HB 5606 and SB 1124 High School Curriculum Standards
These bills would create new high school curriculum requirements. The bills include requirements in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Civics, Economics, U.S. History and Geography, World History and Geography, Foreign Language, Health and Physical Education and Visual and Performing Arts. The new requirements would begin with pupils entering the 8th grade in 2006. The bills passed 97-9 and 95-11, respectively.
HB 5675 FOIA Requests for School Employee Criminal Records
The bill makes the list provided by the Department of Education containing names of teachers and school personnel with misdemeanor and felony convictions on their criminal records subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). This compromise version of the bill allows release of all convictions for felonies and physical and sexual abuse misdemeanors, and the Dept. of Ed can only disclose a list of the other misdemeanors without any personally identifiable information (will be sorted and identified by school district). Bill passed 106-0.
HB 5743 Elimination of the Single Business Tax
This bill would repeal the Single Business Tax (SBT), effective December 31, 2007. The SBT is Michigan's primary tax on businesses, and it collects between $1.8 and $2 billion per year. The bill does not provide for a replacement for this revenue. The bill passed 67-39.
SB 327 Reading Teacher Certification Requirements
SB 327 would require all teachers to complete a three-credit course of study with appropriate field experiences in the diagnosis and remediation of reading disabilities and differentiated instruction. Bill passed 101-6.
SB 328, SB 329 and SB 330 Early Intervening Model for Grades K-3
This package of bills would fund the development of an "early intervening model" program for grades K-3. This would include instruction for teachers and support staff on how to monitor individual student learning and provide extra help to pupils as early as possible in order to reduce the need for special education placement. SB 328 would allow school districts that receive payments from the Durant v. State of Michigan lawsuit settlement to use those funds for this program. SB 329 establishes the program and allocates $1 million from the State School Aid Stabilization Fund for 19 grants to school districts to create five-year pilot programs. SB 330 would allow school districts to use money designated for at-risk students for this program. All three bills passed 103-4.
HB 4138 Handicap-accessible Requirements for State-funded Housing
This bill would require that certain residential properties be handicapper accessible under the Michigan Building Code. This requirement would be applicable to 50 percent of newly constructed Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) financed family residential real estate properties after December 31, 2006. Bill passed 105-1.
HB 5638 Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Compact
This bill would enter Michigan into the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Compact. The purpose of the compact is to develop, promote and lobby for expansion of passenger rail service in the region. Many Dems opposed the bill because Michigan is already part of the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative which is a similar consortium that is actually more focused on Michigan's needs, and the new compact would cost the state additional money for redundant purposes. Bill passed 56-51.
HB 5408 Transporting Firearms During Deer Season
This bill would allow a person without a hunting license to carry a firearm, bow and arrow or a cross bow during the firearms deer season if the weapon is unloaded and in the trunk of a vehicle. Bill passed 107-0.
SB 932 UpdateSchool Bus Law
This bill modifies and updates the law regulating school buses, including inspections, driver licensure standards and testing, vehicle standards, and more. This would replace certain regulations with federal requirements. Bill passed 106-0.
HB 4398 Zoning Enabling Act
This bill would repeal three zoning acts — the City and Village Zoning Act, the County Zoning Act, and the Township Zoning Act — and replace them with a single new act, the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act; passed 106-0.
HB 4375 Encourage Instruction of Warning Signs of Depression
This bill would encourage local school boards to include in their curriculum age-appropriate instruction concerning the warning signs and risk factors of depression and suicide; passed 107-0.
SB 969 Property Conveyances
This bill would authorize the State Administrative Board to convey two parcels of property, one in Lansing, the other in Blackman Township, Jackson County. First, the state would relinquish to Lansing Community College the right of reverter and the right of reentry contained in a 1962 quitclaim deed that gave the college certain school property in Lansing (its old library). Also, the bill reinstates an earlier conveyance of state property to Blackman Township in Jackson County. Bill passed 106-0.
SB 922 Expand Certain Renaisance Zones
The bill amends the "Michigan Renaissance Zone Act" to allow for the expansion of certain existing renaissance zones and for the creation of new zones. Renaissance Zones were enacted in 1996 to spur new jobs and investments. These areas are free of most state and local taxes for up to 15 years. Bill passed 105-0.
HB 5125 Regulating Watercraft on State Waters
This bill would establish criteria that the Department of Natural Resources would use to approve or deny a local ordinance regulating the use of watercraft on waters of the state. Bill passed 105-0.
HB 5839 MobileHomePark Permit Fees
This bill would create the Mobile Home Code Fund and raise fees to mobile home park operators and owners. The bill passed 83-23.
HB 5860-5871 Bureau of Fire Services
These 12 House bills are part of a bi-partisan, bi-cameral package of legislation that will create the Bureau of Fire Serviceswithin the Department of Labor and Economic Growth. This 25-bill package transfers the powers and duties of the State Fire Marshal to the newly created office. Many of the bills within the package are technical in nature and simply amend various sections of state law to reflect the transfer of the Fire Marshal to DLEG. All bills in the package passed unanimously, 106-0. Details of each bill are listed below:
HB 5860 will transfer the Fire Fighter Training Council to the Bureau of Fire Services, make the State Fire Marshal a member, and give the State Fire Marshal primary authority over firefighter training. The bill grants the State Fire Marshal and the Fire Fighter Training Council the responsibilities of preparing and publishing standards for fire departments to follow, develop, and administer; as well as training and examination requirements.
HB 5861 Michigan State Police (MSP); codifies previous Executive Directives/Executive Orders to recognize the move of the Fire Marshal from MSP to DLEG. Additionally, the bill repeals the section of the act establishing the Office of the Fire Marshal.
HB 5862 State Construction Code Act; amends the Act to reflect the transfer.
The bill also adds the DLEG Director to the State Construction Code Commission to replace the Office of Fire Safety, and alters who selects the Board Chair.
HB 5863 Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act; amends the
Act to reflect the transfer. Additionally, the bill transfers the approval requirement for Mackinac Island State Park Commission and the City of Mackinac Island fire protection contract from the Office of the Fire Marshal to the Bureau of Fire Services.
HB 5864 Electrical Administrative Act; amends the Act to reflect the transfer and replaces one MSP member with the DLEG Director or his/her designee.
HB 5865 School Code; amends the Code to reflect the transfer and clarifies that the new Bureau of Fire Safety will be approving and inspecting school-run child care centers and will enforce the school fire safety rules in accordance with the Fire Prevention Code.
HB 5866 Social Welfare Act; amends the Act to reflect the transfer and shifts responsibility of inspecting and approving county medical care facilities from the office of the Fire Marshal to the Bureau of Fire Services.
HB 5867 Elevator Safety Board Act; amends the Act to reflect the transfer. Also, the bill transfers the power of approval of an acceptable noncombustible container for the disposal of cigars and cigarettes near elevators from the Office of the Fire Marshal to the Bureau of Fire Services.
HB 5868 Motor Carrier Safety Act; amends the Act to reflect the transfer.
Also, the bill transfers to the Bureau of Fire Services the power of approval for the emergency transportation of hazardous materials.
HB 5869 Child Care Organizations Act; amends the Act to reflect the transfer.
The bill also transfers the powers of oversight of child care organizations, including those housed in school buildings, to the Bureau of Fire Services. Additionally, the Bureau will be named to the rules committee, replacing references to the Fire Marshal.
HB 5870 Insurance Code; amends the Code to reflect the transfer. Also, the bill transfers the authority of prescribing a report concerning a motor vehicle fire or explosion to the Bureau of Fire Services in consultation with the Office of Financial and Insurance Services.
HB 5871 amends the exemption of firefighters from group commercial motor vehicle designation requirements if they have met the Fire Fighter Training Council standards.