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
Senate Bill 112: Change reference to “crippled children” in state law
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on March 12, 2015, to revise a reference to “crippled children” in state law to instead refer to “children and youth with special health care needs”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=709204
Senate Bill 113: Change reference to “crippled children” in state law
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on March 12, 2015, to revise a reference to “crippled children” in state law to instead refer to “children and youth with special health care needs”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=709205
Senate Bill 114: Change reference to “crippled children” in state law
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on March 12, 2015, to revise a reference to “crippled children” in state law to instead refer to “children and youth with special health care needs”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=709206
Senate Bill 137: Authorize appropriation for university autism programs
Passed 62 to 48 in the House on March 12, 2015, to authorize the transfer to university autism programs of $3.0 million from a state fund created by a 2012 law intended cover subsidies to health insurance companies to compensate for the cost of a new autism treatment coverage mandate imposed by another law passed that year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=709049
Senate Bill 138: Revise crime victim’s rights fund distribution
Passed 58 to 52 in the House on March 12, 2015, to allocate up to $4.8 million in the current fiscal year to maintain a statewide trauma system and related emergency medical services program activities. Money in this fund comes from assessments on criminal defendants. Current statute requires it be used for crime victim services and compensation.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=709050
House Bill 4069: Revise criminal defendant “youthful trainee status”
Passed 98 to 12 in the House on March 12, 2015, to make 21 to 23 year old offenders eligible for criminal defendant “youthful trainee status,” which provides a mechanism for not including the offense on a youth’s permanent record. The bill would also establish various conditions for this status, including a full time school, work or community service requirement and more. This status allows a youthful offender who pleads guilty to criminal offenses other than serious felonies to serve a sentence and then have the proceedings dismissed without having a criminal conviction record, and with no civil disability or loss of rights or privileges.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=709046
House Bill 4135: Revise criminal defendant “youthful trainee status”
Passed 85 to 25 in the House on March 12, 2015, to require that if a young criminal assigned to “youthful trainee status” (which provides a mechanism for not including an offense on the youth’s permanent record) is convicted for a serious felony listed in the bill while in this program, the “trainee” status must be revoked (which means the previous crime also goes on the person’s record).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=709047
House Bill 4169: Revise “boot camp” prison alternative detail
Passed 99 to 11 in the House on March 12, 2015, to eliminate the option of sending a youthful offender to prison for up to three years eligible instead of assigning him to a “special alternative incarceration” sentencing program, changing this instead to sending him to prison for two years, parole for three years, or a county jail for up to one year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=709048