House Bill 4059: Remove sunset on allowing school retiree “double dipping”
Passed 108 to 2 in the House on March 5, 2015, to repeal the sunset on a law that allows a “retired” teacher to work in schools with shortages in certain subjects and collect pension checks alongside his or her current pay.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=707656
House Bill 4078: Spend $24.7 million for state land acquisitions and recreation projects
Passed 31 to 5 in the Senate on March 5, 2015, to appropriate $24.7 million from the state Natural Resources Trust Fund for various land acquisitions and recreation projects. State oil and gas well royalty money is earmarked for this fund. At least 25 percent of its spending must be for land acquisition, and not more than 25 percent for recreation projects.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=707657
Senate Bill 52: Revise veteran benefits notification references
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on March 11, 2015, to revise references to some state departments in a 2008 law that requires a letter be sent to returning veterans listing all the state-funded veterans service organizations, in order of the amount of state funding each receive.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=708827
Senate Bill 72: Ban medical marijuana use on property open to the public
Passed 34 to 3 in the Senate on March 10, 2015, to prohibit the possession or use of medical marijuana on any portion of private property that is open to the public, or where it is banned by the property owner. The bill would also permit a landlord to refuse to rent a residence to someone who uses medical marijuana on the property. Because the bill amends an initiated law adopted by the people, it requires a three-fourths supermajority vote in the Senate and House.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=708635
House Bill 4122: Repeal film producer subsidies
The amendment passed by voice vote in the House on March 10, 2015, to require that if any money appropriated for film subsidies hasn’t been spent when the program ends it should be used to repay losses incurred by state pension funds due to a deal the previous administration made to use the pension funds to back investments made by some politically well-connected individuals in an Oakland County film production start-up.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=167795
House Bill 4122: Repeal film producer subsidies
Passed 58 to 51 in the House on March 11, 2015, to repeal the program that gives Michigan tax dollars to film producers, as of Oct. 1. In the current fiscal year $50 million in subsidies to film producers have been authorized. Since 2008 some $500 million in state tax revenue has been distributed to producers.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=708773
House Bill 4162: Remove some licensure restrictions on residential lift installers
Passed 62 to 47 in the House on March 11, 2015, to exempt residential lift installers from the comprehensive licensure and regulatory regime that applies to regular elevator contractors. Residential repair contractors would be subject to a less onerous regulatory regime for residential homebuilders. This would greatly increase the number of professionals allowed to install stairway chairlifts and platform lifts in private residences for elderly or handicapped individuals.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=708774
House Bill 4163: Remove some licensure restrictions on residential lift installers
Passed 62 to 47 in the House on March 11, 2015, to permit a licensed residential home builder to install residential stairway lifts without being subjected to the much more rigorous licensure provisions that apply to elevator contractors. The residential contractor would have to be “certified” by the manufacturer of the lifts, which are one-story stair-climbing machines for elderly or handicapped individuals. See also House Bill 4162.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=708775