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
Senate Bill 313: Revise rental housing inspection regulations
Passed 33 to 3 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to local government rental housing registration and inspection details. Among other things the bill would allow but not require local enforcement agencies in communities of a certain size to mandate that landlords must register themselves and their rental units, prohibit charging landlords to register a property more than once, revise the maximum and minimum time between inspections based on various factors, and more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691628
Senate Bill 739: Revise local “economic development authority” board detail
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to allow “local development financing” tax increment finance authority board members to be an elected or appointed government official, with their board membership ending at the same time their term or official position ends.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691629
Senate Bill 740: Revise local “corridor improvement authority” board detail
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to allow “corridor improvement” tax increment finance authority board members to be an elected or appointed government official, with their board membership ending at the same time their term or official position ends.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691630
Senate Bill 795: Increase banned species introduction penalties
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to authorize seizure and forfeiture of vehicle, equipment, or other property used to knowingly possess or introduce a prohibited aquatic species. Senate bills 796 to 802 would add additional sanctions.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691623
Senate Bill 796: Increase banned species introduction penalties
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to revise the state sentencing guidelines to reflect the higher penalties proposed by Senate Bill 800 for introducing a prohibited non-native aquatic species.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691624
Senate Bill 797: Increase banned species introduction penalties
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to authorize the seizure and forfeiture of property used to violate the state law banning the introduction of banned non-native species into the state.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691625
Senate Bill 799: Increase banned species introduction penalties
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to authorize suspending the commercial fishing license of a person who introduces into the state a prohibited non-native species. Senate Bill 800 authorizes other penalties.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691626
Senate Bill 800: Increase banned species introduction penalties
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to authorize suspending the hunting, fishing and trapping rights of a person who introduces into the state a prohibited non-native species. Also, to increase the penalties for knowingly possessing or introducing a banned aquatic species, from two years in prison and a $20,000 fine to three years and $100,000.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691627
Senate Bill 845: Give district court magistrates arrest warrant power
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to allow a district court magistrate to issue an arrest warrant, and specify that a complaint for an arrest warrant made by means of electronic communication could be made from any location in Michigan. See also House Bill 5246 and Senate Bill 931.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691618
Senate Bill 858: Heroin overdose treatment package
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to grant immunity from criminal prosecution or administrative sanction to a “person” (including a medical professional or pharmacist) who prescribes, dispenses, possesses, or administers an “opioid antagonist” (such as Naloxone) to someone the person believes in good faith to be suffering a heroin or opioid related overdose.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691635
Senate Bill 859: Heroin overdose treatment package
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to require the state-authorized “medical control authorities” responsible for establishing certain treatment protocols in a county or region to establish protocols for ambulances carrying an “opioid antagonist” (such as Naloxone), and emergency services personnel being trained to administer them. Whether the vehicles actually carried these substances would be at the authority’s discretion.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691636
Senate Bill 860: Heroin overdose treatment package
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to permit doctors to prescribe and pharmacists to dispense an “opioid antagonist” including naloxone hydrochloride to the friends or family of individuals who may suffer a heroin overdose. The bill would grant lawsuit liability to doctors and pharmacists for this.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691637
Senate Bill 872: Reduce regulatory obstacles to developing stamp-sand property
Passed 31 to 6 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to establish that property where “stamp sands” have been deposited is not subject to state environmental law restrictions unless the sands contain hazardous substances that exceed the allowable levels for unrestricted residential use. “Stamp sands” are finely grained crushed rock resulting from copper ore processing and are not uncommon in the Keweenaw region.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691620
Senate Bill 880: Require psychologist licensure degree program details
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to revise details of the criteria for the doctoral degree programs required for licensure as a psychologist.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691634
Senate Bill 882: Repeal local road agency fringe benefit reporting mandate
Passed 35 to 1 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to require county road commissions, instead of local road agencies, to certify to the Department of Transportation that they have adopted specified employee health insurance limits and pension reforms, starting Oct. 1 2015.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691640
Senate Bill 916: Make vehicle title lien updates electronic
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on June 4, 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. Among other things the bill would eliminate a requirement that the Secretary of State must issue a title to the owner of a vehicle, if the title were subject to a security interest (loan).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691642
Senate Bill 917: Make vehicle title lien updates electronic
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to revise the 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691643
Senate Bill 918: Make vehicle title lien updates electronic
Passed 36 to 0 in the Senate on June 4, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691644
Senate Bill 924: Criminalize posting revealing images to harass or intimidate
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 4, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691616
Senate Bill 925: Criminalize posting revealing images to harass or intimidate
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 4, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691617
Senate Bill 931: Revise electronic arrest warrant detail
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to clarify a law allowing a judge or district court magistrate to issue a written search warrant by any electronic of means of communication, so as to specify that this may be done from any location within this state.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691621
Senate Bill 932: Revise district court magistrate detail
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to allow district court magistrates to decide motions and requests to withdraw an admission or set aside a default judgment in civil infraction cases under certain circumstances specified in the bill.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691622
Senate Bill 947: Revise collection agency audit details
Passed 27 to 9 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to delete a requirement that the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) audit a collection agency on a biennial basis. The agencies would still be subject to current regulations and record keeping requirements, however. The bill would also establish as “the intent of the legislature” that the regulations apply to debt collection agencies, not the companies that hire them.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691650
Senate Bill 947: Revise collection agency audit details
Passed 28 to 7 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to delete a requirement that the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) audit a collection agency on a biennial basis. The agencies would still be subject to current regulations and record keeping requirements, however. The bill would also establish as “the intent of the legislature” that the regulations apply to debt collection agencies, not the companies that hire them.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691646
House Bill 4155: Make government firearms ownership databases non-public information
Passed 29 to 8 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to restrict access to a non-public database of applicants for a concealed pistol license to requests made using a state Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN) or another system that maintains a record of who asked and when, and require the requestor asking about a particular individual to attest that the records are sought for a lawful purpose. This would somewhat broaden access to these already nonpublic records, but the bill is part of a legislative package that makes all state firearms databases confidential and not subject to disclosure under the state Freedom of Information Act (FOIA); see House Bill 5327.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691631
House Bill 4582: Revise homebuilder licensure detail
Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to clarify that a person who has held a “residential maintenance and alteration contractor” license within the past nine years is exempt from having to take a “pre-licensure” course as a condition for getting a residential builder license. Also, to eliminate the state licensing bureau’s authority to require evidence of an applicant’s or licensee’s financial stability.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691614
House Bill 4964: Authorize automatic government employee 401(k) enrollments
Passed 22 to 14 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to allow the state, schools and local governments to automatically enroll eligible employees in 401(k) type retirement accounts, with a percentage of the individual’s pay deposited in the account. An employee could choose to opt-out of deductions and deposits.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691638
House Bill 5270: Mandate recording of child abuse/neglect interviews
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on June 4, 2014, to require interviews of children by state officials in alleged or suspected neglect or abuse cases to be recorded on video.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691667
House Bill 5284: Give contractor licensure board more discretion to deny license
Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to eliminate the state licensing bureau’s authority to require evidence of a licensed residential builder or renovation contractor financial stability, or that of a license applicant. The bill provides procedures for former licensees who were denied a license on this basis, provided they have taken a three hour continuing education course in the past year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691615
House Bill 5325: Make government firearms ownership databases non-public information
Passed 29 to 8 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to define the state databases containing information on individual firearms ownership that House Bill 5227 would make confidential and not subject to disclosure under the state Freedom of Information Act.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691632
House Bill 5328: Make government firearms ownership databases non-public information
Passed 29 to 8 in the Senate on June 4, 2014, to revise details of concealed pistol permit law and related statutes so they conform to the proposal in House Bills 5327 to exempt state firearms owner records from disclosure under the state Freedom of Information Act.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691633
House Bill 5400: Revise certain low-hazard waste restrictions
Passed 25 to 11 in the Senate on June 4, 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=691647
House Bill 5438: Mandate drivers ed include cycle awareness lesson
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on June 4, 2014, to require drivers education classes to include classroom instruction on laws related to bicycles and motorcycles, and to emphasize awareness of their operation on roads.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691664
House Bill 5476: Revise electric utility regulated rate setting procedures
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 4, 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=691619