Replies

Senate Bill 191: Expand retail fraud penalties
Introduced by Sen. Goeff Hansen (R) on March 10, 2015, to include retail fraud and failing to appear in court among the violations for which a court may order a convicted person to reimburse the state or a local government for expenses they incur related to the incident, including transportation costs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168863

Senate Bill 192: Revise excavation and mining permit detail
Introduced by Sen. Phil Pavlov (R) on March 10, 2015, to exempt from state dredging and related permit requirements excavation or mining activities associated with an active mining operation, unless they create an inland lake with a surface area of five acres or greater.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168865

Senate Bill 193: Revise excavation and mining permit detail
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on March 10, 2015, to establish that permits for a previously permitted excavation or mining activities associated with an inland lake may be renewed for a fee of $250 if the scope of the project has not “materially increased” as defined in the bill.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168866

Senate Bill 194: Require candidate personal finance disclosures
Introduced by Sen. Steve Bieda (D) on March 10, 2015, to require candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, state senator, state representative, state Board of Education, elected state and university board members, current state office holders, certain executive branch officials, and certain local offices that pay more than twice the median state per capita income to file personal financial disclosure statements that include the names of all of the person’s family members; his or her employer; the source and amount of wage, salary and other income for the candidate and his or her spouse plus any gifts; a list of assets; certain transactions and liabilities; business ownerships; any trustee, director, or similar positions held in a business, union, non-profit, educational or other institution; any future employment agreements, including leave-of-absence agreements; and more.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168867

Senate Bill 195: Revise pharmacy licensure detail
Introduced by Sen. Joe Hune (R) on March 10, 2015, to repeal a licensure mandate requirement that an applicant for a new pharmacy, drug manufacturer or wholesale distributor license who is not a licensed health care professional licensed must submit fingerprints.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168868

Senate Bill 196: Revise totaled vehicle title detail
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on March 11, 2015, to facilitate insurance companies getting salvage or scrap certificates of title on totaled vehicles from the Secretary of State if needed.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168893

Senate Bill 197: Pro-rate Michigan’s electoral college presidential votes
Introduced by Sen. Dave Hildenbrand (R) on March 11, 2015, to end the current winner-take-all system of allocating Michigan’s presidential electors, and instead pro-rate the state’s electoral college votes on the basis of the state’s popular vote totals.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168894

Senate Bill 198: Authorize state child care subsidies and tax breaks
Introduced by Sen. Curtis Hertel, Jr. (D) on March 11, 2015, to authorize a “refundable” state income tax credit (essentially a cash subsidy in many cases) that would be a percentage of a federal income tax child care credit the individual can claim, with the percentage “means tested” on the basis of gross income (ranging from 110 percent for households with less than $25,000 income to 20 percent for those between $65,000 and $100,000).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168895

Senate Bill 199: Expand “bottle bill”
Introduced by Sen. Rebekah Warren (D) on March 12, 2015, to expand the state “bottle bill” deposit requirement to include water and all nonalcoholic carbonated or noncarbonated drinks sold in an airtight metal, glass, or plastic container that holds one gallon or less, except for milk and unflavored rice or soy milk, with some additional exceptions.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168908

Senate Bill 200: Authorize state subsidies to brokers selling certain stock portfolios
Introduced by Sen. Darwin Booher (R) on March 12, 2015, to authorize state subsidies to investment brokers and dealers that market portfolios of companies “doing business in this state” in which at least 10 percent are firms that that employ 50 or fewer employees.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168909

Senate Bill 201: Appropriations: “Omnibus” education budget
Introduced by Sen. Dave Hildenbrand (R) on March 12, 2015, to authorize an “omnibus” education budget for the fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1, 2015. This would authorize $393.8 million for community colleges, $1.541 billion for state universities, and $13.958 billion for K-12 public schools, or $15.294 billion in total. This reflects the executive budget recommendation for the 2015-2016 fiscal year. House Bill 4315 and Senate Bill 202 would authorize spending for the rest of state government. Spending in both bills comes to $53.869 billion, or slightly less when adjusted to reflect interdepartment transfers, of which $22.6 billion is federal money.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168910

Senate Bill 202: Appropriations: 2015-2016 “omnibus” budget
Introduced by Sen. Dave Hildenbrand (R) on March 12, 2015, to authorize an “omnibus” state government budget for the fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1, 2015, except for education spending. This would appropriate $37.9 billion for all state departments, compared to $34.4 billion the previous year. This reflects the executive budget recommendation for the 2015-2016 fiscal year. House Bill 4316 and Senate Bill 201 would appropriate money for public schools, colleges and universities. Spending in both bills comes to $53.869 billion, or slightly less when adjusted to reflect interdepartment transfers, of which $22.6 billion is federal money.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168911

House Bill 4304: Revise natural gas utility regulation detail
Introduced by Rep. Jason Sheppard (R) on March 5, 2015, to make explicit in statute that the state’s Public Service Commission may not allow a regulated monopoly that is a natural gas utility to recover through regulated rates the penalties and fines paid by the utility for violations of the regulated utility law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168835

House Bill 4305: Create process to remove deceased individuals from welfare rolls
Introduced by Rep. Peter Lucido (R) on March 5, 2015, to require a state “registrar” office to notify on a monthly basis all state departments that provide any kind of welfare or other public assistance benefit of all death notifications it receives. House Bill 4306 requires the departments to cut the deceased persons from the benefit rolls.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168836

House Bill 4306: Create process to remove deceased individuals from welfare rolls
Introduced by Rep. Peter Lucido (R) on March 5, 2015, to require state departments that provide any kind of welfare or other public assistance benefit to remove from the rolls beneficiaries who have died according the notices House Bill 4305 would require.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168837

House Bill 4307: Revise election law references
Introduced by Rep. Andy Schor (D) on March 5, 2015, to revise statutory references in the state election law to reflect some past amendments to the law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168838

House Bill 4308: Repeal mandate that utilities use “renewable” energy sources
Introduced by Rep. Ray Franz (R) on March 5, 2015, to repeal the mandate imposed by a 2008 law requiring 10 percent of the electricity sold by utilities to come from “renewable” sources.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168839

House Bill 4309: Respect health care payer and provider exercise of conscience
Introduced by Rep. Cindy Gamrat (R) on March 5, 2015, to establish that a medical services care payer, facility or provider have a right to decline to provide or pay for health care services as a matter of conscience, if the services violate sincerely held religious, ethical or moral principles.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168840

House Bill 4310: Pro-rate Michigan’s electoral college presidential votes
Introduced by Rep. Cindy Gamrat (R) on March 5, 2015, to require that at political party conventions one presidential elector from each congressional district and two electors at large be chosen. The elector ultimately chose for each district would the one whose party’s candidate for president won in that congressional district. The at-large candidates elected would be, as now, those who belonged to the political party whose presidential candidate won statewide. This would end the current “winner take all” system.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168841

House Bill 4311: Repeal government unions’ duty to represent non-members
Introduced by Rep. Gary Glenn (R) on March 5, 2015, to establish that government employee unions have no duty to represent workers who have elected to not pay union dues or fees as permitted under the state’s right to work law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168842

House Bill 4312: Extend right to work to firefighters and police
Introduced by Rep. Gary Glenn (R) on March 5, 2015, to extend the state’s right to work law to firefighters and police officers, which means they would not be required to pay union dues or fees as a condition of employment.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168843

House Bill 4313: Expand ban on banning service dogs
Introduced by Rep. Holly Hughes (R) on March 5, 2015, to expand a law that prohibits businesses and landlords from restricting access to seeing-eye and other service dogs, so it includes dogs used by veterans who have symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury or other service-related disabilities.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168844

House Bill 4314: Expand scope of reckless driving penalties
Introduced by Rep. Sam Singh (D) on March 5, 2015, to extend the same penalties for committing a traffic violation that causes death or serious injury to another person while driving on public roads to driving on private property open to public or on frozen lakes and rivers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168845

House Bill 4316: Appropriations: “Omnibus” education budget
Introduced by Rep. Al Pscholka (R) on March 10, 2015, to authorize an “omnibus” education budget for the fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1, 2015. This would authorize $393.8 million for community colleges, $1.541 billion for state universities, and $13.958 billion for K-12 public schools, or $15.294 billion in total. This reflects the executive budget recommendation for the 2015-2016 fiscal year. House Bill 4315 and Senate Bill 202 would authorize spending for the rest of state government. Spending in both bills comes to $53.869 billion, or slightly less when adjusted to reflect interdepartment transfers, of which $22.6 billion is federal money.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168858

House Bill 4317: Increase gas tax, exempt fuel from sales tax
Introduced by Rep. Todd Courser (R) on March 10, 2015, to replace the current 19-cent per gallon gas tax and 15-cent diesel tax with a 7.5 percent wholesale fuel tax, gradually increasing to 13.5 percent over six years, and allocate all the increased revenue to roads rather than municipal bus subsidies and other transit spending. House Bill 4318 would phase out the state sales tax on fuel sales over the same period, and the two bills are “tie-barred,” meaning one cannot become law unless both do. At current prices a 7 percent wholesale tax would extract approximately the same as the current 19 cent per gallon gasoline tax, and increase the current 15 cent per gallon tax on diesel to the same rate.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168859

House Bill 4318: Increase gas tax, exempt fuel from sales tax
Introduced by Rep. Todd Courser (R) on March 10, 2015, to no longer impose the 6 percent sales tax on gasoline and diesel motor fuel sales, phased in over six years. House Bill 4317 would replace the current 19-cent per gallon gas tax and 15-cent diesel tax with a new tax based on the wholesale price of fuel, initially levied at a rate of 7.5 percent and rising to 13.5 percent over the same period. The two bills are “tie-barred,” meaning one cannot become law unless both do.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168860

House Bill 4319: Revise stop at railroad crossings law detail
Introduced by Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R) on March 10, 2015, to revise the law that requires a vehicle to stop at railroad crossings. Currently, this does not apply if a track is “abandoned,” and the bill would expand this to one that is “inactive,” which means the track has been covered or removed and all signs, signals, and other warning devices have been removed.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168871

House Bill 4320: Revise stop at railroad crossings law detail
Introduced by Rep. Aric Nesbitt (R) on March 10, 2015, to authorize posting signs that say “exempt” at inactive railroad crossings where the tracks have been removed or covered up, which would mean school buses are not required to stop. See also House Bill 4319.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168872

House Bill 4321: Restrict warrantless residence searches
Introduced by Rep. Peter Lucido (R) on March 10, 2015, to establish that a law enforcement officer may not search a residence without a search warrant if a resident expressly objects, even if another resident consents after the objector is no longer physically present. This would not apply if one resident is the victim of a crime committed by another resident, or in “exigent” circumstances, meaning there is imminent danger to people, a suspect may escape or evidence may be destroyed.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168873

House Bill 4322: Revise definition of “veteran”
Introduced by Rep. Adam Zemke (D) on March 10, 2015, to make explicit that the term “veteran” in state statutes includes those who served in the naval or air services.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168874

House Bill 4323: Let county veteran’s relief fund tax cover administration expense
Introduced by Rep. Adam Zemke (D) on March 10, 2015, to establish that revenue from a 0.1 mill property tax counties are authorized to impose for a veteran’s relief fund may be spent for administration of the fund.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168875

House Bill 4324: Revise excavation and mining permit detail
Introduced by Rep. Peter Pettalia (R) on March 10, 2015, to establish that permits for a previously permitted excavation or mining activities associated with an inland lake may be renewed for a fee of $250 if the scope of the project has not “materially increased” as defined in the bill.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168876

House Bill 4325: Establish overspending public school “early warning system”
Introduced by Rep. Earl Poleski (R) on March 10, 2015, to establish a process by which school districts would be required to submit their budget projections and assumptions to the state each July, which would assemble these and give them the intermediate school district to which the regular districts belong, which would be required to declare whether they concur with the projections and assumptions. If they did not this would trigger a detailed reporting and oversight process specified in this and related bills. The bill is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4325 to 4330, intended to create an “early warning system” for school districts with financial problems.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168877

House Bill 4326: Establish overspending public school “early warning system”
Introduced by Rep. Earl Poleski (R) on March 10, 2015, to revise a 2012 law establishing various alternative processes for resolving financial crises in school districts to accommodate the proposal in House Bill 4325 and related bills establishing an “early warning system” for school districts with financial problems. This is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4325 to 4330.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168878

House Bill 4327: Establish overspending public school “early warning system”
Introduced by Rep. Al Pscholka (R) on March 10, 2015, to revise a law that requires school districts that run a budget deficit to adopt a deficit elimination plan approved by the state, by adding a “pre-plan” provision for a district shown to be experiencing financial stress by the reports and processes proposed by House Bill 4325 and related bills. Also, to establish an “enhanced deficit elimination plan” for a district that fails to meet a regular deficit elimination plan. The bill is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4325 to 4330 intended to create an “early warning system” for school district with financial problems.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168879

House Bill 4328: Establish overspending public school “early warning system”
Introduced by Rep. Lisa Lyons (R) on March 10, 2015, to give the Department Treasury the authority to withhold state school aid payments from an overspending school district that fails to submit an acceptable “deficit elimination plan” as required by law, or which falls more deeply into financial trouble and must operate under an “enhanced” deficit plan. This is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4325 to 4330 intended to create an “early warning system” for school district with financial problems.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168880

House Bill 4329: Establish overspending public school “early warning system”
Introduced by Rep. Patrick Somerville (R) on March 10, 2015, to authorize appointment of an Emergency Manager for a public school district that fails to comply with an “enhanced deficit elimination plan” required by House Bill 4327 for a district whose regular deficit elimination plan failed to fix the problem.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168881

House Bill 4330: Establish overspending public school “early warning system”
Introduced by Rep. Tim Kelly (R) on March 10, 2015, to update references to deficit elimination plans in the school aid act to accommodate the overspending school district “early warning system” proposals contained in House Bill 4325 to 4329.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168882

House Bill 4331: Increase municipal and school “emergency loan” funding
Introduced by Rep. Bradford Jacobsen (R) on March 10, 2015, to increase from $50 million to $100 million the amount allocated through 2018 for “financial emergency” loans from the state to public school districts, and increase from $35 million to $85 million the amount of such loans to cities, townships, villages, and counties.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168883

House Bill 4332: Increase municipal and school “emergency loan” funding
Introduced by Rep. Daniela Garcia (R) on March 10, 2015, to essentially eliminate a $50 million cap on the amount allocated through 2018 for “financial emergency” loans from the state to public school districts, and a $35 million cap on the amount of such loans to cities, townships, villages, and counties.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168884

House Bill 4333: Prohibit MEGA corporate subsidy deal modifications
Introduced by Rep. Lee Chatfield (R) on March 10, 2015, to prohibit state “economic development” officials from amending or modifying a corporate tax break and subsidy deal granted to certain businesses and developers under a Michigan Economic Growth Authority law repealed in 2011. The bill was introduced after it was revealed that these deals have generated a unfunded liability of nearly $10 billion, and that officials continue to amend and modify them in ways that may increase the liability.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168885

House Bill 4334: Prohibit MEGA corporate subsidy deal modifications
Introduced by Rep. Gary Glenn (R) on March 10, 2015, to prohibit state “economic development” officials from amending or modifying a corporate tax break and subsidy deal granted to certain businesses and developers under a Michigan Economic Growth Authority law repealed in 2011. The bill was introduced after it was revealed that these deals have generated a unfunded liability of nearly $10 billion, and that officials continue to amend and modify them in ways that may increase the liability.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168886

House Bill 4335: Increase gas tax, exempt fuel from sales tax
Introduced by Rep. Gary Glenn (R) on March 10, 2015, to phase out charging the 6 percent sales tax on gasoline and diesel motor fuel sales over six years. House Bill 4336 would gradually increase the motor fuel tax by an equivalent amount. Sales tax revenue is mostly earmarked to schools, and to local governments revenue sharing. The bill requires the legislature to appropriate at least as much as the previous year to both those areas, using revenue from other taxes. If it does not, then the 6 percent sales tax would automatically be imposed on fuel sales again.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168887

House Bill 4336: Increase gas tax, exempt fuel from sales tax
Introduced by Rep. Gary Glenn (R) on March 10, 2015, to replace the current 19-cent per gallon gas tax and 15-cent diesel tax with an 8.5 percent wholesale fuel tax, gradually increasing to 13.5 percent over six years. When fully phased-in this would represent a tax hike of around 20 cents per gallon based on current wholesale fuel prices. See also House Bill 4335, which would phase out the state sales tax on fuel sales over the same period, which means the two bills combined would result in no net tax increase. This bill is “tie barred” to that one, meaning it won’t go into effect unless the sales tax change does also.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168888

House Bill 4337: Increase gas tax, exempt fuel from sales tax
Introduced by Rep. Gary Glenn (R) on March 10, 2015, to replace the current 15 cent per gallon motor carrier fuel tax imposed on interstate truckers with a new tax imposed at the 8.5 percent wholesale fuel tax rate proposed by House Bill 4335, which would gradually increase to 13.5 percent over six years.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168889

House Bill 4338: Let local school districts not state manage 401k contracts
Introduced by Rep. Anthony Forlini (R) on March 10, 2015, to allow individual school districts rather than the state to manage the contracts given to investment companies to administer the 401(k) defined contribution component of a so-called “hybrid” retirement plan that gives new school employees 401(k) contributions in addition to a conventional defined benefit pension that is slightly less generous than the one granted to existing employees.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=168890