In order to help make our state government more transparent and accessible to my constituents, each week that there is session I am going to post to my website a synopsis of the work each House committee will do for the week. This will include the time and location for the meeting as well as any bills or presentations the committee will hear. Each agenda item will include the bill number, the sponsor, and a brief summary of the legislation. If you would like to read in greater detail about any of these bills, you can read them in their full-text at www.legislature.mi.gov.
Please also note that you and your neighbors are welcome to observe any committee meeting or legislative session. Most House committee meetings are in the House Office Building (13 N. Capitol Ave. in Lansing) but some convene in the Capitol across the street.
As your elected officials, it is our job to conduct legislative business with efficiency and transparency. I hope you find these posts helpful and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Week of March 16, 2015: Committee Meetings
Health Policy
Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Time 9 a.m.
Location: Room 519, House Office Building
Agenda:
Presentations by:
Michigan Pharmacists Association
National Association of Chain Drug Stores
Express Scripts
Criminal Justice
Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Room 327 House Office Building
Agenda:
HB 4015 – (Rep. Kelly) – Crimes; other; resale of event tickets at higher or lower prices; allow.
Testimony Only:
HB 4187 – (Rep. Durhal) – Crimes; malicious destruction; vandalizing, desecrating, or intentionally destroying certain public property on a highway, freeway, or interstate road; prohibit, and provide penalties.
Natural Resources
Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Room 326, House Office Building
A presentation on invasive species in the Great Lakes coastal wetlands given by Central Michigan University’s Institute for Great Lakes Research.
Appropriations: Subcommittee on State Police
Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Time 9 a.m.
Location: Room 308, House Office Building
Agenda:
– Presentation by Ms. Dawn Brinningstaull, Director of the Criminal Justice Information Center (CJIC) describing the past and present operations of the CJIC and discussing recent and ongoing upgrades to CJIC IT systems
– Presentation by Capt. Joseph Gasper, Commander or the State Executive Security Division, describing the past and present operations of the Division
Appropriations: Subcommittee on Natural Resources
Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Time 9 a.m.
Location: Room 426, State Capitol Building
Agenda:
DNR Presentations: Law enforcement, Fisheries, and Great Lakes research vessel updates
Transportation and Infrastructure
Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Time 10:30 a.m.
Location: Room 521, House Office Building
Agenda:
Testimony only:
HB 4026 – (Rep. Kosowski) – State financing and management; purchasing; use of qualifications-based selection process when employing design professionals; require.
HB 4225 – (Rep. Somerville) – Highways; construction and repair; database for all road and bridge projects; establish
Transportation and Infrastructure
Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Time 10:30 a.m.
Location: Room 521, House Office Building
Agenda:
SB 42 – (Sen. Casperson) – Vehicles; driver training; certain requirements applicable to commercial learner’s permit; amend to comply with federal regulations.
Presentations by the following:
Michigan Association of Counties
Clark Harder, Executive Director of the Michigan Public Transit Association
Commerce and Trade
Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Location: Room 519, House Office Building
Agenda:
Presentation by the Small Business Association of Michigan
Appropriations: Subcommittee on School Aid
Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Location: Room 426, State Capitol Building
Agenda:
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education Programs
Appropriations: Subcommittee on Agriculture and Rural Development
Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Time: Noon
Location: Room 307, House Office Building
Agenda:
HB 4094 – (Rep. Pscholka) – Appropriations; zero budget; department of agriculture and rural development; provide for fiscal year 2015-2016.
– Public Comment
Appropriations: Subcommittee on Human Services
Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Time: Noon
Location: Room 352, House Appropriations, State Capitol Building
Agenda:
– Foster Care Program Overview
– Kent County Performance-Based Funding Pilot Program
– Master Settlement Agreement
Appropriations: Subcommittee on Licensing and Regulatory Affairs
Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Time: 3 p.m.
Location: Room 424, State Capitol Building
Agenda:
– Presentation by Mr. Kevin Elsenheimer, Deputy Director of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), and Mr. Allan Pohl, Deputy Director of LARA, describing and discussing regulatory fee extensions, increases, decreases, and repeals assumed within the Executive Recommendation for the FY 2015-16 LARA budget
– Presentation by Mr. Edward Rodgers II, Director of the Bureau of Services for Blind People (BSBP), describing the organization and operation of the BSBP
Appropriations: Subcommittee on Community Colleges
Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Time: 3 p.m.
Location: Room 426, State Capitol Building
Agenda:
– Community College Annexation of Non-Contiguous Areas
– Community College District Taxable Land
Appropriations
Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Room 352, House Appropriations, State Capitol Building
Agenda:
SB 18 – (Sen. Nofs) – Property; conveyances; certain land in Calhoun county; provide for conveyance after obtaining from United States.
SB 19 – (Sen. Nofs) – Property tax; assessments; definition of transfer of ownership; exclude certain transfers.
Testimony Only:
Administrative Transfer Request 2015-3
Legislative Transfer Request 2015-2
Families, Children, and Seniors
Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Room 327, House Office Building
Agenda:
HB 4041 – (Rep. Pscholka) – Human services; services or financial assistance; family independence assistance program group’s compliance with compulsory school attendance; require in order to receive assistance.
Presentation by:
Dr. Phillip Knight, Food Bank Council of Michigan
Appropriations: Subcommittee on Education
Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Location: Room 426, State Capitol Building
Agenda:
– Public Testimony on Executive Budget Recommendation for FY 2015-16
– House Fiscal Agency Decision Document
Appropriations: Subcommittee on General Government
Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Location: Room 426, State Capitol Building
Agenda:
Performance Audit of the Brownfield Redevelopment Financing Program-Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Michigan Strategic Fund, and Michigan Department of Treasury
Tax Policy
Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Location: Room 521, House Office Building
Agenda:
SB 81 – (Sen. Brandenburg) – Property tax; principal residence exemption; eligibility to claim exemption on certain homes in foreclosure claimed by certain foreclosing entities; eliminate requirement to pay amount equivalent to school operating mills.
Agriculture
Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Location: Room 519, House Office Building
Agenda:
HB 4017 – (Rep. Farrington) – Food; other; persons donating food to nonprofit organizations or corporations that distribute donated food; provide immunity for.
Presentation by the Michigan Milk Producers Association, Ken Nobis, President
Presentation by the Michigan Agri-Business Association, Jim Byrum, on a recent visit to Cuba to assess trade opportunities
Financial Liability Reform
Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Time: Noon
Location: Room 327, House Office Building
Agenda:
HB 4325 – (Rep. Poleski) – Education; school districts; preplanned financial reporting; require for school districts as part of early warning system.
HB 4326 – (Rep. Poleski) – Education; financing; preliminary review to determine the existence of probable financial stress in school districts; require under certain conditions, and modify the state financial authority for certain school districts.
HB 4327 – (Rep. Pscholka) – Education; school districts; deficit elimination plan; provide for enhancement.
HB 4328 – (Rep. Lyons) – School aid; other; deficit elimination plan requirement; revise.
HB 4329 – (Rep. Somerville) – Education; financing; school district placement under control of an emergency manager for failure to comply with enhanced deficit elimination plan; provide for.
HB 4330 – (Rep. Kelly) – School aid; payments; reference to deficit elimination plan compliance in school aid act; update, include enhanced deficit elimination plans, and revise other reporting requirements.
HB 4331 – (Rep. Jacobsen) – Local government; financing; emergency municipal loan act; increase cap on emergency loans.
HB 4332 – (Rep. Garcia) – State financing and management; funds; surplus funds act; modify.
Tourism and Outdoor Recreation
Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Time: Noon
Location: Room 327, House Office Building
Agenda:
Presentations-Michigan International Speedway and
John Bracey from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs
Appropriations: Subcommittee on Transportation
Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Time: Noon
Location Room 521, House Office Building
Agenda:
HB 4098 – (Rep. Pscholka) – Appropriations; zero budget; department of transportation; provide for fiscal year 2015-2016.
– Testimony on Rail Freight and Rail Passenger Programs including Amtrak Service in Michigan
Regulatory Reform
Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Time: Noon
Location: Room 519, House Office Building
Agenda:
Testimony Only:
HB 4245 – (Rep. Forlini) – Occupations; inspectors; registration as a building official, plan reviewer, or inspector; eliminate employment as a requirement for.
Presentation by:
Justin Winslow, Vice President – Government Affairs, Michigan Restaurant Association
Oversight and Ethics
Date: Thursday, March 19, 2015
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Location: Room 326, House Office Building
Agenda:
HB 4070 – (Rep. Heise) – Public employees and officers; ethics; incompatible offices exception for public safety positions; create for small local units of government.
Presentation from the Office of Internal Audit Services