Senate Bill 959: Extend hazardous waste fees
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on June 3, 2014.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691528
Senate Bill 960: Extend hazardous waste fees
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on June 3, 2014.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691529
Senate Bill 961: Revise detail of letting certain disabled workers “buy” Medicaid
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on May 28, 2014, to amend a law that allows certain disabled individuals who otherwise are not eligible for Medicaid to pay a means-tested fee to get these benefits, so that it conforms with the federal health care law’s Medicaid expansion adopted by the legislature in 2013. The bill would also cap the aggregate premiums collected under this program at $3 million annually.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164405
Senate Bill 962: Revise industrial tax break detail
Introduced by Sen. David Robertson (R) on May 28, 2014, to revise a provision of the law that authorizes local property tax breaks for industrial facility tax breaks, which grants these even if the local clerk fails to meet certain procedural deadlines. The bill would amend the provision so it also applies to an amended application for a tax break, or a request to transfer or revoke a tax break.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164406
House Bill 5594: Revise lender regulation detail
Introduced by Rep. Lisa Lyons (R) on May 21, 2014, to revise a law that imposes licensure and regulations on retail lenders who make relatively small loans to consumers ( such as for cars, household goods, or cash advances), so as to permit a lender to charge a monthly account service fee on outstanding “closed-end” loans, at a maximum rate of 9.75 percent of the original principal amount.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164386
House Bill 5595: Place “Brass Roots” plaque on Capitol grounds
Introduced by Rep. Martin Howrylak (R) on May 21, 2014, to require a plaque honoring the Second Amendment’s recognition of the right of individuals to keep and bear arms to be placed on the Capitol grounds. This plaque was created by the “Brass Roots” organization, reportedly by melting down brass cartridge cases donated by citizens who gathered at the Capitol in 1994 to protest federal and state infringements on the rights recognized by the Second Amendment.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164387
House Bill 5596: Mandate discretion in school expulsion rules
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on May 21, 2014, to prohibit public schools from having a policy that requires a student to be suspended or expelled for certain conduct and that does not give school officials discretion in exercising it, unless such a policy is required by state law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164388
House Bill 5597: Extend authority of public schools establishing public libraries
Introduced by Rep. Adam Zemke (D) on May 27, 2014, to repeal a 2015 sunset on a law that allows a public school district to establish a public library.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164397
House Bill 5598: Authorize “biosimilar” dru substitutions
Introduced by Rep. Ken Yonker (R) on May 27, 2014, to permit a pharmacist to substitute FDA-designated biosimilar drugs for brand-name drugs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164398
House Bill 5599: Waive FOIA fees for elected officials
Introduced by Rep. Ellen Lipton (D) on May 27, 2014, to exempt an elected official acting “in furtherance of his or her duties” from having to pay fees charged by government entities to fulfill Freedom of Information Act requests.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164399
House Bill 5600: Revise conflict of interest to allow mayor on Detroit oversight panel
Introduced by Rep. John Walsh (R) on May 27, 2014, to revise a law that prohibits public officials from having various positions that may create a conflict of interest, so as to allow the mayor and a council member of a financially troubled city to be on a financial review commission for their city. This relates to legislation making a $195 million gift of state money to Detroit toward a possible bankruptcy settlement, which created a state oversight panel that includes the mayor and president of the city council.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164400
House Bill 5603: Expand state drug prescription database sharing
Introduced by Rep. Bill LaVoy (D) on May 27, 2014, to revise http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164401
House Bill 5604: Extend heroin overdose treatment immunities
Introduced by Rep. Bill LaVoy (D) on May 27, 2014, to prohibit charging or prosecuting an individual for illegal drug possession or use based on the person seeking medical treatment for a heroin overdose, and grant immunity from lawsuits, criminal prosecution or administrative sanction to a person who in good faith administers an “opioid antagonist” (such as Naloxone) to such a person. The bill would also require the state-authorized “medical control authorities” responsible for establishing certain treatment protocols in a county or region to establish protocols that require ambulances to carry an “opioid antagonist”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164402
House Bill 5605: Mandate school football games be called if score too lopsided
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on May 28, 2014, to prohibit a public school from participating in an interscholastic football game unless the sponsoring organization has a rule that the game must be ended if one team has a lead of 17 points or more with one minute or less remaining, with that team declared the winner.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164411
House Bill 5606: Revise auto dealer protectionism detail
Introduced by Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R) on May 28, 2014, to prohibit vehicle makers from preventing a dealer from charging customers a fee or charge allowed by the law that authorizes the state to enforce exclusive new car dealer “territories” and regulates commercial relationships between dealers and manufacturers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164412
House Bill 5607: Prohibit public schools immediately forcing out students who move
Introduced by Rep. Harvey Santana (D) on May 28, 2014, to require public school districts to allow a student to keep attending his or her geographically-assigned school for the rest of the school year if the family moves to another district after the official state “supplemental count day” in February or March (which is part of the basis for allocating state school aid funding).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164413
House Bill 5608: Provide insurance to fallen public safety dependents
Introduced by Rep. Wayne Schmidt (R) on May 28, 2014, to require the state to provide the spouse and dependents of a firefighter, law enforcement officer or emergency first responder who dies in the line of duty with health insurance comparable to and on similar terms as the coverage the decedent received from any source at the time of his or her death. This would end when these individuals get comparable coverage from another source.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164414
House Bill 5609: Impose licensure on miniature goat keepers
Introduced by Rep. Andy Schor (D) on May 28, 2014, to give counties the authority to impose licensure and regulation on people who keep miniature goats in a nonagricultural area.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164415
House Bill 5610: Revise legislative journal printing detail
Introduced by Rep. Cindy Denby (R) on May 28, 2014, to no longer require the legislature to print and bind up to 500 copies of the official House and Senate journals for the year and distribute these to members, state departments, colleges, universities, and other specified recipients. Instead, the clerk of the House and secretary of the Senate could decide how many copies to print. The journals would still have to be made available to the public on the internet.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164416
House Bill 5611: Create school “human trafficking” curriculum
Introduced by Rep. Mike Shirkey (R) on May 29, 2014, to require the Department of Education to develop or select a model curriculum of instruction on human trafficking, and encourage public schools to include it in their sex education curriculum.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164419
House Bill 5612: Revise detail of large utility regulatory regime
Introduced by Rep. Mike Shirkey (R) on May 29, 2014, to allow money in a state “Utility Consumer Representation Fund” to be used for participation in proceedings on utility cost allocation and rate setting methods. Large utilities are required to pay a certain amount to this fund, and to pass the cost to customers. Half the money in fund goes to the Attorney General and half to “consumer advocates” to contest rate hikes.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164420
House Bill 5613: Require public schools to permit unenrolled children in extracurriculars
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on May 29, 2014, to require public schools to allow a child who lives in its district and is homeschooled or enrolled in a non-public school to participate in extracurricular activities on the same basis as the school’s students.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164421
House Bill 5614: Expand scope of reckless driving enhanced penalties
Introduced by Rep. Sam Singh (D) on May 29, 2014, to expand the scope of a law that authorizes enhanced penalties including imprisonment for committing a moving violation that kills or injures another person, so that is also applies to driving in a parking lot or on a frozen lake.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164422
Senate Bill 265: Exempt test cars from regional transit tax
Passed 83 to 25 in the House on June 3, 2014, to exempt automaker test vehicles from the regional mass transit vehicle registration tax authorized by a 2012 law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691559
Senate Bill 582: Authorize enhanced penalties for drive-by shooting
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on June 3, 2014, to authorize up to life in prison for intentionally discharging a firearm from a vehicle or at a dwelling when this causes death (as in a “drive-by” shooting), and 15 to 20 years if someone is injured. These penalties would be on top of any imposed for assault, attempted murder, etc. The bill also increases the maximum penalty if no one is hurt from four years to 10 years.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691548
Senate Bill 583: Authorize enhanced penalties for drive-by shooting
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on June 3, 2014, to establish sentencing guidelines for the enhanced “drive-by” shooting penalties proposed by Senate Bill 5832.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691551
Senate Bill 959: Extend hazardous waste fees
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on June 3, 2014, to repeal the sunset on a law that imposes fees on hazardous waste generators and handlers. This bill covers handlers, and Senate Bill 960 extends the fees for companies that generate wastes. The fees extract some $1.1 million annually from these industries.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691528
Senate Bill 960: Extend hazardous waste fees
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on June 3, 2014, to repeal the sunset on a law that imposes fees on hazardous waste generators and handlers. This bill covers companies that generate wastes, and Senate Bill 959 extends the fees for handlers. The fees extract some $1.1 million annually from these industries.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691529
House Bill 4486: Authorize involuntary treatment for substance abuse
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 3, 2014, to allow relatives or a health care professional to petition a court to take an individual abusing drugs or alcohol into protective custody for involuntary treatment, and grant the request if there clear and convincing evidence that the person present an imminent danger or threat to himself or others. The bill prescribes specific procedures, requirements and limitations on involuntary treatment.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691527
House Bill 4528: Revise “immigration clerical assistant” registration
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 3, 2014, to revise details of a 2004 law that imposed registration requirements on “immigration clerical assistants.” The bill would eliminate a duty of the state to maintain a list of these individuals and authorize triple damages for lawsuits against them.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691524
House Bill 4684: Repeal auctioneer registration mandate
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 3, 2014, to revise references to auctioneers in a section of the state environmental laws dealing with snowmobiles to reflect the proposal in House Bills 4681 and 4682 to repeal a state registration (licensure) mandate on auctioneers.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691525
House Bill 4998: Appoint “entrepreneurs-in-residence” at Michigan Strategic Fund
Passed 85 to 24 in the House on June 3, 2014, to require the state agency responsible for granting and overseeing selective tax breaks and subsidies granted to particular corporations or developers (the “Michigan Strategic Fund”) to appoint up to 10 “entrepreneurs-in-residence” to help the agency to “improve outreach to small business concerns;” identify inefficient or duplicative “economic development” programs; recommend ways to expand and improve the efficiency of these programs; and more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691547
House Bill 5178: Expand property owner recreation liability waiver
Passed 62 to 47 in the House on June 3, 2014, to expand a property owner liability exemption that currently applies to someone fishing, hunting, trapping, camping, hiking, sightseeing, motorcycling, or snowmobiling on a person’s land, so that it also applies to operating non-commercial aircraft (“aviation activities”). In other words, someone can’t sue a landowner for injuries sustained doing any of these things, as long as the individual hasn’t paid for the privilege.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691553
House Bill 5220: Revise accounting firm licensure details
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 3, 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=691526
House Bill 5246: Revise arrest warrant procedural details
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on June 3, 2014, to revise the procedures that currently authorize arrest warrant complaints to be phoned in or submitted by other electronic means of communications. The bill would explicitly include “electronic video” in these means, and allow judges to swear-in the plaintiff using electronic video (under current law this step must be done in person).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691550
House Bill 5383: Expand drunk driving provisions to include illegal drugs
Passed 108 to 1 in the House on June 3, 2014, to allow a court to suspend the drivers license of a person released on bail pending arraignment for a drugged driving arrest, the same as with drunk driving cases. See also House Bill 5385.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691555
House Bill 5385: Expand drunk driving provisions to include illegal drugs
Passed 101 to 8 in the House on June 3, 2014, to expand the law that requires a person stopped for drunk driving to take a breathalyzer or field sobriety test so that it also applies to suspected driving while drugged. The bill would not authorize the use of a roadside saliva test, which has been challenged as inaccurate.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691557
House Bill 5566: Detroit bankruptcy settlement and grant package - oversight commission
Passed 36 to 2 in the Senate on June 3, 2014, to establish a Detroit fiscal management oversight commission consisting of the two state department heads, five other individuals appointed by the Governor, the Mayor and the president of the city council. Among the commission’s powers would be final approval of city budgets, larger purchases, borrowing, union contracts (except police and firefighter contracts imposed through binding arbitration), and more. The commission could waive any of these powers if the city adopts deficit-free budgets for three consecutive years and meets other specified conditions, but could resume its powers in the event of subsequent backsliding. This is part of a legislative package consisting of House Bills 5566 to 5575 that are related to the Detroit bankruptcy and a proposed state grant to the city of $195 million.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691515
House Bill 5567: Detroit bankruptcy settlement and grant package - budget process requirements
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on June 3, 2014, to require a Detroit chief financial officer to be appointed by the mayor, subject to the approval of the state oversight commission proposed by House Bill 5566, who would supervise the city’s financial and budget activities. Also, to require Detroit to use generally accepted accounting practices, and adopt budget processes similar to the state’s, which are intended to avoid overspending. Among these are twice yearly revenue estimating conferences involving state officials and university economists. This is part of a legislative package consisting of House Bills 5566 to 5575 that are related to the Detroit bankruptcy and a proposed state grant to the city of $195 million.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691516
House Bill 5568: Detroit bankruptcy settlement and grant package - pension limits
Passed 24 to 14 in the Senate on June 3, 2014, to limit the normal contributions Detroit can make to city employees retirement benefits, but still allow the city to enroll new employees in a “defined benefit” pension system that creates future underfunding risks for taxpayers. The normal contribution caps would be 7 percent for pensions and 2 percent (or the amount the state gives its employees) for a retirement health savings account. The bill also restricts “pension spiking” and “13th check” extra-benefit schemes. It was introduced as a condition for the state giving Detroit $195 million toward its bankruptcy settlement, and originally would have prohibited the city from creating new unfunded liability risks each new hire (giving them defined contribution benefits instead), but that restriction was removed in committee. The remaining provisions take effect after a court-approved post-bankruptcy “workout” period ends in 2023.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691517
House Bill 5569: Detroit bankruptcy settlement and grant package - employee health benefits
Passed 36 to 2 in the Senate on June 3, 2014, to prohibit Detroit from providing employee health insurance benefits whose premiums cost more than $5,500 for a single person, $12,250 for a couple and $15,000 for a family plan (indexed to the “medical price index”), or alternatively, require city employees to contribute at least 20 percent toward the cost of their health insurance. A 2011 law mandated this for public school employees but allowed municipalities to exempt themselves with a 2/3 vote of their governing body; the bill would exclude Detroit from that exception. This is part of a legislative package consisting of House Bills 5566 to 5575 that are related to the Detroit bankruptcy and a proposed state grant to the city of $195 million.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691518
House Bill 5570: Detroit bankruptcy settlement and grant package - pension details
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on June 3, 2014, to establish a Detroit pension investment committee to oversee management of the city’s defined benefit pension system. The system would still be run by the existing pension board, but a process would be instituted by which the chief financial officer for the city proposed by House Bill 5567 would have final authority in the event the committee and the pension board disagreed on investment management decisions. The bill would also impose additional restrictions and disclosure requirements on reimbursed travel by pension fund board members, officials or employees. This is part of a legislative package consisting of House Bills 5566 to 5575 that are related to the Detroit bankruptcy and a proposed state grant to the city of $195 million.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691523
House Bill 5573: Detroit bankruptcy settlement and grant package - funding details
Passed 21 to 17 in the Senate on June 3, 2014, to earmark $17.5 million of future tobacco lawsuit settlement revenue annually for 20 years to the state rainy day fund, which is essentially an accounting measure related to a $195 million state gift to Detroit, which goes toward the city’s bankruptcy settlement. The state is essentially loaning money to itself.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691520
House Bill 5574: Detroit bankruptcy settlement and grant package - grant appropriation
Passed 21 to 17 in the Senate on June 3, 2014, to appropriate $194.8 million as a grant to Detroit, to be applied toward a proposed bankruptcy settlement. House Bills 5566 to 5571 require various reforms as a condition for the gift.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691521
House Bill 5575: Detroit bankruptcy settlement and grant package - funding details
Passed 21 to 17 in the Senate on June 3, 2014, to create a “Michigan settlement administration authority” to manage the $194.8 million state grant (“bailout”) proposed by House Bill 5574 that would go toward a Detroit bankruptcy settlement. This is part of a legislative package consisting of House Bills 5566 to 5575 that are related to the Detroit bankruptcy and state grant.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691522
House Bill 5576: Detroit bankruptcy settlement and grant package - public safety union contracts
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on June 3, 2014, to require the Detroit fiscal management oversight commission proposed by House Bill 5566 to review rulings on Detroit fire and police union contracts of a “PA 312” binding arbitration panel, which can impose contract terms in the event of a collective bargaining impasse. The oversight panel would not be given any actual authority over these settlements.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691519