Senate Bill 446: Revise hospital “swing bed” regulations
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on February 12, 2014, to revise details in a state “Certificate of Need” medical facility rationing scheme related to hospitals with “swing beds” in short-term nursing care programs (meaning beds that can be used for either acute care or skilled nursing care).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=683174
Senate Bill 719: Allow renegotiation of state environmental cleanup and recreation loans
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on February 12, 2014, to allow local governments with financial problems to negotiate more favorable terms on loans made to them by the state using money the state itself borrowed under the 1998 “Clean Michigan Initiative” ballot proposal, which authorized $675 million of new government debt (“bond sales”) for environmental cleanup and recreation projects.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=683172
Senate Bill 749: Revise crime victim impact statement detail
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on February 12, 2014, to restrict a parent or guardian’s right to to allow the parent or guardian of a crime victim who was less than 18 years when the crime was committed to make a “victim impact statement” at specified points of the trial and sentencing, even though the victim has reached the age of majority (turned 18) by that time. This would not apply if the parent or guardian is the defendant or is incarcerated. Under current law, only parents or guardians of minors can make this statement.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=683175
Senate Bill 750: Revise crime victim impact statement detail
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on February 12, 2014, to allow the parent or guardian of a crime victim who was less than 18 years when the crime was committed to make a “victim impact statement” at specified points of the trial and sentencing, even though the victim has reached the age of majority (turned 18) by that time. This would not apply if the parent or guardian is the defendant or is incarcerated. Under current law, only parents or guardians of minors can make this statement.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=683176
House Bill 4808: Revise first degree murder lifer law for minors
Passed 35 to 3 in the Senate on February 12, 2014, to revise Michigan’s mandatory life sentence with no chance of parole for certain very serious crimes committed by minors. The bill is linked to Senate Bill 319, which would make life without parole no longer be automatic in these cases, but prosecutors could request it. Otherwise, the minimum sentence would be 25 to 40 years, and the maximum at least 60 years. This and SB 319 respond to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Miller v Alabama decision. The bills would not apply the new standard retroactively to the approximately 350 current prisoners in this category, but include a provision authorizing parole hearings for them if a future ruling requires this.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=683173
House Bill 5025: “Human trafficking” criminal law package
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on February 12, 2014, to allow and facilitate the expungement of a prostitution offense from a person’s criminal record if the person was the victim of a “human trafficking” violation.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=683209
House Bill 5231: Make prostitution law gender neutral
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on February 12, 2014, to eliminate gender references in state laws outlawing prostitution. Also, to change the crimes of “pandering” and “accepting the earnings of a prostitute” from a Class G to a Class B felony, punishable by up to 20 years.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=683210
Senate Bill 428: Ban governments placing foreign-made American flags on veterans’ graves
Passed 101 to 9 in the House on February 13, 2014, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=683520
House Bill 4486: Authorize “involuntary assessment and stabilization” for substance abuse
Passed 102 to 8 in the House on February 13, 2014, to allow relatives or other interested persons to petition a court to take an individual abusing drugs or alcohol into protective custody for involuntary assessment and stabilization, if there is reason to believe the individual is incapacitated, has lost the power of self-control, and is incapable of making a rational decision regarding treatment. The bill would also expand the authority police currently have to lock up (”stabilize”) public drunks to include people publically intoxicated on drugs, subject to various procedural requirements.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=683524
House Bill 4885: Cut tax on oil and gas from “enhanced recovery”
Passed 85 to 25 in the House on February 13, 2014, to reduce the “severance tax” or royalty paid to the state on oil and gas extracted from state land to 4 percent for hydrocarbons extracted using “enhanced recovery” technology, which injects carbon dioxide into wells to force out more product (this is different from hydraulic fracturing.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=683521
House Bill 5008: Revise business income tax details
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on February 13, 2014, to revise the details of certain definitions in the business income tax law. The bill affects the “apportionment” of certain income earned in other states, and the deductibility of losses in certain situations where a firm acquires another corporation.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=683481
House Bill 5009: Revise business income tax details
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on February 13, 2014, to revise the details of certain definitions in the business income tax related to taxing members of “unitary business group” arrangements.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=683482
House Bill 5010: Revise business income tax details
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on February 13, 2014, to exempt “domestic international sales corporations” from the state’s corporate income tax.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=683486
House Bill 5011: Revise past business tax credit detail
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on February 13, 2014, to revise details of “claw back” provisions for a business that was granted a selective tax break under the repealed Michigan Business Tax in return for acquiring a certain asset, but which later sells that asset.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=683487
House Bill 5254: Establish enhanced hydrocarbon recovery CO2 pipeline regulations
Passed 93 to 17 in the House on February 13, 2014, to revise the state law imposing permit requirements on gas, oil and other pipelines, so it also applies to pipelines carrying carbon dioxide used to produce oil and gas in secondary or “enhanced recovery’ operations. Senate Bill 5255 and 5256 would apply property condemnation powers and the state preemption of local pipeline restrictions to these pipelines. See also House Bill 4885, which would cut the tax on oil and gas extracted using enhanced recovery.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=683522
House Bill 5255: Authorize eminent domain for oil well CO2 pipelines
Passed 69 to 41 in the House on February 13, 2014, to extend the state law authorizing eminent domain takings for gas, oil and other pipeline easements, so it also includes pipelines carrying carbon dioxide used to produce hydrocarbons in secondary or “enhanced recovery” operations. See also House Bill 4885, which would cut the tax on oil and gas extracted using enhanced recovery.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=683523
House Bill 5274: Preempt locals from restricting CO2 pipelines
Passed 99 to 11 in the House on February 13, 2014, to expand the law that gives the state Public Service Commission authority to regulate oil and gas pipelines so it also applies to pipelines carrying carbon dioxide used in hydrocarbon “enhanced recovery” operations. This law preempts local governments from restricting pipelines in their jurisdiction. This is related to House Bill 4885, which would cut the tax on oil and gas extracted using enhanced recovery.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=683525