Senate Bill 33: Require schools give parents information on their children
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on November 4, 2015, to prohibit the state from selling any of the data it collects on individual students, and post an online notice describing the specific information it does collect on student, including each date field. Any transfers of this data to another person would be subject to formal rules promulgated by the Department of Education. Public schools would be prohibited from selling or giving personally identifiable information in a student’s record to a for-profit business entity (with some narrow management-related exceptions). If information is given to someone else, the school district or state would have to disclose the details to a parent or guardian who requests this within 30 days and without charge.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=718606
Senate Bill 213: Repeal duplicative worker injury notification requirement
Passed 106 to 1 in the House on November 4, 2015, to repeal a requirement in state law that employers notify regulators within eight hours of a fatality, or any hospitalization of three or more employees suffering injury from the same accident or illness from exposure to the same employment-related health hazard. The bill asserts that employers would still be subject to an identical federal requirement.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=718646
Senate Bill 369: Authorize alcohol manufacturer retail shop tax breaks
Passed 82 to 25 in the House on November 4, 2015, to exempt from use tax the tools and equipment purchased by a brewer, winemaker or distilled liquor maker to create products it sells directly to customers at its own locations.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=718647
Senate Bill 370: Authorize alcohol manufacturer retail shop tax breaks
Passed 82 to 25 in the House on November 4, 2015, to exempt from sales tax the tools and equipment purchased by a brewer, winemaker or distiller create products it sells directly to customers at its own locations.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=718648
Senate Bill 503: Revise “Indian family preservation†law
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on November 4, 2015, to revise some procedural details specified in an “Indian family preservation†law enacted in 2013 that requires officials to make active efforts to provide “culturally appropriate†services†that “assure cultural connections†to the tribe.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=718603
Senate Bill 510: Restrict commercial use of student data
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on November 4, 2015, to prohibit a website, online service or mobile application designed and used for K–12 school purposes, to sell, share or use for targeted advertising any information in a student’s educational record, including details that would allow contact, discipline records, test results, special education data, juvenile dependency records, grades, evaluations, criminal records, medical records, health records, social security number, biometric information, disabilities, socioeconomic information, food purchases, political affiliations, religious information, text messages, documents, student identifiers, search activity, photos, voice recordings, or geolocation information.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=718608
Senate Bill 529: Revise guardianship detail
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on November 4, 2015, to revise a law that authorizes a family court to place an abused or neglected minor with grandparents or other relatives who are willing to care for the child. The bill would allow a “successor†guardian to be named in case the first one dies or becomes incapacitated.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=718604
Senate Bill 530: Revise foster care detail
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on November 4, 2015, to establish that for purposes of the law that authorizes placing an abused or neglected child in foster care, a stepparent, ex-stepparent, or the parent who shares custody of a half-sibling is considered a relative for the purpose of foster care placement. Also, to define “sibling” in that law as child who is related through birth or adoption by at least one common parent, and that “sibling†includes that term as defined by the American Indian or Alaskan native child’s tribal code or custom.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=718605
Senate Bill 556: Extend “commercial rehabilitation†tax break law
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on November 4, 2015, to extend for another five years a “commercial rehabilitation act†that authorizes property tax breaks for owners of rehab projects involving commercial property selected by local government officials. The law was originally created with the developer of a moribund Oakland County mall in mind, and has been used to give these indirect subsidies to other developers as well.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=718609
Senate Bill 571: Repeal annual union PAC contribution “re-up†requirement
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on November 4, 2015, to repeal a requirement that union members or employees of a corporation who wish to have contributions to a union or corporate PAC automatically deducted from their paycheck must affirmatively give consent on an annual basis by means of signing a permission form. The bill would repeal the annual “re-up†requirement. Also, to allow unions to ask members to contribute to their Political Action Committee (PAC) on the same form they use to ask them to pay union dues, with similar provisions for companies and nonprofits.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=718610
Senate Bill 177: Mandate insurance ownership divestment disclosures
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on November 5, 2015, 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=718713
Senate Bill 178: Require insurance company risk assessments
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on November 5, 2015, 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=718714
Senate Bill 394: Revise rental housing inspection regulations
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on November 5, 2015, to revise local government rental housing registration and inspection details. Among other things the bill would rather than not require local enforcement agencies in communities of a certain size to mandate that landlords must register themselves and their rental units. Also, to establish that local government would not be required to inspect a multiple dwelling or rooming house unless it received a complaint from a occupant.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=718707
Senate Bill 444: Make “critical incident stress management services†confidential
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on November 5, 2015, to establish confidentiality requirements and liability limitations for providers of “critical incident stress management services†for emergency service responders, which involves counselling and other services for post-traumatic-stress type troubles.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=718706
Senate Bill 558: Eliminate dower rights
Passed 34 to 4 in the Senate on November 5, 2015, to establish in statute that, upon the death of her husband, a wife’s dower right to a life estate in 1/3 of any land he owned during his lifetime is abolished and unenforceable. This would not limit or void any contractual or other legal rights the wife otherwise possesses or acquires during the marriage. This and related bills eliminate “dowry rights†from statute.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=718708
Senate Bill 559: Eliminate dower rights
Passed 34 to 4 in the Senate on November 5, 2015, to establish in statute that, upon the death of her husband, a wife’s dower right to a life estate in 1/3 of any land he owned during his lifetime is abolished and unenforceable. This would not limit or void any contractual or other legal rights the wife otherwise possesses or acquires during the marriage. This and related bills eliminate “dowry rights†from statute.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=718709
Senate Bill 560: Eliminate dower rights
Passed 34 to 4 in the Senate on November 5, 2015, to revise the state wills and estates law to reflect the provisions of Senate Bill 559, which would establish in statute that, upon the death of her husband, a wife’s dower right to a life estate in 1/3 of any land he owned during his lifetime is abolished and unenforceable. This would not affect, limit, or void any contractual or other legal rights the wife otherwise possesses or acquires during the marriage.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=718710
Senate Bill 592: Revise organ removal detail
Introduced by Sen. Curtis Hertel, Jr. (D) on November 3, 2015, to include a facility operated by a federally designated organ procurement organization among those in which the surgical removal of a human organ may be performed under state law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170549
Senate Bill 593: Ban “photo-cop†traffic tickets
Introduced by Sen. Mike Shirkey (R) on November 3, 2015, to prohibit the use of automated, unmanned traffic monitoring devices for issuing traffic law tickets. A Michigan driver who was issued an automated ticket in another state would not get “points†on his or her license for automated traffic tickets issued there.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170550
Senate Bill 594: Require governor approve agency agreements with feds
Introduced by Sen. Mike Shirkey (R) on November 3, 2015, to require that before a state agency enters a cross-border memorandum of understanding with another state or the federal government, or makes a grant request, the item must be approved by the governor and filed with the Secretary of State. These agreements would then remain in effect only as long as that governor remains in office.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170551
Senate Bill 595: Revise commercial drivers license detail
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on November 3, 2015, to remove a government agency and employee exception in a law that provides for the examination of certain medical conditions that may affect a commercial drivers license applicant’s ability to safely operate a vehicle.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170552
Senate Bill 596: Authorize cold war veteran plate
Introduced by Sen. David Knezek (D) on November 4, 2015, to permit individuals who were in the military during the cold war and their spouses to pay an extra $5 to get a license plate with a “veteran†label.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170562
Senate Bill 597: Authorize “qualified dispositions in trustâ€
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on November 4, 2015, to authorize a “qualified dispositions in trust†instrument that would let a person to create and place assets in a trust for their own benefit, which would then be protected from potential creditors (with various exceptions). This is said to be of interest to individuals in professions that are exposed to high liability risks.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170563
Senate Bill 598: Authorize “qualified dispositions in trustâ€
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on November 4, 2015, to revise certain statutes of limitations to accommodate the “qualified dispositions in trust†instrument proposed by Senate Bill 597.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170564
Senate Bill 599: Revise, increase register of deeds fees
Introduced by Sen. Peter MacGregor (R) on November 4, 2015, to authorize a flat $35 fee for recording a document with a register of deeds regardless of how many pages, instead of the current charge of $8 plus $3 for each additional page. The bill also increases related fees.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170565
Senate Bill 600: Revise, increase register of deeds fees
Introduced by Sen. Peter MacGregor (R) on November 4, 2015, to clarify details of the fees charged for recording and indexing a statement claiming a lien for labor on oil and gas wells. See also Senate Bill 599.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170566
Senate Bill 601: Revise, increase register of deeds fees
Introduced by Sen. Dale W. Zorn (R) on November 4, 2015, to revise details of the fees charged for recording and indexing federal tax liens and notices. See also Senate Bill 599.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170567
Senate Bill 602: Revise, increase register of deeds fees
Introduced by Sen. Dale W. Zorn (R) on November 4, 2015, to revise details of the fees charged for recording and indexing state tax liens and notices. See also Senate Bill 599.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170568
Senate Bill 603: Revise, increase register of deeds fees
Introduced by Sen. Darwin Booher (R) on November 4, 2015, to revise details of the fees charged for recording and discharging a lien related to the state unemployment insurance law. See also Senate Bill 599.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170569
Senate Bill 604: Revise, increase register of deeds fees
Introduced by Sen. Curtis Hertel, Jr. (D) on November 4, 2015, to revise details of the fees charged for recording fees for mortgages that are effective as financing statements under the state commercial code. See also Senate Bill 599.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170570
Senate Bill 605: Spend $8.9 million to keep state reformatory open
Introduced by Sen. Curtis Hertel, Jr. (D) on November 4, 2015, to spend $8.9 million to keep open the Maxey state reformatory in Whitmore Lake, the closure of which was strongly opposed by the prison guard union and its political allies when it was included in the fiscal year 2015-16 state budget.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170571
Senate Bill 606: Expand homestead tax exemption to deployed military
Introduced by Sen. Mike Shirkey (R) on November 5, 2015, to extend the exemption from property tax mills levied by local school district for school operating purposes to military service members temporarily residing elsewhere due to military deployment.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170591
Senate Bill 607: Allow payday lenders to use debit cards
Introduced by Sen. Darwin Booher (R) on November 5, 2015, to allow payday lenders to use debit cards.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170592
House Bill 4039: Revise tax foreclosure publication details
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on November 5, 2015, to revise details of the publication notice provisions of the law authorizing foreclosure for delinquent property taxes. The bill would reduce the number of times a notice must be published in a newspaper from three to two.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=718712
House Bill 4390: Allow financial literacy as high school economics credit
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on November 5, 2015, to allow a financial literacy or “personal economics†course to be substituted for the one-half credit economics course required under state high school graduation standards.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=718705
House Bill 4904: Establish GOP presidential primary as official state election date
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on November 5, 2015, to establish that a Michigan Republican presidential primary election held early in a presidential election year will be considered one of the official state election days. Among other things this would allow local government to add other questions to the ballot in this election.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=718711
House Bill 5041: Expand zoning law “grandfathered use†provision
Introduced by Rep. Lee Chatfield (R) on November 3, 2015, to permit the owner of residential rental property that is a “non-conforming use†under local zoning laws but was “grandfathered†because it was there before the law to remodel, improve and enlarge the rental.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170556
House Bill 5042: Expand electricity choice
Introduced by Rep. Lee Chatfield (R) on November 3, 2015, to revise a 10 percent cap the legislature imposed in 2008 on the amount of the electricity market that can be served by generators who are in competition with regulated monopoly utilities. The bill would establish that power sold to government entities does no count toward the cap.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170557
House Bill 5043: Exempt stream gauges from environmental law permit mandate
Introduced by Rep. Gretchen Driskell (D) on November 3, 2015, to exempt installing stream gauges or other equipment designed to measure water levels in inland lakes and streams from permit mandates imposed by state environmental laws.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170558
House Bill 5044: Require internet safety instruction in school
Introduced by Rep. Robert Wittenberg (D) on November 3, 2015, to require public schools to offer instruction on internet safety using as described in the bill, with resources the state Department of Education would be required to make available.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170559
House Bill 5045: Waive CPL fees for veterans, former police and jail guards
Introduced by Rep. Scott Dianda (D) on November 3, 2015, to waive concealed pistol license application fees for veterans, retired police and retired jail and prison guards.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170560
House Bill 5046: Increase vulnerable adult abuse penalty
Introduced by Rep. Holly Hughes (R) on November 4, 2015, to increase the maximum penalty for first degree vulnerable adult abuse from 15 years in prison to 20 years.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170573
House Bill 5047: Increase vulnerable adult abuse penalty
Introduced by Rep. Tom Leonard (R) on November 4, 2015, to revise the state sentencing guidelines to reflect the proposal in House Bill 5046 to increase the penalty for first degree vulnerable adult abuse.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170574
House Bill 5048: Increase vulnerable adult abuse penalty
Introduced by Rep. John Bizon (R) on November 4, 2015, to increase the maximum penalty for second degree vulnerable adult abuse from four years in prison to 10 years.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170575
House Bill 5049: Increase vulnerable adult abuse penalty
Introduced by Rep. Kathy Crawford (R) on November 4, 2015, to revise the state sentencing guidelines to reflect the proposal in House Bill 5048 to increase the penalty for second degree vulnerable adult abuse.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170576
House Bill 5050: Repeal obsolete laws
Introduced by Rep. David Pagel (R) on November 4, 2015, to repeal an obsolete law related to horse breeding and “the registration of stallionsâ€.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170577
House Bill 5051: Repeal obsolete laws
Introduced by Rep. Edward Canfield (R) on November 4, 2015, to repeal an obsolete law that governs the collection of “specific taxes,†which are generally an alternative to property taxes that is created to accomplish some specific governmental purpose. This is now covered under regular property tax collection laws. The bill is part of a package consisting of House Bills 5050 to 5060.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170578
House Bill 5052
Introduced by Rep. Triston Cole (R) on November 4, 2015, to repeal an obsolete law related to “immature or unwholesome calves, pigs, kids, and lambs.†This is part of a package consisting of House Bills 5050 to 5060.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170579
House Bill 5053: Repeal obsolete laws
Introduced by Rep. Holly Hughes (R) on November 4, 2015, to repeal obsolete sections of the state dog licensing law. This is part of a package consisting of House Bills 5050 to 5060.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170580
House Bill 5054: Repeal obsolete laws
Introduced by Rep. Martin Howrylak (R) on November 4, 2015, to repeal an obsolete law related to plant nursery and seed sales. This is part of a package consisting of House Bills 5050 to 5060.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170581
House Bill 5055: Repeal obsolete laws
Introduced by Rep. John Bizon (R) on November 4, 2015, to repeal an obsolete law related to the removal of grain silos treated with polychlorinated biphenyls.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170582
House Bill 5056: Repeal obsolete laws
Introduced by Rep. Bruce Rendon (R) on November 4, 2015, to repeal an obsolete law related to slaughterhouse inspections. This is part of a package consisting of House Bills 5050 to 5060.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170583
House Bill 5057: Repeal obsolete laws
Introduced by Rep. Brett Roberts (R) on November 4, 2015, to repeal an obsolete law related to government inspections and testing of seeds. This is part of a package consisting of House Bills 5050 to 5060.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170584
House Bill 5058: Repeal obsolete laws
Introduced by Rep. Dan Lauwers (R) on November 4, 2015, to repeal an obsolete provision of the state weights and measures law related to “agricultural liming material.†This is part of a package consisting of House Bills 5050 to 5060.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170585
House Bill 5059: Repeal obsolete laws
Introduced by Rep. Tom Barrett (R) on November 4, 2015, to repeal an obsolete law related to “started pullets.†This is part of a package consisting of House Bills 5050 to 5060.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170586
House Bill 5060: Repeal obsolete laws
Introduced by Rep. Jason Sheppard (R) on November 4, 2015, to repeal an obsolete law related to “livestock and poultry remedies.†This is part of a package consisting of House Bills 5050 to 5060.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170587
House Bill 5061: Authorize bus lanes
Introduced by Rep. Sam Singh (D) on November 4, 2015, to permit the state and local governments to designate one lane of a highway as a “bus rapid transit†lane for the exclusive use of buses.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170588
House Bill 5062: Authorize bus lanes
Introduced by Rep. Sam Singh (D) on November 4, 2015, to authorize a $100 fine for driving a car in the “bus rapid transit†lanes authorized in the Detroit regional transit authority law (and tax) authorized by a 2012 law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170589
House Bill 5063: Tax credit for teacher out-of-pocket expenses
Introduced by Rep. Sheldon Neeley (D) on November 5, 2015, to authorize an income tax credit of up to $100, $200 on a joint return, for classroom supplies purchased by public school teachers out of their own pocket. Note: Under a 1970 Supreme Court case, school districts are required to provide an array of necessary classroom supplies at no cost to students’ families (or teachers).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170594
House Bill 5064: Domestic violence awareness week
Introduced by Rep. Sheldon Neeley (D) on November 5, 2015, to declare the first week of October as a “week of remembrance†for domestic violence victims.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170595
House Bill 5065: Mandate giving perinatal hospice information when birth defect detected
Introduced by Rep. Jason Sheppard (R) on November 5, 2015, to mandate that a physician who informs a pregnant woman that the child has a life-limiting medical condition to also inform her about certified perinatal hospice programs, and about various options and sources of relevant information. Also, to require the Department of Community Health to establish criteria for certifying a perinatal hospice program.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170596