Personal Property Tax Repeal
HB 4372 (Ebli), Passed 102-4
Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration
This bill exempts commercial and industrial personal property from the 18 mill local school operating millage and industrial personal property from the 6 mill State Education Tax. The bill is tie-barred to the new Michigan Business Tax, which would replace the revenue for schools, so that there wouldn't be a reduction in school funding.
Securitization of Tobacco Funds
HB 4850 (V. Smith), Passed 78-29
HB 4884 (Jackson), Passed 78-28
Next: HB 4850 ordered enrolled and presented to the Governor; HB 4884 goes to the Senate for consideration
These bills would allow for additional tobacco settlement fund money to be securitized in order to help stabilize the budget by pulling down more money for the state's General Fund. The Senate amended the bill by increasing the amount of money that may be securitized by $5 million (raising the cap to $815,000,000). The additional $5 million received would be deposited into the School Aid Fund. The Department of Management and Budget argued that the additional revenue was necessary to fill the gap in the School Aid Fund, which has grown since HB 4850 left the House in May.
Animal Abuse Penalties
HB 4550 (Espinoza),Passed 102-4
HB 4551 (Espinoza),Passed 90-16
HB 4552 (Byrnes),Passed 80-26
Next: All three bills go to the Senate for consideration
These bills increase the penalties for abusing animals in cases of multiple animals, or when the abuse results in the death of an animal. The current penalty is up to 93 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. The penalties for the newly defined crime would be between one and four years in prison and a fine of between $2,000 and $5,000, depending on the number of animals involved. The bill also authorizes consecutive sentences.
Recreation Vehicle Blood Alcohol Levels
HB 4789 (Scott), Passed 103-5
HB 4794 (Schuitmaker), Passed 102-6
HB 4795 (Corriveau), Passed 101-5
HB 4813 (Nitz), Passed 101-5
Next: All four bills go to the Senate for consideration
This package of bills lowers the drunken driving standard for off-road vehicles, watercraft, and snowmobiles from .10 percent blood alcohol content to .08 percent. This would make the standard the same as the drunken driving standard for operating motor vehicles.
Preference for Relatives When Placing Children in Foster Care
HB 4735 (Polidori),Passed 106-0
Next: Bill goes to Senate for Consideration
This bill would require child placing agencies to give special consideration to relatives of the child when placing a child in foster care, unless that placement is determined to be clearly not in the child's best interests.
Revise CountyBoard of Commissioners meeting Schedule
HB 4764 (Bieda), Passed 107-0
Next: Bill goes to Senate for consideration
The bill would allow CountyBoards of Commissioners to meet earlier in the year instead of in October to set their millage rates, since counties are now required to collect all of their operating millages in July.
Clarify Provisions of Construction Lien Act
SB 487 (Garcia), Passed 105-1
Next: Bill returned to Senate for enrollment
This bill limits to residential projects a requirement in the construction lien law that a property owner must provide to subcontractors, laborers, and suppliers a notice and copy of the receipt of a sworn statement filed by a contractor seeking a lien on the property for nonpayment.
Deaf Blind Interpreters
HB 4208 (Spade), RC 204, 6/14/2007, Passed 106-0
Next: Bill enrolled and presented to the Governor for her signature
These two bills amend 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.
Create Capitol Improvement Fund
HB 4609 (Bieda), Passed 101-3
HB 4610 (Bieda), Passed 100-4
House Bill 4609 would establish the Capitol Public Improvement Fund within the Michigan Legislative Council. The Capitol Public Improvement Fund could be used for Capitol staff training and Capitol improvement projects, and could accept money from any source including private donations. House Bill 4610 would amend provide that half of the unexpended funds from legislative offices at the end of the fiscal year would be deposited into the fund.
Give Preference to Relatives for Foster Care Placement
HB 4737 (Dean),Passed 103-2
Next: Bill sent to Senate for consideration
This bill would require that when a court issues an order removing a child from his or her home, the court must also order that child's parents to disclose the names of any relatives of the juvenile, to assist in determining a placement for the juvenile.
Religious Consideration in Foster Care Placement
HB 4736 (Byrum), Passed 106-1
Next: Bill sent to Senate for consideration
House Bill 4736 amends Section 4a of the Foster Care and Adoption Services Act to require a supervising agency to give preference to placement in foster care or adoptive homes that share the same religion as the child's immediate family before removal from the home, especially if religious laws regarding food have been observed in the home before removal. However, placement cannot be delayed solely to secure a home of the same religious practices as the child.
Local Moves of Household Goods
SB 266 (Garcia), Passed 103-0
Next: Bill returned to the Senate for enrollment and presentation to the Governor
The bill would require all carriers who transport household goods for a "local move" to obtain a permit from the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC). "Household goods" are defined as personal property which resides in one's residence. There was previously no definition in the act. A "local move" is defined as a household goods shipment of 40 miles or less from the point of origin to the point of destination. The MPSC would be responsible for regulating these carriers, and would have to determine that the carrier meets safety fitness requirements and financial responsibility requirements before issuing a permit. The MPSC could not determine or regulate the carrier's fares. Household movers would not be required to file their fares with the MPSC, but the MPSC would be able to request annual reports in specific cases if they feel it is necessary to enforce the act.
Liquor Code Revisions
HB 4684 (Accavitti),Passed
Next: Bill sent to Senate for consideration
This bill prohibits vendors from selling, serving or furnishing any alcohol to a "visibly intoxicated" person. Currently, the law prohibits sales to an "intoxicated" person. This change would make the Liquor Control Code more consistent with other statutes. The bill also makes several changes which would put into statute what the Liquor Control Commission is currently doing through its rule-making authority.
Uniform Foreign-Country Money Judgements Recognition Act
HB 4650 (Condino),Passed 103-0
Next: Bill sent to Senate for consideration
This bill would adopt a uniform foreign-country money judgments recognition act that would recognize money judgments obtained in other nations, and provide updated rules and procedures for this.
Local Federal Match Program
HB 4556 (Mayes), Passed 100-2
Next: Bill ordered enrolled
The bill extends until from September 30, 2007 to April 4, 2008 the deadline for local governments to apply for grants for road projects that are eligible for funding through certain federal matching fund programs.
Extend Sunset on Court of Appeals Fees
HB 4861 (Meadows),Passed 65-43
Next: Bill sent to Senate for consideration
This bill would keep the current fee structure for the Court of Appeals until 2012. Without this bill, the fees would have automatically reduced in October.
Property Conveyances
SB 134 (Switalski), Passed 106-1
Next: Bill is returned to the Senate for concurrence as amended
The bill authorizes the Department of Management and Budget to convey properties and release certain property rights in Ingham, Tuscola and Wayne counties. This bill authorizes the conveyance of property for fair market value in the City of Lansing, InghamCounty, commonly known as "the Ottawa Block". This bill authorizes the conveyance of the former Western Wayne Correctional Facility property in PlymouthTownship, WayneCounty, consisting of approximately 127 acres of land. Finally, Representative Brown amended the bill to authorize the state administrative board to convey surplus state owned property in TuscolaCounty to IndianfieldsTownship, for the exclusive use of a public park.