Senate Bill 760: Appropriations: Department of Agriculture
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on April 29, 2014, the Senate version of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 2014. This would appropriate $82.5 million in gross spending, compared to $80.1 million in the prior year’s budget. Of this, $9.2 million is federal money, and the rest is from state and local taxes and fees.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689368
Senate Bill 770: Appropriations: Department of Insurance and Financial Services
Passed 36 to 2 in the Senate on April 29, 2014, the Senate version of Department of Insurance and Financial Services budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 2014. This would appropriate $65.1 million in gross spending, of which $2.0 million is federal money almost all of the rest is from regulatory fees and fines. In the budget for the fiscal year that began in October of 2013, $75.3 million was appropriated for this budget, which included an $11 million deposit into a fund intended to reimburse insurance companies for the costs imposed by a new autism coverage mandate.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689369
Senate Bill 772: Appropriations: Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on April 29, 2014, the Senate version of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 2014. This would appropriate $530.7 million in gross spending (of which $199.1 million is federal money), compared to $502.9 million in the prior year’s budget.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689370
Senate Bill 776: Appropriations: State Police
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on April 29, 2014, the Senate version of the State Police budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2014. This would appropriate $638.5 million in gross spending (of which $99.4 million is federal revenue), compared to $606.8 million the previous year (an amount that included $16 million for police radios and which is now included in a different budget).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689372
House Bill 4341: Revise bodies donated to science accredidations
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on April 29, 2014, to give the Department of Community Health the authority to designate any accredited medical school in this state to accept dead bodies donated to science. Under current law only the University of Michigan, Michigan State and Wayne State may be designated.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689414
House Bill 5216: Authorize government “certificate of employability” for ex-cons
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on April 29, 2014, to authorize the Department of Corrections to issue a “certificate of employability” to prisoners being released who have behaved well in prison and successfully completed a career and technical education course.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689410
House Bill 5217: Authorize government “certificate of employability” for ex-cons
Passed 65 to 45 in the House on April 29, 2014, to limit the liability of employers in personal injury, property damage and wrongful death lawsuits arising from the actions of an employee who is an ex-convict hired after the individual was granted a “certificate of employability” by the state Department of Corrections, as proposed by House Bill 5216.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689411
House Bill 5218: Authorize goverrnment “certificate of employability” for ex-cons
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on April 29, 2014, to revise details of the “good moral character” prerequisite in occupational licensure mandates to conform with the ex-convict “certificate of employability” proposed by House Bill 5216. Specifically, the bill would allow but not require licensure boards to consider criminal prosecutions or lawsuit judgments as evidence of an individual not having “good moral character,” but require that they take notice of whether an ex-convict was granted the state “certificate of employability” proposed by House Bill 5216.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689412
House Bill 5220: Revise accounting firm licensure details
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on April 29, 2014, to revise details of the licensure mandate imposed on certain officers of public accounting firms. Specifically, the bill would eliminate a requirement that only licensed certified public accountants can to serve as officers and directors of the an accounting firm, given that such firms sometimes offer a range of business services.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689413
Senate Bill 678: Revise tobacco tax revenue earmarks
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on April 30, 2014, to earmark $3 million of annual state tobacco tax revenue to the state Capitol upkeep fund proposed by Senate Bill 665 and $50,000 for maintenance on the official governor’s residence.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689474
Senate Bill 766: Appropriations: Department of Environmental Quality
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on April 30, 2014, the Senate version of the Department of Environmental Quality budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 2015. This would appropriate $502.5 million in gross spending, compared to $517.1 million, which was the amount appropriated the previous year. Of this, $150.3 million is federal money, and the rest is from state and local taxes and fees (including a 7/8 cent per gallon fuel tax).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689476
Senate Bill 773: Appropriations: Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on April 30, 2014, the Senate version of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs budget for the fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1, 2014. This would appropriate $167.2 million in gross spending, compared to $166.3 million the previous year. Of this, $90.3 million is from federal funds.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689480
Senate Bill 774: Appropriations: Department of Natural Resources
Passed 34 to 4 in the Senate on April 30, 2014, the Senate version of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 2014. This would appropriate $382.9 million in gross spending, compared to $342.9 million, which was the FY 2012-2013 amount enrolled in 2012. Of this, $67.9 million is federal money, and the rest is from state taxes, fees, fines, royalties, etc. The large spending increase comes after a large hunting and fishing license fee increase was enacted in 2013.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689485
Senate Bill 912: Prohibit employment for less than mandated wage
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on April 29, 2014, to make it unlawful to employ a worker for less than $8.15 an hour beginning in December 2014, notwithstanding any voluntary agreement between the employer and employee. The current state minimum wage level mandated for hourly employees not covered by a federal wage mandate is $7.40 an hour. The bill would also increase the minimum wage for employees who receive part of their compensation in tips from $2.65 to $2.75 an hour.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164116
Senate Bill 913: Revise Medicaid health insurance claims tax
Introduced by Sen. Roger Kahn (R) on April 29, 2014, to reduce to 0.75 percent a 1.0 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. If a 6 percent use tax on Medicaid managed care providers proposed by Senate Bill 893 is disallowed by federal government for this purpose, then this bill would increase the rate of this levy to the original 1.0 percent.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164117
Senate Bill 914: Prorate unfunded university pension benefit “catch up” costs
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on April 29, 2014, to establish a methodology for assessing state universities a share of the annual assessment required to “catch up” on unfunded pension liabilities. The bill would assess both universities and K-12 school districts with a share of the “catch up” costs based on how much of the unfunded liability was incurred on behalf of their employees’ service over the years, using a formula the bill proposes for determining the value of past and future pension fund contributions and the projected cost of future pension benefit payments.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164118
Senate Bill 915: Make vehicle title lien updates electronic
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on April 29, 2014, to make it a felony to fraudulently indicate on a certificate of title for a vehicle that there is no security interest on record for the vehicle (meaning the vehicle is owned free and clear). Also, to make it felony to forge or counterfeit a letter from the lender saying the loan has been paid off. See also Senate Bills 916 to 918, which propose making vehicle title lien information electronic.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164119
Senate Bill 916: Make vehicle title lien updates electronic
Introduced by Sen. Mike Nofs (R) on April 29, 2014, to revise process for updating vehicle loan “security interests” on vehicle titles, so as to accommodate the process proposed by Senate Bill 918 for replacing the current paper-based system with an all-electronic one.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164120
Senate Bill 917: Make vehicle title lien updates electronic
Introduced by Sen. Steve Bieda (D) on April 29, 2014, to revise process for updating vehicle loan “security interests” on vehicle titles, so as to accommodate the process proposed by Senate Bill 918 for replacing the current paper-based system with an all-electronic one.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164121
Senate Bill 918: Make vehicle title lien updates electronic
Introduced by Sen. Jack Brandenburg (R) on April 29, 2014, to allow the Secretary of State to develop and contract out an electronic system to process the notification and release of vehicle lender “security interests” for purposes of indicating on vehicle titles whether a lender has an interest in the vehicle. This and related bills would mostly replace an existing “hard copy” process for updating this information and mailing out new title documents to owners or lenders. The Secretary of State could require that all transactions concerning these issues be conducted through electronic means.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164122
Senate Bill 919: Waive some state fees for veterans
Introduced by Sen. John Pappageorge (R) on May 1, 2014, to revise the documentation required by a veteran to establish that he or she is entitled to a waiver of the fees imposed for mandated registration as a government building official, inspector or plan reviewer.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164163
Senate Bill 920: Waive some state fees for veterans
Introduced by Sen. John Pappageorge (R) on May 1, 2014, to revise the documentation required by a veteran to establish that he or she is entitled to a waiver of the fees imposed to incorporate a business.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164164
Senate Bill 921: Make vehicle title lien updates electronic
Introduced by Sen. John Pappageorge (R) on May 1, 2014, to revise the documentation required by a veteran to establish that he or she is entitled to a waiver of the fees charged under a state-imposed licensure mandate for plumbers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164165
Senate Bill 922: Authorize local “pension obligation bonds”
Introduced by Sen. Jack Brandenburg (R) on May 1, 2014, to extend for two years the Dec. 31, 2014 sunset on a law passed in 2012 to allow local governments to borrow money to cover unfunded employee pension liabilities, if the local has closed its traditional “defined benefit” pension system to new employees.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164166
Senate Bill 923: Authorize enforceable children sports liability waivers
Introduced by Sen. Mark Jansen (R) on May 1, 2014, to expand to “camping activities” a law passed in 2011 giving the parent or guardian of a minor who participates in a sports or a recreational activity the right release the organizer, sponsor or property owner in advance from liability for injuries sustained by the minor. The bill would also slightly expand the scope of these liability waivers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164167
Senate Bill 924: Criminalize posting revealing images to harass or intimidate
Introduced by Sen. Steve Bieda (D) on May 1, 2014, to explicitly make it a crime to post on the internet any sexually explicit photograph, drawing, or other image of a person with the intent to frighten, intimidate, or harass. The bill would also authorize penalties to refusing or failing to take all reasonable steps to remove such images upon written request of the person, even if these were not posted with the intent to frighten, intimidate, or harass.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164168
Senate Bill 925: Criminalize posting revealing images to harass or intimidate
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on May 1, 2014, to place in statute misdemeanor penalties proposed by Senate Bill 924 for posting on the internet any sexually explicit photograph, drawing, or other image of another person with the intent to frighten, intimidate, or harass.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164169
House Bill 5478: Reorganize workers comp self-insurance trust fund
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Graves (R) on April 29, 2014, to replace an existing state “self-insurers’ security fund” for covering worker’s compensation insurance benefits from a private self-insurer that becomes insolvent with a new “private employer group self-insurers security fund,” starting in 2019. This fund would pay injured or disabled employees’ claims and impose assessments on member groups to cover the insufficiency if one of them is unable to pay valid claims.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164125
House Bill 5479: Reorganize workers comp self-insurance trust fund
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Graves (R) on April 29, 2014, to replace an existing state “self-insurers’ security fund” for covering worker’s compensation insurance benefits from a private self-insurer that becomes insolvent with a new entity, starting in 2019. The new fund would pay injured or disabled employees’ claims and impose assessments on member groups to cover the insufficiency if one of them is unable to pay valid claims.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164126
House Bill 5480: Reorganize workers comp self-insurance trust fund
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Graves (R) on April 29, 2014, to revise details of the state workers compensation insurance law to conform to the proposal in House Bills 5478 and 5479 to revise a state reinsurance fund to cover claims against self-insured employers who become insolvent.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164127
House Bill 5481: Reorganize workers comp self-insurance trust fund
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Graves (R) on April 29, 2014, to revise details of the state workers compensation insurance law to conform to the proposal in House Bills 5478 and 5479 to revise a state reinsurance fund to cover claims against self-insured employers who become insolvent.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164128
House Bill 5482: Reorganize workers comp self-insurance trust fund
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Graves (R) on April 29, 2014, to revise details of the state workers compensation insurance law to conform to the proposal in House Bills 5478 and 5479 to revise a state reinsurance fund to cover claims against self-insured employers who become insolvent.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164129
House Bill 5483: Reorganize workers comp self-insurance trust fund
Introduced by Rep. Harvey Santana (D) on April 29, 2014, to authorize the imposition of extra assessments against the members of the “private employer group self-insurers security fund” if its obligations exceed the capacity of the fund to pay.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164130
House Bill 5484: Reorganize workers comp self-insurance trust fund
Introduced by Rep. Harvey Santana (D) on April 29, 2014, to establish that the duty of the Attorney General to give legal advice to an existing state “self-insurers’ security fund” for covering worker’s compensation insurance benefits would be the same under the replacement entity proposed in House Bills 5478 and 5479.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164131
House Bill 5485: Reorganize workers comp self-insurance trust fund
Introduced by Rep. Harvey Santana (D) on April 29, 2014, to establish that the “private employer group self-insurers security fund” proposed by House Bills 5478 and 5479 ends up paying the benefits of an injured worker (instead of the self-insured employer paying them, it would have the right to seek reimbursement from the insolvent employer.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164132
House Bill 5486: Reorganize workers comp self-insurance trust fund
Introduced by Rep. Harvey Santana (D) on April 29, 2014, to establish that rights to an insolvent employer’s records currently vested in a state workers compensation “self-insurers’ security fund” would be the same under the replacement entity proposed by House Bills 5478 and 5479 for covering worker’s compensation insurance benefits owed by an insolvent self-insured employer.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164133
House Bill 5487: Reorganize workers comp self-insurance trust fund
Introduced by Rep. Phil Phelps (D) on April 29, 2014, to revise the assessment methodology and accounting requirements for a state trust fund created to pay worker’s compensation insurance benefits owed by an insolvent self-insured employer.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164134
House Bill 5488: Reorganize workers comp self-insurance trust fund
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on April 29, 2014, to revise details of a provision enforcing the duty of an employer who self-insures for potential workers compensation liability to pay into a state trust fund created to cover benefits owed by insolvent self-insured employers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164135
House Bill 5489: Authorize workers comp trust fund payments to former Delphi workers
Introduced by Rep. Bradford Jacobsen (R) on April 29, 2014, to authorize payments from a state trust fund created to pay workers compensation insurance benefits owed by insolvent self-insured employers to former employees of the Delphi Corporation (which was spun-off by General Motors in 1997 and filed bankruptcy in 2005). The trust fund would be allowed to seek reimbursement from whatever entity is ultimately found by a federal court to be liable for these claims.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164136
House Bill 5490: Reorganize workers comp self-insurance trust fund
Introduced by Rep. Frank Foster (R) on April 29, 2014, to revise details of the process for resolving disputes between an employer or insurer and the trustees of a state trust fund created to pay workers compensation benefits owed by an insolvent employer.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164137
House Bill 5491: Waive some state fees for veterans
Introduced by Rep. John Walsh (R) on April 29, 2014, to revise the documentation required by a veteran to establish that he or she is entitled to a waiver of the fees imposed to incorporate a business.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164138
House Bill 5492: Earmark some state use tax to roads
Introduced by Rep. Earl Poleski (R) on April 29, 2014, to earmark 1.0 percent of the revenue from the 6.0 percent state use tax to road projects (meaning one-sixth of the revenue from this tax would go to roads). See also House Bill 5459. Reportedly this would generate around $250 million annually for roads.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164139
House Bill 5493: Replace per-gallon fuel tax with 6 percent wholesale tax
Introduced by Rep. Rob VerHeulen (R) on April 29, 2014, to replace the current 15 cent per gallon motor carrier fuel tax imposed on interstate truckers with a 6 percent tax on the wholesale fuel price. House Bill 5477 establishes the new rate, and this bill deletes language related to old rate, and also requires truckers to apply within 18 months for refunds of the Michigan fuel tax they paid for fuel burned in other states.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164140
House Bill 5494: Revise Saginaw County judgeships
Introduced by Rep. Stacy Erwin Oakes (D) on April 30, 2014, to revise the number of judgeships in the second division of the seventieth district court district in Saginaw County.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164149
House Bill 5495: Authorize imposing extra property tax on vacant commercial or industrial property
Introduced by Rep. Andy Schor (D) on April 30, 2014, to permit local governments to impose an additional property tax millage on particular parcels of vacant commercial or industrial property at a rate sufficient to “reflect the costs of maintaining the vacant property through years of vacancy.” A vote of the people would be required. The complete proposal is contained in this bill and House Bill 5496.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164150
House Bill 5496: Authorize imposing extra property tax on vacant commercial or industrial property
Introduced by Rep. Andy Schor (D) on April 30, 2014, to permit local governments to impose an additional property tax millage on particular parcels of vacant commercial or industrial property at a rate sufficient to “reflect the costs of maintaining the vacant property through years of vacancy.” A vote of the people would be required. The complete proposal is contained in this bill and House Bill 5495.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164151
House Bill 5497: Waive some state fees for veterans
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on April 30, 2014, to revise the documentation required by a veteran to establish to claim the waiver authorized by a 2012 law of the fees charged under a state-imposed licensure mandate for electricians.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164152
House Bill 5498: Waive some state fees for veterans
Introduced by Rep. Matt Lori (R) on April 30, 2014, to revise the documentation required by a veteran to establish that he or she is entitled to a waiver of the fees imposed to incorporate a nonprofit entity.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164153
House Bill 5499: Repeal law facilitating phase-out of telephone land lines
Introduced by Rep. Stacy Erwin Oakes (D) on April 30, 2014, to repeal the law enacted five weeks before this bill’s introduction that streamlines regulations on “landline” telephone service providers so as to facilitate transitioning customers to a wireless (cell phone or VOIP) system, and allows phone companies to discontinue landline service after 2016.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164154
House Bill 5500: Authorize lawsuits against illegal local government gun restrictions
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on April 30, 2014, to require local governments that are violating a state law that preempts imposing local restrictions on firearms (including taxes, regulation of ownership, registration, purchase, sale, transfer, transportation, or possession) to bring their ordinances into compliance within 91 days. The bill would establish failure to do so as a “cause of action,” on the basis of which individuals or groups aggrieved by a violation of this state law could sue to have the local restrictions invalidated, and collect costs and reasonable attorney fees if they win. Also, the bill would authorize civil fines of $5,000 against an elected or appointed local government official who “knowingly and willfully enacted or enforced an ordinance or regulation in violation” of the state preemption.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164155
House Bill 5501: Reduce, then end “driver responsibility fees”
Introduced by Rep. Alberta Tinsley Talabi (D) on April 30, 2014, to eliminate failure to pay the so-called “driver responsibility fees” imposed in 2003 as a revenue measure from a list of possible “licensing sanctions” in an unrelated drivers license statute. This is linked to House Bill 5414, with would gradually phase out these fees.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164156
House Bill 5502: Institute Headlee Amendment unfunded mandate restrictions
Introduced by Rep. Eileen Kowall (R) on April 30, 2014, to prohibit a state agency from imposing a rule that requires any increase in local government services or activities unless the legislature has appropriated money to pay for it. Along with House Bill 5503 this bill would establish an administrative process to restrict such impositions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164157
House Bill 5503: Institute Headlee Amendment unfunded mandate restrictions
Introduced by Rep. Eileen Kowall (R) on April 30, 2014, to prohibit any bill that potentially imposes a mandate on local governments from becoming law unless a “local government mandate panel” comprised the House and Senate Fiscal Agencies, and the relevant state department if any in consultation with the local governments affected, create a “fiscal note” that quantifies how much the mandate will cost; and require that money is appropriated and allocated to pay for the mandate, in compliance with the Headlee amendment provision prohibiting the state from imposing unfunded mandates on local governments.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164158
House Bill 5504: Institute Headlee Amendment unfunded mandate restrictions
Introduced by Rep. John Walsh (R) on April 30, 2014, to create a permanent legislative council “local government mandate panel” to implement the provisions of Senate Bill 495.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164159
House Bill 5505: Institute Headlee Amendment unfunded mandate restrictions
Introduced by Rep. John Walsh (R) on April 30, 2014, to explicitly give local governments standing to sue the state under the Headlee Amendment’s unfunded mandate ban in the state constitution; establish that the burden of proof is on the state in such suits; establish that the burden of proof is on the local government if a taxpayer sues it for violating the Headlee amendment’s tax limitation provisions; and establish specific procedures for such lawsuits.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164160
House Bill 5506: Waive some state fees for veterans
Introduced by Rep. Harvey Santana (D) on April 30, 2014, to revise the documentation required by a veteran to establish that he or she is entitled to a waiver of the fees charged under a state-imposed licensure mandate for mechanical contractors.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164161
House Bill 5507: Revise county foster care reimbursement detail
Introduced by Rep. Peter MacGregor (R) on May 1, 2014, to extend for another year a state reimbursement to counties to cover a portion of the cost of providing foster care services. The bill also clarifies what constitutes “foster care services”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164174
House Bill 5508: Intercept delinquent child support from casino winnings
Introduced by Rep. Dale W. Zorn (R) on May 1, 2014, to require the state Office of Child Support to cooperate with the Department of Treasury to implement the proposal in House Bill 5509 to create electronically accessible registry containing the names of individuals with unpaid child support balances, with the purpose of intercepting their Detroit casino gambling winnings.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164175
House Bill 5509: Intercept delinquent child support from casino winnings
Introduced by Rep. Peter MacGregor (R) on May 1, 2014, to require the state Department of Human Services to develop or contract for an electronically accessible registry containing the names of individuals with unpaid child support balances, and require the Detroit casinos to intercept the winnings of individuals on the list and transmit the money to the state office that disburses court-ordered child support payments.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164176
House Bill 5510: Revise paternity law and unwed father child support details
Introduced by Rep. Kenneth Kurtz (R) on May 1, 2014, to specify procedures for a father and mother signing an “acknowledgment of parentage” form. See also House Bills 5463 to 5473.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164177
House Bill 5511: Revise paternity law and unwed father child support details
Introduced by Rep. Michael McCready (R) on May 1, 2014, to specify procedures and priorities for diverting money owed to an individual from a judgment against the state to a person who has a valid claim for delinquent child support owed by the judgment winner. See also House Bills 5463 to 5473.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164178
House Bill 5512: Revise paternity law and unwed father child support details
Introduced by Rep. Kenneth Kurtz (R) on May 1, 2014, to deny or terminate welfare benefits if a recipient fails to comply with applicable child support requirements, including a duty to make efforts to establish paternity and obtain child support.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164179
House Bill 5513: Expand mobile home court environmental regulation
Introduced by Rep. Andy Schor (D) on May 1, 2014, to expand the jurisdiction of the Department of Environmental Quality to impose and enforce regulations on mobile home parks. Among other things the bill would impose a performance bond mandate on mobile home park owners.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164180
House Bill 5514: Give tax break to Olympic games prize winner
Introduced by Rep. Dian Slavens (D) on May 1, 2014, to authorize a state income tax deduction for prize money from the U.S. Olympic Committee for participation in the Olympic games.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164181
House Bill 5515: Exempt some schools from minimum instruction days requirement
Introduced by Rep. Dale W. Zorn (R) on May 1, 2014, 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 had closures in the 2013-2014 school year if the make-up days would extend classes past June 13 and the failure is due to conditions outside the school’s control.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164182
House Bill 5516: Prorate unfunded university pension benefit “catch up” costs
Introduced by Rep. Al Pscholka (R) on May 1, 2014, to establish a methodology for assessing state universities a share of the annual assessment required to “catch up” on unfunded pension liabilities. The bill would assess both universities and K-12 school districts with a share of the “catch up” costs based on how much of the unfunded liability was incurred on behalf of their employees’ service over the years, using a formula the bill proposes for determining the value of past and future pension fund contributions and the projected cost of future pension benefit payments.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164183
Senate Bill 742: Give temporary occupational license to military spouse
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on May 6, 2014, to grant a temporary occupational license mandated by Michigan law to earn a living in certain professions to the spouse of a member of the military from another state if the person has an equivalent license from that state, and if the person also submits fingerprints to meet a background check mandate. The license would be valid for one year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689862
Senate Bill 562: Revise county delinquent tax revolving funds
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on May 6, 2014, to revise details of the law authorizing delinquent tax revolving funds in counties. The bill would affect repayment by local governments of advances from these county funds. Specifically, it would make the amount due to a county from a local government or the state for a prior year’s uncollected delinquent tax a lien against future delinquent tax payments payable to them.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689910
Senate Bill 628: Revise crime victim rights detail
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on May 6, 2014, to revise the law that allows crime victims to receive notices and provide input regarding the prosecution of the perpetrator, including providing a victim “impact statement.” Under current law, this applies to the parents or guardian of a victim who is a minor, and the bill would change this so that it defines “victim” as someone who was less than 18 “at the time of the commission of the crime”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689914
Senate Bill 671: Waive some licensure fees for veterans
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on May 6, 2014, to waive fees charged for state-imposed occupational licensure mandates if the applicant is an honorably discharged military veteran.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689908
Senate Bill 672: Waive some licensure fees for veterans
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on May 6, 2014, to waive fees charged for a state-imposed security guard or security system contractor licensure mandates if the applicant is an honorably discharged military veteran.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689909
Senate Bill 741: Give temporary health care professional occupational license to military spouse
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on May 6, 2014, to grant a temporary Michigan health care specialty license to the spouse of a member of the military from another state if the person has an equivalent license from that state, if the person also submits fingerprints to meet a background check mandate. The license would be valid for one year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689861
Senate Bill 762: Appropriations: Community Colleges
Passed 25 to 13 in the Senate on May 6, 2014, the Senate version of the community colleges budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 2014. This would appropriate $371.5 million in gross spending, compared to $335.9 million the previous year. The Senate did not adopt a 3.2 percent cap on tuition increases recommended by Gov. Rick Snyder.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689870
Senate Bill 763: Appropriations: Department of Community Health
Passed 32 to 5 in the Senate on May 6, 2014, the Senate version of the Department of Community Health budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 2014. This would appropriate $17.492 billion in gross spending, compared to $15.385 billion originally authorized for the previous year, before that amount was increased by the legislature’s adoption of the federal health care law Medicaid expansion. Of this, $12.023 billion is federal money. Most of this budget consists of Medicaid health care subsidies, including the “Obamacare” expansion.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689881
Senate Bill 768: Appropriations: Higher Education
The amendment failed 12 to 26 in the Senate on May 6, 2014, to remove a prohibition on universities providing health insurance or other fringe benefits for “unmarried partners” of employees.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689876
Senate Bill 768: Appropriations: Higher Education
Passed 23 to 15 in the Senate on May 6, 2014, the Senate version of the higher education budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2014. This would appropriate $1.527 billion in gross spending, compared to $1.430 billion the previous year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689877
Senate Bill 777: Appropriations: Department of Transportation
The amendment failed by voice vote in the Senate on May 6, 2014, to remove language prohibiting the Department of Transportation from entering any contract or obligating the state to any spending on a proposed new Detroit River bridge unless it is explicitly authorized by the legislature.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=163441
Senate Bill 777: Appropriations: Department of Transportation
Passed 27 to 11 in the Senate on May 6, 2014, the Senate version of the Transportation budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 2014. This would appropriate $3.682 billion in gross spending, compared to $3.597 billion originally appropriated for the previous fiscal year (which doesn’t include extra spending authorized later). Of this, $1.205 billion is federal money, and the rest is mostly from state motor fuel tax and vehicle registration tax revenue.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689865
House Bill 5400: Revise certain low-hazard waste restrictions
Amendment offered by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on April 30, 2014, to remove a provision that authorizes less restrictive regulations on coal “fly ash” if it is mixed with other substances (such as cement).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=163805
House Bill 5400: Revise certain low-hazard waste restrictions
Passed 68 to 42 in the House on May 6, 2014, to reduce restrictions on using certain low-hazard industrial byproducts that potentially have a beneficial use, including as fertilizer, road construction material, construction fill or other uses. The bill would also expand the definition of “inert material” in the state environmental protection law to include a number of specified materials, which would not be subject to restrictions depending on how they are used.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689911
House Bill 5401: Revise certain low-hazard waste restrictions
Passed 66 to 44 in the House on May 6, 2014, to exempt a person who follows specified rules for storing “inert materials” and “beneficial use by-products” as defined by House Bill 5400 from liability under state the environmental protection law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689912
House Bill 5402: Revise certain low-hazard waste restrictions
Passed 66 to 44 in the House on May 6, 2014, to revise a law regulating the sale and use of “liming material” for soil treatment so that it conforms to the proposal in House Bill 5400 to reduce environmental law restrictions on using certain low-hazard industrial wastes and “inert materials” that have a beneficial use.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689913
House Bill 5447: Designate road after murdered corrections officer
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on May 6, 2014, to designate a portion of U.S. 41 in Marquette County as the “Earl DeMarse Memorial Highway”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=689905
Senate Bill 1007: Revise installment tax payment detail
Introduced by Sen. John Pappageorge (R) on July 16, 2014, to establish that tax liens on township special assessment installment payments do not become effective (“attach”) until the payment is due.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164672
Senate Bill 1008: Raise bar for libel claims against politicians
Introduced by Sen. John Pappageorge (R) on July 16, 2014, to establish in statute that a candidate for public office or an elected official has the same protections against libel, slander, and defamation as he or she would have as a private individual (under current law a politician must show that a libel defendant acted “with malice”).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164673
Senate Bill 1009: Revise cemetery perpetual care trust detail
Introduced by Sen. John Pappageorge (R) on July 16, 2014, to allow the officers or directors of cemeteries to be trustees of the irrevocable endowment and perpetual care trust fund cemeteries are required to maintain.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164674
Senate Bill 1010: Repeal ban on abortion coverage through federal health care law exchange
Introduced by Sen. Gretchen Whitmer (D) on July 16, 2014, to repeal the 2013 law initiated by a petition from the people and enacted by a legislative majority to prohibit health insurance policies sold through the federal health care law’s “exchange” from including abortion coverage, which requires individuals to use their own money to purchase a policy “rider” covering abortion if this is what they want.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164675
Senate Bill 1011: Suspend not terminate Medicaid of prisoner with mental illness
Introduced by Sen. Bruce Caswell (R) on July 16, 2014, to require the state to suspend but not terminate Medicaid eligibility for an individual with a “serious emotional disturbance” or mental illness if the person is in jail, prison, a state mental health inpatient program or a “youth correctional center”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164676
Senate Bill 1012: Mandate employers give election day paid leave
Introduced by Sen. Jim Ananich (D) on July 16, 2014, to mandate that employers give employees three hours of paid leave to vote on election days if requested.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164677
Senate Bill 1013: Authorize tax credit for autism trust contributions
Introduced by Sen. Jim Ananich (D) on July 16, 2014, to authorize an income tax credit equal to the amount an individual contributes to a trust fund whose beneficiary is a child diagnosed with autism. The credit would not be “refundable,” but if large enough could be used to essentially cancel out a contributor’s state income tax liability for the tax year.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164678
Senate Bill 1014: Remove debt cap on certain state job training subsidies
Introduced by Sen. Mark Jansen (R) on July 16, 2014, to repeal a $50 million cap on the debt authorized by a 2008 law that created a job training subsidy program for particular employers, in the form of allowing community colleges to borrow to pay for training the employer’s new hires, with the loans repaid by the state transferring to the college a portion of the personal income tax that the particular employer withholds from the pay of new employees. Essentially, the money comes out of the state general fund.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164679
Senate Bill 1015: Restrict child custody changes for active military member
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on July 16, 2014, to revise a 2005 law prohibiting a court from changing an established child custody or parenting time order of a parent has been called to active duty in the military (unless it is the best interest of the child), so as to also allow the military parent at any stage before final judgment in the proceedings to request a stay until he or she has returned from duty.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164680
Senate Bill 1016: Shift road tax money from certain subsidies to road projects
Introduced by Sen. Roger Kahn (R) on July 16, 2014, to not earmark $12 million in annual road tax money to the state “Transportation Economic Development Fund” in fiscal year 2013-2014, and instead use it for regular road building and repair projects. TEDF money 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=164681
Senate Bill 1017: Revise digital tobacco stamp reimbursement detail
Introduced by Sen. Roger Kahn (R) on July 16, 2014, to clarify details of a 2012 law that allows tobacco wholesalers authorized by the state to affix digital tax stamps to individual packs of cigarettes to retain 0.5 percent of the tax due on cigarettes as compensation for equipment and technology upgrades necessitated by digital stamps.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164682
Senate Bill 1018: Impose tobacco tax on e-cigarettes
Introduced by Sen. Randy Richardville (R) on July 16, 2014, to impose on electronic vapor cigarettes and “alternative nicotine products” the same 32 percent tax on the wholesale value that applies to smokeless tobacco.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164683
Senate Bill 1019: Revise PEO unemployment assessment detail
Introduced by Sen. Jack Brandenburg (R) on July 16, 2014, to clarify details of the “look-back” period in a 2012 law related to unemployment insurance premium assessments on professional employer organizations (PEOs) and their client firms.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164684
House Bill 5701: Authorize sanctions for bad-faith patent infringement claims
Introduced by Rep. Mike Callton (R) on July 16, 2014, to prohibit claims of patent infringement that are made in bad faith (as defined in the bill), subject to triple damages or $50,000, whichever is greater, plus other sanctions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164650
House Bill 5702: Require corporate subsidy recipients hire Michigan contractors first
Introduced by Rep. Theresa Abed (D) on July 16, 2014, to require recipients of certain state corporate and developer subsidies and tax breaks for construction or rehab projects, to seek competitive bids for the work and make a “good faith effort” to contract with and hire Michigan residents. The bill would also ban discriminating against either union or non-union contractors who bid on the job.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164651
House Bill 5703: Ban “sexual orientation change efforts” with minor
Introduced by Rep. Adam Zemke (D) on July 16, 2014, to prohibit a mental health professional from undertaking “sexual orientation change efforts” with a minor.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164652
House Bill 5704: Mandate employers outside city withhold city’s income tax
Introduced by Rep. Rudy Hobbs (D) on July 16, 2014, to mandate that employers located outside a city with an income tax must withhold city income tax from the pay of an employee who lives in such a city.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164653
House Bill 5705: Mandate senior housing contracts disclose emergency power availability
Introduced by Rep. Theresa Abed (D) on July 16, 2014, to require rental agreements for senior citizen or disabled housing to indicate whether electricity will be provided by a backup generator in the event of a power outage.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164654
House Bill 5706: Ban local government fees for emergency services at vehicle crash
Introduced by Rep. Ben Glardon (R) on July 16, 2014, to prohibit local governments from charging a fee or seeking reimbursement for emergency police, fire, ambulance and inhalator services at a motor vehicle accident.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164655
House Bill 5707: Restrict more drugs
Introduced by Rep. George T. Darany (D) on July 16, 2014, to include “Mitragyna speciosa” (or “kratom”) in the schedule 5 controlled substances list, meaning they would be in the same restricted drug category as widely used, mild morphine or codeine-based drugs, ephedrine, etc.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164656
House Bill 5708: Lower allowable truck weights
Introduced by Rep. George T. Darany (D) on July 16, 2014, to lower the maximum gross weight for vehicles on Michigan roads from 164,000 pounds to 120,000 pounds.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164657
House Bill 5709: Minimize certain DNR land use restrictions
Introduced by Rep. Jim Stamas (R) on July 16, 2014, to establish that if the use of land owned by the Department of Natural Resources is subject to restrictions because of the source of money used to buy it, or to buy other land that was exchanged for the new DNR land, then the restrictions can only be imposed on a proportion of the land area that does not exceed the proportion of the restrictive funding used for the acquisition.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164658
House Bill 5710: Restrict use by police and others of cell phone surveillance devices
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on July 16, 2014, to require law enforcement agencies to get a search warrant before using surveillance devices to intercept cell phone and mobile device information. The bill was introduced in response to the controversial use by the Oakland County Sheriff Department of “Hailstorm” and “StingRay” cell phone tower simulator technology, which is capable of intercepting cell phone and mobile device data or voice communications. It would also prohibit use of such devices by other persons, subject to criminal penalties of 93 days in jail and up to four years for subsequent violations.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164659
House Bill 5711: Restrict use by police and others of cell phone surveillance devices
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on July 16, 2014, to establish sentencing guidelines for the crime proposed by House Bill 5710 of intentionally using a surveillance device capable of intercepting cell phone and mobile device data or voice communications without first getting a search warrant.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164660
House Bill 5712: Restrict use by police and others of cell phone surveillance devices
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on July 16, 2014, to create a state board to promulgate rules for the possession and use by police agencies and officers of surveillance technology, and require law enforcement agencies to file confidential monthly reports to this board detailing the devices they possess, whether and when these were used, why they were used, and the outcome. The bill was introduced in response to the controversial use by the Oakland County Sheriff Department of “Hailstorm” and “StingRay” cell phone tower simulator technology, which is capable of intercepting cell phone and mobile device data or voice communications.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164661
House Bill 5713: Restrict warrantless cell phone surveillance device use
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on July 16, 2014, to establish sentencing guidelines for the crime proposed by House Bill 5712 of disclosing confidential information in the law enforcement surveillance reports proposed that bill.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164662