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.

Week of Sept. 22, 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.

Allow tobacco stamping agents to be compensated for technology upgrades

SB 1017 (S-2) (Kahn), RC 493, 9/23/14, Passed: 107-1

Next: Returned to the Senate

Senate Bill 1017 (S-2) (Kahn) provides for tobacco stamping agents to be compensated for upgrading their technology to apply digital stamps to cigarette packaging.

Eliminate requirement that vehicles of a certain weight maintain identification information

SB 277 (S-1) (Hune), RC 494, 9/23/14, Passed: 101-7

Next: Returned to the Senate

SB 277 (S-1) amends the Vehicle Code to eliminate the requirement that all commercial vehicles with a single or combination gross weight rating or a total gross weight of more than 5,000 pounds maintain identification information on the side of the vehicle that includes the name, city, and state or the registered logo or emblem of the registered owner of the vehicle. However, the bill maintains the provision for wreckers and road service vehicles. The bill would take effect 90 days after it is enacted into law.

Resets sunset provisions for local municipalities to bond out certain unfunded pension liabilities

SB 922 (S-1) (Brandenburg), RC 495, 9/23/14, Passed: 107-1

Next: Returned to the Senate

SB 922 (S-1) resets sunset provisions for local municipalities to bond out unfunded pension liabilities for closed out defined benefit programs and retiree health care liabilities. As well, it creates the opportunity for municipalities to issue “refunding securities” for the bonds provided the “refunding securities” do not have a further out maturity date and the municipality has a credit rating of AA at minimum.

Allow Senate Secretary and House Clerk to administer oath of office

HB 5781 (Lori), RC 496, 9/24/14, Passed: 108-0

Next: Sent to the Senate for consideration

HB 5781 (Lori) would allow the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives to administer the oath of office to any member of the Senate or House of Representatives.

Reduce yearly licensing fees paid by athletic trainers

HB 5419 (H-1) (LaFontaine), RC 497, 9/24/14, Passed: 91-17

Next: Sent to the Senate for consideration

House Bill 5419 (H-1) (LaFontaine) reduces the yearly licensing fee paid by athletic trainers, as well as amends regulations related to necessary training and qualifications to be licensed as an athletic trainer in Michigan.

Amends the Liquor Control Code to clarify unintended consequences related to powdered alcohol

HB 5798 (H-1) (Crawford), RC 498, 9/24/14, Passed: 103-6

Next: Sent to the Senate for consideration

Amends the Liquor Control Code to clarify unintended consequences related to conditional licensing and secondary use, as well as prohibit the sale, use, or possession of powdered alcohol in most circumstances. This bill also includes language to change the fingerprinting process for licensee applicants.

Allows state-approved non-public schools to provide professional development for teachers

HB 5669 (VerHeulen), RC 499, 9/24/14, Passed: 109-0

Next: Sent to the Senate for consideration

Allows state-approved non-public schools (schools that comply with Act 302 of 1921, the Private, Denominational, and Parochial Schools Act) to provide professional development for their teachers which counts towards issuance or renewal of the teacher’s teaching certificate provided the professional development is substantially the same in program content as programs offered by a public school.

Amend PERA to exempt certain professions from prohibition against wage increases

HB 5097 (H-5) (Walsh), RC 500, 9/24/14, Passed: 97-12

Next: Sent to the Senate for consideration

Amends the Michigan’s Public Employment Relations Act (PERA) to exempt public police, fire departments, and emergency service workers from the prohibition against wage increases following the expiration date of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

Allow banks to conduct a savings promotion raffle

HB 5412 (H-2) (Jenkins), RC 501, 9/24/14, Passed: 108-1

HB 5413 (H-2) (Jenkins), RC 502, 9/24/14, Passed: 108-1

Next: Sent to the Senate for consideration

Allows a bank to conduct a savings promotion raffle. Note: Currently credit unions are allowed to do this under the Credit Union Act (PA 215 of 2003).

Allow for the Dept. of Treasury to oversee management of the Foster Care Trust Fund

HB 5444 (H-2) MacGregor, RC 503, 9/24/14, Passed: 108-1

Next: Sent to the Senate for consideration

Intended to minimize costs and ensure the Foster Care Trust Fund runs with little overhead by eliminating the trust fund board and have the Department of Treasury (Treasury) oversee the fund’s management in conjunction with the Department of Human Services (DHS).

Provide protections for those who administer an opioid antagonist in good faith

SB 857 (S-2) (Schuitmaker), RC 504, 9/24/14, Passed: 108-0

Next: Returned to the Senate

Senate Bill 857 (Schuitmaker) amends Public Act 17 of 1963 (Good Samaritan Law) to provide civil liability protection for individuals who administer an opioid antagonist, in good faith, to another person who they believe is suffering the immediate effects of an opioid related overdose.

Week of Sept. 22nd: Committee Votes

Energy and Technology

Agenda:

HB 5806 – (Rep. Pscholka) – Higher education; community colleges; term of installment contracts for energy conservation improvements allowed under statute; extend.

Testimony Only

SB 910 – (Sen. Casperson) – Environmental protection; air pollution; wood heaters; prohibit department of environmental quality from promulgating certain rules or enforcing federal regulations.

Testimony Only

SCR 14 – (Sen. Casperson) – A concurrent resolution to urge the United States Environmental Protection Agency to forgo its recent proposal to tighten emission limits on wood stoves.

Testimony Only

Regulatory Reform

HB 5513 – (Rep. Schor) – Mobile homes; other; manufactured housing reforms; specify remedies for health and safety violations and provide other reforms.

Testimony Only

HB 4935 – (Rep. Heise) – Liquor; licenses; penalties and licensing sanctions for critical violations; increase.

Testimony Only

Transportation and Infrastructure

Agenda:

HB 5422 – (Rep. Lund) – Vehicles; registration; renewal deadline for vehicle registration; modify to provide a 120-day grace period.

Reported favorably from committee by a vote of 15-0

HB 5714 – (Rep. McCready) – Transportation; carriers; motor carrier act; modify procedure for issuance of authority and other general revisions.

Reported favorably from committee by a vote of 15-0

SB 882 – (Sen. Casperson) – Transportation; other; requirement of annual certification of employee-related conditions by local road agencies; repeal.

Reported favorably from committee by a vote of 13-2

Health Policy

Agenda:

HB 5668 – (Rep. Lyons) – Health; emergency response; auto-injectable epinephrine; allow prescribers to prescribe and pharmacists to dispense to authorized entities under certain circumstances and limit liability.

Testimony Only

Presentation on Maternal Mortality in Michigan

Dr. Sonia Hassan, Associate Dean for Maternal , Perinatal and Child Health, Wayne State University School of Medicine

Dr. Cheryl Gibson-Fountain, OB/GYN, Beaumont Health System

Dr. Matt Davis, Department of Community Health

Oversight

Agenda:

Testimony on the special education complaint process that is administered by the Michigan Department of Education.

  • Marcie Lipsitt, Co-Chair Michigan Alliance for Special Education
  • Mark McWilliams, Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service
  • Michigan Department of Education

Natural Resources

Agenda:

HB 5563 – (Rep. LaFontaine) – Environmental protection; solid waste; abandoned vehicle disposal process for watercraft, snowmobiles, and ORVs; establish.

Reported favorably from committee by a vote of 9-0

HB 4401 – (Rep. Pettalia) – Natural resources; mining; inland lakes and streams permit requirement; exempt certain mining operations.

Reported favorably from committee by a vote of 8-1

Tax Policy

Agenda:

HB 5616 – (Rep. Yonker) – Property tax; exemptions; real and personal property of a nonprofit charitable organization; modify exemptions.

Testimony Only

HB 5665 – (Rep. Cotter) – Property tax; assessments; property transfer affidavit; impose confidentiality requirement on local tax collecting unit.

Testimony Only

SB 831 – (Sen. Nofs) – Property tax; principal residence exemption; homestead exemption; prohibit increase upon death of homeowner under certain conditions.

Testimony Only

Appropriations

Agenda:

Legislative Transfer 2014-8

HB 5725 – (Rep. Haveman) – Property; conveyances; conveyance of surplus state-owned real estate; enact procedures for conveyance.

Reported favorably from committee by a vote of 17-8

HB 4157 – (Rep. Poleski) – State financing and management; funds; information, communication, and technology innovation revolving fund; create.

Reported favorably from committee by a vote of 17-8

Military and Veterans Affairs

Agenda:

HR 390 – (Rep. Zorn) – A resolution to urge the U.S. Department of Defense to provide toll-free calling to active duty military men and women serving overseas, so that they may call family members in the U.S. without cost.

Reported favorably from committee by a vote of 12-0

HR 385 – (Rep. Graves) – A resolution to urge the United States Congress to investigate the United States Department of Veterans Affairs’ treatment of military veterans seeking health care at facilities throughout the country.

Reported favorably from committee by a vote of 12-0

HB 5035 – (Rep. Goike) – Higher education; community colleges; questions to applicants concerning military experience of the applicant and the applicant’s parents or spouse; require.

Reported favorably from committee by a vote of 13-0

HB 5036 – (Rep. Rendon) – Higher education; community colleges; acceptance of an American council on education transcript; allow, and clarify transferable credits.

Reported favorably from committee by a vote of 13-0

HB 5751 – (Rep. Jacobsen) – Occupations; other; use of certain military experience as the basis for licensure; authorize for boiler installer, boiler repairer, and boiler special inspector.

Reported favorably from committee by a vote of 12-0

Insurance

HB 5636 – (Rep. Cotter) – Insurance; no-fault; operation of golf cart on public highway without requirement of no-fault insurance; allow.

Reported favorably from committee by a vote of 14-0

HB 5792 – (Rep. Lund) – Insurance; insurers; notice of divesting or acquiring controlling interest in an insurer; require.

Reported favorably from committee by a vote of 10-0

HB 5823 – (Rep. Lund) – Insurance; insurers; procedures for own risk and solvency assessment; provide for

Reported favorably from committee by a vote of 15-0

Commerce

Agenda

HB 5856 – (Rep. Kowall) – Economic development; other; downtown development authorities reporting and oversight; modify.

Testimony Only

Michigan Competitiveness

Agenda:

HB 4148 – (Rep. Shirkey) – Higher education; community colleges; granting of baccalaureate degrees in certain fields; allow.

Reported from committee by a 14-0-1 vote

Appropriations: Subcommittee on Joint Capital Outlay

Agenda:

  1. Presentations on FY 2014-15 Capital Outlay Priority Project Requests — Bay de Noc Community College — Grand Valley State University — Kellogg Community College — Lake Michigan College — Lake Superior State University — Mid Michigan Community College — Northwestern Michigan College — Oakland University — Schoolcraft College — Washtenaw Community College — Western Michigan University
  2. MSU Bio-engineering Facility Project Scope Change

Financial Services

Agenda:

HB 5794 – (Rep. Callton) – Civil procedure; foreclosure; property inspections during redemption period; correct procedural requirement.

Reported from committee by an 11-0-0 vote

HB 5795 – (Rep. Lyons) – Civil procedure; foreclosure; eligibility for right to redeem property; require interest to be recorded.

Reported from committee by an 11-0-0 vote

HR 395 – (Rep. McMillin) – A resolution to urge the Congress of the United States to direct the Comptroller General to complete a full audit of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the federal reserve banks. Testimony Only

Families, Children and Seniors

Agenda:

HB 5741 – (Rep. Howrylak) – Human services; children’s services; interstate compact for the placement of children; revise.

Testimony Only

HB 5825 – (Rep. Shirkey) – Children; adoption; option to disclose identity of paternity in a private adoption; allow.

Testimony Only

SB 861 – (Sen. Richardville) – Children; other; provision regarding the disbursement of the children’s trust fund; modify.

Reported from committee by a 9-0-0 vote

SB 890 – (Sen. Caswell) – Human services; children’s services; support subsidy; rename, and provide for deferred determination of care agreements for certain adoptions.

Testimony Only

Education

Agenda:

HB 5778 – (Rep. Kesto) – Education; curriculum; genocide education; provide for.

Testimony Only