Senate Bill 6: Earmark some sales tax revenue to roads
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 5, 2014, to revise and make permanent a one-time earmark to road spending of a specified percentage of sales tax revenue collected from fuel sales. For the next fiscal year this would mean around $128 million more for road projects.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691781
Senate Bill 49: Make government firearms ownership databases non-public information
Passed 80 to 28 in the House on June 5, 2014, to establish that state databases containing information on licenses issued to individuals to purchase, carry, possess, or transport pistols are confidential and not subject to disclosure under the state Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The bill was introduced after a New York newspaper published the names and addresses of gun owners it acquired from a state database (since then New York has also banned releasing this information).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691875
Senate Bill 149: Revise transportation tax allocation
Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate on June 5, 2014, to discontinue an annual appropriation of up to $20 million in road funding to the Secretary of State to administer vehicle registration tax collections. See also Senate Bill 6, which earmarks some sales tax revenue to road projects.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691783
Senate Bill 205: Increase solicitation of sex from minor penalties
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 5, 2014, to increase the penalties for the crime of soliciting sex from a minor who is at least 16 years of age.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691784
Senate Bill 206: Increase solicitation of sex from minor penalties
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 5, 2014, to revise the sentencing guidelines for the penalty increase proposed by House Bill 4209 for the crime of soliciting a minor 16 years of age or older to commit prostitution..
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691785
Senate Bill 589: Human trafficking crime package
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 5, 2014, to add human trafficking or commercial sexual exploitation of children to the (statutory) grounds for terminating a parent’s parental rights.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691786
Senate Bill 602: Human trafficking crime package
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 5, 2014, to require individuals convicted of soliciting a prostitute who is less than age 18 to register on the state sex offender registry.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691787
Senate Bill 831: Allow homestead property tax exemption for inherited residence
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 5, 2014, to allow an individual who has inherited a dwelling that was the decedent’s principle residence, and who also has an principle residence property tax exemption on his or her current home, to claim the Proposal A principle residence (homestead) tax exemption on both properties for up to three years, or until the inherited residence is sold or leased.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691788
Senate Bill 834: Make government firearms ownership databases non-public information
Passed 87 to 21 in the House on June 5, 2014, to establish that a firearms-related court order or disposition entered into the state’s Law Enforcement Information Network (LIEN) is not subject to disclosure under the state Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). See Senate Bill 49.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691876
Senate Bill 881: Make government firearms ownership databases non-public information
Passed 87 to 21 in the House on June 5, 2014, to revise details in the concealed pistol permit law to accommodate the proposal in Senate Bill 49 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=691877
Senate Bill 881: Make government firearms ownership databases non-public information
Passed 36 to 2 in the Senate on April 24, 2014, to revise details in the concealed pistol permit law to accommodate the proposal in Senate Bill 49 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=689268
House Bill 4890: Let cemetery owners declare burial plot contracts “abandoned”
Passed 106 to 2 in the House on June 5, 2014, to establish conditions and procedures that allow a cemetery owner to declare an individual’s contractual right to be buried in a particular plot to have been abandoned, and then to resell the plot.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691904
House Bill 5089: Create new pseudoephedrine “straw man” buyer crime
Passed 105 to 3 in the House on June 5, 2014, to authorize up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for purchasing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine while knowing that it will be used to manufacture methamphetamine.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691888
House Bill 5090: Create new pseudoephedrine “straw man” buyer crime
Passed 105 to 3 in the House on June 5, 2014, to establish sentencing guidelines for the crime proposed by House Bill 5089 of purchasing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine while knowing that it will be used to manufacture methamphetamine.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691889
House Bill 5168: Facilitate DARTA operating Woodward streetcar
Passed 82 to 26 in the House on June 5, 2014, to authorize the Detroit area regional transportation authority created by a 2012 law to enter agreements to operate a Woodward Avenue streetcar in Detroit with the entity authorized by 2008 law to create it. The bill would exempt this project from a provision requiring unanimous action by the DARTA board for any form of rail passenger service, and specify that Detroit and Wayne County would be responsible for covering the line’s operating deficits (and not other communities in the RTA).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691895
House Bill 5226: Expand crop damage deer shooting permit to bears
Passed 103 to 5 in the House on June 5, 2014, to expand a state law that authorizes special crop damage deer hunting permits so that this also allow these for bears that are causing damage to crops or feed.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691881
House Bill 5271: Revise child abuse/neglect interview details
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on June 4, 2014, to allow the child interview video recordings mandated by House Bill 5270 to be considered by a hearing officer in an alleged or suspected neglect or abuse case.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691754
House Bill 5272: Revise child abuse/neglect interview details
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on June 4, 2014, to allow the child interview video recordings mandated by House Bill 5270 to be used in a court proceeding on an alleged or suspected neglect or abuse case. The bill would also increase the penalty for a person who improperly and intentionally releases such a recording, authorizing up to one year in prison.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691756
House Bill 5363: Expand meth-related pseudoephedrine restrictions
Passed 105 to 3 in the House on June 5, 2014, to prohibit purchasing or possessing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine that is intended to be used to manufacture methamphetamines, subject to up to 20 years in prison.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691890
House Bill 5401: Revise certain low-hazard waste restrictions
Passed 25 to 12 in the Senate on June 5, 2014, to exempt a person who follows specified rules for storing “inert materials” and “beneficial use by-products” as defined by House Bill 5400 from liability under state the environmental protection law.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691779
House Bill 5402: Revise certain low-hazard waste restrictions
Passed 26 to 11 in the Senate on June 5, 2014, to revise a law regulating the sale and use of “liming material” for soil treatment so that it conforms to the proposal in House Bill 5400 to reduce environmental law restrictions on using certain low-hazard industrial wastes and “inert materials” that have a beneficial use.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691780
House Bill 5421: Revise delinquent property tax interest detail
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on June 5, 2014, to allow counties to waive certain additional to allow counties to waive certain additional interest charges imposed on the delinquent property taxes of tax-foreclosed residential property when that is being redeemed by the owner.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691879
House Bill 5552: Exempt decedent’s property transfer to family from assessment “bump up”
Passed 77 to 31 in the House on June 5, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691898
House Bill 5558: Clarify preemption of insurance lawsuits under Consumer Protection Act
Passed 57 to 49 in the House on June 5, 2014, to clarify that a prohibition of “unfair practices” lawsuits against insurance companies under the state Consumer Protection Act (rather than the state’s Insurance Code) applies even if the cause of action occurred before a 2001 law was enacted specifying that industries like insurance which are already subject to a comprehensive state regulatory regime are not covered by the Consumer Protection Act. Lawsuits that have already been filed could still proceed, however.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691871
House Bill 5559: Authorize “Pure Michigan Trail” designations
Passed 106 to 2 in the House on June 5, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691886
House Bill 5600: Revise conflict of interest to allow mayor on Detroit oversight panel
Passed 104 to 4 in the House on June 5, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691891
House Bill 5610: Revise legislative journal printing detail
Passed 104 to 4 in the House on June 5, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691887
House Bill 5612: Revise detail of large utility regulatory regime
Passed 107 to 1 in the House on June 5, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=691892
Senate Bill 963: Ban BB gun possession by unaccompanied minor
Introduced by Sen. Dave Hildenbrand (R) on June 2, 2014, to prohibit minors from possessing an air, gas or spring powered BB or pellet gun unless accompanied by an adult. The bill also revises the definition of “firearm” to exclude an air, gas or spring powered gun that fires a projectile larger than .177 caliber (many air rifles and pistols fire .22 caliber pellets).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164455
Senate Bill 964: Expand air gun exemption from firearm laws
Introduced by Sen. Phil Pavlov (R) on June 2, 2014, to revise the definition of “firearm” to exclude an air, gas or spring powered gun that fires a projectile larger than .177 caliber (many air rifles and pistols fire .22 caliber pellets).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164456
Senate Bill 965: Expand air gun exemption from firearm laws
Introduced by Sen. Joe Hune (R) on June 2, 2014, to revise the definition of “firearm” to exclude an air, gas or spring powered gun that fires a projectile larger than .177 caliber (many air rifles and pistols fire .22 caliber pellets).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164457
Senate Bill 966: Expand air gun exemption from firearm laws
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on June 2, 2014, to revise the definition of “firearm” in the state environmental law to conform to the proposal in Senate Bills 963 to 965, which would exclude all air, gas or spring powered guns from the definition.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164458
Senate Bill 967: Give disabled veterans free boat registration
Introduced by Sen. Dave Hildenbrand (R) on June 2, 2014, to exempt a veteran who has a service connected total disability from having to pay a watercraft registration tax.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164459
Senate Bill 968: Provide insurance to fallen public safety dependents
Introduced by Sen. Roger Kahn (R) on June 2, 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=164460
Senate Bill 969: Authorize local nuisance suits to shut drug or prostitution house
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on June 2, 2014, to authorize a city, village, or township to file a nuisance lawsuit to shut down the activity at a building, vehicle, boat, aircraft, or place that is being used for prostitution, illegal drug, animal fighting, or unlawful alcohol-related offenses.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164461
Senate Bill 970: Revise commercial drivers license detail
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on June 2, 2014, to revise the state law providing for a commercial drivers license learner’s permit so as to conform with federal definitions and requirements.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164462
Senate Bill 971: Expand “good Samaritan” law
Introduced by Sen. Goeff Hansen (R) on June 5, 2014, to expand the (limited) immunity from (lawsuits) for free emergency care provided at the scene of an emergency so that it covers licensed emergency medical service providers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164489
House Bill 5615: Make buying ephedrine for meth a RICO crime
Introduced by Rep. John Kivela (D) on June 3, 2014, to include purchasing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine knowing it will be used to illegally manufacture methamphetamine in the list of “predicate” crimes that come under the state racketeering law (RICO), which among other things would allow the seizure and sale of a violator’s assets, with the proceeds going to law enforcement agencies. See also House Bills 5363, 5089, 5090, and Senate Bill 563.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164465
House Bill 5616: Revise nursing facility tax detail
Introduced by Rep. Ken Yonker (R) on June 4, 2014, to eliminate a “grandfathering” and ownership change qualification from the law that exempts property owned by a “skilled nursing facility” from property taxes.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164469
House Bill 5617: Let library board members get pay and set pay
Introduced by Rep. Ken Yonker (R) on June 4, 2014, to allow members of the board of directors of a public libraries to be paid, in an amount set by the board itself. Under current law library board members are political appointees who do not receive pay.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164470
House Bill 5618: Give high school diploma to Viet Nam era veterans
Introduced by Rep. Stacy Erwin Oakes (D) on June 4, 2014, to let local school boards grant a high school diploma to veterans who did not graduate but were in the armed forces during the period of the Vietnam war. Note: A law passed in 2013 already did this.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164471
House Bill 5619: Require ISDs monitor school district finances
Introduced by Rep. Stacy Erwin Oakes (D) on June 4, 2014, to require Intermediate School Districts to monitor the finances of the regular school districts within their territory.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164472
House Bill 5620: Create new disinformation-to-impede-voter crime
Introduced by Rep. Stacy Erwin Oakes (D) on June 4, 2014, to establish a new misdemeanor crime of knowingly giving false information to a registered voter about an election date, polling place location or the person’s voter registration status, with the intention to impede the person from voting.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164473
House Bill 5621: Authorize girl scout fire-fighting courses
Introduced by Rep. Stacy Erwin Oakes (D) on June 4, 2014, to revise a 2011 law that allows a local fire departments to establish a “boy scout explorer post,” and allows a school district to then provide firefighter courses for 16 and 17 year olds. The bill would also authorize a girl scout explorer posts for this purpose.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164474
House Bill 5622: Mandate reduced class size in failing schools
Introduced by Rep. Stacy Erwin Oakes (D) on June 4, 2014, to require failing schools o reduce class sizes to a maximum of 17 in grades K to 3, and 25 in grades 9 to 12.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164475
House Bill 5623: Authorize charitable contribution income tax credits
Introduced by Rep. John Olumba (D) on June 4, 2014, to authorize state income tax credits for charitable donations to food banks, shelters, community foundations, public art, public radio, colleges, universities, and museums.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164476
House Bill 5624: Give state PSC oversight over city water/sewer systems
Introduced by Rep. John Olumba (D) on June 4, 2014, to extend the jurisdiction of the state Public Service Commission to include regulating the operations of municipal water and sewer systems.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164477
House Bill 5625: Provide morality and character instruction
Introduced by Rep. John Olumba (D) on June 4, 2014, in schools to require public schools to weekly instruction in ‘ethics and character building” to children in grades K through 5.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164478
House Bill 5626: Establish perinatal hospice standards and disclosures
Introduced by Rep. John Olumba (D) on June 4, 2014, to mandate that when a physician informs a patient of a prenatal test that has detected a life-limiting condition, the physician must provide information on perinatal hospice care, plus the latest information on health outcomes, life expectancy, development potential and more. Also, to require the Department of Community Health to develop criteria for certifying a hospice that provides perinatal hospice care, and post information online about ones that have been certified.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164479
House Bill 5627: Ban truancy scofflaws from welfare benefits
Introduced by Rep. John Olumba (D) on June 4, 2014, to require welfare recipients who have school age children to ensure the children attend school at least 80 percent of the time not including sickness or injury absences as a condition of receiving benefits, and require the state welfare agency to confirm this when the person applies for or renews an application for benefits.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164480
House Bill 5628: Authorize charitable contribution income tax credits
Introduced by Rep. John Olumba (D) on June 4, 2014, to authorize state income tax credit for charitable donations to food banks, shelters, and community foundations.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164481
House Bill 5629: Authorize pilot charter boarding school for at risk students
Introduced by Rep. John Olumba (D) on June 4, 2014, to authorize a pilot college preparatory charter school program for low income students who have are failing academically or have gotten into trouble at school.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164482
House Bill 5630: Authorize “social impact” state debt
Introduced by Rep. John Olumba (D) on June 4, 2014, to authorize new state “social impact” borrowing to fund “senior support services to reduce state Medicare spending” and “at-risk youth education and job training programs to reduce juvenile recidivism”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164483
House Bill 5631: Ban hunting with a drone
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on June 4, 2014, to prohibit using an aerial drone to take game.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164484
House Bill 5632: Distribute added road money through regular formula vs. earmarks
Introduced by Rep. Martin Howrylak (R) on June 4, 2014, to transfer $115 million that was politically earmarked for certain road projects in a supplemental appropriation enacted in March of 2014, so that the money is instead allocated to local road and bridge programs according to the usual statutory distribution formula.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164485
House Bill 5633: Allow electronic voter registration
Introduced by Rep. Sarah Roberts (D) on June 4, 2014, to require the Secretary of State to develop a system for electronic online voter registration on its website.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164486
House Bill 5634: Allow late return of military and overseas absentee ballots
Introduced by Rep. David Knezek (D) on June 4, 2014, to establish that if an overseas military service member’s mailed-in absentee ballot is postmarked on the election date or earlier, and received before the appropriate canvassing board has certified the vote tally, then it would be counted.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164487
House Bill 5635: Allow overseas voting by email
Introduced by Rep. David Knezek (D) on June 4, 2014, to allow a voter who is outside the country to vote by email or other electronic means. Under a 2010 law overseas voters may receive their absentee ballots by e-mail, but they must be returned by regular mail and received before the polls close on election day.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164488
House Bill 5636: Permit golf cart road road use without insurance
Introduced by Rep. Kevin Cotter (R) on June 5, 2014, to permit a golf cart to be driven on the shoulder of a public highway without having mandated no-fault vehicle insurance, under the same provision that allows ORVs to do this.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164492
House Bill 5637: Expand welfare child care subsidies
Introduced by Rep. Stacy Erwin Oakes (D) on June 5, 2014, to expand welfare-related child care subsidies to any recipient who is participating in mandated education, training or work requirements.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164493
House Bill 5638: Revise parole standards
Introduced by Rep. Stacy Erwin Oakes (D) on June 5, 2014, to require that parole be granted to prisoners who have served their minimum time if the person has at least an “average probability” under a “validated risk assessment instrument” of not being a risk to public safety, and who meets other criteria specified in statute, subject to some restrictions and exceptions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164494
House Bill 5639: Authorize “Industrial Plant Rehabilitation” tax break for particular developer
Introduced by Rep. Stacy Erwin Oakes (D) on June 5, 2014, to authorize an Industrial Plant Rehabilitation property tax break for a building owned by a particular developer whose tenant has gone bankrupt.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164495