House Joint Resolution N: Require in-state tuition at universities for all veterans
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on May 14, 2014, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690472
House Joint Resolution M: Require in-state tuition at community for all military
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on May 14, 2014, to place before voters in the next general election a Constitutional amendment to require community colleges to offer in-district tuition rates to all active duty members of the military, reservists and veterans.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690471
Senate Bill 156: Revise MBT detail
Passed 26 to 11 in the Senate on May 14, 2014, to make changes clarifying the intent of a 2012 law revising the former Michigan Business Tax related to for amounts attributable to the taxpayer due to a discharge of indebtedness, and other factors.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690431
Senate Bill 481: Repeal licensure mandate on foresters
Passed 24 to 14 in the Senate on May 13, 2014, to repeal a licensure mandate imposed on foresters, and eliminate a state “Board of Foresters” comprised political appointees who establish educational and experience requirements for forresters.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690333
Senate Bill 546: Revise public library board detail
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on May 13, 2014, to revise and update details of a law that governs the election (or appointment) and composition of local library boards of governors.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690397
Senate Bill 574: Revise county tax foreclosure detail
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on May 14, 2014, to allow a particular county that elected to have the state foreclose tax delinquent property in the county to rescind that decision for one year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690473
Senate Bill 612: Trim mandated barber license instruction hours
Passed 106 to 3 in the House on May 14, 2014, to reduce from 2,000 to 1,800 the hours of instruction at a “licensed barber college” that an individual must accumulate before he or she is allowed by the state to earn a living at this trade. Also, to add new license restrictions and requirements for a barber whose experience was gained in a county that state agency staffers regard as not having “generally available” records.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690474
Senate Bill 617: Create government “brain injury services and prevention council”
Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate on May 14, 2014, to create a government “brain injury services and prevention council” comprised of individuals representing various agencies and interests, with the task of developing a “comprehensive statewide plan” and recommending specific expansions of current social welfare programs to “address the needs of individuals” with brain injuries. The new entity would replace an existing entity with a similar mission.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690433
Senate Bill 645: Authorize Boy Scouts income tax checkoff
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on May 14, 2014, to revise the state “Girl Scouts Fund” created to receive contributions made through the tax checkoff proposed by a 2010 law, so that the checkoff would also apply to Boy Scout contributions as proposed by Senate Bill 646, and then distribute them to the Michigan Boy Scouts.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690436
Senate Bill 646: Authorize Boy Scouts income tax checkoff
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on May 14, 2014, to allow an individual to choose to automatically contribute $5 or more from his or her state income tax refund to a revised scouts fund proposed by Senate Bill 645, which currently collects contributions for the Michigan Girl Scouts.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690437
Senate Bill 704: Require “pharmacist in charge” at pharmacies
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on May 13, 2014, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690337
Senate Bill 715: Adopt “universal certificates of insurance act”
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on May 13, 2014, to prohibit issuing a certificate of insurance that would alter the coverage provided by an insurance policy referred to in the certificate, or which contained false or misleading information concerning a policy, or requiring the issuance of a certificate with false or misleading information regarding a policy. Also, to establish that a person would have a right to notice of cancellation only under the terms of an insurance policy.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690336
Senate Bill 749: Revise crime victim impact statement detail
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on May 13, 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=690395
Senate Bill 760: Appropriations: Department of Agriculture
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on May 14, 2014, to send the bill back to the Senate “stripped” of all actual appropriations. This vote is basically a procedural method of launching negotiations to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690478
Senate Bill 762: Appropriations: Community Colleges
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on May 14, 2014, to send the bill back to the Senate “stripped” of all actual appropriations. This vote is basically a procedural method of launching negotiations to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690480
Senate Bill 763: Appropriations: Department of Community Health
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on May 14, 2014, to send the bill back to the Senate “stripped” of all actual appropriations. This vote is basically a procedural method of launching negotiations to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690482
Senate Bill 764: Appropriations: Department of Corrections
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on May 14, 2014, to send the bill back to the Senate “stripped” of all actual appropriations. This vote is basically a procedural method of launching negotiations to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690484
Senate Bill 765: Appropriations: Department of Education
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on May 14, 2014, to send the bill back to the Senate “stripped” of all actual appropriations. This vote is basically a procedural method of launching negotiations to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690486
Senate Bill 766: Appropriations: Department of Environmental Quality
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on May 14, 2014, to send the bill back to the Senate “stripped” of all actual appropriations. This vote is basically a procedural method of launching negotiations to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690488
Senate Bill 767: Appropriations: General Government
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on May 14, 2014, to send the bill back to the Senate “stripped” of all actual appropriations. This vote is basically a procedural method of launching negotiations to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690490
Senate Bill 768: Appropriations: Higher Education
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on May 14, 2014, to send the bill back to the Senate “stripped” of all actual appropriations. This vote is basically a procedural method of launching negotiations to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690492
Senate Bill 769: Appropriations: Department of Human Services
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on May 14, 2014, to send the bill back to the Senate “stripped” of all actual appropriations. This vote is basically a procedural method of launching negotiations to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690494
Senate Bill 770: Appropriations: Department of Insurance and Financial Services
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on May 14, 2014, to send the bill back to the Senate “stripped” of all actual appropriations. This vote is basically a procedural method of launching negotiations to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690496
Senate Bill 771: Appropriations: Judiciary budget
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on May 14, 2014, to send the bill back to the Senate “stripped” of all actual appropriations. This vote is basically a procedural method of launching negotiations to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690498
Senate Bill 772: Appropriations: Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on May 14, 2014, to send the bill back to the Senate “stripped” of all actual appropriations. This vote is basically a procedural method of launching negotiations to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690500
Senate Bill 773: Appropriations: Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on May 14, 2014, to send the bill back to the Senate “stripped” of all actual appropriations. This vote is basically a procedural method of launching negotiations to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690502
Senate Bill 774: Appropriations: Department of Natural Resources
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on May 14, 2014, to send the bill back to the Senate “stripped” of all actual appropriations. This vote is basically a procedural method of launching negotiations to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690504
Senate Bill 775: Appropriations: K-12 School Aid budget
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on May 14, 2014, to send the bill back to the Senate “stripped” of all actual appropriations. This vote is basically a procedural method of launching negotiations to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690508
Senate Bill 776: Appropriations: State Police
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on May 14, 2014, to send the bill back to the Senate “stripped” of all actual appropriations. This vote is basically a procedural method of launching negotiations to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690510
Senate Bill 777: Appropriations: Department of Transportation
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on May 14, 2014, to send the bill back to the Senate “stripped” of all actual appropriations. This vote is basically a procedural method of launching negotiations to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690512
Senate Bill 817: Move back teacher rating process deadlines
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on May 14, 2014, to reduce the percentage of a teacher’s “effectiveness” evaluation that must be based on student progress as measured by state test data (instead of other more subjective measures) from 50 percent to 40 percent, and delay implementation until the 2017-2018 school year. The original 50 percent figure was required by a 2011 law basing school employment decisions on these ratings.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690441
Senate Bill 862: Allow alcohol at Michigan Stadium international soccer game
Passed 105 to 5 in the House on May 13, 2014, to allow the sale of alcohol at the University of Michigan football stadium in Ann Arbor during a potential soccer game in August 2014 between the Manchester United and Real Madrid international soccer teams.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690396
Senate Bill 904: Require “pharmacist in charge” at pharmacies
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on May 13, 2014, to establish sentencing guidelines for the criminal offenses proposed by Senate Bill 704, which would require pharmacies, manufacturers, and distributors to designate a pharmacist in charge. This relates to a recent “drug compounding” scandal in New England that led to contaminated drugs causing meningitis in several people.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690338
House Bill 5136: Create standardized medical welfare mental health release form
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on May 14, 2014, to require the state Department of Community Health to develop a standard release form for exchanging confidential mental health and substance abuse information between any public and private agency, department, corporation, or individual involved with treatment of a person with mental health or substance abuse problems.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690432
House Bill 5223: Reduce “student growth” portion of teacher rating criteria
Passed 95 to 14 in the House on May 14, 2014, to reduce the percentage of a teacher’s “effectiveness” evaluation that must be based on student progress as measured by state test data (instead of other local and potentially more subjective measures) from 50 percent to 25 percent in “core” subjects, and delay implementation until the 2017-2018 school year. The original 50 percent based on state tests requirement was established by a 2011 law basing school employment decisions on these ratings.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690519
House Bill 5224: Revise school administrator rating criteria
Passed 96 to 13 in the House on May 14, 2014, to reduce the percentage of a public school administrator’s performance evaluation that must be based on student progress as measured by state test data (instead of other more subjective measures) from 50 percent to 40 percent, and delay implementation until the he 2017-2018 school year. The original 50 percent figure was required by a 2011 law basing school employment decisions on these ratings.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690523
House Bill 5261: Exempt vehicle sale to relatives from sales tax
Passed 110 to 0 in the House on May 13, 2014, to exempt from sales tax the sale of a vehicle to a relative, including parents, children, grandparents and grandchildren, spouses, in-laws and more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690393
House Bill 5263: Revise crime victim impact statement detail
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on May 14, 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=690434
House Bill 5313: Appropriations: 2014-2015 “Omnibus” budget
Passed 26 to 11 in the Senate on May 14, 2014, to send the bill back to the House “stripped” of all actual appropriations. This vote is basically a procedural method of launching negotiations to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690438
House Bill 5375: Revise nursing home medical treatment restriction
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on May 14, 2014, to allow any nursing home to employ a physician to provide a program of planned and continuing nursing care and medical treatment for residents. Under current law only nonprofit nursing homes are allowed to provide this.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690475
House Bill 5376: Revise nursing home medical treatment restriction
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on May 14, 2014, to revise the definition of “services in a learned profession” in the Michigan limited liability company act to make it conform with the proposal in House Bill 5375 removing a current ban on for-profit nursing homes employing a physician to provide a program of planned and continuing nursing care and medical treatment for residents.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690476
House Bill 5377: Revise nursing home medical treatment restriction
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on May 14, 2014, to revise the definition of “services in a learned profession” in the Michigan business corporations act to make it conform with the proposal in House Bill 5375 removing a current ban on for-profit nursing homes employing a physician to provide a program of planned and continuing nursing care and medical treatment for residents.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690468
House Bill 5389: Revise nursing home feeding detail
Passed 93 to 16 in the House on May 14, 2014, to allow a nursing home to employ a trained person to provide feeding assistance to a resident who does not have complicated feeding problems, under the supervision of a nurse, and with consent of the resident or resident’s representative.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690469
House Bill 5396: Trim mandated barber college instruction hours
Passed 35 to 2 in the Senate on May 14, 2014, to reduce from 250 to 225 the number of hours of classroom study, demonstrations, and recitations that a licensed barber college must offer, and reduce from 1,750 to 1,575 hours the amount of required “practical barber training” it must provide.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690435
House Bill 5451: Authorize National Guard member tuition subsidies
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on May 14, 2014, to authorize annual college or vocational education tuition subsidies of up to $4,500 per year for a current Michigan National Guard member. The bill does not specify where the money would come from.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690470
House Bill 5476: Revise electric utility regulated rate setting procedures
Passed 104 to 6 in the House on May 13, 2014, to revise details of the process used by state regulators to allocate production-related and transmission costs to the commercial customers of large utilities.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690394
Senate Bill 685: Revise weights and measures law detail
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on May 15, 2014, to update a date reference in the state’s uniform weights and measures law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690585
Senate Bill 803: Require state to operate and maintain governor’s Mackinac Island residence
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on May 15, 2014, to give the state responsibility for operating and maintaining the governor’s “official” Lansing residence, and create a commission to oversee this.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690586
Senate Bill 869: Remove specific fishing season dates from statute
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on May 15, 2014, to eliminate the statutory fishing season dates for largemouth and smallmouth bass, which would leave setting the dates to the state Natural Resources Commission.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690647
Senate Bill 934: Preempt $10.10 minimum wage initiative; hike mandated minimum
Passed 24 to 14 in the Senate on May 15, 2014, to repeal the current state minimum wage law that makes it unlawful to employ a worker for less than $7.40 an hour, and replace it with a new law gradually increasing the mandated minimum to $9.20 an hour, and increasing the minimum amount the employer of a worker who receives tips must pay from $2.65 to $2.93 an hour. (A tipped-worker’s employer must pay the difference between this amount and the regular mandated minimum if tips come up short).
As introduced the bill was seen as a Republican gambit to keep an “initiated law” off the November ballot, to hike the mandated minimums to $10.10 for both tipped and non-tipped employees. It became a bipartisan gambit after negotiations for the higher rate and inflation indexing brought most Democrats on board.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690613
Senate Bill 935: Impose licensure on “genetic counselors”
Introduced by Sen. Judy Emmons (R) on May 13, 2014, to impose licensure, fees, certification through a nationally recognized certifying agency, and more on “genetic counselors” as they are defined in the bill.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164310
Senate Bill 936: Impose new Lansing utility governance requirements
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on May 14, 2014, to establish new requirements for the governance of certain municipal utilities that would require their governing boards to be comprised of eight commissioners appointed by the municipalities served by the utility; require them to establish emergency response and communications plans; and require customer rates to be equal to the cost of service. The bill was introduced following the report of a body convened to review the Lansing Board of Water and Light’s inadequate response to a massive loss of power to customers following a December, 2013 ice storm. Although the Lansing electric utility serves other municipalities, they are not represented on its board, and the Lansing City Council has imposed surcharges on the utility and its customers related to the city’s own budget issues.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164322
Senate Bill 937: Impose new Lansing utility governance requirements
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on May 14, 2014, to require the City of Lansing to comply with the municipal utility governance standards proposed by Senate Bill 936.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164323
Senate Bill 938: Revise nursing home regulation detail
Introduced by Sen. Goeff Hansen (R) on May 14, 2014, to revise the extensive regulatory regime imposed on nursing homes, so as to establish that patient care policies and compliance procedures should be based on nationally recognized guidelines or best-practices (rather than a similar but less specific prescription in current law), along with other detail changes.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164324
Senate Bill 939: Extend state food code to nursing homes
Introduced by Sen. Mike Nofs (R) on May 14, 2014, to repeal an exemption for nursing homes, homes for the aged, and adult foster care facilities, from the extensive state regulatory regime imposed on “food establishments,” including food processors, groceries, restaurants, etc. The exemption for other health facilities or agencies would remain.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164325
Senate Bill 940: Revise vehicle width limit detail
Introduced by Sen. Jim Ananich (D) on May 15, 2014, to revise the maximum width of vehicles allowed on Michigan roads to 108-inches for vehicles hauling steel pipe (a width that is already allowed for vehicles hauling concrete pipe, agricultural products, unprocessed logs, pulpwood, or wood bolts).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164335
Senate Bill 941: Revise scrap tire regulatory regime details
Introduced by Sen. Mike Kowall (R) on May 15, 2014, to revise and update details of the extensive regulatory regime imposed on the storage, transportation and processing of scrap tires. The bill includes changes to bonding requirements and regulations on storage facilities and hauling companies, imposes new permit fees on the latter, adds exemptions for a “community cleanup site,” prohibits openly burning a scrap tire, and more.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164336
Senate Bill 942: Revise scrap tire regulatory regime details
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on May 15, 2014, to establish sentencing guidelines for violations of the regulations on scrap tire storage, processing and transportation that Senate Bill 941 would modify.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164337
Senate Bill 943: Authorize start-of-summer, back-to-school and hunting season “sales tax holidays”
Introduced by Sen. Mark Jansen (R) on May 15, 2014, to exempt from sales tax up to $100 spent on clothing, $20 for school supplies, and $750 for a personal computer if purchased from Aug. 29 through Sept. 1, 2014. Also, to exempt from sales tax up to $100 spent for camping or fishing supplies, $750 for non-motorized watercraft and accessories, and $750 for off-road vehicles if purchased from May 30 through June 1, 2014. Finally, to exempt from sales tax up to $750 spent on guns and archery equipment, $50 on ammunition and arrows, and $100 in hunting supplies, if purchased from Nov. 7 through Nov. 9, 2014.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164338
Senate Bill 944: Repeal ban on mandating Detroit employee residency
Introduced by Sen. Morris Hood, III (D) on May 15, 2014, to exclude Detroit from the state law that prohibits local governments from imposing employee residency mandates. Under current law, a city can still prohibit employees from living more than 20 miles away.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164339
House Bill 5191: Establish ORV helmet exceptions
Passed 35 to 3 in the Senate on May 15, 2014, to provide an exception to the law that requires operators and riders of ORVs to wear a helmet (with certain exceptions) if a person is operating the vehicle on his or her own property.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690584
House Bill 5396: Trim mandated barber college instruction hours
Passed 102 to 7 in the House on May 15, 2014, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=690646
House Bill 5552: Exempt decedent’s property transfer to family from assessment “bump up”
Introduced by Rep. Peter Pettalia (R) on May 8, 2014, to exempt the transfer of residential property from a decedent to a trust whose beneficiaries are members of the decedent’s family from the taxable value “bump up,” wherein the new basis for property tax assessments becomes the property’s state equalized value (market value), rather than the capped “taxable value” of the previous owner. The exemption would apply when there is no change to the use of the property.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164283
House Bill 5553: Authorize “Pure Michigan Trail” designations
Introduced by Rep. Ray Franz (R) on May 8, 2014, to authorize the use of money in an existing “Michigan trailways fund” to develop the statewide multi-use trail network proposed by Senate Bill 873.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164284
House Bill 5554: Authorize county road commission tax powers
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on May 8, 2014, to give county road commissions the power to place a property tax millage increase on the county ballot in areas outside of cities and villages, which if approved by voters in those areas could be used for road projects there.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164285
House Bill 5555: Authorize natural gas utility surcharges for “infrastructure”
Introduced by Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R) on May 8, 2014, to authorize a surcharge on natural gas utility customer bills to pay for utility “infrastructure” projects.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164286
House Bill 5556: Revise natural gas pipeline regulation detail
Introduced by Rep. Jim Townsend (D) on May 8, 2014, to require natural gas pipeline operators to coordinate with local governments regarding a “public education program” mandated by federal law, increase fines for pipeline safety violations, and make related changes to current law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164287
House Bill 5557: Prohibit natural gas utility surcharges for pipeline fines
Introduced by Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R) on May 8, 2014, to prohibit a natural gas utility from recovering fines incurred for pipeline safety violations through higher customer charges.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164288
House Bill 5558: Clarify preemption of insurance lawsuits under Consumer Protection Act
Introduced by Rep. Tom Leonard (R) on May 8, 2014, to clarify that a prohibition of lawsuits against insurance companies under the state Consumer Protection Act applies regardless of when the cause of action occurred. Under current law, industries like insurance that are already subject to a comprehensive state regulatory regime are not covered by the Consumer Protection Act.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164289
House Bill 5559: Authorize “Pure Michigan Trail” designations
Introduced by Rep. David Pagel (R) on May 8, 2014, to revise the law authorizing the state to operate an “adopt a trail” program using the services of volunteers so as to conform to the proposal in Senate Bill 873 to create a statewide multi-use trail network.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164290
House Bill 5560: Revise, eliminate certain government notice publication in newspapers
Introduced by Rep. Amanda Price (R) on May 8, 2014, to repeal the requirement that local governments publish certain legal notices in local newspapers, and instead require them to post these on their own website. The change would be phased in over a 10 year period.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164291
House Bill 5561: Establish retention requirement for felony biological evidence
Introduced by Rep. David Nathan (D) on May 8, 2014, to require that biological evidence collected in felony cases must be stored for lengths of time specified in the bill, which vary based on the type and severity of the crime.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164292
House Bill 5562: Revise employer unemployment insurance fines
Introduced by Rep. Ray Franz (R) on May 8, 2014, to waive fines of $50 or $250 imposed for errors made by employers in filing quarterly wage reports mandated by the state unemployment insurance law, if the “error” is a figure that is off by less than $1.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164293
House Bill 5563: Revise abandoned vehicle regulations
Introduced by Rep. Andrea LaFontaine (R) on May 8, 2014, to expand the scope of a state prohibition and comprehensive regulatory regime that prescribes penalties, procedures and rules for abandoned vehicles, so that it includes boats and vessels, and add new regulations to accommodate the addition of vessels.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164294
House Bill 5564: Require report on natural gas pipeline inspections
Introduced by Rep. Jim Townsend (D) on May 8, 2014, to require the Public Service Commission to file annual reports on the number of natural gas pipeline inspectors it employs, and the scope of their inspection activities.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164295
House Bill 5565: Require metrics for natural gas pipeline safety
Introduced by Rep. Jim Townsend (D) on May 8, 2014, to require the Public Service Commission to adopt safety performance metrics for natural gas pipeline safety performance.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164296
House Bill 5576: Detroit bankruptcy settlement and grant package
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Haveman (R) on May 13, 2014, to subject to the approval of the Detroit fiscal management oversight commission proposed by House Bill 5566 the rulings on Detroit fire and police union contracts of a “PA 312” binding arbitration panel, which otherwise has the power to impose contract terms between a city and public safety unions in the event of a collective bargaining impasse.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164318
House Bill 5577: Designate peeper as official state amphibian
Introduced by Rep. Sam Singh (D) on May 14, 2014, to establish in law that henceforth the northern spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) shall be designated as the official State of Michigan amphibian. Note: At present, Michigan does not have an official state amphibian, but past bills have proposed designating peepers, the marbled salamander (Ambystome opacum), the gray tree frog (Hyla versicolor) and the Blanchard’s cricket frog (acris crepitans blanchardii, a designation that has no relation to a former Governor of the same name). However, Michigan does have an official state reptile, which is the painted turtle (chrysemys picta).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164328
House Bill 5578: Revise liquor control regulation detail
Introduced by Rep. Hugh Crawford (R) on May 14, 2014, to eliminate a cap on the per case distribution fee that can be charged for liquor distributed to retailers by an “authorized distribution agent,” which is the term applied to the private companies authorized to warehouse and distribute hard liquor in Michigan.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164329
House Bill 5579: Prohibit employment for less than mandated wage
Introduced by Rep. Margaret O’Brien (R) on May 14, 2014, to make it unlawful to employ Extend Medicaid health insurance claims taxa 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=164330
House Bill 5580: Expand Open Meetings Act requirements
Introduced by Rep. Greg MacMaster (R) on May 14, 2014, to revise the Open Meetings Act, so as to require the minutes of state or local legislative or governing body to include all topics of discussion, a summary of “the main points of the discussion supporting and in opposition to each measure,” and “a summary of the remarks for each person who addresses the public body,” unless an audio recording is kept. Also, to require a record roll call vote by members of the body on all “matters of policy”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164331
House Bill 5581: Transfer student testing oversight to Department of Treasury
Introduced by Rep. Robert Genetski (R) on May 14, 2014, to transfer oversight of statewide K-12 student academic testing from the State Board of Education and the state Superintendent of Public Instruction to the Department of Treasury.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164332
House Bill 5582: Restrict criminal sanctions for youth
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Haveman (R) on May 15, 2014, to no longer authorize “youthful trainee status” sanctions for convictions with a penalty greater than one year imprisonment. This status allows a person between the age of 17 and 20 who pleads guilty to criminal offenses other than serious felonies to serve a sentence and then have the proceedings dismissed without having a criminal conviction record, and with no civil disability or loss of right or privilege.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164347
House Bill 5583: Revise paternity determination process
Introduced by Rep. Marcia Hovey-Wright (D) on May 15, 2014, to establish a paternity revocation process for a determination for a man deemed be a child’s genetic father solely on the basis of genetic testing, if the genetic tests were inaccurate, or the man’s genetic material was not available to the child’s mother, or if a man who has DNA identical to the genetic father is the child’s father.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164348