Pop-Up Tax Moratorium

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

This bill creates a temporary moratorium on the taxable value "pop-up" for property that is sold as a homestead (principle residence) for an 18 month period beginning on March 1, 2007. Buyers during that period would get the same taxable value as the seller. The "pop-up" is where the state equalized value (market value) of newly-sold property becomes the basis for its property tax assessment, rather than the capped "taxable value" of the previous owner, which is often lower. (Under Proposal A, approved by voters in 1994, the taxable value of property is capped at the rate of inflation in order to protect homeowners from escalating property taxes.) A number of Republican amendments were not adopted:

• Represenatative Horn offered an amendment that would have eliminated the tie-bar to HB 4441, which provided replacement revenue to local units of government for public safety. The amendment failed 53-54.
• Representative Caswell offered an amendment that would require tax assessments to be lowered to reflect falling market values. The amendment was ruled not germane because it introduced a new section to the bill. (The ruling of the chair was upheld 57-52.)
• Representative Hoogendyk offered an amendment to make the moratorium permanent. The amendment failed 54-54.
• Representative Hoogendyk offered an amendment to require that all property be assessed at 45% of its true cash value. (Currently property is assessed at 50%.) The amendment failed 55-53.
• Representative Moore offered an amendment to keep the moratorium in place until the state's unemployment rate is less than the national unemployment rate. The amendment failed 55-53.

Temporarily Increase Real Estate Transfer Tax

Next: Bill goes to Senate for Consideration

This bill would temporarily raise the real estate transfer tax from .75 percent to .85 percent, and give the additional revenue to the local government for public safety spending. The temporary increase would be in effect from April 1, 2007 to September 1, 2008, and it is meant to offset some of the loss in revenue from the pop-up moratorium in House Bill 4440.

Require Financial Disclosure for Public Officials and Candidates for Office

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

This bill would require candidates for elected office and state officials to submit personal financial statements and reports to the Bureau of Elections. Under the bill, candidates and officeholders of the following positions would have to disclose personal finances: governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state senator, state representative, principal head of department, judge, office of member of a board or commission running a department, and UM/MSU/WSU board of trustees. In addition, a Republican amendment was adopted by a vote of 72-38 that expanded the bill to include locally elected officials who are compensated more than twice the statewide median gross income.

Public Disclosure for Automated Political Phone Calls

Next: Bill goes to the Senate for consideration

This bill would require that automated phone calls ("robocalls"), e-mail, or other electronic communications used by political campaigns disclose the identity of the person paying for the communication and whether it is authorized by a candidate. The bill would also prohibits automated phone calls between 9:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m.

Clarify Definition of "Serious Impairment" in Automobile No-Fault Insurance Law

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

The bill re-states the long-held interpretation of the term "serious impairment of body function" for use in automobile no-fault cases by reasserting the commonly understood meaning of the term prior to the Supreme Court's decision in Kreiner v Fischer, 471 Mich. 109 (2004). The bill will make it easier for people who have suffered serious injuries, major surgery, and residual disabilities to pursue their claims and seek recovery of damages.

Increase Penalties for Drive-by Shootings

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

These bills increase the penalties and for drive-by shootings and firing a weapon at or in a dwelling to up to 10 years imprisonment and/or up to a $10,000 fine. In addition, the bill would provide for increased penalties if the shooting resulted in an injury to another person depending upon the severity of the injury.

Provide Qualified Interpreters for Deaf and Deaf-Blind Individuals

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

This bill amends the Deaf Persons' Interpreters Act to require appointing authorities to provide qualified interpreters for deaf and deaf-blind individuals. The bill also establishes penalties for interpreters who misrepresent themselves as interpreters and for appointing authorities who violate the act.

Revise Property Taxes for Joint Tenancy

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

The bill would eliminate the "pop up" in real property taxes that occurs when a joint tenancy is terminated, if the joint tenancy was originally created before the adoption of Proposal A in 1994.

Registration for Boiler Operators and Stationary Engineers

Next: Bill goes to the Senate for consideration

This bill creates a voluntary registration for boiler operators and stationary engineers. An individual could only use the specified titles including "certified boiler operator," "certified stationary engineer,", "low pressure certified boiler operator,", and "high pressure certified boiler operator," or the abbreviations for these titles if they are registered.

Quality Assurance Assessment Program Revenue Retention

Next: Bill is returned to the Senate for presentation and enrollment with the Governor

This bill would allow the state to retain $46.4 million in Quality Assurance Assessment Program (QAAP) revenue, an increase of $4.0 million beyond what is currently in statute. This revenue, which supports Medicaid expenditures in hospitals, has already been collected, and the bill merely revises the amount the state may retain, for the purposes of closing the FY 05-06 books.

Repeal Labeling of Non-Vine Ripened Tomatoes

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

This bill would repeal a law that prohibits the sale of tomatoes which are not vine ripened unless the wrappings and containers are labeled "not vine ripened" or "artificially ripened by ethylene."

Allow Consumers to Put a Security Freeze on their Credit Reports

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

This bill would require credit reporting agencies to place a "security alert" notice in the credit report of an individual who has been the victim of identity theft and requests the alert. Also, to require credit reporting agencies to honor a "security freeze" request from an identity theft victim, which prohibits the release of information to a third party without prior express authorization from the consumer.

Establish Conflict of Interest Rules for Legislators

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

This bill would prohibit a legislator from voting on a bill with which he or she has a substantial conflict of interest. A legislator with a substantial conflict of interest would have to state that fact on the record.

Prohibit Legislators from Receiving State Grants

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

This bill would prohibit legislators from applying for or accepting grants from the state while the legislator is in office. Republicans offered two amendments to the bill:

• Rep. Ward offered an amendment to extend the bill to a member of a state board that approves grants of state money. The amendment was ruled not germane by the chair, and the ruling was upheld by a vote of 55-51.
• Rep. Ward offered an amendment to make the bill also apply to the Governor, Lt. Governor, Secretary of State and Attorney General. The amendment was adopted 104-0.
• Rep. Ward offered an amendment to define as a conflict of interest a state elected official participating in the negotiation of a state contract with a party that has made a campaign contribution to the officeholder. The amendment was adopted 63-42.

Require Reporting of State Contracts by non-U.S. Companies

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

This bill would require the Department of Management and Budget to report to the legislature on the amount of goods and services purchased by state agencies from an expatriated business or manufacturer or provided by an individual who is not a citizen, a legal resident alien or does not hold a valid visa.

Prohibit Changing Lanes in Intersections

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

This bill will make it illegal to change lanes to pass another vehicle while passing through any intersection where traffic is controlled by a traffic control device, i.e. a stoplight or flashing light.

Use of Drug Analysis Field Test to Show Probable cause in Preliminary Exam

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

This bill would allow drug analysis field test results to be used as admissible evidence in preliminary hearings to establish probable cause that a crime was committed.

Allow Operation of Off Road Vehicles on the Shoulder of Roads

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

This bill allows county commissions in the northern Lower Peninsula and the Upper Peninsula the authority to permit the use of Off Road Vehicles (ORV) on the shoulders of any road under their jurisdiction.

Expand Eligibility for Sentencing Prisoners to Boot Camps

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

These bills eliminate a prohibition on allowing someone convicted of a crime for a second time to be placed in a special alternative incarceration program ("boot camp" type program).

Expedite Medical Commutations for Terminally Ill Prisoners

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

The bill would expedite medical commutations for terminally ill prisoners by not requiring a public hearing.

Allow Raised Platforms When Hunting Fox and Coyote

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

This bill would permit the hunting of fox and coyote from a scaffold, tree, or platform, when otherwise legal.

District Library Bond Collection

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

The bill would clarify that taxes levied for the purpose of repaying district library bonds be collected with other unallocated county taxes. This would continue the collection of these taxes with the December property tax assessment.

Increase Federal Funding of Early Childhood Education

This resolution memorializes the U.S. Congress to invest more money into Head Start and quality child care.

Extend Re-employment Protections for Returning Military Personnel

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

This bill would extend, from 15 days to 90 days, the period of time that employees returning from active military duty receive certain re-employment protections. It extends these protections to those with long periods of service, and provides for action in circuit court for those wrongly denied re-employment.

Require Schools to Adopt Anti-Bullying Policies

Next: Bill goes to the Senate for Consideration

House Bill 4162 requires the board of a school district or public school academy to adopt a policy prohibiting harassment or bullying at school. The policy must include provisions concerning education, parental involvement, reporting, investigation, and intervention.

Require Department of Education to Develop Model Anti-Bullying Policy

Next: Bill goes to the Senate for Consideration

This bill requires the Department of Education to develop and disseminate a model policy that prohibits harassment or bullying at school within six months of the passage of HB 4162 (see above). Representative Hoogendyk offered an amendment that requires parental notification of the bullying policy. The amendment was adopted 109-0.

Increase Penalties on Insurance Companies Engaging in Deceptive Acts

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

This bill doubles the civil penalties for an insurance company engaging in unfair or deceptive acts or practices. The current penalties range from $500 to $25,000.

Require Financial Disclosure for Legal Defense Funds

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

This bill would establish financial disclosure and reporting requirements similar to campaign finance reporting for legal defense funds created to defend a Michigan elected official against criminal, civil, or administrative actions. The bill would prohibit anonymous contributions, and require regular contribution reports to be filed with the Bureau of Elections.

Clarify Work Requirement for Family Independence Assistance

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

The bill specifies that after the Department of Human Services has made an initial determination that an adult or child aged 16 or over who is not attending school full-time might be eligible for family independence assistance (and is not exempt from Work First participation), that individual would be required to participate in assigned work-related activities. If an applicant who is not exempt from Work First participation fails to cooperate with Work First, the family would be ineligible for family independence assistance.

Expedite Foreign Nurse Licensing

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

This bill would expedite current procedures for granting Michigan licensure as a registered nurse (RN) to applicants educated outside the United States, subject to certain requirements and limitations.

Grant Limited Liquor Licenses

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

The bill would allow the Oakland Community College Culinary Studies Institute and the Performing Arts and Cultural Center Complex at Macomb Community College to obtain a license to sell liquor during regularly scheduled activities.

Ease Tax Withholding Requirements for Contractors

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

This bill would ease income tax withholding requirements for certain businesses that operate subsidized housing.

Change Procedure for Filling a Vacancy for the Bay County Executive

Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration

This bill would revise the procedure for filling a vacancy in the office of elected county executive in counties below 1 million in population (Bay County). The county board of commissioners would appoint a replacement, and the appointed executive would be able to serve for the remainder of the unexpired term if the next general election is less than 182 days away. If the next general election is more than 182 days away, the appointed executive serves only until a replacement is elected at that general election.