire and begin collecting pension checks as young as age 51 in some cases.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666381
House Bill 4665: Extend “temporary” landfill tipping fee increase
Passed 62 to 47 in the House on June 5, 2013, to extend until Sept. 30, 2015 a “temporary” increase from 7 cents to 12 cents on the per-cubic yard state “tipping fee” tax imposed on dumping in landfills, which was authorized by a 2011 law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666382
House Bill 4666: Extend “temporary” environmental permit fee increases
Passed 73 to 36 in the House on June 5, 2013, to extend until Sept. 30, 2015 “temporary” increases authorized in 2011 for various permit fees mandated by the state environmental protection law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666385
House Bill 4668: Increase hunting and fishing license fees
Passed 77 to 32 in the House on June 5, 2013, To revise the structure of hunting and fishing license fees in a manner that would increase license fees for most sportsmen. For example, the cost for a resident to hunt deer would go from $15 to $31, and the minimum fishing license cost would increase from $15 to $26. The House Fiscal Agency reports this would extract an additional $19.7 million annually from sportsmen. For details on specific licenses see their analysis.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666383
House Bill 4669: Increase annual ORV tax
Passed 70 to 39 in the House on June 5, 2013, to increase the annual off road vehicle license tax from $16.25 to $26.25 for a license that does not authorize operation on state ORV trails, and $36.25 for one that does.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666384
House Bill 4670: Increase state disaster fund deposits
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on June 5, 2013, to require the legislature to annually appropriate enough money to maintain a balance of between $1 million and $8.5 million in a state disaster and emergency contingency fund; current statute requires between $30,000 and $750,000.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666387
House Bill 4671: Earmark cell phone 9-1-1 tax to administration
Passed 102 to 7 in the House on June 5, 2013, to permanently earmark $150,000 from a 9-1-1 service mobile phone provider tax to the Department of Treasury for administration of this tax.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666388
House Bill 4708: Revise hazardous material regulatory regime detail
Passed 73 to 36 in the House on June 5, 2013, to replace one state fund created to hold and disburse fee and fine revenue related to hazardous material permit mandates and regulations with another state fund.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666386
House Bill 4732: Exempt roadside farm stands from building permit mandates
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on June 5, 2013, to exempt roadside farm stands from building code regulations and permit requirements. Specifically, to establish that they need not have plumbing and electricity.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666377
Senate Bill 175: Revert National Guard details
Passed 91 to 14 in the House on June 6, 2013, to largely reverse a 2010 reform that eliminated “defined benefit” pensions for future state Adjutant Generals and Assistant Adjutant Generals, and instead provided 401k benefits. The bill would also revise various other Michigan National Guard organizational details. The 2010 reform was adopted following reports of AGs being granted generous state pensions based on limited state service ($78,000 to $133,000 for 1.5 years to 13 years service). The House version of the bill slightly limits eligibility for these benefits compared to the pre-2010 version, but also has several exceptions to the new limits.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666442
Senate Bill 402: Gradually cut income tax
Introduced by Sen. Jack Brandenburg (R) on June 4, 2013, to gradually roll-back a 2007 income tax increase until the rate returns to 3.9 percent in 2017.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159826
Senate Bill 403: Repeal preemption local firework use restrictions
Introduced in the Senate on June 4, 2013, to repeal current state limitations on the authority of local governments to regulate individuals’ use of fireworks on days surrounding national holidays.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159827
Senate Bill 404: Revise landfill performance bond detail
Introduced by Sen. Jack Brandenburg (R) on June 4, 2013, to revise details of the financial instruments that may used by a landfill operator to satisfy the performance bond-like “perpetual care fund” requirements related to the future upkeep of closed landfills.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159828
Senate Bill 405: Repeal same-sex marriage ban
Introduced by Sen. Gretchen Whitmer (D) on June 4, 2013, to revise details of state statutes related to marriage so they would conform with the proposal in Senate Joint Resolution W to repeal the 2008 state constitutional amendment establishing that “the union of one man and one woman in marriage shall be the only agreement recognized as a marriage or similar union for any purpose”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159829
Senate Bill 406: Repeal same-sex marriage ban
Introduced by Sen. Virgil Smith, Jr. (D) on June 4, 2013, to revise details of a state statute recognizing marriages “solemnized” in another state, so it would conform with the proposal in Senate Joint Resolution W to repeal the 2008 state constitutional amendment establishing that “the union of one man and one woman in marriage shall be the only agreement recognized as a marriage or similar union for any purpose”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159830
Senate Bill 407: Require State Police develop “gun free zone” sign design
Introduced by Sen. Glenn Anderson (D) on June 4, 2013, to require the State Police to develop and make available to individuals a design for “an appropriate sign” stating that “this is a gun-free zone” as established by the state concealed pistol license law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159831
Senate Bill 408: Give college loan grants to employed bachelor degree holders
Introduced by Sen. Glenn Anderson (D) on June 4, 2013, to give college bachelor degree recipients who live and are employed in Michigan an income tax credit of up to half the amount they owe each year on student loans, capped at an amount equal to 20 percent of the annual tuition of a four-year state university. The bill would authorize the same credit to an employer who picks up the cost of an employee’s loan payments.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159832
Senate Bill 409: Revise first degree murder detail
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on June 4, 2013, to make the crime of “unlawful imprisonment” a “predicate” offense for first degree murder, meaning that a murder committed in the act of committing this crime would be punishable by life in prison with no chance for parole.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159833
Senate Bill 410: Revise law enforcement licensure procedures
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on June 4, 2013, to require the “nonpublic record” of the “diversion and dismissal” of a controlled substance violation to be open to the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards for various purposes, including determining whether an individual meets the requirements for certification as a law enforcement officer.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159834
Senate Bill 411: Revise law enforcement licensure procedures
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on June 4, 2013, to revise and update many details of the law governing the qualifications and licensure of law enforcement officers, which includes a very broad range of government officials empowered to enforce many different state statutes and regulatory regimes.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159835
Senate Bill 412: Revise law enforcement licensure procedures
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on June 4, 2013, to revise details of a state “administration of Michigan justice training fund” to conform with the changes proposed by Senate Bill 411 to the law governing the qualifications and licensure of law enforcement officers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159836
Senate Bill 413: Restrict marketing of mattresses as “new”
Introduced by Sen. Morris Hood, III (D) on June 5, 2013, to prohibit selling mattresses as “new” or custom-made if they are manufactured with any material from used mattresses.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159847
Senate Bill 414: Require digital school materials be posted online
Introduced by Sen. Patrick Colbeck (R) on June 5, 2013, to require that if a public school uses any instructional materials that are in digital form, it must post these on the school’s website.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159848
Senate Bill 415: Cut tax on jet fuel
Introduced by Sen. Jack Brandenburg (R) on June 6, 2013, to cut from 6 percent to 4 percent the “use tax” imposed on sales of jet fuel to commercial air carriers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159851
Senate Bill 416: Cut tax on jet fuel
Introduced by Sen. Jack Brandenburg (R) on June 6, 2013, to cut from 6 percent to 4 percent the sales tax imposed on sales of jet fuel to commercial air carriers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159852
Senate Bill 417: Establish PTSD emergency service provider counseling provisions
Introduced by Sen. John Moolenaar (R) on June 6, 2013, to provide various confidentiality and liability waiver provisions to post-traumatic stress related counseling services provided to emergency service responders.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159853
House Bill 4234: Vehicle trade-in “sales tax on the difference”
Passed 100 to 7 in the House on June 6, 2013, to exempt from sales tax the value of a trade-in on the purchase of a new vehicle, recreational vehicle or titled watercraft. The buyer would only pay sales tax on the difference between the value of the trade-in and the purchase price of the new item. This vehicle part of this would eventually save new car buyers (and/or dealers) some $220 million annually when fully phased-in after six years. The bill does not specify what spending items would be cut or other taxes raised to make up this foregone revenue.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666446
House Bill 4465: Lower high school graduation standards
Passed 81 to 26 in the House on June 6, 2013, to revise wording in the state’s high school graduation curriculum requirements in ways that generally reduce the rigor of foreign language and math standards; and also to revise details of physical education and arts standards.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666443
House Bill 4678: Revise groundwater dispute regulatory regime details
Passed 104 to 3 in the House on June 6, 2013, to revise details of a groundwater dispute regulatory regime that was originally imposed in 2003, then supplanted by a new one in 2008, and since restored by a 2012 law. Among other things the bill would authorize an administrative appeal procedure for the owner of a “high-capacity well” (mostly used for irrigation) who is ordered to compensate the owner of a small quantity (household) well who alleges the large well has damaged the small one.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666445
House Bill 4792: Increase penalties for harming vulnerable roadway user
Introduced by Rep. David Nathan (D) on May 30, 2013, to establish sentencing guidelines for the enhanced penalties proposed by House Bill 4799 for a motorist who commits a moving violation that causes injury or death to a vulnerable roadway user.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159708
House Bill 4793: Update eminent domain provisions
Introduced by Rep. Al Pscholka (R) on May 30, 2013, to repeal eminent domain property condemnation provisions in the state Drain Code to reflect “takings” reforms mandated by voters in a http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159709
House Bill 4794: Facilitate taxpayer-subsidized metro-region “light rail” creation
Introduced by Rep. Adam Zemke (D) on May 30, 2013, to repeal a requirement that to start a taxpayer-subsidized “light rail” system there must be a unanimous vote by the 10-member board of the Detroit Regional Transit Authority authorized by a 2012 law. Under the bill, a simple majority of the board could establish a mass transit rail system.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159710
House Bill 4795: Impose harmful chemicals regulatory regime
Introduced by Rep. Alberta Tinsley Talabi (D) on May 30, 2013, to require the Department of Community Health and the Department of Environmental Quality to identify and post on a website a list of potentially dangerous or harmful chemicals that may be found in household products or dust, including substances whose presence in children’s products would trigger the regulatory regime proposed by Senate Bill 400. The bill would authorize hiring an additional 1.5 “full time equivalent” government employees to do the work.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159711
House Bill 4796: Impose children’s products regulatory regime
Introduced by Rep. Alberta Tinsley Talabi (D) on May 30, 2013, to require manufacturers and distributors of children’s products that contain substances deemed harmful by the Department of Environment Quality to submit detailed annual reports to the state regarding the products and the chemicals in them. The bill contains various exceptions and authorizes penalties of up to $150,000.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159712
House Bill 4797: Establish fiscally non-viable school district takeover procedures
Introduced by Rep. David E. Rutledge (D) on May 30, 2013, to give the state superintendent of public instruction and the state treasurer the power to shut down a school district that is so financially unviable that it cannot complete the current school year without a state bailout (as happened at the end of the 2013 school year with the Buena Vista district in Saginaw County). These officials would have the power to act as or request the appointment of a receiver to provide for the education of students in the district, which could be undertaken by neighboring districts, an intermediate school district, or some “other public entity authorized to provide education services,” possibly including a charter school board.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159713
House Bill 4798: Establish fiscally non-viable school district takeover procedures
Introduced by Rep. Bill Rogers (R) on May 30, 2013, to transfer per-pupil state foundation grant money from a public school district that is so financially unviable that it cannot complete the current school year without a state bailout, to neighboring districts enlisted to educate the failed district’s students, as provided by House Bill 4797.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159714
House Bill 4799: Increase penalties for harming vulnerable roadway user
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on June 4, 2013, to establish sentencing guidelines for the enhanced penalties proposed by House Bill 4792 for a motorist who commits a moving violation that causes injury or death to a vulnerable roadway user.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159845
House Bill 4800: Empower courts to modify certain mortgage contracts
Introduced by Rep. Andy Schor (D) on June 4, 2013, to give courts the power to modify the contractual terms of a delinquent mortgage on an owner-occupied 1-to-4 unit residential property, if a court determines the lender has engaged in certain inappropriate actions specified in the bill.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159846
House Bill 4801: Ban welfare prescription drug subsidies
Introduced by Rep. Joel Johnson (R) on June 5, 2013, to convicted drug offenders to prohibit granting Medicaid or other medical welfare prescription drug subsidies to an individual who has been convicted of a crime involving controlled substances.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159856
House Bill 4802: Screen welfare applicants for illegal aliens
Introduced by Rep. Joel Johnson (R) on June 5, 2013, to require the Department of Human Services (the state welfare agency) to verify the legal U.S. residence status of every person who applies for various kinds of welfare benefits using the federal database. The bill does not necessarily prohibit benefits if the department cannot confirm legal status, it just requires they run the check before granting benefits.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159857
House Bill 4803: Give county animal control agencies criminal records access
Introduced by Rep. John Walsh (R) on June 5, 2013, to grant all county animal control agencies access to the state’s criminal records database, the Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159858
House Bill 4804: Let local governments ban their own granting of “defined benefit” pensions
Introduced by Rep. Pete Lund (R) on June 5, 2013, to establish that counties and local governments may adopt an ordinance that prohibits granting employees a conventional “defined benefit” pension (rather than a 401k), and if such an ordinance is adopted, prohibit government employee unions from making this issue a subject of collective bargaining.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159859
House Bill 4805: Authorize “Right to Life” license plate
Introduced by Rep. Patrick Somerville (R) on June 5, 2013, to require the Secretary of State to develop a “Right to Life” fund-raising license plate, with fees collected for the plate going to the Michigan Right to Life anti-abortion organization.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159860
House Bill 4806: Revise first degree murder lifer law for minors
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Haveman (R) on June 6, 2013, to revise the application to minors of the state’s mandatory life imprisonment for first degree murder law, so as to conform with the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Miller v Alabama. A Senate Fiscal Agency memo describes the ruling and its application to Michigan law. This bill is part of a package, and would revise address the prospective application of the ruling going forward.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159861
House Bill 4807: Revise first degree murder lifer law for minors
Introduced by Rep. Al Pscholka (R) on June 6, 2013, to revise the application to minors of the state’s mandatory life imprisonment for first degree murder law, so as to conform with the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Miller v Alabama. A Senate Fiscal Agency memo describes the ruling and its application to Michigan law. This bill is part of a package, and would revise address the prospective application of the ruling going forward.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159862
House Bill 4808: Revise first degree murder lifer law for minors
Introduced by Rep. Margaret O’Brien (R) on June 6, 2013, to revise the application to minors of the state’s mandatory life imprisonment for first degree murder law, so as to conform with the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Miller v Alabama. A Senate Fiscal Agency memo describes the ruling and its application to Michigan law. This bill is part of a package, and would revise address the prospective application of the ruling going forward.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159863
House Bill 4809: Revise first degree murder lifer law for minors
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Haveman (R) on June 6, 2013, to revise the application to minors of the state’s mandatory life imprisonment for first degree murder law, so as to conform with the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Miller v Alabama. A Senate Fiscal Agency memo describes the ruling and its application to Michigan law. This bill is part of a package, and would revise address the prospective application of the ruling going forward.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159864
House Bill 4810: Revise lower homestead tax for assisted living residents
Introduced by Rep. David Pagel (R) on June 6, 2013, to revise a 2012 law that allows an individual who moves into an assisted living facility to retain the principal residence property tax exemption on his or her own residence, by removing a condition that the home must not be for sale.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159865
House Bill 4811: Revise “military family relief fund” details
Introduced by Rep. Ray Franz (R) on June 6, 2013, to clarify certain conditions and procedures for military families applying for assistance from a state “military family relief fund” created by a 2004 law for families who are suffering financial stress as a result of the military service, or who have an emergency.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159866
House Bill 4812: Authorize “Trails and Greenways” specialty plate
Introduced by Rep. Anthony Forlini (R) on June 6, 2013, to authorize a “Michigan Trails and Greenways” specialty license plate, and give the money it raises to an organization called the “Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance,” to be used “to develop and promote the establishment of a statewide trail network”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159867
House Bill 4813: Establish procedures for dissolving fiscally failed school district
Introduced by Rep. David E. Rutledge (D) on June 6, 2013, to establish criteria and procedures for dissolving a school district that has become so fiscally unviable that it can no longer educate students, and for attaching the failed district’s territory to one or more nearby school districts.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159868
House Bill 4814: Rename bridge in Monroe County
Introduced by Rep. Dale W. Zorn (R) on June 6, 2013, to rename a bridge on US-24 in Monroe County as the “Matt Urban Memorial Bridge”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159869
House Bill 4815: Establish procedures for dissolving fiscally failed school district
Introduced by Rep. Bill Rogers (R) on June 6, 2013, to revise school aid distribution provisions in the state school code to reflect the proposal in House Bill 4814 to establish procedures for dissolving a fiscally failed school district and attaching its territory to nearby districts.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159870
Senate Bill 27: Authorize refillable beer container sales
Passed 101 to 7 in the House on June 11, 2013, to allow merchants licensed to sell beer and wine for consumption off-premises, and bars or restaurants licensed to sell all legal forms of alcohol, to refill clearly labeled “growlers” (sealable containers of up to one gallon) with beer for consumption off-premises. Also, to allow a “small winemaker” to sell wine and hold wine tastings at farmers markets; Senate Bill 79 sets the license fee for this at $25 per day.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666703
Senate Bill 79: Allow farmers market wine tastings and sales
Passed 102 to 6 in the House on June 11, 2013, to authorize a special liquor license allowing small winemakers to sell wine and hold wine tastings at farmers markets and special events. The license would $25 per day.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666704
Senate Bill 150: Authorize Alzheimer’s association tax checkoff
Passed 105 to 2 in the House on June 11, 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, a state “military family relief fund” created by a 2004 law, and to provide government subsidies to research or clinics treating persons with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or “Lou Gehrig’s disease”). The checkoffs 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 programs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666710
Senate Bill 150: Authorize Alzheimer’s association tax checkoff
Passed 31 to 0 in the Senate on June 6, 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=666403
Senate Bill 256: Revise state “supply chain management development commission”
Passed 65 to 43 in the House on June 11, 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=666705
Senate Bill 341: Authorize Amber Alert income tax checkoff
Passed 106 to 2 in the House on June 11, 2013, to allow an individual to choose to automatically contribute $5 or more from his or her state income tax refund to pay for unspecified expenses related to executing “Amber alerts,” which disseminate useful information about a missing child to law enforcement agencies, radio and television stations. 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=666707
Senate Bill 342: Authorize Amber Alert income tax checkoff
Passed 106 to 1 in the House on June 11, 2013, to allow an individual to choose to automatically contribute $5 or more from his or her state income tax refund to pay for unspecified expenses related to executing “Amber alerts,” which disseminate useful information about a missing child to law enforcement agencies, radio and television stations. Also, to allow checkoffs for the Michigan Alzheimer’s association, a state “military family relief fund” created by a 2004 law, and to provide government subsidies to research or clinics treating persons with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or “Lou Gehrig’s disease”). The checkoffs 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 programs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666708
Senate Bill 380: Revise foreclosure restrictions
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 11, 2013, to prohibit a lender from using “foreclosure by advertisement” of a principal residence (the most common form of foreclosure, less costly and prolonged than judicial foreclosure) if the lender complied with federal regulations regarding mortgage servicer policies and procedures, or a “modification agreement” had been made between the debtor and the person who lent the money (or to whom the loan was sold or transferred). The bill revises a 2009 law that imposed a mandate that lenders must give a delinquent debtor 90 days to negotiate a revision of the loan terms.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666630
Senate Bill 381: Extend foreclosure restrictions sunset
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 11, 2013, to extend until June 30, 2014 the sunset on a 2009 law that forces mortgage lenders to attempt to negotiate revisions in the terms of delinquent loans before they can proceed to a “foreclosure by advertisement” (instead of the more costly judicial foreclosure process). This would be the second time this “temporary” law has been extended.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666632
Senate Bill 382: Revise foreclosure restrictions
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 11, 2013, to extend to “mortgage servicers” including small servicers certain specified federal policies and procedures for foreclosure proceedings begun after January 9, 2014.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666634
Senate Bill 401: Insulate DIA art collection from federal bankruptcy liquidation
Passed 24 to 13 in the Senate on June 11, 2013, to require “art institutes” in the state to adopt a code of ethics for museums published by the American Alliance of Museums. Reportedly this is a means of insulating the Detroit Institute of Art’s collection from being sold off should the city file for bankruptcy in federal court. Toward that same end, the bill would prohibit a municipal art museum from being sold, leased, pledged, mortgaged, or otherwise encumbered.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666640
House Bill 4458: Prohibit TIFA “capture” of Detroit Zoo or Arts tax money
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 11, 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=666621
House Bill 4460: Prohibit TIFA “capture” of Detroit Zoo or Arts tax money
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 11, 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=666623
House Bill 4461: Prohibit TIFA “capture” of Detroit Zoo or Arts tax money
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 11, 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=666624
House Bill 4462: Prohibit TIFA “capture” of Detroit Zoo or Arts tax money
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 11, 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=666626
House Bill 4463: Prohibit TIFA “capture” of Detroit Zoo or Arts tax money
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 11, 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=666627
House Bill 4464: Prohibit TIFA “capture” of Detroit Zoo or Arts tax money
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 11, 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=666628
House Bill 4629: Authorize fees and regulations on electronic billboards
Passed 100 to 7 in the House on June 6, 2013, to amend the state billboard law to authorize regulations and extra fees for digital signs, and revise a wide range of other details of this law, in part so as to conform with federal billboard laws and regulations.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666447
House Bill 4768: Ban DEQ groundwater discharge sodium limits
Passed 65 to 43 in the House on June 11, 2013, to prohibit the Department of Environmental Quality from imposing limitations on the amount of sodium in groundwater discharges allowed under state water pollution regulations.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666706
Senate Bill 50: Expand ORV shoulder riding
Passed 27 to 11 in the Senate on June 13, 2013, to prohibit the Department of Natural Resources from requiring a permit merely for organized group recreational off-road vehicle riding on state land, or for an ORV event on frozen lakes. Also, to require the DNR to designate at least two days each year as free ORV-riding days, when no ORV license is required.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666845
Senate Bill 114: Revise commercial rental property assessment occupancy formula
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on June 13, 2013, to eliminate the use of rental property occupancy rate decreases in determining the taxable value of property. The bill is a response to a 2002 Supreme Court ruling (WPW vs. Troy) which held that the Constitutional tax cap put in place by Proposal A in 1994 capped annual increases in the assessments of commercial property whose assessment had previously been lowered because of high vacancy rates.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666842
Senate Bill 163: Revise wetland use permit details
Passed 66 to 42 in the House on June 12, 2013, to expand certain exemptions to a state wetland permit mandate, increase some wetland permit fees and reduce others, require permit denials to document their rationale and authority, authorize grants to local governments to create “wetland mitigation banks,” slightly reduce regulatory burdens imposed on county drain commission activities, slightly increase the state’s burden to justify restrictions on an owner’s use of his or her property, prohibit the Department of Environmental Quality from imposing regulations that beyond the scope those required by federal law, and make other changes to these land use restrictions.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666814
Senate Bill 250: Authorize enhanced penalty for assaulting health professional
Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate on June 12, 2013, to authorize enhanced penalties in for committing an assault in which the victim is a health care professional.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666762
Senate Bill 263: Revise unused rail line divestiture detail
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 13, 2013, to revise details of the law that establishes timetables for the state divesting itself of unused rail right of ways.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666846
Senate Bill 270: Convert 21st Century Jobs Fund from rule-based to discretionary corporate subsidies
Passed 36 to 2 in the Senate on June 13, 2013, to essentially eliminate requirements that certain proportions of the money spent by a “21st Century Jobs Fund” business subsidy program go to specified actions, including the state government buying shares of particular companies or giving them loans or cash grants, a tourism industry marketing subsidy, and other so-called government ‘economic development’ spending. This and related bills would in general convert this from appearing to be a ‘rule-based’ subsidy program governed by statutory prescriptions and restrictions into one in which the political appointees on the Michigan Strategic Fund board have more discretion to give out subsidies as they choose. See also Senate Bills 269 to 272 and 278, House Bills 4481 and 4482, and 2012 Senate Bill 929, now Public Act 145 of 2012.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666839
Senate Bill 271: Revise corporate and developer subsidy regime
Passed 36 to 2 in the Senate on June 13, 2013, to increase maximum amount of state “community revitalization” grants (formerly “brownfield” and “historic preservation” tax credits) that can be awarded to a particular developer, corporation or other special interest from $1 million to $2.5 million. The bill would also eliminate various statutory prescriptions and restrictions on how the political appointees on the Michigan Strategic Fund board may spend state revenues allocated to this subsidy program, and also delete certain disclosure and reporting requirements.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666840
Senate Bill 272: Authorize corporate and developer “port facility” subsidies
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on June 13, 2013, to expand the mission of the Michigan Strategic Fund to include providing undefined subsidies for corporations, developers and other entities involved in port facilities. Also to include in its mission dredging recreational or commercial harbors, subject to future appropriations and any conditions attached to them.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666841
Senate Bill 300: Establish and impose minimum indigent defense standards
Passed 32 to 6 in the Senate on June 13, 2013, to create a Michigan indigent defense commission to establish statewide standards and accountability measures for court-appointed attorneys who represent indigent criminal defendants, and establish a process by which all counties in the state would be required to conform with the standards. If a local failed to adopt them, the commission could take over its indigent defense administration, and impose a gradually increasing portion of the state’s costs for this, up to 40 percent. Locals would be responsible for maintaining funding at current levels, and all this would be subject to a detailed appeals process. The bill authorizes but does not fund state grants to cover increased costs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666848
Senate Bill 301: Establish and impose minimum indigent defense standards
Passed 32 to 6 in the Senate on June 13, 2013, to revise the law that requires a court to assign counsel to an indigent person charged with a criminal offense so it conforms with the indigent defense minimum standards process proposed by Senate Bill 300.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666849
Senate Bill 330: Increase state disaster fund deposits
Passed 26 to 12 in the Senate on June 13, 2013, to require the legislature to annually appropriate between $2 million and $4.5 million to a state disaster and emergency contingency fund; current statute requires between $30,000 and $750,000. Also, to increase the maximum assistance grant to a local government from $30,000 or 10 percent of the local’s operating budget, whichever is less, to $100,000 or 10 percent.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666844
Senate Bill 360: Authorize enhanced penalty for assaulting health professional
Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate on June 12, 2013, to revise the criminal sentencing guidelines for the penalties proposed by Senate Bill 250 for assaulting or battering a health care professional.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666763
House Bill 4082: Authorize Alzheimer’s association tax checkoff
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 12, 2013, to create a state fund to collect the revenue from the income tax checkoff proposed by Senate Bill 150 and give it to the Michigan Alzheimer’s Association.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666761
House Bill 4084: Authorize Lou Gehrig’s disease income tax checkoff
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 12, 2013, to create a state fund to collect the revenue from an income tax checkoff proposed by Senate Bill 150 and House Bill 4085, and spend it on government subsidies to research or clinics treating persons with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or “Lou Gehrig’s disease”).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666754
House Bill 4085: Authorize Lou Gehrig’s disease income tax checkoff
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 12, 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, a state “military family relief fund” created by a 2004 law, and to provide government subsidies to research or clinics treating persons with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or “Lou Gehrig’s disease”). The checkoffs 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 programs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666756
House Bill 4459: Prohibit TIFA “capture” of Detroit Zoo or Arts tax money
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 13, 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=666838
House Bill 4525: Revise sentencing guidelines for arson
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on June 12, 2013, to revise the state sentencing guidelines in a way that authorizes more severe penalties for arson.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666815
House Bill 4591: Exempt home monitoring system installers from electrician licensure mandate
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 12, 2013, to prohibit local governments from requiring a home monitoring system provider or a security alarm system provider to obtain a permit or license to do work associated with either of those systems. “Home monitoring system,” is defined as allowing a homeowner to remotely monitor their home through audio, video, or sensor detection systems and that may allow remote control of temperature, humidity, lighting, doors, locks and more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666757
House Bill 4592: Exempt home thermostat installers from mechanical contractor licensure
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 12, 2013, to establish that a “mechanical contractors” license is not required for a registered or licensed security alarm provider or contractor to install a home thermostat.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666758
House Bill 4737: Don’t require building permit for “home monitoring systems”
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 12, 2013, to establish that the state building code requires no building permit for work related to a home monitoring system if performed by a registered or licensed provider. “Home monitoring system” is defined as equipment and devices that allow an individual to remotely monitor his or her home through audio, video, or sensor detection systems, and allow remote control of home temperature, humidity, lighting, doors and locks.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666759
House Bill 4743: Allow local holiday fireworks regulations
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 12, 2013, to allow local governments to ban the use of consumer fireworks between midnight and 8:00 a.m. on the day before, day of, and day after a national holiday (in larger communities the allowable deadline would be 1:00 a.m. on New Years). The 2012 law legalizing these fireworks (which include firecrackers, bottle rockets, aerial spinners, Roman candles, etc.) essentially preempted local bans on their use at all hours during these holiday periods.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666777
Senate Bill 264: Accelerate dredging permit processing deadlines
Passed 83 to 23 in the House on June 13, 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=666950
Senate Bill 284: Revise home heating welfare program
Passed 86 to 21 in the House on June 13, 2013, to authorize imposing a $1 per month surcharge on customer electric utility bills, and use the money to provide up to $50 million annually in low income home heating subsidies.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666958
House Bill 4344: Revise special Detroit powers population threshold
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on June 13, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666956
House Bill 4478: Revise voter signature detail
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on June 13, 2013, to allow a voter who can’t sign his or her own name because of a disability to use a signature stamp where signatures are required on election-related documents.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666957
House Bill 4529: Establish and impose minimum indigent defense standards
Passed 101 to 6 in the House on June 13, 2013, to create a Michigan indigent defense commission to establish statewide standards and accountability measures for court-appointed attorneys who represent indigent criminal defendants, and if the state Supreme Court agrees, establish procedures by which an agency would be created to enforce expeditious adoption of the standards in local jurisdictions. If a local failed to adopt them, this agency would take over its indigent defense administration, and impose a gradually increasing portion of the state’s costs for this, up to 40 percent. Local governments would be responsible for maintaining funding at current levels. The bill authorizes but does not fund state grants to cover increased costs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666961
House Bill 4530: Establish and impose minimum indigent defense standards
Passed 101 to 6 in the House on June 13, 2013, to revise the law that requires a court to assign counsel to an indigent person charged with a criminal offense so it conforms with the indigent defense minimum standards process proposed by House Bill 4529.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666962
House Bill 4691: Revise carnival ride regulation detail
Passed 60 to 46 in the House on June 13, 2013, to eliminate a state government “carnival amusement safety board.” The bill would not affect the regulations and inspection requirements for carnival rides.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666949
House Bill 4714: Accept federal health care law Medicaid expansion, with conditions
The substitute
passed by voice vote in the House on June 13, 2013, to adopt a version of the bill that does not require federal approval-in-advance of certain cost-saving Medicaid reforms before the expansion can proceed.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159308
House Bill 4714: Accept federal health care law Medicaid expansion, with conditions
Passed 76 to 31 in the House on June 13, 2013, to expand Medicaid eligibility to families and childless adults up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, which implements a key component of the federal health care law (aka “Obamacare”). Under that law, the feds are supposed to pay 100 percent of the expansion’s cost during the first three years, with the state responsible for not more than 10 percent of the costs starting in 2020. This does not contain a provision in the original version of the bill requiring the federal government to approve certain cost-saving state Medicaid reforms before the expansion could proceed.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666980
House Bill 4731: Waive commercial road test for certain recent veterans
Passed 106 to 0 in the House on June 13, 2013, to waive a required state examination for meeting firefighter professional qualification standards, if an applicant is a recent military veteran with relevant experience.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666952
House Bill 4754: Establish that military experience meets mechanical contractor licensure requirements
Passed 107 to 0 in the House on June 13, 2013, to waive a requirement that an applicant for a mechanical contractor license must have at least three years in the field, if the individual is a recent military veteran with relevant service experience.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666954
House Bill 4765: Extend foreclosure restrictions sunset
Passed 98 to 9 in the House on June 13, 2013, to extend until June 30, 2014 the sunset on a 2009 law that forces mortgage lenders to attempt to negotiate revisions in the terms of delinquent loans before they can proceed to a “foreclosure by advertisement” (instead of the more costly judicial foreclosure process). This would be the second time this “temporary” law has been extended.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666965
House Bill 4766: Revise foreclosure restrictions
Passed 99 to 8 in the House on June 13, 2013, to allow a mortgage borrower from an institution that was a defendant that entered into a consent judgment in United States of America, et al. v Bank of America Corp., et al, to request a face to face meeting with the lender to attempt to work out a modification to avoid foreclosure, and delay foreclosure until after the meeting.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666969
House Bill 4813: Establish procedures for dissolving fiscally failed school district
Passed 58 to 49 in the House on June 13, 2013, to establish criteria and procedures for dissolving a school district that has become so fiscally unviable that it can no longer educate students, and for attaching the failed district’s territory to one or more nearby school districts. The bill was introduced after the Buena Vista and Inkster school districts reached this state shortly before the end of the 2012-2013 school year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666994
House Bill 4815: Establish procedures for dissolving fiscally failed school district
Passed 58 to 49 in the House on June 13, 2013, to revise school aid distribution provisions in the state school aid act to reflect the proposal in House Bill 4814 to establish procedures for dissolving a fiscally failed school district and attaching its territory to nearby districts.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666997
Senate Bill 418: Exempt travel agents from insurance agent licensure mandate
Introduced by Sen. Joe Hune (R) on June 11, 2013, to exempt travel agents from the licensure mandate imposed on insurance agents. Travel agents often sell trip insurance that is incidental to the planned travel.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159882
Senate Bill 419: Allow different drivers license and voter registration address
Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on June 11, 2013, to allow a person to have a different address on their drivers license or state I.D. than the one at which they are registered to vote.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159883
Senate Bill 420: Allow different drivers license and voter registration addresses
Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on June 11, 2013, to allow a person to have a different address on their drivers license or state I.D. than the one at which they are registered to vote.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159884
Senate Bill 421: Allow registered-by-mail voter to vote absentee in first election
Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on June 11, 2013, to allow a person to vote by absentee ballot in the first election after registering by mail to vote in a jurisdiction. Current law requires that such voters show up in person the first time that they vote in the new jurisdiction, but may vote by absentee ballot for all subsequent elections.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159885
Senate Bill 422: Create new low-income medical welfare program
Introduced by Sen. Bruce Caswell (R) on June 11, 2013, to create a new state medical welfare program that for a minimal monthly premium ($5 to $20) would provide insurance benefits to individuals below the federal poverty level who are not eligible for federal Medicaid subsidies (which mostly applies to childless adults). This is potentially an alternative to the Medicaid expansion portion of the federal health care law called “Obamacare” by regular people.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159886
Senate Bill 423: Create new low-income medical welfare program
Introduced by Sen. Patrick Colbeck (R) on June 11, 2013, to create a new state medical welfare program that for a minimal monthly premium ($5 to $20) would provide insurance benefits to individuals below the federal poverty level who are not eligible for federal Medicaid subsidies (which mostly applies to childless adults). This is potentially an alternative to the Medicaid expansion portion of the federal health care law called “Obamacare” by regular people.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159887
Senate Bill 424: Require schools teach American foundational principles
Introduced by Sen. Virgil Smith, Jr. (D) on June 12, 2013, to require public schools to provide instruction in all grades that focuses on the core principles of the United States, in particular those articulated in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and other foundational or iconic texts, speeches, etc.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159903
Senate Bill 425: Revise principle residence property tax credit detail
Introduced by Sen. Jack Brandenburg (R) on June 12, 2013, to extend the Proposal A “homestead property tax” credit that exempts an individual’s principle residence from local school operating taxes (usually 18 mills) so that it also applies if the form of home ownership is a trust with the home occupant is the trust’s beneficiary.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159904
Senate Bill 426: Revise beer brewer regulations
Introduced by Sen. Dave Hildenbrand (R) on June 12, 2013, to increase the number of “brewpubs” in which a single owner can have an interest, from three to six, with a maximum capacity between them of 18,000 barrels of beer per calendar year.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159905
Senate Bill 427: Revise unemployment insurance payroll tax detail
Introduced by Sen. Howard Walker (R) on June 12, 2013, to not consider certain oil, gas and mineral extraction contract negotiators (“landmen”) who are independent contractors to be “employees” of an energy or mining company for purposes of assessing unemployment insurance payroll taxes.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159906
Senate Bill 428: Ban governments placing foreign-made American flags on veterans’ graves
Introduced by Sen. Roger Kahn (R) on June 12, 2013, to prohibit local governments from buying American flags made outside this country to place on veteran’s graves, unless no competitively-priced American-made flags are available.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159907
Senate Bill 429: Authorize “arms-related” corporate tax breaks
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on June 13, 2013, to authorize granting the extensive tax breaks and exemptions of a “renaissance zone” to up to five corporations engaged in “arms-related” manufacturing and that are selected by the political appointees on the board of the Michigan “Strategic Fund” agency.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159916
Senate Bill 430: Authorize “arms-related” corporate tax breaks
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on June 13, 2013, to authorize granting the extensive tax breaks and exemptions of a “renaissance zone” to up to five corporations engaged in “arms-related” manufacturing and that are selected by the political appointees on the board of the Michigan “Strategic Fund” agency.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159918
Senate Bill 431: Give “biobased” products state purchasing preference
Introduced by Sen. Bruce Caswell (R) on June 13, 2013, to require the state to give preference in purchasing and procurement to products with a higher amount of “biobased” components.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159919
Senate Bill 432: Expand “bottle bill”
Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on June 13, 2013, to expand the “bottle bill” deposit requirement to include water and all nonalcoholic carbonated or noncarbonated drinks sold in an airtight metal, glass, or plastic container that holds one gallon or less, except for milk and unflavored rice or soy milk, with some additional exceptions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159920
Senate Bill 433: Require insurers put “Obamacare” price increase estimates in customer bills
Introduced in the Senate on June 18, 2013, to require bills sent to customers for health insurance policies or HMO plans to itemize to include an estimate of the amount that any price increase was caused by mandates and regulation imposed by the federal health care law (“Obamacare”).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159953
House Bill 4817: Establish independent political redistricting commission
Introduced by Rep. Sean McCann (D) on June 11, 2013, to establish procedures and statutory prescriptions for implementing the proposal in House Joint Resolution T to create a 14 member state congressional and legislative redistricting commission, with five members each appointed the Republican and Democratic parties, and four members not connected to either party selected by the legislature’s Auditor General.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159896
House Bill 4818: Ban human lice treatments containing lindane
Introduced by Rep. Winnie Brinks (D) on June 11, 2013, to prohibit the sale or use of human lice treatments containing lindane.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159897
House Bill 4819: Expand special corporate tax breaks
Introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D) on June 11, 2013, to revise language in a 2010 law authorizing “border crossing renaissance zones” in Port Huron and potentially elsewhere to expand their extensive tax breaks to companies selected by the political appointees on the board of the state “Strategic Fund” agency that are in the business of packing, sorting, assembling, or manufacturing goods.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159898
House Bill 4820: Impose new regulations on “petroleum coke”
Introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D) on June 11, 2013, to impose new regulations and a permit mandate on the storage and transport of “petroleum coke” (“pet coke”). This is related to a Marathon Oil refinery expansion in Detroit.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159899
House Bill 4821: Revise motor carrier safety law detail
Introduced by Rep. Marilyn Lane (D) on June 12, 2013, to revise details of how a state “motor carrier safety” law applies to certain categories of buses.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159921
House Bill 4822: Revise township annexation procedures
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on June 12, 2013, to require a circuit court to resolve a territory annexation petition dispute if an agreement is not reached between a city or village and a charter township in which some residents are seeking to have their property become part of the neighboring city or village.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159922
House Bill 4823: Revise township annexation procedures
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on June 12, 2013, to require a circuit court to resolve a territory annexation petition dispute if an agreement is not reached between a city or village and a charter township in which some residents are seeking to have their property become part of the neighboring city or village.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159923
House Bill 4824: Increase penalty for paying a person to run for office
Introduced by Rep. Earl Poleski (R) on June 12, 2013, to authorize up to one year in prison and $500 fine for promising, providing, or accepting valuable consideration to run for a political office, not including campaign contributions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159924
House Bill 4825: Require candidates to disclose felonies
Introduced by Rep. Klint Kesto (R) on June 12, 2013, to require a candidate for public office to include on the required “affidavit of identity” whether the individual has been convicted of a felony in the past 10 years, and to disclose the crimes.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159925
House Bill 4826: Require schools teach American foundational principles
Introduced by Rep. Ray Franz (R) on June 12, 2013, to require public schools to provide instruction in all grades that focuses on the core principles of the United States, in particular those articulated in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and other foundational or iconic texts, speeches, etc.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159926
House Bill 4827: Exempt certain pension income from state income tax
Introduced by Rep. Patrick Somerville (R) on June 12, 2013, to revise the provision of Gov. Rick Snyder’s income tax overhaul and business tax cut that partially eliminated some of the state income tax exemptions for pension income. The bill would authorize a pension income tax deduction for a person born after 1952 who is retired before July 1, 2014, exempting from tax up to $15,000 in pension income for a single return and $30,000 for a joint return. Under the 2011 tax overhaul, older individuals get a partial pension income exemption but those born after 1952 do not.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159927
House Bill 4828: Allow pension double dipping by some “retired” school paraprofessionals
Introduced by Rep. Patrick Somerville (R) on June 12, 2013, to allow a school paraprofessional to simultaneously collect pension benefits and a paycheck for going back to work in a school, subject to various limitations and conditions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159928
House Bill 4829: Grant discounted license plates to certain charitable vehicles
Introduced by Rep. Joel Johnson (R) on June 12, 2013, to grant a discounted vehicle registration (license plate) tax of $10 annually to vehicles owned by a fraternal organization and which are used to transport children to and from hospitals for medical treatment.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159929
House Bill 4830: Allow small corporations’ officers to represent firm in court
Introduced by Rep. Lisa Lyons (R) on June 13, 2013, to allow an officer in a small corporation or a partner in a business partnership to represent the entity in a court dispute involving rental property for which the firm is a landlord, and not consider this a violation of law prohibiting the “unauthorized practice of law”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159934
House Bill 4831: Clarify prescription drug sales tax exemption
Introduced by Rep. Lisa Lyons (R) on June 13, 2013, to clarify details of a state sales tax exemption for prescription drugs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159935
House Bill 4832: Authorize energy efficient new home purchase tax breaks
Introduced by Rep. Jon Switalski (D) on June 13, 2013, to authorize a $5,000 individual income tax credit for a person who buys a new home that has been deemed a “green structure” by a particular private entity specified in the bill (“Green Michigan”), and a $2,000 credit for an addition or renovation that meets the criteria established by this entity, or by a similar entity that has been empowered with this authority by the state Department of Labor and Economic Growth. The credit would not be “refundable” (that is, would not be a potential cash subsidy), but the amount exceeding the person’s tax liability could be “carried forward” and used against future years’ tax liability.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159936
House Bill 4833: Increase election recount deposit requirement
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on June 13, 2013, to increase the money deposit a candidate must make to get an election recount from $10 to $25 per precinct, and $125 per precinct if the election wasn’t extremely close, and also revise the conditions for getting a refund.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159937
House Bill 4834: Mandate local government American flags disclosures
Introduced by Rep. Greg MacMaster (R) on June 13, 2013, to require local governments that purchase imported American or State of Michigan flags to disclose on their websites the country in which the flags were made.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159938
House Bill 4835: Ban governments placing foreign-made American flags on veterans’ graves
Introduced by Rep. Greg MacMaster (R) on June 13, 2013, to prohibit local governments from buying imported American flags to place on veteran’s graves, unless no competitively-priced American-made flags are available. See also House Bill 4834.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159939
House Bill 4836: Require consent for release of student data
Introduced by Rep. Ellen Lipton (D) on June 13, 2013, to prohibit local or state school authorities from releasing any data about a student to an organization located outside this state without the prior written consent of the student’s parent or legal guardian (or the student if age 18 or older).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159940
House Bill 4837: Require state assessment test questions be available for inspection
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on June 13, 2013, to require the Department of Education to make available for inspection the questions or assignments that are used as part of state tests and assessments, and also to work with local school districts to make these available to parents at schools. These inspections would be made in private, and copying the questions could be banned.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159941
House Bill 4838: Ban brand names on student assessment tests
Introduced by Rep. Thomas Hooker (R) on June 13, 2013, to prohibit the use of product or service brand names on state assessment tests given to students.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159942
House Bill 4839: Revise expunged crime disclosure restriction
Introduced by Rep. Tom Leonard (R) on June 13, 2013, to revise a confidentiality provision in the law allowing a court to “set aside” (expunge) a comparatively minor criminal conviction, meaning that no public record of the conviction is available (but it remains in restricted State Police records). Under current law, it is a misdemeanor for anyone except the violator to divulge or publish a “set aside” conviction. The bill would also include the crime victim in this exception.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159943
House Bill 4840: Repeal permit requirement for “suction weed harvesting”
Introduced by Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R) on June 13, 2013, to repeal a state permit mandate for “suction weed harvesting,” which is a technique for controlling invasive and other underwater weeds that can clog lakes.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159944
House Bill 4841: Create “pesticide application registry”
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on June 13, 2013, to require the state to create a “pesticide application registry” where individuals could register who wish to be notified before the application of pesticides on a property adjacent to their home. Commercial pest control companies would have to check the registry before each job and notify neighbors who have registered for this.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159945
House Bill 4842: Appropriate money for transit-related “municipal credit program”
Introduced by Rep. Anthony Forlini (R) on June 13, 2013, to appropriate $2 million for a public transit-related “municipal credit program”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159946
House Bill 4843: Require political robocall disclosures
Introduced by Rep. Anthony Forlini (R) on June 13, 2013, to require that automated phone calls (“robocalls”) that relate to a candidate for office or a ballot issue disclose the identity of the person paying for the communication and whether it is authorized by a candidate, with violations a misdemeanor subject to a $500 fine, and up to $1,500 for a third and subsequent conviction.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159947
Senate Bill 284: Revise home heating welfare program
Passed 34 to 4 in the Senate on June 18, 2013, to authorize imposing a $1 per month surcharge on customer electric utility bills, and use the money to provide up to $60 million annually in low income home heating subsidies.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667062
Senate Bill 374: Create statewide school violence “hotline”
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 18, 2013, to require the Attorney General and the State Police to create a “hotline” manned 24 hours a day all year long to collect “confidential reports of unsafe, potentially harmful, dangerous, violent, or criminal activities.” These could include cell phone camera and video images. While the bill does not limit the hotline to school related threats, other parts of it require the information to be shared with local law enforcement and school officials.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667123
House Bill 4664: Allow pension double-dipping by some “retired” prison workers
Passed 20 to 18 in the Senate on June 18, 2013, to extend for two years a Sept. 30, 2013 sunset on a 2012 law that “temporarily” allowed retired prison employees to simultaneously collect pension benefits and a paycheck for going back to work in a prison. Under current law, prison guards can retire and begin collecting pension checks as young as age 51 in some cases.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667073
House Bill 4665: Extend “temporary” landfill tipping fee increase
Passed 20 to 18 in the Senate on June 18, 2013, to extend until Sept. 30, 2015 a “temporary” increase from 7 cents to 12 cents on the per-cubic yard state “tipping fee” tax imposed on dumping in landfills, which was authorized by a 2011 law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667064
House Bill 4666: Extend “temporary” environmental permit fee increases
Passed 20 to 18 in the Senate on June 18, 2013, to extend until Sept. 30, 2014 “temporary” increases authorized in 2011 for various permit fees mandated by the state environmental protection law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667065
House Bill 4669: Increase annual ORV tax
Passed 20 to 18 in the Senate on June 18, 2013, to increase the annual off road vehicle license tax from $16.25 to $26.25 for a license that does not authorize operation on state ORV trails, and $36.25 for one that does.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667079
House Bill 4670: Increase state disaster fund deposits
Passed 27 to 11 in the Senate on June 18, 2013, to require the legislature to annually appropriate enough money to maintain a balance of between $1 million and $4.5 million in a state disaster and emergency contingency fund; current statute requires between $30,000 and $750,000.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667067
House Bill 4671: Earmark cell phone 9-1-1 tax to administration
Passed 24 to 14 in the Senate on June 18, 2013, to permanently earmark $150,000 from a 9-1-1 service mobile phone provider tax to the Department of Treasury for administration of this tax.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667068
House Bill 4708: Revise hazardous material regulatory regime detail
Passed 21 to 17 in the Senate on June 18, 2013, to replace one state fund created to hold and disburse fee and fine revenue related to hazardous material permit mandates and regulations with another state fund.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667069
House Bill 4714: Accept federal health care law Medicaid expansion, with conditions
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on June 13, 2013, to strip out the provision authorizing the Medicaid expansion.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159308
House Bill 4714: Accept federal health care law Medicaid expansion, with conditions
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on June 13, 2013, to strip out one of the provisions enabling the Medicaid expansion.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159308
Senate Bill 153: Revise certain Wayne County authority population threshold
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 19, 2013, to revise the population threshold in a law that gives the Wayne County clerk the authority to designate an employee to perform marriages. Under current law, only the clerk of “a county having more than 2 million inhabitants” has this authority. 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 using these population thresholds, most often for granting special privileges or exemptions for Detroit.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667272
Senate Bill 301: Establish and impose minimum indigent defense standards
Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate on June 20, 2013, to revise the law that requires a court to assign counsel to an indigent person charged with a criminal offense so it conforms with the indigent defense reforms proposed by House Bill 4529.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667317
Senate Bill 301: Establish and impose minimum indigent defense standards
Passed 102 to 7 in the House on June 19, 2013, to revise the law that requires a court to assign counsel to an indigent person charged with a criminal offense so it conforms with the indigent defense reforms proposed by House Bill 4529.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667220
Senate Bill 367: Revise business profits tax detail
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 19, 2013, to revise details of the state tax on business profits to clarify when related companies are considered an “affiliated group” for tax purposes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667273
Senate Bill 415: Cut tax on jet fuel
Passed 21 to 16 in the Senate on June 19, 2013, to cut from 6 percent to 4 percent the “use tax” imposed on sales of jet fuel.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667274
Senate Bill 416: Cut tax on jet fuel
Passed 21 to 16 in the Senate on June 19, 2013, to cut from 6 percent to 4 percent the sales tax imposed on sales of jet fuel.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667275
House Bill 4112: Appropriations: Supplemental budget
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on June 19, 2013, to make a number of adjustments to amounts already appropriated for various purposes, to reflect, among other things, reduced welfare and Medicaid caseloads. Also, to appropriate additional funds for various state departments and programs. All told, the bill reflects spending reductions of nearly $675 million, and spending increases of around $40 million. It also authorizes increasing government debt by $81.5 million to pay for proposed state university and college construction projects.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667290
House Bill 4112: Appropriations: Supplemental budget
Passed 105 to 2 in the House on June 6, 2013, to make a number of adjustments to amounts already appropriated for various purposes, to reflect, among other things, reduced welfare and Medicaid caseloads. Also, to appropriate additional funds for various state departments and programs. All told, the bill reflects spending reductions of more than $650 million, and spending increases of around $36 million.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=666454
House Bill 4208: Revise “resort district” tax and infrastructure law
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on June 19, 2013, to revise a state law that lets local governments create “resort districts” in a waterfront area. These have the power to impose up to three mills in extra property tax on property owners in the district; borrow money for roads, sewers, flood control, streetlights and garbage collection; and use the increased tax revenue to make the debt service payments on these loans. The bill would revise details of the “district’s” board membership, requiring two of the members be residents.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667216
House Bill 4272: Authorize school “cardiac emergency response drills”
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on June 19, 2013, to allow schools to substitute a “cardiac emergency response drill” for one of the eight fire drills schools are required to hold each year, and require this if the school has defibrillator devices. Also, schools would have to have a “cardiac emergency response plan” with specified components, one of which is “a plan for training all high school students” in defibrillator use and CPR.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667212
House Bill 4284: Revise ORV shoulder-riding details
Passed 27 to 11 in the Senate on June 19, 2013, to authorize local governments to ask the Department of Transportation to allow ORVs on the shoulders of state trunk line highways where necessary to connect existing ORV networks, and establish criteria and deadlines for MDOT’s consideration of these requests. Also, to allow the department to allow ORV shoulder riding on designated highways (not including Interstates), and establish criteria for designating highways. See also House Bill 4299.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667260
House Bill 4297: Give free state park admission to disabled veterans
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 19, 2013, to waive state park and campground admission fees for disabled veterans, or ones who were prisoners of war, or who were awarded the Medal of Honor. Specifically, the bill grants these veterans the vehicle registration “recreation passport” without the $11 charge. The foregone revenue would have to be paid to the parks from general fund tax revenues.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667235
House Bill 4299: Expand ORV shoulder riding
Passed 27 to 11 in the Senate on June 19, 2013, to expand a 2008 law that allows local governments in the northern part of the state to allow off road vehicles to be driven on either the pavement or the shoulder of some or all streets and roads. The bill would extend the local option statewide. Also, to allow the department to allow ORV shoulder riding on designated highways (not including Interstates), and establish criteria for designating highways.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667264
House Bill 4303: Authorize other-state funeral director license reciprocity
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 19, 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=667244
House Bill 4307: Revise county commission vacancy detail
Passed 26 to 12 in the Senate on June 19, 2013, to eliminate a requirement that a special election must be held when a county commissioner vacancy occurs during an odd numbered year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667281
House Bill 4329: Authorize other-state funeral director license reciprocity
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 19, 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=667249
House Bill 4330: Authorize other-state funeral director license reciprocity
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 19, 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=667252
House Bill 4409: Revise delinquent property tax interest detail
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on June 19, 2013, to permit county treasurers to waive the additional 0.5 percent per month interest that is assessed on persons redeeming tax-forfeited properties, if the property is withheld from process transferring title in the delinquent property to foreclosing local government. Properties are withheld in cases where the owner is experiencing “substantial financial hardship,” or is considered legally incompetent for certain reasons.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667218
House Bill 4439: Give free state park admission to disabled veterans
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 19, 2013, to revise vehicle registration tax forms to reflect the proposal in House Bill 4297 to waive the state park and campground admission fees included in such forms for disabled veterans, or ones who were awarded the Medal of Honor or were prisoners of war.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667237
House Bill 4529: Establish and impose minimum indigent defense standards
Passed 33 to 4 in the Senate on June 19, 2013, to create a Michigan indigent defense commission to establish statewide standards and accountability measures for court-appointed attorneys who represent indigent criminal defendants, and establish a process by which all counties in the state would be required to conform with the standards. If a local failed to adopt them, the commission could take over its indigent defense administration, and impose a gradually increasing portion of the state’s costs for this, up to 40 percent. Locals would be responsible for maintaining funding at current levels, and all this would be subject to a detailed mediation and appeals process. The bill authorizes but does not fund state grants to cover increased costs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667271
House Bill 4574: Require funeral home buyers honor prepaid funeral contracts
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 19, 2013, to require the buyer of a licensed funeral establishment to assume the previous owner’s commitments under existing prepaid funeral contracts.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667256
House Bill 4575: Revise college scholarship “promise zone” criteria
Passed 99 to 10 in the House on June 19, 2013, to revise a 2008 law authorizing “promise zone” tax increment financing authorities (TIFA) to subsidize college tuition for students in low educational attainment areas, by allowing these authorities to more easily revise the academic performance standards they may or may not require students to meet; and also revise budget-related procedures, details of their board membership, minimum payment amounts, and more. It would also require annual audits of a zone’s budget.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667213
House Bill 4765: Extend foreclosure restrictions sunset
Passed 35 to 3 in the Senate on June 19, 2013, to extend until June 30, 2014 the sunset on a 2009 law that forces mortgage lenders to attempt to negotiate revisions in the terms of delinquent loans before they can proceed to a “foreclosure by advertisement” (instead of the more costly judicial foreclosure process). This would be the second time this “temporary” law has been extended.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667277
House Bill 4766: Revise foreclosure restrictions
Passed 35 to 3 in the Senate on June 19, 2013, to allow a mortgage borrower from an institution that was a defendant that entered into a consent judgment in United States of America, et al. v Bank of America Corp., et al, to request a face to face meeting with the lender to attempt to work out a modification to avoid foreclosure, and delay foreclosure until after the meeting.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667279
House Bill 4813: Establish procedures for dissolving fiscally failed school district
Passed 20 to 18 in the Senate on June 19, 2013, to establish criteria and procedures for dissolving a school district that has become so fiscally unviable that it can no longer educate students, and for attaching the failed district’s territory to one or more nearby school districts. The bill was introduced after the Buena Vista and Inkster school districts reached this state shortly before the end of the 2012-2013 school year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667301
House Bill 4815: Establish procedures for dissolving fiscally failed school district
Passed 20 to 18 in the Senate on June 19, 2013, to revise school aid distribution provisions in the state school aid act to reflect the proposal in House Bill 4814 to establish procedures for dissolving a fiscally failed school district and attaching its territory to nearby districts, with its per-pupil state funding going to those districts. The bill appropriates $2.7 million to compensate the receiving districts for money diverted to pay the dissolved district’s debt, and another $2.2 million as a “bonus” for taking the failed district’s students, with this funding bump to continue for four years.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667304
Senate Bill 142: Clarify taxable software definition
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 20, 2013, to clarify that when one person grants another the right to use “prewritten computer software,” this is not subject to the state “use tax” that is imposed on the sale or consumption of tangible personal property.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667310
Senate Bill 143: Clarify taxable software definition
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 20, 2013, to clarify that when one person grants another the right to use “prewritten computer software,” this is not subject to sales tax.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667311
Senate Bill 301: Establish and impose minimum indigent defense standards
Passed 102 to 7 in the House on June 20, 2013, to revise the law that requires a court to assign counsel to an indigent person charged with a criminal offense so it conforms with the indigent defense reforms proposed by House Bill 4529.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667370
Senate Bill 380: Revise foreclosure restrictions
Passed 103 to 6 in the House on June 20, 2013, to prohibit a lender from using “foreclosure by advertisement” of a principal residence (the most common form of foreclosure, less costly and prolonged than judicial foreclosure) if the lender complied with federal regulations regarding mortgage servicer policies and procedures, or a “modification agreement” had been made between the debtor and the person who lent the money (or to whom the loan was sold or transferred). The bill revises a 2009 law that imposed a mandate that lenders must give a delinquent debtor 90 days to negotiate a revision of the loan terms.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667388
Senate Bill 383: Revise foreclosure restrictions
Passed 28 to 10 in the Senate on June 20, 2013, to clarify the right of a mortgage foreclosure auction property buyer to monitor the property during the post-auction redemption period, and specify physical evidence that would suggest abandonment and therefore trigger a shorter redemption period during which the delinquent borrower is entitled to redeem the property.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667339
Senate Bill 383: Revise foreclosure restrictions
Passed 59 to 50 in the House on June 20, 2013, to clarify the right of a mortgage foreclosure auction property buyer to monitor the property during the post-auction redemption period, and specify physical evidence that would suggest abandonment and therefore trigger a shorter redemption period during which the delinquent borrower is entitled to redeem the property.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667393
House Bill 4080: Transfer state prison land to Kinross County
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on June 20, 2013, to give certain state Corrections Department land in Kinross County to the county or another local government, to use for public purposes. Also, to sell former corrections property in Schoolcraft County called “Camp Manistique” for fair market value.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667397
House Bill 4080: Transfer state prison land to Kinross County
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 20, 2013, to give certain state Corrections Department land in Kinross County to the county or another local government, to use for public purposes. Also, to sell former corrections property in Schoolcraft County called “Camp Manistique” for fair market value.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667333
House Bill 4112: Appropriations: Supplemental budget
The amendment passed by voice vote in the Senate on June 20, 2013, to authorize more spending to accommodate the proposal in House Bill 374 to create a school violence “hotline” manned 24 hours a day all year long to collect “confidential reports of unsafe, potentially harmful, dangerous, violent, or criminal activities.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=152566
House Bill 4112: Appropriations: Supplemental budget
Passed 106 to 3 in the House on June 20, 2013, to make a number of adjustments to amounts already appropriated for various purposes, to reflect, among other things, reduced welfare and Medicaid caseloads. Also, to appropriate additional funds for various state departments and programs. All told, the bill reflects spending reductions of nearly $675 million, and spending increases of around $40 million. It also authorizes increasing government debt by $81.5 million to pay for proposed state university and college construction projects.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667374
House Bill 4540: Grant industrial plant rehab tax break for particular developer
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 20, 2013, to allow several exceptions to the usual requirements for an Industrial Plant Rehabilitation tax break, making some particular facility eligible, when under current statute they would not be.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667331
House Bill 4668: Increase hunting and fishing license fees
Passed 24 to 14 in the Senate on June 19, 2013, to revise the structure of hunting and fishing license fees in a manner that would increase license fees for most sportsmen. For example, the cost for a resident to hunt deer would go from $15 to $31, and the minimum fishing license cost would increase from $15 to $26. The House Fiscal Agency reports this would extract an additional $19.7 million annually from sportsmen. For details on specific licenses see their analysis.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667285
House Bill 4707: Revise privatization procedural detail
Passed 58 to 51 in the House on June 20, 2013, to require that if a state agency solicits bids from contractors to privatize services that are currently provided by state employees, it must disclose to potential bidders all “applicable formulas” that will be used to compare the bids to the state’s current actual costs, but would not be required to divulge the state’s actual costs. Until the contract is awarded the cost information would also be exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=667384
House Bill 4844: Repeal ban on public schools starting before Labor Day
Introduced by Rep. Andy Schor (D) on June 18, 2013, to repeal a ban on public schools starting their school year “before Labor Day,” and instead just prohibit them from having class on the Friday before Labor Day.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159965
House Bill 4845: Authorize early high school graduation scholarships
Introduced by Rep. Frank Foster (R) on June 18, 2013, to reduce the amount of per-pupil state school aid paid to a school district when a high school student graduates in three and a half years instead of four years. Districts would have to report early graduations to the state, and if they did not the state could “dock” them for a full year’s aid payment for that student, rather than the half-year amount the bill proposes. The money saved from these reductions would go into the scholarship fund proposed by House Bill 4846.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159966
House Bill 4846: Authorize early high school graduation scholarships
Introduced by Rep. Frank Foster (R) on June 18, 2013, to authorize $2,500 state scholarships for students who graduate from a public high school in less than four years, using the money saved because they graduated early (as proposed by House Bill 4845).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159967
House Bill 4847
Introduced by Rep. Robert Genetski (R) on June 19, 2013, exclude incarcerated student performance data from school accreditation reports to allow public school districts to exclude from the reports used to “accredit” particular school buildings the graduation rates and other student performance data for students who are incarcerated for at least two days.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159976
House Bill 4848: Keep more government pre-contract bid information secret
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Haveman (R) on June 19, 2013, to revise details of a Freedom of Information Act exception that allows government bodies to not disclose contractor bids before contracts are awarded. The bill would expand the exception to include the public body’s “evaluation materials”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159977
House Bill 4849
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on June 19, 2013, Ban sanctions on schools with student group “achievement gaps” to prohibit the state Department of Education from “imposing any measures” on a public school that has an “achievement gap” between “any cohort of its highest achieving pupils and any cohort of its lowest-achieving pupils”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159978
House Bill 4850: Impose licensure on puppy breeders
Introduced by Rep. Sarah Roberts (D) on June 19, 2013, to impose licensure, regulation and $500 annual fees on “large scale commercial breeding kennels,” defined as ones where at least 15 female dogs are housed for purposes of breeding. This bill imposes the licensure mandate and House Bill 4851 imposes the regulations.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159979
House Bill 4851: Impose licensure on puppy breeders
Introduced by Rep. Vicki Barnett (D) on June 19, 2013, to impose licensure, regulation and $500 annual fees on “large scale commercial breeding kennels,” defined as ones where more at least 15 female dogs are housed for purposes of breeding. This bill establishes the regulations and House Bill 4850 imposes the licensure mandate.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159980
House Bill 4852: Authorize local “trap-neuter-release” programs for feral cats
Introduced by Rep. Adam Zemke (D) on June 19, 2013, to allow local governments to establish programs to trap, neuter or spay, and then release feral cats.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159981
House Bill 4853: Allow multiple county 9-1-1 call centers
Introduced by Rep. John Walsh (R) on June 20, 2013, to allow counties to establish more than one 9-1-1 “primary public safety answering point” (PSAP), which are the communication facilities that receive and respond to 9-1-1 calls.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159998
House Bill 4854: Mandate employers give advance “mass layoff” notice
Introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D) on June 20, 2013, to mandate that employers give workers, unions, state officials and local politicians a 90 day advance notice of “mass layoffs” or plant closings, and a 120 day notice if more than 250 employees are affected.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=159999
House Bill 4855: Expand lottery winner government debt garnishment
Introduced by Rep. Kenneth Kurtz (R) on June 20, 2013, to revise a law that requires the state lottery bureau to deduct any unemployment overpayments, child support arrearages or debts to the state from the payments to a person who wins $1,000 or more. The bill would also require payment of any debt or liability to the state welfare department.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160000
House Bill 4856: Authorize charges for rescue of “grossly negligent” emergency victim
Introduced by Rep. Brandon Dillon (D) on June 20, 2013, to charge a person for the cost of providing rescue and emergency services during a state of emergency, if the rescue was due to the individual acting in manner deemed “grossly negligent” as defined in the bill.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160001
House Bill 4857: Authorize charges for rescue of “grossly negligent” emergency victim
Introduced by Rep. Rob VerHeulen (R) on June 20, 2013, to specify the costs that can be charged to a “grossly negligent” person who needs to be rescued during a local state of emergency as proposed by House Bill 4856.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160002
House Bill 4858: Require financial institutions help enforce welfare benefit restrictions
Introduced by Rep. Margaret O’Brien (R) on June 20, 2013, to require a bank that operates automatic teller machines in a casino, liquor store, or “adult entertainment establishment” to ensure it does not allow a person to use a welfare benefits “bridge card” to withdraw cash from those ATMs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160003
House Bill 4859: Require financial institutions help enforce welfare benefit restrictions
Introduced by Rep. Margaret O’Brien (R) on June 20, 2013, to require a savings bank that operates automatic teller machines in a casino, liquor store, or “adult entertainment establishment” to ensure it does not allow a person to use a welfare benefits “bridge card” to withdraw cash from those ATMs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160004
House Bill 4860: Require financial institutions help enforce welfare benefit restrictions
Introduced by Rep. Margaret O’Brien (R) on June 20, 2013, to require a credit union that operates automatic teller machines in a casino, liquor store, or “adult entertainment establishment” to ensure it does not allow a person to use a welfare benefits “bridge card” to withdraw cash from those ATMs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160005
House Bill 4861: Authorize “sporting swine” livestock, breeding and shooting operations
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on June 20, 2013, to allow, establish regulations, and authorize favored “agricultural” property tax status for commercial “sporting swine” livestock and shooting ranches.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160006
House Bill 4862: Authorize “sporting swine” livestock, breeding and shooting operations
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on June 20, 2013, to exempt privately-owned swine in commercial “sporting swine” shooting ranches from regular hunting seasons and regulations, and prohibit listing sporting swine as a prohibited or restricted (”invasive”) species.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160007
House Bill 4863: Authorize “sporting swine” livestock, breeding and shooting operations
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on June 20, 2013, to establish sentencing guidelines for violations of the regulations proposed by House Bill 4861 for commercial “sporting swine” livestock and shooting ranches.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160008
House Bill 4864: Authorize “sporting swine” livestock, breeding and shooting operations
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on June 20, 2013, to extend to privately owned “cervidae producers” (deer hunting ranches) the authority proposed by House Bill 4861 to create commercial “sporting swine” livestock and shooting ranches.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160009
House Bill 4865: Authorize mobile dental facilities
Introduced by Rep. Peter MacGregor (R) on June 20, 2013, to allow dental services to be provided in a mobile dental facility if the state grants a permit, subject to regulations and restrictions specified in the bill.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160010
House Bill 4866: Authorize new bicycle rider hand signals
Introduced by Rep. Anthony Forlini (R) on June 20, 2013, to establish new signals for bicycle riders. Left turns would be indicated by extending the left arm straight out; right turns by either extending the right arm, or the left arm with forearm raised (which is the current standard), and slowing or stopping by “extending the left hand and arm downward”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160011
House Bill 4867: Revise financial exploitation of vulnerable adult sentencing
Introduced by Rep. Tom Leonard (R) on June 20, 2013, to establish that “predatory conduct” committed before a “financial exploitation of a vulnerable person” offense may be considered in the sentencing guidelines for this crime, even if the conduct was directed at a law enforcement official posing as a potential victim.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160012
House Bill 4868: Let Flint impose higher city income tax
Introduced by Rep. Woodrow Stanley (D) on June 20, 2013, to allow Flint to raise its city income tax to 1.5 percent on residents and businesses, and 0.75 percent on nonresidents who work there. Under current law, cities are not allowed to impose individual income taxes higher than 1 percent for residents and 0.5 percent for non-residents (except for Detroit, which can and does impose a 2.4 percent/1.2 percent income tax rate).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160013
House Bill 4869: Revise radiologic personnel and machine regulation
Introduced by Rep. Ben Glardon (R) on June 20, 2013, to revise the law authorizing licensure and regulations for radiologic personnel and machines so that it conforms with federal law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160014
House Bill 4870: Let ISDs take over fiscally failed school districts
Introduced by Rep. Stacy Erwin Oakes (D) on June 20, 2013, to give intermediate school districts the power take over fiscally failed school districts. The bill was introduced as an alternative to House 4813, now Public Act 96 of 2013, which gave the state this authority, and was itself introduced in response to the financial collapse of the Buena Vista and Inkster school districts shortly before the end of the 2012-2013 school year.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160015
House Bill 4871: Let ISDs take over fiscally failed school districts
Introduced by Rep. Stacy Erwin Oakes (D) on June 20, 2013, to give intermediate school districts the power take over fiscally failed school districts. The bill was introduced as an alternative to House 4813, now Public Act 96 of 2013, which gave the state this authority, and was itself introduced in response to the financial collapse of the Buena Vista and Inkster school districts shortly before the end of the 2012-2013 school year.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160016
House Bill 4872: Revise firearms possession ban details
Introduced by Rep. Vicki Barnett (D) on June 20, 2013, to mandate that if an individual who possesses firearms is ordered by a court to no longer possess them as part of a personal protection order or condition of probation, then the person must either arrange for a law enforcement agency to store the firearms (for which it can charge a fee), sell or transfer them to a licensed dealer, or sell or transfer them to a private party who is not subject to a gun possession ban.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160017
House Bill 4873: Authorize municipal employee residency mandates
Introduced by Rep. Sam Singh (D) on June 20, 2013, to revise a state law that prohibits municipalities from imposing residency mandates on employees, so that they can impose such a mandates during a new employee’s first seven years on the job.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160018
House Bill 4874: Revise septage service and site fees and regulations
Introduced by Rep. Ken Goike (R) on June 20, 2013, to revise details of a 2004 law establishing fees and regulations on septage waste services and sites.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160019
House Bill 4875: Ban low health insurance “actuarial” benefits
Introduced by Rep. Mike Callton (R) on June 20, 2013, to prohibit health insurance policies or HMO contracts from including benefits that require the beneficiary to pay more than 50 percent of the price of a medical service, or benefits with a deductible that the insurer “reasonably knows will not be met by at least 80 percent of the insureds or enrollees”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160020
House Bill 4876: Ban low health insurance “actuarial” benefits
Introduced by Rep. Bradford Jacobsen (R) on June 20, 2013, to prohibit Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance policies from including benefits that require the beneficiary to pay more than 50 percent of the price of a medical service, or benefits with a deductible that the insurer “reasonably knows will not be met by at least 80 percent of the insureds or enrollees”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160021
House Bill 4877: Ban low health insurance “actuarial” benefits
Introduced by Rep. Frank Foster (R) on June 20, 2013, to prohibit “third party administrator” type health insurance plans from including benefits that require the beneficiary to pay more than 50 percent of the price of a medical service, or benefits with a deductible that the insurer “reasonably knows will not be met by at least 80 percent of the insureds or enrollees”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160022
House Bill 4878: Establish “super voting precinct” pilot project
Introduced by Rep. Bradford Jacobsen (R) on June 20, 2013, to require the Secretary of State to establish a “super voter precinct” pilot project, which means voters can vote at any area polling place in their area, not just the one to which they are assigned. This would require a reliable “electronic poll book” and the ability for polling places to update it in real time as people vote, for which the bill prescribes standards and procedures. The bill would also authorize local governments to consolidate election administration functions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160023
House Bill 4879: Require state officials take school assessment tests
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on June 20, 2013, to require legislators, the governor, state board of education members and the state superintendent of public instruction to take the state student assessment tests given to third, eighth, and eleventh graders, and post their scores online.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160024
House Bill 4880: Revise community and county mental health service governance details
Introduced by Rep. Phil Cavanagh (D) on June 20, 2013, to revise details of how board members are selected by community and county mental health services program, and details of which public entity is responsible for retirement benefits granted to employees of these government programs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160025
House Bill 4881: Make marriage name change provisions gender neutral
Introduced by Rep. Phil Cavanagh (D) on June 20, 2013, to explicitly state in statute that the parties in a marriage are not required to use the same last name, and in general make this law “gender neutral.” A man could adopt the woman’s last name, a woman could adopt the man’s, either party could adopt a hyphenated name, or everyone could just keep their original last name.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160026
House Bill 4882: Revised delinquent property tax payment
Introduced by Rep. Phil Cavanagh (D) on June 20, 2013, to allow the government of a “financially distressed community” to create a delinquent property tax installment plan for a “financially distressed person,” and waive the interest charges if the person actually pays-off the delinquent amounts.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160027
House Bill 4883: Revise order of election contests on ballot
Introduced by Rep. Phil Cavanagh (D) on June 20, 2013, to change the order in which election contests are listed on the ballot, essentially placing the lowest office at the top of the ballot and the highest offices further down, with candidates for president coming last, and ballot proposals listed before candidate races.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160028
House Bill 4884: Expand state Treasurer tax dispute deal making authority
Introduced by Rep. Phil Cavanagh (D) on June 20, 2013, to empower the state treasurer to settle a disputed criminal or civil tax matter involving tax or penalty amounts up to $50,000, and to settle disputes over larger amounts if the proposed settlement is submitted to the Attorney General for review.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160029
House Bill 4885: Cut tax on gas and oil “fracking”
Introduced by Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R) on June 20, 2013, to reduce the 5 percent “severance tax” or royalty paid to the state on oil and gas extracted from state land to 3.3 percent for oil and 3 percent for gas if these are produced using “enhanced recovery” technology, presumably including hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160030
House Bill 4886: Require lottery to solicit “management services” bids
Introduced by Rep. Earl Poleski (R) on June 20, 2013, to require the state lottery to solicit bids for “lottery management services”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160031
House Bill 4887: Require all property tax millage votes be on November general election ballot
Introduced by Rep. Dan Lauwers (R) on June 20, 2013, to require all property tax millage elections to be held on the November general election date, rather than the February, May or August election dates when voter turnout is far lower.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160032
House Bill 4888: Ban using credit scores in insurance pricing
Introduced by Rep. Theresa Abed (D) on June 20, 2013, to prohibit the use of an individual’s credit score by an insurance company to determine his or her insurance premium price.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160033
House Bill 4889: Increase drug trafficking penalties
Introduced by Rep. Edward McBroom (R) on June 20, 2013, to revise the state sentencing guidelines so they allow increased penalties for illegal drug convictions involving travel from another state with the intent to deliver.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=160034
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