House Bill 4047: Rename a road
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on June 2, 2015, to designate a portion of M-18 between Gladwin and Beaverton in Gladwin County as the “Veterans Memorial Highway”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=714528
House Bill 4458: Repeal “complete streets” advisory council
Passed 90 to 18 in the House on June 2, 2015, to eliminate a government “complete streets” advisory council comprised of representatives of various pro-sidewalk interest groups that was created by a 2010 law mandating local governments include “complete-streets” policies in their land use “master-plans,” defined as ones that “promote safe and efficient movement of people and goods whether by car, truck, transit, assistive device, foot, or bicycle”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=714527
House Bill 4522: Expand legislative subpoena power
Passed 69 to 39 in the House on June 2, 2015, to give certain committees of the legislature the explicit authority to subpoena and investigate records of local governments, authorities, school districts and community colleges. At least one member of the minority party would have to agree. Under current law committees can subpoena state agency personnel and private citizens. See also House Bill 4523.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=714530
House Bill 4523: Expand legislative subpoena power
Passed 74 to 34 in the House on June 2, 2015, to clarify the power of the legislature to compel testimony and order records from “any person or entity” relevant to a matter before a legislative committee. See also House Bill 4522.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=714531
House Bill 4562: Redesignate a road
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on June 2, 2015, to designate a portion of M-37 in Newaygo County as the “Brian Derks Memorial Highway”.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=714529
Senate Bill 133: Appropriations: 2015-2016 “Omnibus” budget
Passed 22 to 16 in the Senate on June 3, 2015, the non-education portion of the state government budget for the fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1, 2015. This would appropriate $38.623 billion, compared to $37.378 billion originally appropriated the previous year. Of this, $17.425 billion comes from state tax, fee and other revenue, compared to $17.553 billion the previous year. The rest of this budget is federal money ($21.199 billion, compared to $19.825 billion the previous year). The education portion of the budget (K-12, community colleges and state universities) is in House Bill 4115. Altogether, the legislature proposes to spend , $54.443 billion next year, vs. $53.129 originally approved for the current year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=714543
Senate Bill 133: Appropriations: 2015-2016 “Omnibus” budget
Passed 70 to 39 in the House on June 3, 2015, the non-education portion of the state government budget for the fiscal year that begins on Oct. 1, 2015. This would appropriate $38.623 billion, compared to $37.378 billion originally appropriated the previous year. Of this, $17.425 billion comes from state tax, fee and other revenue, compared to $17.553 billion the previous year. The rest of this budget is federal money ($21.199 billion, compared to $19.825 billion the previous year). The education portion of the budget (K-12, community colleges and state universities) is in House Bill 4115. Altogether, the legislature proposes to spend , $54.443 billion next year, vs. $53.129 originally approved for the current year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=714639
Senate Bill 329: Authorize correction of Flint mayor election error
Passed 95 to 14 in the House on June 3, 2015, to revise the state election law to allow several candidates for the mayor of Flint to be placed on the ballot even though they missed the candidate filing deadline, reportedly because the Flint city clerk office posted a wrong filing deadline on the city website.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=714644
House Bill 4115: Appropriations: “Omnibus” education budget
Passed 24 to 14 in the Senate on June 3, 2015, the K-12 school aid, community college and university budgets for the fiscal year that begins Oct 1, 2015. A separate budget authorizes the rest of state government spending (Senate Bill 133). This bill would appropriate $13.896 billion for K-12 public schools, compared to $13.870 billion originally appropriated for the prior year. It also appropriates $1.534 billion for state universities, compared to $1.516 billion the prior year. Community colleges would get $388 million, vs. $365 million the prior year. All told it comes to $15.819 billion for education, and with Senate Bill 133, $54.443 in total state government spending for the next fiscal year, compared to $53.129 originally approved for the current year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=714599
House Bill 4115: Appropriations: “Omnibus” education budget
Passed 99 to 10 in the House on June 3, 2015, the K-12 school aid, community college and university budgets for the fiscal year that begins Oct 1, 2015. A separate budget authorizes the rest of state government spending (Senate Bill 133). This bill would appropriate $13.896 billion for K-12 public schools, compared to $13.870 billion originally appropriated for the prior year. It also appropriates $1.534 billion for state universities, compared to $1.516 billion the prior year. Community colleges would get $388 million, vs. $365 million the prior year. All told it comes to $15.819 billion for education, and with Senate Bill 133, $54.443 in total state government spending for the next fiscal year, compared to $53.129 originally approved for the current year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=714638
House Bill 4226: Expand technology business subsidies
Passed 79 to 30 in the House on June 3, 2015, to increase from three to nine the number of areas in which “certified technology parks” (previously dubbed “smart zones”) are allowed to expand by creating a “satellite” zone. These entities use “tax increment financing” to provide infrastructure or other subsidies to technology-based businesses. Like the better-known Downtown Development Authorities, they collect the extra local property tax revenue that (hopefully) results from property value increases generated by their selective subsidies and projects.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=714642
House Bill 4434: Exempt Kent County from higher foster care payment share
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on June 3, 2015, to make subject to annual appropriations a provision that requires the Department of Human Services to pay all of a $3 per day per child per day rate increase for private providers of foster care services, rather than half the amount.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=714600
House Bill 4449
Passed 20 to 18 in the Senate on June 3, 2015, to extend and increase air pollution discharge permit fees imposed on industrial facilities.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=714547
House Bill 4451: Increase and/or extend government license and permit fees
Passed 22 to 16 in the Senate on June 3, 2015, to increase license fees imposed on manufacturers and distributors of commercial animal feed, revise inspection procedures and make other changes to this regulatory regime.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=714544
House Bill 4470: Increase and/or extend government license and permit fees
Passed 21 to 17 in the Senate on June 3, 2015, to increase various state license fees imposed on food establishments including grocery stores, warehouses, processors, etc.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=714595
House Bill 4568: Let Secretary of State keep using some fees for administration
Passed 21 to 17 in the Senate on June 3, 2015, to extend until Oct. 1, 2019 the authority of the Secretary of State to charge for various commercial services and use that money to administer the department.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=714597
House Bill 4569: Let Secretary of State keep using some fees for administration
Passed 21 to 17 in the Senate on June 3, 2015, to extend until Oct. 1, 2019 the authority of the Secretary of State to use various fees it collects to administer the department.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=714598
House Bill 4596: Revise incumbent judge reelection filing detail
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on June 3, 2015, to revise the candidate committee “statement of organization” form filed by incumbent judges running for reelection, so that it presumes the committee will not spend more than $1,000, which exempts the campaign from state campaign finance disclosure mandates. Under current law, a committee that plans to raise and spend less than $1,000 must file a separate form to get this exemption.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=714640
House Bill 4597: Revise incumbent judge reelection filing detail
Passed 109 to 0 in the House on June 3, 2015, to revise the candidate committee “statement of organization” form filed by incumbent judges running for reelection, so that it presumes the committee will not spend more than $1,000, which exempts the campaign from state campaign finance disclosure mandates. Under current law, a committee that plans to raise and spend less than $1,000 must file a separate form to get this exemption.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=714641