Senate Joint Resolution S: Place right to fish, hunt and trap in Constitution
Passed 25 to 11 in the Senate on April 25, 2013, to place before voters in the next general election a constitutional amendment to establish that the people have the right fish hunt and trap, and to harvest game and fish.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661231
Senate Bill 43: Revise judgeships
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on April 25, 2013, to add a circuit court judgeship and phase-out a district court judgeship in Clinton County.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661285
Senate Bill 178: Revise insurance drug pre-approval details
Passed 98 to 10 in the House on April 25, 2013, to require insurance companies that require prior authorization for prescription drug reimbursements to use a standardized prior authorization form.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661289
Senate Bill 179: Revise insurance drug pre-approval details
Passed 97 to 11 in the House on April 25, 2013, to require Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance policies that require prior authorization for prescription drug reimbursements to use a standardized prior authorization form.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661290
Senate Bill 193: Appropriations: Higher Education
The amendment failed 16 to 20 in the Senate on April 25, 2013, to not allocate a portion of each university’s money on the basis of best practices “incentive” measures.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661233
Senate Bill 193: Appropriations: Higher Education
The amendment failed 12 to 24 in the Senate on April 25, 2013, to not use tax revenues earmarked to the state School Aid Fund in the higher education budget, but instead use non-earmarked (general fund) revenue. Although the state constitution explicitly authorizes using SAF money for higher education, the public school establishment contends that the 1994 Proposal A initiative earmarking a sales tax increase to the SAF means it can only be used for K-12 schools.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661234
Senate Bill 193: Appropriations: Higher Education
Passed 21 to 15 in the Senate on April 25, 2013, the Senate version of the higher education budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2013. This would appropriate $1.430 billion in gross spending, compared to $1.399 billion the previous year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661237
Senate Bill 199: Appropriations: Community Colleges
The amendment failed 17 to 19 in the Senate on April 25, 2013, to not use tax revenues earmarked to the state School Aid Fund in community college budget, but instead use non-earmarked (general fund) revenue. Although the state constitution explicitly authorizes using SAF money for higher education, the public school establishment contends that the 1994 Proposal A initiative earmarking a sales tax increase to the SAF means it can only be used for K-12 schools.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661216
Senate Bill 199: Appropriations: Community Colleges
Passed 21 to 15 in the Senate on April 25, 2013, the Senate version of the community colleges budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, 2013. This would appropriate $335.0 million in gross spending, compared to $294.1 million the previous year.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661217
Senate Bill 289: Establish statutory right to hunt, fish, and take game
Passed 27 to 9 in the Senate on April 25, 2013, to establish a statutory right of individuals to hunt, fish, and take game, subject to state regulations and restrictions.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661230
House Bill 4360: Authorize sanctions for accepting welfare “bridge card” for liquor sale
Passed 107 to 1 in the House on April 25, 2013, to suspend or revoke the liquor license of a store or bar that allows a person to use a welfare or food stamp “bridge card” to buy liquor or other non-eligible merchandise.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661287
House Bill 4361: Authorize sanctions for accepting welfare “bridge card” lottery ticket sale
Passed 107 to 1 in the House on April 25, 2013, to suspend or revoke the state lottery sales license of a merchant who allows a person to use a welfare or food stamp “bridge card” to buy a lottery ticket.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661288
House Bill 4393: Revise school ballot proposal filing deadline
The substitute passed by voice vote in the House on April 24, 2013, to make the proposed deadine 12 weeks before the election instead of 15 weeks before.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=156924
House Bill 4393: Revise school ballot proposal filing deadline
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on April 25, 2013, to require a school board that wishes to submit a ballot question to the voters to adopt the resolution calling for this at least 12 weeks before the election, moving the current deadline back two weeks. Also, to require the same deadline for “metropolitan district officer” candidacy filings. Under current law the deadlines for these is 70 days.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661291
House Bill 4395: Move back deadline to place local tax and bond issues on ballot
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on April 25, 2013, to revise a community swimming pool authority to place a 1 mill public swimming pool tax on the ballot at least 12 weeks before the election, moving the current deadline back two weeks. Under current law the deadline is 70 days before the vote.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661292
House Bill 4396: Move back deadline to place local tax and bond issues on ballot
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on April 25, 2013, to require a local government to place an increased building authority debt request (“bond issue”) on the ballot at least 12 weeks before the election, moving the current deadline back two weeks. Under current law the deadline is 70 days before the vote.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661293
House Bill 4397: Move back deadline to place local tax and bond issues on ballot
Passed 108 to 0 in the House on April 25, 2013, to require a “metropolitan authority council” to place a property tax increase request on the ballot at least 12 weeks before the election, moving the current deadline back two weeks. Under current law the deadline is 70 days before the vote.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661294
House Bill 4532: Establish digital court records
Passed 106 to 2 in the House on April 25, 2013, to require all courts in the state to keep writs, processes, proceedings and records in a manner and medium to be determined by the state Supreme Court, which would include electronic records and signatures.
See Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No” at http://www.michiganvotes.org/RollCall.aspx?ID=661286
Senate Bill 326: Allow less than unlimited auto crash injury insurance
Introduced by Sen. Virgil Smith, Jr. (D) on April 23, 2013, to allow auto insurance companies to offer limited, low-cost policies in which the personal injury protection (PIP) coverage is less than the mandatory unlimited coverage now provided by the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (and the price would be lower as well). This mandatory PIP coverage is billed as extra assessments on auto insurance bills. The bill would allow a customer to choose policies with a coverage cap of just $50,000.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158755
Senate Bill 327: Ban tax collector “quotas”
Introduced by Sen. David Robertson (R) on April 23, 2013, to establish that Department of Treasury tax collectors and third party contractors or agents are prohibited from using tax collection amount “quotas” and must apply tax laws and rules equally to all taxpayers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158756
Senate Bill 328: Impose scalp hair prosthesis (wig) insurance mandate
Introduced by Sen. Steve Bieda (D) on April 24, 2013, to impose a new coverage mandate that would require health insurance company policies that cover any kind of prosthesis to also include coverage for a scalp hair prosthesis (wig) for a person who loses their hair as a result of a medical condition or treatment, 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=158781
Senate Bill 329: Ease certain winery and distiller restrictions
Introduced by Sen. Dave Hildenbrand (R) on April 24, 2013, to ease current restrictions on a wine maker, distiller or brandy manufacturer possessing real estate that is occupied by another vendor, which would make these restrictions the same as ones that now apply to brewers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158782
Senate Bill 330: Increase state disaster fund deposits
Introduced by Sen. Tom Casperson (R) on April 24, 2013, to require the legislature to annually appropriate between $4 million and $8.5 million to a state disaster and emergency contingency fund; current statute requires between $30,000 and $750,000.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158783
Senate Bill 331: Repeal expanded emergency manager powers
Introduced by Sen. Coleman Young (D) on April 25, 2013, to repeal the 2012 law that greatly expanded the powers of emergency managers appointed by the state to reform the finances of fiscally failed school districts and municipalities.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158826
House Bill 4328: Appropriations: 2013-2014 “omnibus” budget
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 23, 2013, to accept $1.530 billion in federal money to expand Medicaid eligibility under the terms of the federal health care law (”Obamacare”). The amnendment would shift $181 million in current state health care spending onto the federal budget, making those funds available for other purposes in the short-term, but the terms of the expansion would require more money from State of Michigan taxpayers in a few years.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155924
House Bill 4328: Appropriations: 2013-2014 “omnibus” budget
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on April 23, 2013, to add-back $25 million in film producer subsidies that were stripped-out by another amendment, and instead increase the subsidies to $50 million.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155924
House Bill 4328: Appropriations: 2013-2014 “omnibus” budget
The amendment passed by voice vote in the House on April 23, 2013, to eliminate $25 million proposed for state film subsidies, and also to cut the amount appropriated for targeted corporate subsidies by $25 million, leaving $66.9 million in the budget for this purpose. The $50 million saved would instead be transferred to road funding. Also, to earmark any unspent appropriations at the end of the year to road projects, up to a maximum of $150 million.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=155924
House Bill 4600: Exempt killed-in-service spouse from property tax
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Graves (R) on April 23, 2013, to exempt from property tax the principal residence that belongs to the spouse of a service member who was killed while serving in the military.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158764
House Bill 4601: Name a highway
Introduced by Rep. Jon Bumstead (R) on April 23, 2013, to designate a portion of US-10 in Lake County as the “Sheriff Robert Radden Memorial Highway”.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158765
House Bill 4602: Reduce income tax
Introduced by Rep. Martin Howrylak (R) on April 23, 2013, to reduce the state income tax by 0.1 percent each year. The tax is currently imposed at a 4.25 percent rate.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158766
House Bill 4603: Create government sickle cell awareness campaign
Introduced by Rep. Jim Ananich (D) on April 23, 2013, to require the Department of Community Health to create a sickle cell disease public awareness campaign and to “coordinate services available” from state, federal, and voluntary sickle cell disease programs.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158767
House Bill 4604: Subsidize free doctor care
Introduced by Rep. Jim Ananich (D) on April 23, 2013, to authorize a state income tax credit of up to $5,000 for free medical services donated by a physician to a patient who is not eligible for medical welfare (Medicaid). This would be a “refundable” credit, meaning that a check is sent to the taxpayer for the balance of the credit exceeding actual taxes owed.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158768
House Bill 4605: Establish that military experience meets EMT licensure requirements
Introduced by Rep. Gail Haines (R) on April 23, 2013, to establish that having recent and relevant military medical experience meets the criteria for obtaining an emergency medical technician license.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158769
House Bill 4606: Suspend truants’ drivers licenses
Introduced by Rep. Gail Haines (R) on April 23, 2013, to require courts to notify the Secretary of State of minors prosecuted for truancy, so the Secretary of State can suspend or withhold their drivers license for six months as proposed by House Bill 4607.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158770
House Bill 4607: Suspend truants’ drivers licenses
Introduced by Rep. Gail Haines (R) on April 23, 2013, to suspend for six months the drivers license of a minor who is prosecuted for “willful and repeated” school absence (or withhold a license from a minor who doesn’t have one yet).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158771
House Bill 4608: Increase registration tax on electric or alternate fuel vehicles
Introduced by Rep. Mike Shirkey (R) on April 23, 2013, to increase the annual vehicle registration tax for electric or alternate fuel vehicles, with increases ranging from $25 to $200 depending on all-electric vs. hybrid and on vehicle weight for trucks. Also, to cut the vehicle registration tax on cars with a list price under $45,000 that are over 10 years old, from 0.0036 percent of the list price annually, to 0.0024 percent.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158772
House Bill 4609: Earmark some oil and gas extraction tax to roads
Introduced by Rep. Mike Shirkey (R) on April 23, 2013, to earmark some of the revenue from oil and gas extraction severance taxes to the state road fund.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158773
House Bill 4610: Require “corporate welfare” executive drug testing
Introduced by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on April 23, 2013, to require drug testing for business executives whose firms receive subsidies from the state.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158774
House Bill 4611: Increase mandate on utilities to reduce consumption
Introduced by Rep. Sam Singh (D) on April 23, 2013, to increase a mandate that requires electric and gas utilities to undertake programs intended to cause net consumption to fall each year. The bill would gradually make the mandates more stringent by requiring annual reductions of 2 percent for electricity and 1.5 percent for gas.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158775
House Bill 4612: Allow limited auto injury insurance; expand auto theft authority
Introduced by Rep. Pete Lund (R) on April 23, 2013, to allow auto insurance companies to offer policies in which the maximum coverage is $1 million. The current no-fault insurance law mandates unlimited personal injury coverage. Also, to expand the duties of a state automobile theft prevention authority to include insurance fraud. Finally, the bill would also replace a 1 percent health insurance claims tax intended to “game” the federal Medicaid system in ways that result in higher federal payments to Michigan’s medical welfare system, with a new $25 per vehicle annual auto insurance tax.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158776
House Bill 4613: Establish dead tenant procedures for landlords
Introduced by Rep. Margaret O’Brien (R) on April 24, 2013, to establish specific property entry procedures and notice requirements to be followed by a landlord who believes a tenant has died.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158790
House Bill 4614: Impose licensure on federal health care law “navigators”
Introduced by Rep. Mike Shirkey (R) on April 24, 2013, to impose licensure and regulation on the “navigators” authorized by the federal health care law (“Obamacare”) to assist persons applying for government-subsidized health insurance benefits through the administrative agency this law creates (called the “exchange”). The bill authorizes license fees, background checks, testing and training requirements, and more. Among other things it would prohibit an individual, firm or other entity licensed as a “navigator” from steering a person toward any particular insurance policy, as opposed to just providing information on the policies.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158791
House Bill 4615: Allow Wayne RESA tax hike votes on additional election dates
Introduced by Rep. John Walsh (R) on April 24, 2013, to repeal a provision that limits the Wayne County version of an intermediate school district (the Wayne “RESA”) to only holding a school “enhancement” millage (property tax increase) election on the statewide primary or general election dates.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158792
House Bill 4616: Waive drivers license fee for “homeless”
Introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D) on April 24, 2013, to waive the drivers license application fee for a person who is “homeless” as defined in the bill (which means the individual is getting benefits from a government or nonprofit entity).
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158793
House Bill 4617: Create state “office of immigrant integration”
Introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D) on April 24, 2013, to create a state “office of immigrant integration” to study the issue, make recommendations, and provide immigrants with access to information, resources, and services to assist their integration.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158794
House Bill 4618
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on April 24, 2013, to charge in-state tuition at state universities and colleges to most resident aliens, including illegal aliens who entered the country as a child and have been granted a deferral from prosecution by an executive order styled after a proposed federal “dream act” law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158795
House Bill 4619: Authorize drivers license for “dream act” eligible aliens and more
Introduced by Rep. Sam Singh (D) on April 24, 2013, to authorize giving a drivers license to an illegal alien who has “deferred status,” which means the individual entered the country as a child and has been granted a deferral from prosecution by an executive order styled after a proposed federal “dream act” law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158796
House Bill 4620: Authorize state ID card for “dream act” eligible aliens
Introduced by Rep. Adam Zemke (D) on April 24, 2013, to authorize giving a state identification card to an illegal alien who has been granted a deferral from prosecution by an executive order styled after a proposed federal “dream act” law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158797
House Bill 4621: Create pro-illegal alien document state government commission
Introduced by Rep. Brandon Dillon (D) on April 24, 2013, to create a new state government commission to assess the economic, social, and security impact of not issuing driver licenses and state identification cards to illegal aliens.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158798
House Bill 4622: Revise drain code district procedures
Introduced by Rep. Al Pscholka (R) on April 24, 2013, to revise details of the procedures for changing drainage district boundaries (and imposing the cost of new or repaired drains on particular property owners), including notice requirements and procedures for challenging proposed changes, plus details of the drainage district’s interaction with the state transportation and agriculture departments.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158799
House Bill 4623: Repeal criminal penalties for marijuana possession
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Irwin (D) on April 24, 2013, to repeal criminal sanctions on possession of 1 ounce or less of marijuana, and instead authorize a civil penalty of $25, and $50 to $100 for subsequent violations.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158800
House Bill 4624: Allow multi-department firefighter employment
Introduced by Rep. Joseph Haveman (R) on April 24, 2013, to prohibit fire department from prohibiting its firefighters from also working as a volunteer, part-time or paid on-call firefighter with another department, if this does not conflict with the original employment. Also, to make this issue a prohibited subject of collective bargaining between a fire department and an employee union.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158801
House Bill 4625: Base new teacher salaries primarily on student performance
Introduced by Rep. Pete Lund (R) on April 24, 2013, to require that going forward, the “primary factor” in setting compensation levels for all new public school teachers and administrators must be “job performance and job accomplishments” as determined by a “rigorous, transparent, and fair evaluation system primarily based upon student growth data as measured by assessments and other objective criteria.” Setting pay on the basis of seniority would be prohibited, and setting it on the basis of academic credentials would be restricted.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158802
House Bill 4626: Authorize land bank sanction and complaint process
Introduced by Rep. Ken Yonker (R) on April 25, 2013, to authorize administrative sanctions for a local government “land bank” that acquired tax reverted property in violation of the law authorizing these entities, and establish a complaint process whereby the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs would have to issue a written determination on a complaint filed by aggrieved party. If the ruling went against the land bank and was upheld by a circuit court, the director of the land bank would have to be fired. This relates to a recent Kent County incident in which the land bank and the local government appeared to cooperate in sidestepping a prohibition on the land bank acquiring tax reverted property before private entities had an opportunity to bid on it at a public tax auction.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158830
House Bill 4627: Exempt “domestic partner” vehicle transfer from use tax
Introduced by Rep. David E. Rutledge (D) on April 25, 2013, to expand a “use tax” exemption on the transfer of vehicles, ORVs, snowmobiles, or watercraft between family members, so that it also includes a transfer to a “domestic partner.” Use tax is levied at the same 6 percent rate as regular sales tax, but the revenue is allocated differently.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158831
House Bill 4628: Let notaries perfrom marriages
Introduced by Rep. Vicki Barnett (D) on April 25, 2013, to allow a notary public to perform marriage ceremonies.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158832
House Bill 4629: Impose extra fees on electronic billboards
Introduced by Rep. Bradford Jacobsen (R) on April 25, 2013, to amend the state billboard law to authorize extra fees for digital signs, and revise a wide range of other details of this law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158833
House Bill 4630: Increase vehicle registration taxes
Introduced by Rep. Michael McCready (R) on April 25, 2013, to increase the annual vehicle registration (license plate) tax by approximately 80 percent, with comparable increases for trucks and trailers.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158834
House Bill 4631: Increase penalty on delinquent hotel convention tax
Introduced by Rep. Wayne Schmidt (R) on April 25, 2013, to require a hotel or motel owner who is late paying a room tax of up to 5 percent imposed to pay for regional marketing schemes to also pay the attorney and court costs incurred collecting the tax, in addition to the 1.5 percent “delinquency charge” and 1.5 percent per month interest charge already authorized under current law.
http://www.michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=158835