In order to keep you and your neighbors better informed about the legislation we discuss, I am posting the agenda for any scheduled committee meetings at the beginning of the week and an update with any votes that were taken that week in committee or on the House floor. I hope you find this information helpful and please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of further assistance.
Jan. 20-24, 2014: House Votes
For votes of the full legislature, I will include a summary of each bill with the sponsor, the vote totals and the next step in the legislative process for the bill. If you would like to read more information about a given bill you can head to www.legislature.mi.gov.
HB 4003 – (Rep. Walsh) – The state treasurer, or an authorized representative of the state treasurer, may compromise all or any part of any payment of a tax, unpaid account, or amount due the state or any of its departments, institutions, or agencies, subject to administration under this act including any related penalties and interest of 1 or more of the following grounds exist: a doubt exists to liability, a doubt exists as to collectability, a substantial probability exists that a compromise would further the fair and efficient administration of the tax.
Bill passed 107-0
Next step: Senate for consideration
HB 5146 – (Rep. Segal) – Revise to conform to model act group life insurance standard provisions model act.
Bill passed 107-0
Next step: Senate for consideration
HB 5147 – (Rep. Goike) – Allow variable life and annuity products approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission to meet form requirements.
Bill passed 107-0
Next step: Senate for consideration
HB 5148 – (Rep. Hovey-Wright) – Include foreign governmental bonds and securities and stocks from Canada qualified assets.
Bill passed 107-0
Next step: Senate for consideration
HB 5149 – (Rep. Cochran) – Clarify that long-term care insurance is not an accelerated benefit and define chronic illness accelerated benefits.
Bill passed 107-0
Next step: Senate for consideration
HB 5150 – (Rep. Glardon) – Allow, and clarify procedure of surrendering of annuity during review period electronic applications.
Bill passed 107-0
Next step: Senate for consideration
HB 4209 – (Rep. Zorn) – A person 16 years of age or older who accosts, solicits, or invites another person who is not less than 16 years of age and not more than 17 years of age in a public place or in or from a building or vehicle, by word, gesture, or any other means, to commit prostitution, or to do any other lewd or immoral act is guilty of a crime.
Bill passed 109-1
Next step: Senate for consideration
HB 4210 – (Rep. Kowall) – Amend sentencing guidelines for crime of soliciting a minor of 16 years of age or older to commit prostitution.
Bill passed 109-1
Next step: Senate for consideration
HB 5158 – (Rep. Heise) – Create human trafficking commission.
Bill passed 109-1
Next step: Senate for consideration
Week of Jan. 20, 2014: Committee Meetings
For each bill considered I will include the vote total or write “testimony only” if no vote was taken. Due to the complexity of certain issues, some bills receive multiple committee hearings before being put to a vote. If you would like to read further analysis of a bill you can access that at www.legislature.mi.gov.
If you would like to read the minutes from a particular hearing or testimony on a bill, you can access that by going to 
and selecting the relevant committee from the dropdown menu.
Energy and Technology
The agenda consisted of presentations on recent storm power outages and response plans. The committee was covered in the following story in the Lansing State Journal: http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20140121/NEWS04/301210028/
Regulatory Reform
SB 505 – (Sen. Hune) – Liquor; other; prohibition of aiding or assisting other vendors; modify.
Testimony Only
Elections and Ethics
HB 4825 – (Rep. Kesto) – Elections; candidates; candidates to indicate certain felony convictions on the affidavit of identity; require.
Testimony Only
Health Policy Joint Meeting with Senate Health Policy
The joint committee hearing heard testimony from the Mental Health and Wellness Commission on the recommendations in its 2013 report. You can read more about the work group, including their report and recommendations at www.michigan.gov/mentalhealth.
Tax Policy
SB 146 – (Sen. Young) – Economic development; neighborhood enterprise zones; neighborhood enterprise zone eligibility; expand.
Reported from committee by a 12-1 vote
SB 533 – (Sen. Kahn) – Economic development; brownfield redevelopment authority; date of report for collection of certain tax increment revenue; revise for 2013 only.
Reported from committee by a 15-0 vote
SB 396 – (Sen. Casperson) – Property tax; assessments; retention of taxable value for property improvements required due to certain natural disaster losses; provide for.
Reported from committee by a 15-0 vote
HB 5172 – (Rep. Genetski) – Property tax; assessments; interior home inspection by tax assessors; require written consent without penalty to homeowner if consent is denied.
Testimony Only
HB 5173 – (Rep. Shirkey) – Property tax; assessments; provisions in the official assessors manual for property inspection by tax assessors; revise and provide for an opt-out provision without penalty to homeowner.
Testimony Only
Education
HB 5223 – (Rep. O’Brien) – Education; teachers; performance evaluation requirements for teachers; revise.
Testimony Only
HB 5224 – (Rep. Zemke) – Education; employees; performance evaluation requirements for school administrators; revise.
Testimony Only
Financial Services
HCR 19 – (Rep. Foster) – A concurrent resolution to urge the Congress of the United States to repeal section 1502 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
Testimony Only
Families, Children, and Seniors
HB 4855 – (Rep. Kurtz) – Gaming; lottery; lottery winners; require lottery bureau to pay any indebtedness to department of human services.
HB 5198 – (Rep. McCready) – Labor; mediation; access to certain case files for use in human services employee disciplinary proceedings; allow without a court order.
Tourism
Presentation on Meijer State Games of Michigan given by Eric Engelbarts II, CTA, Executive Director-Meijer State Games of Michigan.
Judiciary
HB 4486 – (Rep. Walsh) – Health; substance abuse treatment; involuntary substance abuse assessment, stabilization, and treatment for adults; allow.
Testimony Only
SB 628 – (Sen. Schuitmaker) – Crime victims; statements; delivery of victim statement by parents of a minor; allow under certain circumstances.
Testimony Only