Senate Bill 556: Extend “commercial rehabilitation†tax break law
Passed 87 to 19 in the House on December 2, 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=719153
House Bill 4248: Repeal archaic laws
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 2, 2015, to repeal statutes that ban posting “reproachful or contemptuous language for not fighting a duel;†or using “indecent, immoral, obscene, vulgar or insulting language in the presence or hearing of any woman or child; or leaving an abandoned refrigerator or other container where a child could crawl in and suffocate; or singing and playing the Star Spangled Banner in an entertainment venue as part of a medley. This is part of an archaic laws package comprised of House Bills 4247 to 4252.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719121
House Bill 4249: Repeal archaic laws
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 2, 2015, to repeal various statutes that ban trespassing for purposes of damaging or stealing various crops or natural resources. This is part of an archaic laws package comprised of House Bills 4247 to 4252.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719122
House Bill 4250: Repeal ban on “walkathons†and similar endurance events
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 2, 2015, to repeal a law prohibiting “walkathons†and similar endurance contests. This is part of an archaic laws package comprised of House Bills 4247 to 4252.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719123
House Bill 4501: Repeal archaic laws
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 2, 2015, to revise state sentencing guidelines to reflect the repeal of various archaic crimes proposed by House Bill 4248. This is part of a civil forfeiture reform package consisting of House Bills 4499 to 4507.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719124
House Bill 4645: Revise property transfer taxable value detail
Passed 64 to 42 in the House on December 2, 2015, to exempt from the Proposal A property tax assessment “pop up†the transfer of residential property to or from the owner of a closely held corporation to a spouse or close relative. Under the “pop up,†the “state equalized value†(market value) of transferred property becomes the basis for its property tax assessment, rather than the capped “taxable value†of the previous owner.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719152
House Bill 4709: Reword ban on displaying a “human monstrosity”
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 2, 2015, to eliminate the reference to a “human monstrosity” in a law that makes it a misdemeanor for a doctor to exhibit a disfigured individual for other than scientific purposes.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719125
House Bill 4710: Remove criminal penalties from camping law
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 2, 2015, to repeal the criminal penalties in the law that requires a person camping on state land to post a registration card registration card with his or her name, address, arrival date and departure date. Violations would instead be a civil offense punishable by a $500 fine.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719126
House Bill 4711: Repeal obsolete penalties and prohibitions
Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on December 2, 2015, to repeal a law empowering courts to specify that a prison sentence should include solitary confinement or hard labor, and another law authoring criminal penalties for rebuilding a selling an electric storage battery without disclosing this on the packaging in letters of a specified size. Also, to repeal a statute prohibiting a prisoner’s release until any fines and costs imposed as part of the sentence are paid in full.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719127
House Bill 4887: Revise education savings account rule
Passed 106 to 0 in the House on December 2, 2015, to remove restrictions on the owner or beneficiary of a Michigan education savings account changing the investment strategy of an account.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719154
House Bill 5028: Authorize electronic court records system and fees
Passed 101 to 5 in the House on December 2, 2015, to authorize an electronic system for filing documents in civil cases in state courts, and fees to use and pay for it. This bill lays out the schedule of electronic filing fees for various actions in various courts, and is part of a package consisting of House Bill 5027 to 5030 and Senate Bills 531 to 533.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719156
House Bill 5029: Authorize electronic court records system and fees
Passed 93 to 13 in the House on December 2, 2015, to authorize an electronic system for filing documents in civil cases in state courts, and fees to use and pay for it. This bill adds relevant definitions to state statutes, and is part of a package consisting of House Bill 5027 to 5030 and Senate Bills 531 to 533.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719157
House Bill 5030: Authorize electronic court records system and fees
Passed 94 to 12 in the House on December 2, 2015, to authorize an electronic system for filing documents in civil cases in state courts, and fees to use and pay for it. This bill adds new fees for civil actions whether filed electronically or not, and is part of a package consisting of House Bill 5027 to 5030 and Senate Bills 531 to 533.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719158
House Bill 5034: Give fiduciary authority over “digital assetsâ€
Passed 106 to 0 in the House on December 2, 2015, to create a new law giving fiduciaries authorized by other state laws to oversee or manage the property of an estate or a vulnerable individual access and authority over the person’s “digital assets†and accounts, defined as “electronic record in which a user has a right or interest.†See also House Bill 4072, which amends an existing state law to do the same thing, which also clarifies rights to an online username, word, character, code, or contract right under a terms-of-service agreement. The bill would also provide a way for an individual’s heirs to gain access to and possession of his or her digital property after death.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719155
House Bill 5082: Authorize new specialty plate; give profits to Lions Club
Introduced by Rep. Peter Lucido (R) on December 1, 2015, to authorize a Lions Club specialty license plate, with the net revenue going to the Lions Club.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170646
House Bill 5083: Authorize new specialty plate; give profits to K of C
Introduced by Rep. Peter Lucido (R) on December 1, 2015, to authorize a new Knights of Columbus specialty license plate, with the profits delivered to that organization.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170647
House Bill 5084: Increase senior hunting license discounts
Introduced by Rep. John Chirkun (D) on December 1, 2015, to give free small game hunting licenses (“base†licenses) to individuals age 65 and up, and increase the senior discount for deer, turkey or trapping licenses from 60 percent to 80 percent.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170648
House Bill 5085: Make abortion “informed consent†warnings optional
Introduced by Rep. Sarah Roberts (D) on December 1, 2015, to make various abortion “informed consent†and coercion-screening requirements optional if a physician or qualified assistant makes a “good-faith medical†that compliance is “medically inappropriate for the patientâ€.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170649
House Bill 5086: Criminalize selling aborted fetuses or body parts
Introduced by Rep. John Bizon (R) on December 1, 2015, to make it a crime to receive a financial benefit or any type of compensation for an embryo, fetus or neonate, including organs, tissues, or cells, if this was obtained as the result of an elective abortion.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170650
House Bill 5087: Criminalize selling aborted fetuses or body parts
Introduced by Rep. John Bizon (R) on December 1, 2015, to establish sentencing guidelines for the crime proposed by House Bill 5086 of selling aborted fetuses or their body parts.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170651
House Bill 5088: Create veteran’s facility ombudsman office
Introduced by Rep. Winnie Brinks (D) on December 1, 2015, to create a state veteran’s facility ombudsman office.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170652
House Bill 5089: Revise emergency manager detail
Introduced by Rep. Frank Liberati (D) on December 1, 2015, to revise the law that authorizes a state-appointed emergency manager for a municipality that is heading for financial collapse due to persistently borrowing to cover spending more than the tax revenue they collect, by deleting a ban on the municipality’s governing body repealing any ordinance or order of the emergency manager for one year after the state receivership ends.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170653
House Bill 5090: Prohibit mandating that licensed doctors also be “board certifiedâ€
Introduced by Rep. Edward Canfield (R) on December 1, 2015, to prohibit insurance companies from requiring a physician to hold one of the various professional association “board certifications†as a condition for paying or reimbursing a patient treatment claim, unless this is specifically required for licensure. Also, to prohibit hospitals from requiring this as a condition of granting “admitting privilegesâ€.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170654
House Bill 5091: Prohibit mandating that licensed doctors also be “board certifiedâ€
Introduced by Rep. Edward Canfield (R) on December 1, 2015, to prohibit insurance companies from requiring a physician to hold one of the various professional association “board certifications†as a condition for paying or reimbursing a patient treatment claim, unless this is specifically required for licensure.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170655
House Bill 5092: Revise details of community service for “bad driver taxâ€
Introduced by Rep. Alberta Tinsley Talabi (D) on December 1, 2015, to revise a 2014 law that allowed a person to do “community service†in lieu of paying a state “bad driver tax†for certain offenses that was imposed as a revenue-raising measure by a 2003 law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170656
House Bill 5093: Require more water and sewer department reports and disclosures
Introduced by Rep. Julie Plawecki (D) on December 1, 2015, to require water and sewer departments or providers to submit annual reports to the state listing their rates and method for setting them, average bill for households of different size, number and details of delinquent payment shutoffs, the categories of rate payers and exempt users, and more.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170657
House Bill 5094: Specify methodology for municipal water testing
Introduced by Rep. Sheldon Neeley (D) on December 1, 2015, to require municipal water departments or providers to perform required water quality tests using procedures specified by the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170658
House Bill 5095: Revise sanctions for tampering with water meter
Introduced by Rep. LaTanya Garrett (D) on December 1, 2015, to revise the state sentencing guidelines to reflect the sanctions proposed by House Bill 5096 for tampering with a water utility line to avoid a non-payment shutoff.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170659
House Bill 5096: Revise sanctions for tampering with water meter
Introduced by Rep. Stephanie Chang (D) on December 1, 2015, to authorize sanctions for tampering with a water utility line in order to avoid water being shut off for not paying water bills. Sanctions would include 100 hours of “community service†for a first offense, a $500 fine for a second offense, and criminal misdemeanor charge for a third violation.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170660
House Bill 5097: Subsidize some people’s water bills
Introduced by Rep. Stephanie Chang (D) on December 1, 2015, to create a new government program to subsidize low income household water bills, funded by a voluntary contribution “checkoff†that water utilities would be required to include on customer bills (and potentially by tax dollars also).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170661
House Bill 5098: Mandate giving spina bifida information
Introduced by Rep. Hank Vaupel (R) on December 1, 2015, to new parents to mandate that a physician or other medical provider give an expecting mother or new parent specified information about spina bifida is this is detected in a fetus or newborn.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170662
House Bill 5099: Increase delinquent title transfer fine
Introduced by Rep. Hank Vaupel (R) on December 1, 2015, to increase the penalty for failing to complete the transfer of vehicle title within 15 days of a transaction, from $15 to $25.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170663
House Bill 5100: Revise emergency manager detail
Introduced by Rep. Stephanie Chang (D) on December 1, 2015, to revise the law that authorizes a “receivership transition advisory board†after a state-appointed emergency manager has reorganized the finances of a fiscally failed municipality or school district. The bill would prohibit the emergency manager from being appointed as a voting member of this board.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170664
House Bill 5101: Assert “right†to drinking water
Introduced by Rep. Julie Plawecki (D) on December 1, 2015, to assert in statute that each person has a “right†to “safe, clean, affordable, and accessible water†for cleaning, cooking and drinking. Presumably this would impose a duty on others to pay the water bills of a person can’t or won’t pay for the service.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170665
House Bill 5102: Put more fire representatives on construction code commission
Introduced by Rep. Gary Glenn (R) on December 1, 2015, to increase fire service representation on the state construction code commission, and on certain other government advisory committees.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170666
House Bill 5104: Replace crime of disorderly begging with civil offense
Introduced by Rep. Michael McCready (R) on December 1, 2015, to abolish begging in a public place as a disorderly conduct crime, and replace it with the law proposed by House Bill 5103 that authorizes a $100 civil fine for “aggressive solicitation†as defined in that bill.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170668
House Bill 5105: Extend Medicaid health insurance claims tax
Passed 83 to 23 in the House on December 8, 2015, to extend until 2024 the 2017 sunset on a 6 percent tax on the managed care health care providers (hospitals) that provide most Medicaid services, which is designed to “game†the federal Medicaid program in ways that result in higher federal payments to Michigan’s medical welfare establishment (including those same hospitals).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719363
House Bill 5106: Revise National Guard call-up law
Introduced by Rep. Tom Barrett (R) on December 2, 2015, to make more explicit the current legal authority of the Governor or state Adjutant General to activate the Michigan National Guard for emergencies or defense, by adding that this may be done “in support of the full-time operation of the state military establishment.†Call-ups to active duty for this purpose would have to be reported to the legislature with the names of Guard members who have served more than 15 days on active duty for it.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170679
House Bill 5107: Require human trafficking notices
Introduced by Rep. Kurt Heise (R) on December 2, 2015, at specified places to require that notices be posted at every state and local highway rest stop or welcome facility, at all train and bus stations, and at adult entertainment establishments, to the effect that forced servitude is unlawful and victims or others should call a state hotline shown on the notice.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170680
House Bill 5108: Authorize a “snowsports industry†license plate, give profits to industry group
Introduced by Rep. Lee Chatfield (R) on December 2, 2015, to authorize a “snowsports industry†specialty license plate, and give the profits to a trade and lobbyist organization called the Michigan Snowsports Industries Association.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170706
House Bill 5109: Give tax break to some conservation clubs
Introduced by Rep. Jim Tedder (R) on December 3, 2015, to exempt from property taxes conservation clubs that allow their facilities to be used for charitable purposes at least 55 days a year.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170693
House Bill 5110: Impose additional water service billing requirements
Introduced by Rep. LaTanya Garrett (D) on December 3, 2015, to require water and sewer departments to send bills within 10 days of the end of a billing period; and waive the charges for a consumer who doesn’t get a bill and calls or emails twice with no response.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170694
House Bill 5111: Give some public safety personnel income tax exemption
Introduced by Rep. LaTanya Garrett (D) on December 3, 2015, to exempt full time police, firefighters and EMTs from income tax on up to $33,530 of income on a single return and $45,295 on a joint return. A state law passed in 1999 prohibited cities from mandating that public safety workers live in the jurisdiction that employs them.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170695
House Bill 5112: Restrict residential water “cross connection†inspections
Introduced by Rep. Ken Yonker (R) on December 3, 2015, to restrict local governments from imposing a requirement that a “testable backflow preventer†on a residential lawn sprinkler system be inspected more than once every three years after initial installation, with certain specified inspections. This refers to a state regulation intended to prevent cross-contamination of municipal water supply systems.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170696
House Bill 5113: Restrict liens on delinquent water service bills
Introduced by Rep. Laura Cox (R) on December 3, 2015, to make liens imposed by a municipal water or sewage system on the property of someone who doesn’t pay their bills unenforceable until 10 years later. Under current law these liens can’t be enforced for three years.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170697
House Bill 5114: Make election days a government holiday
Introduced by Rep. Adam Zemke (D) on December 3, 2015, to establish that the three regular state dates for all elections in May, August, and November are state holidays, which among other things would probably mean that most government employees would get the day off.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170698
House Bill 5116: Allow more municipal taxes and debt for “energy efficiency†loans
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on December 3, 2015, to households to allow local governments to take on additional “general obligation†debt to pay for a program authorized by a 2010 law that allows them to lend money to a property owner money for “energy efficiency improvements†or a “renewable energy system.†Under current law a local government may not obligate taxpayers to repay the money borrowed to make these loans, but must use money from special assessments levied on the beneficiaries, or find money from some other source. The bill would also remove a requirement that a homeowner’s mortgage lender must agree to the homeowner adding this additional debt and tax burden.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170700
House Bill 5117: Move governor election to same year as presidential
Introduced by Rep. Sam Singh (D) on December 3, 2015, to transition Michigan governor elections to the same years as U.S. presidential elections. The bill would do this by making the term just two years long for whoever is elected governor in 2022.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170701
House Bill 5118: Let some counties pay less mental health costs
Introduced by Rep. Aaron Miller (R) on December 3, 2015, to require the state to examine county demographics, unemployment rates, and poverty levels when considering whether to create an exception that allows a particular county to not pay its share of the cost of government mental health system costs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170702
House Bill 5119: Revise domestic violence program detail
Introduced by Rep. Sheldon Neeley (D) on December 3, 2015, to change references to the state welfare agency (now labeled “Department of Health and Human Servicesâ€) in a law authorizing government domestic violence prevention programs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170703
House Bill 5120: Require timely notifications of municipal water system problems
Introduced by Rep. Sheldon Neeley (D) on December 3, 2015, to require public water supply users to notify users within 72 hours if the water does not comply with specified state regulations.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170704
Senate Bill 625: Impose oral chemotherapy insurance mandate
Introduced by Sen. Goeff Hansen (R) on December 1, 2015, to impose a new coverage mandate that would require insurance companies to include coverage for orally administered chemotherapy in all their health insurance policies that provide for cancer chemotherapy treatments, without requiring any dollar limit, deductible or co-pay for these that does not apply to other treatments.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170639
Senate Bill 626: Expand scope of deed tax
Introduced by Sen. Curtis Hertel, Jr. (D) on December 1, 2015, to expand the reach of a law authorizing a tax on property transfer deeds, by adding provisions related to the transfer of a “controlling interest†in a company that owns real property.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170640
Senate Bill 627: Authorize “public-private agreements†with broad powers and scope
Introduced by Sen. Mike Kowall (R) on December 1, 2015, to give state and local government agencies the power to create a “public authority†with a private person under a “public-private agreement,†for purposes of building transportation facilities; water, sewer, power, or communications utilities; hospitals, courts, jails, parks, and more; or to do anything else that “serves a public purpose.â€
These “partnership authorities†would have the power to impose property tax levies, borrow, take private property using eminent domain, levy tolls and user fees and more, for up to 50 years, and their projects would be exempt from property taxes. Among (many) other things this would authorize new toll roads or “toll lanes.†The government agency involved could choose the private sector actor without necessarily having to accept the lowest bid.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170641
Senate Bill 628: Authorize “photo-cop†and license suspension for not paying toll road toll
Introduced by Sen. Mike Kowall (R) on December 1, 2015, to authorize the use of automated, unmanned traffic monitoring devices for issuing tickets to individuals who fail to pay the toll on a toll roads and other fees as proposed by Senate Bill 627. Tickets would be sent by mail for up to nine months after the violation, and penalties for non-payment include drivers license suspension. The bill would give the “public-private agreements†that SB 627 would create the power to garnish wages, impound vehicles, attach liens to property and more in pursuit of unpaid tolls.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170642
Senate Bill 629: Expand law barring parental rights to rapist
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on December 2, 2015, to revise a law that prohibits granting custody of a child to a person convicted of rape, by expanding the criteria to include men convicted of criminal sexual conduct that resulted in a child being conceived.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170673
Senate Bill 630: Require voters approve local “judgement leviesâ€
Introduced by Sen. Mike Shirkey (R) on December 2, 2015, to restrict power of a local government to impose a property tax to pay the damages ordered by a judge in a lawsuit against the local has lost or settled. Among other things a local “judgment levy†property tax increase would have to approved by voters.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170674
Senate Bill 631: Require voters approve local “judgement leviesâ€
Introduced by Sen. Mike Shirkey (R) on December 2, 2015, to revise the state property tax law to conform to the proposal in Senate Bill 630 to restrict the power of a local government to impose a property tax to pay damages ordered by a judge in a lawsuit against it.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170675
Senate Bill 632: Revise appeals court jurisdiction
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on December 2, 2015, to give the state court of appeals jurisdiction on appeals of probate court orders and judgments, with some exceptions (see Senate Bill 633).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170676
Senate Bill 633: Revise appeals court jurisdiction
Introduced by Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R) on December 2, 2015, to preclude appeals of certain procedures related to probate court proceedings.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170677
Senate Bill 634: Exempt police body camera recordings from disclosure
Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R) on December 3, 2015, to exempt police body camera recordings from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170683
Senate Bill 635: Allow some discounted non-resident hunting fees
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on December 3, 2015, to allow a 50 percent hunting license fee discount for non-residents who own land in this state, or for someone who previously lived here for at least 10 years and is accompanied by a relative who still lives here.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170684
Senate Bill 636: Authorize aquatic vegetation tool tax break
Introduced by Sen. Joe Hune (R) on December 3, 2015, to exempt tools and equipment used to harvest, handle, process or package aquatic vegetation from the property tax that is levied on business tools and equipment (“personal property taxâ€).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170685
Senate Bill 637: Expand grass seed seller regulations
Introduced by Sen. Joe Hune (R) on December 3, 2015, to revise details of a law that imposes a testing and labeling mandate on grass seed sellers. The bill would add rules for “cool season lawn and turf†seed mixtures.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170686
Senate Bill 638: Revise campaign finance law
Introduced by Sen. David Robertson (R) on December 3, 2015, to establish a new type of campaign finance committee called an “independent expenditure committee,†and more clearly define “independent expenditure†and rules against these kinds of committees coordinating with a candidate (which in that case would make expenditure not be considered “independentâ€).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170687
Senate Bill 639: Revise election law details
Introduced by Sen. David Robertson (R) on December 3, 2015, to revise a number of details of campaign finance regulations. Among other things the bill would preempt local governments from regulating election-related activity unless a measure is explicitly authorized by state election law; specify additional details related to first-time voting by individuals who register by mail; require daily reporting by county clerks of who has already voted absentee before an election; and more.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170688
Senate Bill 640: Repeal law banning non-residents collecting recall petition signatures
Introduced by Sen. David Robertson (R) on December 3, 2015, to repeal a requirement that recall election petitions may only be circulated by a registered Michigan voter.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170689
Senate Bill 641: Clarify “telephone and telegraph company†assessments
Introduced by Sen. Mike Shirkey (R) on December 3, 2015, to clarify assessment details related to the part of “telephone and telegraph company†property that is exempt from property tax.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170690
House Bill 5103: Prohibit and define “aggressive solicitation†(begging)
Introduced by Rep. Michael McCready (R) on December 1, 2015, to prohibit various actions and behaviors specified in the bill by people who are begging for money or other things of value.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170667
House Bill 5115: Create rules on school “integrated student support services†spending
Introduced by Rep. Adam Zemke (D) on December 3, 2015, to create rules for school districts contracting with outside entities to provide “integrated student support servicesâ€.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=170699
Senate Bill 13: Eliminate straight ticket ballot option
Passed 54 to 51 in the House on December 9, 2015, to eliminate the straight party ticket option from election ballots. The bill also contains a modest appropriation that exempts it from the possibility of opponents petitioning for a referendum on whether it should go into law if enacted.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719526
Senate Bill 105: Establish state drawbridge operations fund
Passed 33 to 5 in the Senate on December 9, 2015, to create a state fund to subsidize the operational expenses of movable bridges (drawbridges, etc.), earmark some road tax revenue to the fund, and give the Department of Transportation regulatory authority over local moveable bridges.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719426
Senate Bill 187: Accommodate and regulate the “millionaire party†business
Passed 34 to 4 in the Senate on December 9, 2015, to revise the law governing charitable “millionaire party†gambling events that include casino games, in a manner that accommodates charities contracting-out operation of these fundraising events to a “charitable gaming service†that operates them for multiple charities at a single location, one event after another. The bill would establish a licensing regime covering both the charities and the companies that provide the gambling service, which would recognize a system that has evolved in which, on most days of the week, a person can go to a single location to gamble on casino-like games, with the proceeds going to a different charitable organization each day (or during different hours of the same day).
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719425
Senate Bill 234: Revise corporate income tax detail
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 9, 2015, to revise definitions and tax liability calculations under the state corporate income tax for financial institutions that operate in multiple states.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719427
Senate Bill 508: Criminalize posting revealing images on internet
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 9, 2015, to make it a crime to post on the internet any sexually explicit picture, photograph or video of a person without his or her consent and with the intent to threaten, coerce or intimidate, if the material was obtained under circumstances that which a reasonable person would know were meant to remain private, subject to some specific exceptions.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719429
Senate Bill 509: Criminalize posting revealing images on internet
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 9, 2015, to make the crime proposed by Senate Bill 508 of posting of sexually explicit visual material of another person without consent subject to 93 days in jail for a first offense, and one year for subsequent offenses.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719430
Senate Bill 581: More clearly define registered sex offender restrictions
Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate on December 9, 2015, to revise a provision in the sex offender registration law that prohibits individuals required to register from loitering within 300 feet of a school, with exceptions for valid purposes. The bill would also revise the disclosures individuals on this list must provide.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719428
Senate Bill 592: Revise organ removal detail
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 9, 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.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719431
Senate Bill 638: Revise campaign finance law
Passed 25 to 13 in the Senate on December 9, 2015, to establish a new type of campaign finance committee called an “independent expenditure committee,†and more clearly define “independent expenditures†and the rules that prohibit committees like these from coordinating with a candidate (which wouldn’t be “independentâ€). These committees could contribute to ballot initiatives but not to candidates; contributions would not be subject to limits and could come from corporations and unions.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719420
House Bill 4594: Expand public school non-enrolled student offerings to kindergarten
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 9, 2015, to include kindergarten offerings under a law that allows a school district to offer part of its curricula to a private school or home-schooled student, and collect some state school aid money for the additional children who may participate.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719422
House Bill 4724: Allow no-reason absentee voting
Passed 59 to 46 in the House on December 9, 2015, to eliminate the requirement that a person give a specific reason for requesting an absentee ballot, and require an individual who applies in person for an absentee ballot to show a picture ID.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719527
House Bill 4790: Expand non-enrolled public school student offerings to kindergarten
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 9, 2015, to include kindergarten offerings under a law that allows a school district to offer some classes to a private school or home-schooled student, and collect some state school aid money for the additional children who may participate.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719423
House Bill 4843: Give overdosing minors immunity if they turn themselves in
Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on December 9, 2015, to extend immunity from illegal drug laws for an overdosed minor who shows up at a health facility for observation or treatment. This would also apply to a friend who accompanies or assists the overdosed individual.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719421
House Bill 5017: Revise credit union law
Passed 104 to 2 in the House on December 9, 2015, to revise and update many details of the state regulatory regime that governs the ownership, management and operations of credit unions. The bill is part of a legislative package consisting of House Bills 5017 to 5022.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719465
House Bill 5018: Revise credit union law
Passed 105 to 1 in the House on December 9, 2015, to revise and update many details of the state regulatory regime that governs the ownership, management and operations of credit unions. The bill is part of a legislative package consisting of House Bills 5017 to 5022.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719466
House Bill 5019: Revise credit union law
Passed 89 to 17 in the House on December 9, 2015, to revise and update many details of the state regulatory regime that governs the ownership, management and operations of credit unions. The bill is part of a legislative package consisting of House Bills 5017 to 5022.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719467
House Bill 5020: Revise credit union law
Passed 105 to 1 in the House on December 9, 2015, to revise and update many details of the state regulatory regime that governs the ownership, management and operations of credit unions. The bill is part of a legislative package consisting of House Bills 5017 to 5022, and addresses sections authorizing confidentiality and bank examiner access.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719468
House Bill 5021: Revise credit union law
Passed 105 to 1 in the House on December 9, 2015, to revise and update many details of the state regulatory regime that governs the ownership, management and operations of credit unions. The bill is part of a legislative package consisting of House Bills 5017 to 5022, and addresses mergers.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719469
House Bill 5022: Revise credit union law
Passed 104 to 1 in the House on December 9, 2015, to revise and update many details of the state regulatory regime that governs the ownership, management and operations of credit unions. The bill is part of a legislative package consisting of House Bills 5017 to 5022, and authorizes loan promotion raffles.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=719495