enate Bill 404: Revise landfill performance bond detail
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on December 5, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=675913
Senate Bill 434: Require financial institutions help enforce welfare benefit restrictions
Passed 101 to 9 in the House on December 5, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=675911
Senate Bill 556: Ban welfare “bridge card” ATM cash at liquor or “adult” store
Passed 100 to 10 in the House on December 5, 2013, to require state agencies to “work with” ATM cash machine suppliers to establish a way to stop a welfare recipient’s “bridge card” from being used to withdraw cash in a liquor store or “adult entertainment establishment.” “Bridge cards” are debit cards that have replaced food stamps and cash welfare.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=675912
Senate Bill 636: Facilitate “land line” phone service transition to cell phones
Passed 31 to 4 in the Senate on December 5, 2013, to streamline regulations on “landline” telephone service providers so as to facilitate transitioning customers to a wireless (cell phone or VOIP) system, and allow phone companies to discontinue landline service after 2016. The bill authorizes appeal procedures for individual customers for whom the replacement service does not work well.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=675896
Senate Bill 679: Establish scrap metal theft legal presumption
Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate on December 5, 2013, to establish a “rebuttable presumption” that a person caught stripping more than $100 or 100 pounds of metal from a building or structure does not have the permission of the owner, and so is committing larceny as defined in a 2008 scrap metal theft law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=675871
House Bill 4064: Authorize all-electronic court records
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on December 5, 2013, to allow court papers and records to be filed and kept electronically. The bill replaces a number of statutory record keeping requirements, in some cases specifying instead that these must be in accordance with rules established by the state Supreme Court. It also requires the court system to develop a records retention and disposal schedule and procedures.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=675864
House Bill 4467: Don’t impose “insurance” regulations on extended service contracts
Passed 108 to 2 in the House on December 5, 2013, to establish that service contracts covering the future maintenance, repair or replacement of vehicles, building or other property are not “insurance” subject to the licensure mandates and regulations imposed by the state insurance code.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=675920
House Bill 4532: Establish digital court records
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on December 5, 2013, to require all courts in the state to keep writs, processes, proceedings and records in a manner and medium to be determined by the state Supreme Court, which would include electronic records and signatures.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=675865
House Bill 4571: Increase aviation gas tax
Passed 84 to 26 in the House on December 5, 2013, to increase the tax imposed on aviation and jet fuel from 3 cents per gallon to 2 percent of the wholesale price (which would mean around 10 cents per gallon at current prices for avgas and jet fuel). House Bill 4572 would exempt aviation fuel from sales tax; at current prices the two bills combined represent a slight net tax increase, but at higher fuel prices the increase could be substantially more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=675929
House Bill 4572: Stop imposing sales tax on aviation fuel
Passed 85 to 25 in the House on December 5, 2013, to no longer impose the 6 percent sales tax on aviation fuel sales. See also House Bill 4571, which would increase the aviation fuel excise tax.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=675930
House Bill 4677: Earmark some sales tax on gasoline to public transportation subsidies
Passed 106 to 3 in the House on December 5, 2013, to earmark an additional $17 million of sales tax revenue to school funding.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=675931
House Bill 4729: Formalize statewide “intrastate Michigan emergency management assistance agreement”
Passed 109 to 1 in the House on December 5, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=675919
House Bill 4858: Require financial institutions help enforce welfare benefit restrictions
Passed 35 to 2 in the Senate on December 5, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=675867
House Bill 4859: Require financial institutions help enforce welfare benefit restrictions
Passed 35 to 2 in the Senate on December 5, 2013, to require a savings bank that operates automatic teller machines in a casino, liquor store, or “adult entertainment establishment” to “work with” state agencies to find a way to stop a welfare recipient’s “bridge card” to withdraw cash from those ATMs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=675868
House Bill 5014: Ban welfare “bridge card” ATM cash at liquor stores
Passed 33 to 2 in the Senate on December 5, 2013, to require liquor stores to “work with” state agencies to find a way to stop a welfare recipient’s “bridge card” from being used to withdraw cash from an ATM on the premises. This would not apply to grocery stores that also sell liquor. “Bridge cards” are debit cards that have replaced food stamps and cash welfare.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=675869
House Bill 5015: Ban welfare “bridge card” ATM cash at race track
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 5, 2013, to require state agencies to “work with” ATM cash machine suppliers to establish a way to stop a welfare recipient’s “bridge card” from being used to withdraw cash at a horse racing track. “Bridge cards” are debit cards that have replaced food stamps and cash welfare.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=675870
House Bill 5017: Expand certain developer tax breaks
Passed 26 to 10 in the Senate on December 5, 2013, to expand a 2012 law that exempts land on which homes and apartments built “on spec” by residential real estate developers from school operations property tax for three years (or until the property is occupied, whichever occurs first). The bill would extend the exemption to new structures, not just the land.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=675891
House Bill 5017: Expand certain developer tax breaks
Passed 86 to 24 in the House on November 13, 2013, to expand a 2012 law that exempts homes and apartments built “on spec” by residential real estate developers from school operations property tax for three years (or until the property is occupied, whichever occurs first). The bill would extend the exemption to the land, not just the new structures.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=675220
House Bill 5121: Revise judgeships
Passed 104 to 6 in the House on December 5, 2013, to increase the number of judgeships in the 16th circuit court in Macomb County.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=675914
House Bill 5122: Revise judgeships
Passed 102 to 8 in the House on December 5, 2013, to increase the number of judgeships in the sixth circuit court in Oakland County.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=675915
House Bill 5123: Revise judgeships
Passed 102 to 8 in the House on December 5, 2013, to increase the number of judgeships in the 17th circuit court in Kent County.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=675916
House Bill 5124: Revise judgeships
Passed 67 to 42 in the House on December 5, 2013, to reduce the number of district judgeships in Wayne County.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=675917
House Bill 5125: Revise judgeships
The amendment passed by voice vote in the House on December 4, 2013, to add procedural obstacles to a provision consolidating judgeships in Genesee County.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161289
House Bill 5125: Revise judgeships
Passed 75 to 35 in the House on December 5, 2013, to consolidate and revise the number of judgeships in several district courts around the state.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=675918
Senate Bill 698: Un-do county canvasser transfer
Introduced by Sen. Virgil Smith, Jr. (D) on December 3, 2013, to reverse the provisions of House Bill 4171, now Public Act 51 of 2013, which provides for the replacement of city and township “boards of canvassers” with county-level boards. The primary function of these boards is to tabulate votes in elections.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161408
Senate Bill 699: Establish scrap metal theft presumption
Introduced by Sen. Jim Ananich (D) on December 3, 2013, to establish a “rebuttable presumption” that a person caught stripping more than $100 or 100 pounds of metal from a building or structure does not have the permission of the owner, and so is committing larceny as defined in a 2008 scrap metal theft law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161409
Senate Bill 700: Specify catalytic converter regulation in auto recycler law
Introduced by Sen. Morris Hood, III (D) on December 3, 2013, to include catalytic converters in the definition of major recyclable vehicle components in the state vehicle law, which among other things regulates automotive recyclers. This is one of a number of bills targeting “scrap metal” theft; its introduction comes after news reports of catalytic converter thefts from vehicles in state “park-and-ride” lots.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161410
Senate Bill 701: Encourage teaching America’s founding documents
Introduced by Sen. Patrick Colbeck (R) on December 3, 2013, to require public school boards to encourage teachers to read aloud or post in classrooms writings, documents, and records that reflect the founding and history of the United States, including but not limited to the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Federalist Papers, the Anti-Federalist Papers, the Bill of Rights and more.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161411
Senate Bill 702: Revise state competitive bidding criteria
Introduced by Sen. Patrick Colbeck (R) on December 3, 2013, to require state agency procurement contracts for goods or services worth$100,000 or more to use a “bid scorecard system” that assesses bids based on technical and critical performance requirements, cost evaluation and labor evaluation, with specified weightings for each factor.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161412
Senate Bill 703: Revise community rehabilitation state purchase detail
Introduced by Sen. Patrick Colbeck (R) on December 3, 2013, to add a seventh member, who must be a veteran, to a government “committee on the purchase of goods and services from community rehabilitation organizations,” which is tasked with helping “establish and review fair market prices for goods and services to be purchased by the state from community rehabilitation organizations”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161413
Senate Bill 704: Require “pharmacist in charge” at pharmacies
Introduced by Sen. Joe Hune (R) on December 3, 2013, to require all pharmacies, manufacturers, and wholesale distributors to designate a pharmacist in charge, and provide penalties. This relates to a recent “drug compounding” scandal in New England that led to contaminated drugs causing meningitis in several people.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161414
Senate Bill 705: Revise court records detail
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on December 4, 2013, to revise a law that requires audio recordings of court hearings involving a minor to be a “permanent record.” The bill would specify that how long these recordings need be retained would be set in rules determined by the state Supreme Court.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161416
Senate Bill 706: Restore ban on nude entertainment in liquor license law
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on December 4, 2013, to ban fully nude performers at “topless” bars, or the display of explicit pornography at bars. This relates to a 2007 federal appeals court ruling that struck down Michigan’s previous law banning fully nude performers in bars, holding it was a violation of the First Amendment.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161417
Senate Bill 707: Expand scrap metal regulatory regime
Introduced by Sen. Virgil Smith, Jr. (D) on December 4, 2013, to impose a full licensure mandate on scrap metal dealers, in addition to an extensive regulatory regime that is already in place (and would be expanded by a number of other proposed new laws.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161418
Senate Bill 708: Revise second hand and junk dealer licensure
Introduced by Sen. Virgil Smith, Jr. (D) on December 4, 2013, to revise a law mandating local licensure of second hand and junk dealers, so as to eliminate this mandate if a dealer is operating with the state scrap metal dealer license that is proposed by Senate Bill 707.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161419
Senate Bill 709: Restrict no fault auto insurance gamesmanship
Introduced by Sen. Roger Kahn (R) on December 4, 2013, to require Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA) auto insurance premium surcharges to be paid up front for the entire period of a policy, rather than pro-rated by installment payment, and prohibit an MCCA refund if the person cancels his or her insurance. This is intended to prevent individuals from purchasing a personal injury policy (required under Michigan’s no-fault insurance law in order to register a vehicle) and then cancelling the coverage after he or she gets the license plate or tab. MCCA is a reinsurance provider established by the no-fault law that covers unlimited vehicle accident medical claims above $500,000.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161420
Senate Bill 710: Restrict no fault auto insurance gamesmanship
Introduced by Sen. Roger Kahn (R) on December 4, 2013, to prohibit an auto insurer from issuing an auto insurance policy for a term less than one month. This is intended to prevent individuals from purchasing a personal injury policy (required under Michigan’s no-fault insurance law in order to register a vehicle) and then cancelling the coverage after he or she gets the license plate or tab.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161421
Senate Bill 711: Extend Cobo sales tax exemption
Introduced by Sen. Jim Marleau (R) on December 4, 2013, to extend until 2016 a current 2014 sunset on a 2008 law that exempted from sales tax material which is used in repairs or improvements to a regional convention facility, including Cobo Hall in Detroit.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161422
Senate Bill 712: Extend remonumentation of Michigan-Indiana state line authorization
Introduced by Sen. Howard Walker (R) on December 4, 2013, to extend until 2018 a current 2015 sunset on a 2010 law that authorized the remonumentation of the Michigan-Indiana state line.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161423
Senate Bill 713: Revise mental health services law
Introduced by Sen. Darwin Booher (R) on December 4, 2013, to accommodate rehab to expand the powers of governing board of a community mental health services authority, explicitly authorizing “partnering with entities that provide health care and rehabilitative services” directly related to community mental health programs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161424
Senate Bill 714: Adopt “collaborative law” law
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on December 5, 2013, to adopt a “uniform collaborative law act” similar to a national uniform state law commission model bill, which would establish a statutory framework for an “amicable, non-adversarial dispute resolution” process similar to mediation.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161467
Senate Bill 715: Adopt “universal certificates of insurance act”
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on December 5, 2013, to adopt a “universal certificates of insurance model act” based on a National Conference of Insurance Legislatorsmodel bill.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161468
House Bill 5163: Revise large carnivore ban detail
Introduced by Rep. Rob VerHeulen (R) on December 4, 2013, to create exceptions to a 2000 law that bans possession of large carnivores. The bill would allow possession by a “approved science-based breeding program” undertaken for “conservation purposes,” but not for commercial purposes.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161425
House Bill 5164: Mandate posting names of “issue ad” contributors
Introduced by Rep. Andy Schor (D) on December 4, 2013, to mandate that an individual or organization who buys a political “issue ad” that references a candidate or ballot question (but does not necessarily engage in campaign-related “express advocacy”) within 60 days of an election must file a report with the Secretary of State within seven days containing the full name and street address of each person who contributed for the ad. The Secretary of State would then have to post this information on the internet within 24 hours.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161426
House Bill 5165: Repeal transportation-related business subsidy program
Introduced by Rep. Wayne Schmidt (R) on December 4, 2013, to repeal the state “Transportation Economic Development Fund,” which is essentially a form of corporate subsidy in which the state pays for transportation infrastructure projects related to a particular investor’s or developer’s new plant or project.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161427
House Bill 5166: Repeal transportation-related business subsidy program
Introduced by Rep. Wayne Schmidt (R) on December 4, 2013, to end transportation tax earmarks to the state “Transportation Economic Development Fund,” which is essentially a form of corporate subsidy in which the state pays for transportation infrastructure projects related to a particular investor’s or developer’s new plant or project. The earmarks would continue until money borrowed for past TEDF projects has been repaid.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161428
House Bill 5167: Require competitive bidding on some road maintenance
Introduced by Rep. Wayne Schmidt (R) on December 4, 2013, to allow the Department of Transportation to borrow unused state road tax money previously distributed to a local road agency, for the purposes of meeting state matching-fund requirements associated with federal transportation funding. Also, to require the department to seek bids and contract out administration and road maintenance in one of its seven state transportation regions, and require local road agencies that receive at least $20 million in state road tax dollars to also seek bids and contract out at least 20 percent of its road maintenance functions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161429
House Bill 5168: Facilitate federal money for Woodward streetcar
Introduced by Rep. John Walsh (R) on December 4, 2013, to authorize the Detroit area regional transportation authority authorized by a 2012 law to enter agreements with the entity that was authorized by 2008 law to create a Woodward Avenue streetcar in Detroit, for purposes of securing federal funding for that project.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161430
House Bill 5169: Facilitate federal money for Woodward streetcar
Introduced by Rep. Wayne Schmidt (R) on December 4, 2013, to revise details of the 2012 law that created a Detroit area regional transportation authority, so as to facilitate the proposal in House Bill 5168 to help secure federal funding for the Woodward Avenue streetcar project authorized by a 2008 law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161431
House Bill 5170: Mandate claw back (penalty) in “economic development” business subsidies
Introduced by Rep. Jon Switalski (D) on December 4, 2013, to require that state “economic development” agreements granting tax breaks, loans or cash subsidies to particular corporations or developers must include a “clawback” provision, requiring the recipient firm to repay the benefits if it does not meet the job or investment promises specified in the agreement.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161432
House Bill 5171: Revise environmental law details
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on December 4, 2013, to extend for another year a number of rules promulgated by the Department of Environmental Quality related to environmental contamination response activities, and to PCBs, which under a 2012 law were supposed to be rescinded at the end of 2013. The bill would also modify other technical details of the law governing environmental cleanup criteria.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161433
House Bill 5172: Ban assessors entering property without written permission
Introduced by Rep. Robert Genetski (R) on December 4, 2013, to prohibit government property tax assessors from entering a private dwelling or structure without the written permission of the owner, and prohibit assessors from increasing assessments based on an assumption that unobserved improvements may exist.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161434
House Bill 5173: Ban assessors entering property without written permission
Introduced by Rep. Mike Shirkey (R) on December 4, 2013, to require the state property tax assessors manual to explain that a property owner is not required to grant permission for an assessor (or an assessor’s “agent”) to enter the property; and that assessors are prohibited from entering without the owner’s written permission. The bill also establishes a process for assessors to formally request entry in writing, bans assessors from taking pictures of the inside, and specifies that an owner who refuses entry shall not have his or her assessment increased because of this, or be penalized in any other way. See also House Bill 5172.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161435
House Bill 5174: Require retail refund policy on receipt
Introduced by Rep. David Nathan (D) on December 4, 2013, to require retail businesses to print a written notification of their return policy on each customer receipt.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161436
House Bill 5175: Permit non-husband-and-wife state income tax joint filing
Introduced by Rep. Sam Singh (D) on December 4, 2013, to establish that individuals who file a joint federal income tax return may also file a joint state income tax return, even if they are not husband and wife.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161437
House Bill 5176: Ban investigating health professional based on “reality” TV show
Introduced by Rep. Kevin Cotter (R) on December 4, 2013, to prohibit state authorities from investigating a report or allegation of misconduct by a licensed health care professional if it is based on information seen on a reality television show.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161438
House Bill 5177: Mandate employer give notice of discipline record
Introduced by Rep. George T. Darany (D) on December 5, 2013, to require an employer who retains a record of an employee’s disciplinary report, letter of reprimand, or other record of disciplinary action for more than 30 days to provide notice of the record to the employee.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161470
House Bill 5178: Expand property owner recreation liability waiver
Introduced by Rep. Peter Pettalia (R) on December 5, 2013, to expand a property owner liability exemption that currently applies to someone fishing, hunting, trapping, camping, hiking, sightseeing, motorcycling, or snowmobiling on a person’s land, so that it also applies to operating non-commercial aircraft (“aviation activities”). In other words, someone can’t sue a landowner for injuries sustained doing any of these things, as long as the individual hasn’t paid for the privilege.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161471
House Bill 5179: Transfer western Wayne correctional
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on December 5, 2013, to land bank to transfer the former western Wayne correctional facility property to a government “land bank” authority, which in turn would be required to sell it in a manner and on terms that the authority “in its discretion” calculates will “realize the greatest benefit to this state”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161472
House Bill 5180: Revise animal feed regulatory regime
Introduced by Rep. Joel Johnson (R) on December 5, 2013, to revise and update details of a law that imposes regulations (including some licensure mandates) on commercial animal feed manufacturers and sellers, and which among other things specifies what may or may not be included in animal feed.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161473
House Bill 5181: Allow more school retiree “double dipping”
Introduced by Rep. Patrick Somerville (R) on December 5, 2013, to extend for another two years a July 2014 sunset on a law that allows a former school employee to work as a teacher and still collect a pension in addition to the current pay, subject to specified limitations and qualifications.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=161474