House Joint Resolution UU: Increase sales tax to 7 percent
Passed 26 to 12 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to place before voters in a May 5, 2015 election a constitutional amendment that would increase the state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent. The proposal would also prohibit using money earmarked to the state School Aid Fund to support state universities, and earmark a specified portion of the state Use Tax to this fund. If voters do not approve the ballot measure then a large fuel tax increase (House Bill 5477) and several related measures would not go into effect. The complete package represents a net tax increase of $1.945 billion, of which $1.2 billion would go to road projects.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699213
Senate Bill 423: Require schools teach American foundational principles; SCHOOL SPENDING “ADEQUACY” STUDY
Passed 20 to 18 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to require the state budget agency to contract for a study to determine how much money per student is needed for a public school to educate students sufficiently well to meet state graduation requirements. Reportedly the bill was adopted Republican-controlled legislature in return for Democratic votes on a sales tax increase that is part of a $1.945 billion tax hike for road repairs and other spending.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699221
Senate Bill 847: Expand homestead property tax credit
Passed 23 to 15 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, To increase the state Earned Income Tax Credit, which makes payments to low income wage earners. The measure will not become law unless voters approve an increase to the state sales tax in a May 5, 2015 election; reportedly the bill was passed to gain Democratic votes for the two-thirds majority required to place that on the ballot. This was added to the original provisions of the bill, which increase the property tax credit a homeowner or renter can claim against the state income tax, by lowering the income threshold in the formula used to calculate this “homestead” or principle residence exemption.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699219
Senate Bill 926: Ban using a drone to interfere with hunters
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on December 16, 2014, to prohibit using an aerial drone to interfere with or harass a person who is hunting. This would expand an existing law that bans interfering with or harassing hunters.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=698663
House Bill 4001: Cap FOIA charges and increase government FOIA scofflaw penalties
Passed 30 to 8 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to limit the costs a government body may charge to fulfill a Freedom of Information Act open records request. Among other things the bill would prohibit charging more than the wages of the lowest paid employee capable of meeting the request (or of deleting information exempt from disclosure), whether or not that person does the actual work. “Overhead” or overtime costs could not be included. A government body could choose to provide bulky information in electronic format (on CD), and if the requested information is on its website could just reference this in its reply. FOIA requestors would have to be given an itemized list of the costs, and a government body’s procedures, guidelines and fees would have to be posted on its website (if it has one). Tardy responses would be subject to a discount of up to 50 percent. The penalty and damages for wrongfully denying a request would increase from $500 to $1,000 (with fines of up to $7,500 if this is “willful and intentional”). More rigorous sanctions previously adopted by the House were stripped out in this final Senate-passed version.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699216
House Bill 4251: Revise local road project contracting details
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to establish that if a township contributes 50 percent or more to the cost of a road project and certain other conditions apply, it can require the county road commission contract for the work through competitive bidding. This is part of a House road funding package.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699232
House Bill 4539: Stop imposing sales tax on fuel sales
Passed 23 to 15 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to exempt gasoline and diesel purchases from sales tax. This is part of a package that includes a large fuel tax increase (House Bill 5477),a ballot measure increasing the state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent (House Joint Resolution UU), and several related measures. The package represents a net tax increase of $1.945 billion, of which $1.2 billion would go to roads, but none of this will happen if voters do not approve the sales tax hike in a May 5, 2015 election.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699239
House Bill 4630: Increase vehicle registration taxes
Passed 23 to 15 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to increase vehicle registration taxes on trucks, on cars more than three years old, and on electric vehicles. Vehicle owners would pay around $95 million more each year if the bill goes into effect. However, that will only happen if voters approve increasing the state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent in a May 5, 2015 election (see House Joint Resolution UU). Both measures are part of a $1.945 billion tax hike package that would generate $1.2 billion more each year for road repairs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699222
House Bill 4630: Increase vehicle registration taxes
Passed 67 to 43 in the House on December 19, 2014, to increase vehicle registration taxes on trucks, on cars more than three years old, and on electric vehicles. Vehicle owners would pay around $95 million more each year if the bill goes into effect. However, that will only happen if voters approve increasing the state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent in a May 5, 2015 election (see House Joint Resolution UU). Both measures are part of a $1.945 billion tax hike package that would generate $1.2 billion more each year for road repairs.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699056
House Bill 5167: Require competitive bidding on some road maintenance
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to require road agencies to seek competitive bids for road maintenance projects greater than $100,000, unless they “affirm” a different system would serve the public interest better. Also, to require the Department of Transportation to develop “performance based” road project rating system, and allocate 20 percent of funds to local agencies based on its cost/benefit criteria.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699234
House Bill 5198: Revise child services worker discipline procedure
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to allow access to confidential records contained in a state database of serious child abuse incidents to a state employee undergoing a disciplinary action. Access would be limited only to the individual’s union representative, or the arbitrator or official conducting a hearing involving the employee’s dereliction or malfeasance. This access would be for use of records solely in connection with that action or hearing.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699224
House Bill 5341: Revise welfare application confidentiality details
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to revise existing restrictions on releasing information related to an individuals’ applications for welfare and related programs, which are considered records open to the public. The bill would exclude public access to documents in an individual’s record’s that come from another agency or organization, unless required by other state or federal laws, or in response to a court order.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699225
House Bill 5389: Revise nursing home feeding detail
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 19, 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=699257
House Bill 5418: Allow private employers to give preferences to veterans
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to permit employers to give preference to veterans in hiring and promotion decisions, subject to conditions specified in the bill, and require the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs to maintain a registry of employers that do this.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699226
House Bill 5460: Require local road agencies get warranties on road projects
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to expand to local road agencies a requirement to warranties from contractors for road construction and preservation projects valued at more than $1 million. Under current law the warranty requirement only applies to the state Department of Transportation. Also, to require the Department of Transportation to give extra assistance (possibly including grants and loans) to minority-owned and “disadvantaged” businesses that bid on state funded road projects; and to take other step to steer more state-funded road work to such firms, including annual consultations with certain ethnic- and race-bases organizations.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699256
House Bill 5460: Require local road agencies get warranties on road projects
Passed 99 to 11 in the House on December 19, 2014, to expand to local road agencies a requirement to warranties from contractors for road construction and preservation projects valued at more than $1 million. Under current law the warranty requirement only applies to the state Department of Transportation. Also, to require the Department of Transportation to give extra assistance (possibly including grants and loans) to minority-owned and “disadvantaged” businesses that bid on state funded road projects; and to take other step to steer more state-funded road work to such firms, including annual consultations with certain ethnic- and race-based organizations.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699060
House Bill 5460: Require local road agencies get warranties on road projects
The amendment passed by voice vote in the House on December 19, 2014, to require the Department of Transportation to give extra assistance (possibly including grants and loans) to minority-owned and “disadvantaged” businesses that bid on state funded road projects; and to take other step to steer more state-funded road work to such firms, including annual consultations with certain ethnic- and race-based organizations.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=164067
House Bill 5477: Replace per-gallon fuel tax with higher wholesale tax
Passed 23 to 15 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to replace the current 19-cent per gallon gas tax and 15-cent diesel tax with a 14.9 percent wholesale fuel tax, which at current prices is 41.7 cents per gallon for gasoline and 46.4 cents for diesel. This tax hike would be mostly offset by exempting fuel sales from the state sales tax (House Bill 4539). However, neither bill will go into law unless voters approve House Joint Resolution UU in a May 5, 2015 vote, which would increase the state sales tax from 6 percent to 7 percent. When combined with other tax hike bills related to this deal it comes to a net tax increase of $1.945 billion.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699214
House Bill 5492: Earmark some state use tax to roads
Passed 88 to 22 in the House on December 19, 2014, to exempt fuel sales from the state “use tax,” and revise revenue distributions to incorporate a proposed increase of the state use tax from 6 percent to 7 seven percent. This is part of a package that represents a net tax increase of $1.945 billion, of which $1.2 billion would go to road repairs and the rest to other spending, but which is contingent on voters approving an increase in the state use and sales taxes from 6 percent to 7 percent in a May 5 election. See also House Bill 5477.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699106
House Bill 5492: Earmark some state use tax to roads
Passed 24 to 14 in the Senate on December 19, 2014, to exempt fuel sales from the state “use tax,” and revise revenue distributions to incorporate a proposed increase of the state use tax from 6 percent to 7 seven percent. This is part of a package that represents a net tax increase of $1.945 billion, of which $1.2 billion would go to road repairs and the rest to other spending, but which is contingent on voters approving an increase in the state use and sales taxes from 6 percent to 7 percent in a May 5 election. See also House Bill 5477.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699217
House Bill 5513: Expand mobile home court environmental regulation
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 2014, to expand the jurisdiction of the Department of Environmental Quality over mobile home parks; impose new licensure conditions; require the state “Manufactured Housing Commission” to notify local governments of any complaints from residents; impose a performance bond mandate on mobile home park owners; impose an annual inspection mandate; authorize placing a park under court-ordered receivership if conditions threaten residents’ health and safety; and more.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699145
House Bill 5667: Let clerks choose electronic voting system
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 2014, to allow county clerks in cooperation with and local clerks to determine which electronic voting system to adopt, subject to certain requirements specified in the bill.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699164
House Bill 5714: Revise regulations on household movers
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 2014, to revise details of the extensive regulatory regime and price controls imposed on household moving companies.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699152
House Bill 5792: Mandate insurance ownership divestment disclosures
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 2014, to mandate that a person with a controlling ownership interest in a Michigan insurance company who plans to divest that interest must submit a statement of intent to the state insurance bureau at least 30 days before the divestment, along with a statement describing the “enterprise risk” of the transaction, defined in the bill as the chances it will have a “material adverse effect upon the financial condition or liquidity” of the insurer.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699162
House Bill 5823: Require insurance company risk assessments
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 2014, to require larger insurance companies to regularly perform an “own risk and solvency assessment” (ORSA), defined as a “confidential internal assessment…of the material and relevant risks associated with the insurer’s current business plan, and the sufficiency of capital resources to support those risks.” This would have to be submitted to the state annually.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699163
House Bill 5928: Create incarceration and sentencing study panel
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 2014, to create a 15-member Criminal Justice Policy Commission to gather and analyze data on the effects of a number of criminal sentencing, incarceration and release practices and procedures.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699197
House Bill 5929: Revise “community corrections programs”
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on December 18, 2014, to make technical revisions to “community corrections programs” created as alternatives to jail and prison, so as to reflect changes in the sentencing guidelines and other corrections-related statutes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699198
House Bill 6079: Revise securities law detail
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 18, 2014, to delay until May 1, 2015 the effect of a “Uniform Securities Act” enacted in 2008 on an intrastate “Michigan investment market” (essentially a stock exchange).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=699159
House Bill 4001: Repeal “prevailing wage” law
Introduced by Rep. Amanda Price (R) on January 15, 2015, to repeal the state “prevailing wage” law, which prohibits awarding government contracts to contractors who submit the lowest bid unless the contractor pays “prevailing wages,” which are based on regional union pay scales that tend to be above the market rate.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166367
House Bill 4002: Repeal “prevailing wage” law
Introduced by Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R) on January 15, 2015, to revise a law that authorizes Detroit to create an entity to distribute selective corporate and developer tax breaks and subsidies so that it conforms with the proposal in House Bill 4001 to repeal the so-called “prevailing wage” law, which prohibits awarding government contracts to contractors who submit the lowest bid unless the contractor pays wages based on union-devised pay scales.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166368
House Bill 4003: Repeal “prevailing wage” law
Introduced by Rep. Bradford Jacobsen (R) on January 15, 2015, to revise the state school code so that it conforms with the proposal in House Bill 4001 to repeal the so-called “prevailing wage” law that prohibits awarding government contracts to contractors who submit the lowest bid unless the contractor pays wages based on union-devised pay scales.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166369
House Bill 4004: Revise township annexation process
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on January 15, 2015, to require a vote of the people in a charter township for any of its territory to be annexed by a city or village.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166370
House Bill 4005: Increase sanctions for certain liquor license law violations
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on January 15, 2015, to increase the penalties and licensing sanctions for certain liquor license law violations deemed by the bill to be “critical” violations.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166371
House Bill 4006: Mandate emergency cell phone user location disclosures
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on January 15, 2015, to require cell phone companies to disclose call location information when requested by law enforcement because the information is needed in an emergency situation that involves the risk of death or injury. The bill would grant legal immunity to cell phone companies for making the disclosures.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166372
House Bill 4007: Revise, update wiretap procedures
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on January 15, 2015, to revise and update the procedures for law enforcement wiretaps. The bill also prohibits and authorizes penalties for the sale and use of interception devices by the public.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166373
House Bill 4008: Revise, update wiretap procedures
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on January 15, 2015, to establish sentencing guidelines for wiretapping violation penalties proposed by House Bill 4007.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166374
House Bill 4009: Expand allowable uses of school “sinking fund” taxes
Introduced by Rep. Phil Phelps (D) on January 15, 2015, to allow school districts to spend revenue from “sinking fund” property taxes on “technology,” including computers, software and communications devices. Under current law, sinking fund taxes may be used only for the purchase of land, or construction and (major) repair of school buildings. Regular school bonds may be used to fund a much wider array of activities. Schools are allowed to levy up to five mills in sinking fund property taxes.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166375
House Bill 4010: Expand “promise zone” tax increment financing schemes
Introduced by Rep. Phil Phelps (D) on January 15, 2015, to expand from 10 to 15 the number of “promise zone” tax increment financing authorities (TIFA) located in low income and “low educational attainment” areas. These entities were authorized by a 2008 law to “capture” a portion of any increases in the state portion of school property tax revenue in the area, and use the money to partially subsidize college tuition for local students.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166376
House Bill 4011: Revise Tax Tribunal fee detail
Introduced by Rep. Tim Kelly (R) on January 15, 2015, to revise the procedures for adding additional past years to a property tax overcharge appeal filed with the Michigan Tax Tribunal. Under current law, a motion to amend a claim to include additional years requires an extra fee. The bill would essentially repeal this requirement..
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166377
House Bill 4012: Require local zoning let residents grow some farm products
Introduced by Rep. Tim Kelly (R) on January 15, 2015, to establish that under local zoning ordinances property zoned as residential may be used by a resident to grow farm products and animals for personal use and some “de minimis” sales.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166378
House Bill 4013: Revise CPL “gun free zone” for personal protection orders
Introduced by Rep. Tim Kelly (R) on January 15, 2015, to authorize concealed pistol license boards to waive the “gun free zone” restrictions on a licensee who has been granted a personal protection order.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166379
House Bill 4014: Restrict schools collecting personal and “biometric” student data
Introduced by Rep. Tim Kelly (R) on January 15, 2015, to prohibit public schools from collecting or using student “biometric” or other specified data, including data from a behavior-response measuring “biofeedback” or facial recognition device. The bill also bans schools administering tests that ask students about their own or family members’ socioeconomic status; place of birth; political affiliations or beliefs; religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs; income; or any other data about the student’s relationships, health, behaviors, attitudes, or beliefs, unless approved in writing by a parent or legal guardian. Schools would also be prohibited from revealing any such information to a state or federal government agency.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166381
House Bill 4015: Repeal ticket scalping ban
Introduced by Rep. Tim Kelly (R) on January 15, 2015, to repeal a state law that bans ticket “scalping” at sports and entertainment events, or selling tickets at a higher price through some service or agency.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166510
House Bill 4016: Cut state income tax rate
Introduced by Rep. Tim Kelly (R) on January 15, 2015, to cut the state income tax from 4.25 percent to 4.15 percent as of Jan. 1, 2015, and to 4.05 percent on Jan. 1, 2016.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166511
House Bill 4017: Provide liability waiver for food donations
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Farrington (R) on January 15, 2015, to establish that a food retailer, food service provider, processor, farm, etc., who donates food to a nonprofit charity, and the charity itself, are immune from civil damages or criminal liability resulting from the nature, age, condition, or packaging of the food unless they knew or had reasonable grounds to know the food was adulterated or not fit for human consumption..
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166391
House Bill 4018: Clarify taxable software definition
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Farrington (R) on January 15, 2015, to clarify that when one person grants another the right to use “prewritten computer software,” this is not subject to the state sales tax. This applies to “cloud”-based computing services.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166393
House Bill 4019: Clarify taxable software definition
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Farrington (R) on January 15, 2015, to clarify that when one person grants another the right to use “prewritten computer software,” this is not subject to the state use tax. This applies to “cloud”-based computing services.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166399
House Bill 4020: Require school bus seat belts
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on January 15, 2015, to require new school buses to be equipped with seat belts for each passenger.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166401
House Bill 4021: Authorize 5-mill “sinking fund” property tax for school buses
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on January 15, 2015, to allow school districts to use a “sinking fund” property tax to buy school buses. Under current law, schools may levy up to 5 mills for 20 years for a “sinking fund,” which is a permanent fund that may only be used only for land purchases and the construction or (major) repair of school buildings.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166406
House Bill 4022: Require steps to avoid foster child identity theft
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on January 15, 2015, to require foster care caseworkers to annually request credit reports on each foster care child they are assigned, and if the report suggests the presence of fraudulent activity in the child’s name, report this to the court at the next 90-day review of the child’s foster care plan. The individual appointed by the court to guard the child’s legal interest (guardian ad litem) would then be required to contact the credit reporting agency immediately and request they remove the fraudulent activity from the report. The caseworker also would be required to discuss these matters with the child.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166409
House Bill 4023: Ban child care for more than 11 consecutive hours
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on January 15, 2015, to prohibit a parent or guardian from leaving a child in the care of a child care center, group child care home, or family child care home for longer than 11 consecutive hours, unless the parent works longer than that.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166412
House Bill 4024: Mandate adoption leave with benefits
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on January 15, 2015, to mandate that an employer with at least 50 employees must grant four weeks of leave with full fringe benefits to an employee who adopts a child or becomes the parent of a newborn. The bill creates a new law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166416
House Bill 4025: Revise government contracting procedures
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on January 15, 2015, to require local governments to select architects, professional engineers, and professional surveyors “in accordance with competitive, qualifications-based selection processes and procedures for the type of professional service”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166423
House Bill 4026: Revise government contracting procedures
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on January 15, 2015, to require the Department of Transportation to select architects, professional engineers, professional surveyors “in accordance with competitive, qualifications-based selection processes and procedures for the type of professional service”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166427
House Bill 4027: Exempt certain pension income from state income tax
Introduced by Rep. Tom Barrett (R) on January 15, 2015, to reverse the provision of Gov. Rick Snyder’s 2011 income tax overhaul and business tax cut that partially eliminated some of the state income tax exemptions for pension income.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166436
House Bill 4028: Revise out-of-wedlock paternity provisions
Introduced by Rep. Robert Kosowski (D) on January 15, 2015, to require the state to create a “responsible father registry” where a man can register who wants to be notified of an adoption or termination of parental rights proceeding for a child whom he may have fathered. He would have to register before or within 48 hours of the child’s birth. This is intended to speed-up the adoption process, including reducing the time a birth-parent has to change his or her mind.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166488
House Bill 4029: Allow no-reason absentee voting
Introduced by Rep. George T. Darany (D) on January 15, 2015, to eliminate the requirement that a person give a specific reason for requesting an absentee ballot.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166512
House Bill 4030: Ban lobbyist contributions in public buildings
Introduced by Rep. George T. Darany (D) on January 15, 2015, to prohibit lobbyists from delivering campaign contributions, or making promises of future contributions, to a candidate in a state government facility.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166513
House Bill 4031: Exclude “investigational drugs” from medical welfare benefits
Introduced by Rep. Tim Kelly (R) on January 15, 2015, to exclude payments for “investigational drugs” that have completed phase clinical trials but are not approved by the FDA for general use from benefits provided by state medical welfare programs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166514
House Bill 4032: Regulate Uber, Lyft, etc.; preempt local bans
Introduced by Rep. Tim Kelly (R) on January 15, 2015, to establish a regulatory framework that would enable “transportation network companies” like Uber and Lyft to operate in this state, including a preemption on local government regulations or bans. The companies would have to get a permit from the Secretary of State and carry liability insurance as specified in the bill. Drivers would have to get a background check and be at least 21 years old. Vehicles would have to get an annual inspection by a licensed mechanic and bear signs. Riders would have be given specified information and options, with systems to protect their personal information. Street hailing and the use of cab stands by the vehicles would be prohibited.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=166515
House Bill 6047: Local government public notices package
Introduced by Rep. Amanda Price (R) on December 2, 2014, to amend a blight rehabilitation statute to reflect the changes to government public notice requirements proposed by House Bill 5560. This is one of dozens of bills amending different statutes to accommodate this proposal.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165710
House Bill 6087: Created local firearm regulation preemption exceptions
Introduced by Rep. Martin Howrylak (R) on December 9, 2014, to create exceptions to the law prohibiting local governments from banning consumer fireworks use on or near “national holidays.” Among other things the bill would allow locals to regulate use through zoning ordinances.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=165774