News

SB 709, SB 717 and SB 718 "Jessica's Law": Life without Parole

These bills would authorize, and provide sentencing guidelines for life in prison without possibility of parole for cases of first degree rape of a minor under age 13 if the perpertrator had a prior record of sexual assault crimes. SBs 709 & 718 passed 104-1. SB 717 passed 105-0.

SB 1122 "Jessica's Law": GPS Monitoring of Paroled Sex Offenders

This bill would authorize electronic monitoring by global positioning devices those convicted of first- or second-degree criminal sexual conduct (CSC) who are on parole. Passed 103-2

SB 1171, SB 1229, HB 5887 and HB 5888 Funeral Protest Ban

These bills would make it a felony to be disorderly within 500 feet of a funeral memorial service, the viewing of a deceased person, or a funeral procession or burial. The first offense would be punishable by imprisonment for not more than two years and/or a fine of not more than $5,000. The second or more offenses would be punishable by up to four years imprisonment and/or a $10,000 fine. The bills passed 97-1, 99-1, 100-1, and 101-1 respectively.

SB 1199 Local Government Authority on Funeral Protests

This bill would give local governments the authority to require a permit to demonstrate or protest on public property outside of any funeral home, church, cemetery, or any other location at which a funeral service or memorial service is being held. The bill passed 99-1.

HB 6021 All 25 Year Millages for Rail Transit Funding

The bill would allow a public authority to levy taxes for up to 25 years, through a voter approved millage proposal, to fund a fixed rail transit system. Bill passed 86-19.

HB 5747 Establish Crime of Human Trafficking

This bill would ban subjecting another person to forced labor or service, including sex, by physical restraint or the threat of physical restraint; by threatening to abuse the law or legal processes; by destroying, concealing, removing, confiscating, or possessing a passport or other immigration document; by using blackmail, threatening to cause financial harm, or exerting financial control; and more. A penalty of up to life in prison would be authorized if the activity results in the death of another, up to 15 years if a violation causes injury, and up to 10 years in other cases. The bill passed 101-0.

HB 5953 Divorce Settlement Procedures

This bill would establish procedures and stipulations related to the division of annuities, pensions and retirement benefits in divorce settlements. Bill passed 105-0.

HB 6026 School Board Election Dates

This bill revises the dates of Intermediate School Board elections to conform with House Bill 4755, which would require school board elections to be held in November. Under current law, school districts may choose to hold their elections in May. Bill passed 67-38.

HB 5917 9-1-1 Service for Cell Phones

This bill would extend the sunset from Dec. 31, 2006 to Dec. 31, 2008 on the 29-cent cell phone tax that is used to upgrade 9-1-1 service to accommodate cell phones, extend that tax to pre-paid cell phones. The bill passed 100-5.

SB 872 Municipal Budget Process

This bill would require local governments to hold a public hearing "within 30 days of" the date of the final adoption of their budget, rather than just "prior to" the budget adoption. The bill passed 105-0.

SB 875 Municipal Investment Pools

This bill would allow local governments and authorities to pool or coordinate funds they have to be invested with the funds of other local governments, for the purpose of seeking a higher rate of return. Bill passed 105-0.

SB 908 County Designation for Notary Public

This bill would require a notary public to denote in what county he/she is performing his/her duties. Bill passed 105-0.

HB 5396 Prohibit Tobacco Purchase by Minors

Under current law, minors are prohibited from possessing, smoking, or using tobacco products. This bill expands the law to explicitly prohibit the purchase or attempted purchase of tobacco products. Bill passed 101-4.

HB 4171 Landlord/Tenant Labor Reimbursement Rate

The bill would require landlords and tenants to be paid at professional rates for repairs to rental properties where the repairs were necessitated by damage caused by tenants or by the landlord's failure to make repairs. The bill passed 102-0.

HBs 5421 & 5422 and SB 718 Increase Penalties for Crimes Against Minors

These bills would increase to 25 years the minimum sentence that must be served before becoming eligible for parole for certain serious sex crimes committed against minors under age 13. The bills also require a life in prison with no chance of parole sentence for a person convicted of the rape of a child involving the use of a weapon, force or coercion has a previous criminal sexual conduct conviction. The bills passed 106-0, 102-4, and 105-1, respectively.

HBs 5531, 5532 Lifetime Monitoring of Certain Sex Offenders

This package of bills would require mandatory lifetime electronic monitoring of persons convicted of serious sex crimes against children under the age of thirteen. The monitoring would use a satellite Global Positioning System to track the offender's location at all times for the rest of his life. Both bills passed 103-3.

HB 5633 English as Official Language

This bill establishes English as the official state language. Specifically, the bill would establish that state agencies and local governments are not required to provide documents, public written materials, or website content in any language other than English, but does not prohibit them from doing so. Bill passed 73-32.

HBs 5955-5958 Regulate Internet "Trading Assistants"

This package of four bills would impose regulations on internet "trading assistants." These are companies or individuals who assist other persons with posting and selling items through on-line auction web sites such as eBay. Trading assistants would be required to have a fixed place of business in the state; post certain details of the merchandise on the web site, including make, model, serial number and more; be searchable by state or zip code on the web site; maintain detailed sale records for two years; give local police access to the place of business during regular working hours; give police the sellers name, address and drivers license number, plus a description of the property within 24 hours of entering a contract to assist in a sale; accept payment only by check or electronic transfer, not cash; and remove the item from the web site immediately if informed that it is stolen. House Bills 5955 and 5956 passed 104-1, and House Bills 5957 and 5958 passed 105-0.

HB 5653 Allow Podiatrists to Supervise Physician's Assistants

This bill allows podiatrists to join the list of health care professionals that can supervise physician's assistants. The bill passed 103-0.

HBs 5885 & 5886 Revise Municipal Planning Procedures

These two bills would amend the planning acts for cities, villages, municipalities, and townships by changing the requirements for a county commission or county board of commissioners to submit comments to their respective planning commissions. The bill also deletes a requirement that a copy of comments on a land use plan proposed by a township, city, or village must be submitted to the affected county. Both bills passed 106-0.

HB 5959 Exempt Racing Fuel From Gasoline Tax

This bill would exempt high octane leaded gasoline used in race cars on race tracks from the state gas tax. Bill passed 103-3.

HB 6034 Expand MEGA Eligibility

This bill revises the definition of "high tech business" in the Michigan Economic Growth Authority (MEGA) law so that its Single Business Tax (SBT) breaks could be granted to a particular facility that meets the definition, even if the company as a whole does not. The legislation is needed to complete pending MEGA deals with Ford/Visteon and General Motors/Delphi. Bill passed 106-0.

HB 6035 Establish "Full-time Job" Definition for MEGA

This bill establishes a new definition of "full time work" for purposes of granting Single Business Tax (SBT) breaks under the Michigan Economic Growth Authority (MEGA) law, which requires firms to add or retain a certain number of jobs to qualify. Under the new definition, a "full-time job" would include a job performed by an individual at a business that sells all or part of its assets to an eligible business that is receiving a MEGA SBT credit. The legislation is needed to complete pending MEGA deals with Ford/Visteon and General Motors/Delphi. Bill passed 106-0.

HB 5962 Allow Blue Cross Blue Shield to Share Patient Information

This bill would allow Blue Cross Blue Shield to share certain information with providers and group health plans, provided that the sharing of information was permissible under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

HB 5760 Allow Teachers to Collect Pension While Working

This bill would extend the sunset, from 2006 to 2011, on a law that allows retired teachers and administrators to return to teaching, without it affecting their pension, in certain schools or subjects when it is deemed that there is a teacher shortage. Bill passed 106-0.

SCR 40 St. Clair Community College Renovation Project

This Senate Concurrent Resolution would establish a lease agreement between the State, the State Building Authority and St. Clair County Community College that would allow a campus renovation project to ensue. The resolution was adopted 106-0.

HB 5993 Require Sprinkler Systems in Nursing Homes

This bill would require all licensed nursing homes to be fully equipped with a sprinkler system, as long as Congress enacts legislation to provide funding for fire sprinkler retrofitting in nursing homes. Bill passed 99-3.

HB 4309 Family Independence Program Reductions

This bill would create reforms to the current welfare system. The primary provisions include: imposing a 48 month lifetime limit (with a 24 consecutive month limit) on cash assistance. Instituting new rigid sanctions for violating work requirements. The sanctions would suspend benefits for 90 days for first and second instances, 2 years for a third instance and a lifetime termination for the fourth violation. Also the bill eliminates the $200 earned income disregard for cases below the work requirement. This would create a disincentive for recipients to find work. Additionally the bill reduces Family Independence Program (FIP) cash assistance across the board to all recipients in the state. Many Democrats voted against the bill because it would eliminate assistance to tens of thousands of Michigan's neediest children. The bill passed 64-39.

 

The omnibus budget bill includes funding for all state departments, excluding K-12 education expenditures, which are part of a separate budget in HB 5789. Below are brief summaries of the articles contained in the budget. In addition, a total of 54 amendments were offered on the budget, primarily by Republicans. Many of these amendments added money for individual "pet projects" or "pork" for Republican legislators. One significant amendment that was adopted was a Pastor Amendment that would prohibit colleges and universities from entering into project labor agreements. Democrats offered an amendment to restore funding for the Michigan First Healthcare Plan, which would provide health coverage to approximately one million uninsured Michigan residents; this amendment was defeated 48-58. The omnibus budget bill passed 60-46.

Article 1 (Agriculture)

The budget will provide better consumer protections by adding funding for food and dairy inspections and the Bovine TB program is increased by $449,000 (GF/GP) over the current year due to additional herds that have tested positive in recent months.

Article 2 (Community Colleges)

This budget reflects an average 2.2% increase per community college and increases Renaissance Zone Tax Reimbursement by 10.3 percent to reflect the expected increases in taxable value in renaissance zones. Also included is $225,000 funding increase to WayneCountyCommunity Collegeto restore half of their FY 2003-04 reduction that was appropriated to three other community colleges.

Article 3 (Community Health)

• Michigan First Healthcare Plan. House includes $100 placeholder and adds onerous boilerplate.

• Medicaid Home Help Workers Wage Increase. Would increase the minimum hourly wage for this group from $5.15 to 6.60 per hour, which would affect over 70% of home help care employees in 45 counties. House $16m gross/$7m GF (except for relatives, and uses to provide 2% increase to CMH direct care workers--$10.4m gross/$4.5m GF).

• Eliminate optional Medicaid eligibility for 19-20 year-olds and caretaker relatives. ($131.7 gross)/($57.5 GF). Legislative changes necessary.
• Increases MI Child Premium: from $5/month to $10/m. ($1.3m gross)/($567,100 GF).
• Provides for a 5% increase in Medicaid physician payment rates. $41.6 gross/$18.1 GF.
• Healthy Michigan Fund Revisions: adds funding to Cancer Prevention, Lead Poisoning Prevention, and Diabetes/Kidney programs; eliminates Physical Fitness, Nutrition, and Health and Infant Mortality (however, restores $240,000 GF by eliminating funding for the Surgeon General position); takes $400,000 from Health Disparities, funded at $900,000; provides $1.1m for new Nurse Family Partnership program; provides $200,000 for statewide expansion of the Marquette WIC smoking cessation program---Net change: $0.
• African-American Health Initiative (Sec. 1029)—intent of Legislature that male participation in program be no less than 75%.
• Out of Wedlock pregnancies (Sec. 1113)—requires funded family planning and pregnancy prevention providers to discourage sexual activity outside of marriage; DCH must monitor and report. DCH does not support due to existing federal requirements for data collection.
• Crime Victim Service Grants (Sec. 1301)—awards may be granted only to 501(c)(3) nonprofits that utilize at least 50% of the organization's budget for direct service and support to crime victims. Exempts faith-based groups and groups that provide medical care—but may still be too restrictive. 

Article 4 (Corrections)

• Reduction of the academic/ vocational line-item by $8.7 million. The Exec. Rec. appropriated $36.9 million.
• Increased funding for the attorney general's "Joshua Project" by $1.3 million. The Exec. Rec. was $500,000 as in current year. This Attorney General Cox's program, yet it does not come from his budget. 
• Eliminates captains on night shifts. Savings will generate about $2.8 million.
• Inserts a $100 placeholder for the Baldwin facility (Michigan Youth Correctional Facility).
• A new $1.7 million general fund/ general purpose line-item for implementation of global positioning systems (GPS) for certain offenders.
• New boilerplate requiring the DOC and Michigan Department of Community Health to work together on gathering data and sharing information regarding Hepatitis C and prisoners being released from prison.
• Language prohibiting the DOC from opening or reopening beds not otherwise provided for in the budget until it uses beds available at the Baldwin facility (Michigan Youth Corrections Facility).

Article 5 (Department of Education)

The House added a total of $400,000 GF/GP (divided between two different lines) to provide for the development, approval, implementation, and support of the new subject area content expectations and guidelines, and graduation requirements. Also added was $1.5 million GF/GP for a web-based practice assessment and classroom mediation program and $250,000 GF/GP for the administration of middle school math programs.

Article 6 (Environmental Quality)

The bill closely tracks the Executive Recommendation and avoids significant program cuts. Notable funding items include: $40 million in new grant funding is provided to local communities to fund engineering work to complete applications for wastewater infrastructure loans; $20.1 million for underground storage tank cleanups; $4.5 million for scrap tire grants.

The bill contains a handful of Republican earmarks and boilerplate sections opposed by the administration.

Article 7 (General Government)

Statutory revenue sharing is increased, which likely means a raise to local police and fire services. Many local units of government will be eligible for SHARE grants to help make up for any reduction in their statutory revenue sharing payments. The budget mostly retains Executive recommendations.

Article 8 (Higher Education)

The House proposal includes a funding formula that uses higher weighting for math degrees, and education degrees in math, science, technical, and special education related sub-areas. The increases were capped at 4% over last year's enacted budget and decreases were limited to 2% from that amount. Under this formula, all the colleges receive a gross increase of some sort except for Wayne State University which is cut by $4 million (1.9 percent).

• Increase to the Agriculture Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension programs by 2 percent.
• Maintain the Tuition Grant at the current funding, but mandates an annual report on the progress of award recipients.
• Nursing Scholarship program kept at current year levels.
• The House adds a new section providing for $600,000 from the appropriation to Northern Michigan for costs of operating and maintaining the Superior Dome.

Article 9 (History, Arts and Libraries)

The budget increases State Aid to Libraries, Art and Cultural Grants and restores funding for grants to historical societies. The budget prohibits funding to the Ann Arbor Film Festival for two years.

Article 10 (Human Services)

• Includes Republican Welfare Reform Proposal

• A net reduction to the Family Independence Program line-item of $99,029,600, encompassing both benefit reductions and projected cost savings. A 12.5 million dollar transfer to the Department of Labor & Economic Growth (DLEG) for vocational services and case evaluation from the Employment Training and Services (ETS) line-item.
• A 3.6 million dollar appropriation under the ETS line-item for training grants to businesses that employ long-term FIP recipients.
• Creation of a new "Child Care Fund In-Home Care Incentive Program" line-item, at $10million, to encourage in-home care services for delinquent/abused/neglected youth. 
• The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Advocates line-item is increased $2.3 million to cover the costs of contracting with the Legal Services Association of Michigan (LSAM) to conduct SSI advocacy for FIP and State Disability Assistance (SDA) recipients. 
• Three separate increases to the Local Office Staff and Operations line-item. These are;

           a.) 80 new FTE positions for specialized 'ExpressJET' staff ($3,266,000),

           b.) 31 new FTE positions for Medicaid asset transfer lookback staff ($1,369,500)

           c.) 25 new Child Protective Services (CPS) FTEs ($1,223,300).

• 48 Month Lifetime Limit & 24 Month Consecutive Limit on Family Independence Program (FIP) cash assistance – Effective December 31, 2006
• Payment Standard Consolidation – FIP payment standards would be consolidated to the previous Shelter Area IV standard, the third highest payment rate. 
• Eliminate $200 Income Disregard for Cases Below the Federal Work Requirement
• New 90/90/365 to Life Sanctions Policy 
• 'Express JET' – 80 new field staff to coordinate FIP cases that move between Work First and DHS, particularly as it relates to compliance and sanctions. 

Article 11 (Judiciary)

The budget includes $4.7 million for Michigan's drug treatment courts, a $100,000 increase over last year. There are currently 49 operational drug courts in the State of Michigan consisting of 18 adult drug courts, 15 DUI courts, 11 juvenile drug courts, 3 family dependency courts and 2 tribal courts. There are also an additional 15 courts in various stages of planning and development comprised of 7 adult, 2 DUI, 2 juvenile, 2 family dependency courts, and 2 tribal courts. The budget increases funding for indigent legal defense and for the State Appellate Defender Office and the Appellate Assigned Counsel Administration.

Article 12 (Labor and Economic Growth)

• Fire protection grants funding increased to $10.9 million. Grants are provided to local communities for fire protection services. Grants are distributed by formula.
• About $1.1 million for a new program "Jobs, Education, and Training (JET) pilot program, which is designed to reduce long-term welfare dependence through enhanced and integrated service delivery to public assistance recipients. Funding comes from interdepartmental revenues from the Department of Human Services (DHS).
• A new $725,000 line-item to assist Office of Financial and Insurance Services (OFIS) with payday lending transaction oversights.
• Reduced funding for the Michigan Broadband Authority in anticipation of its elimination. Proposed funding of about $501,000 will allow the remaining contracts to be completed.
• A $5 million increase in funding to the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) for the Section 8 housing and rental assistance payments program.
• A $2 million increase in funding for Workforce Development Training for the disabled.
• $100,000 line-item grant to "Newsline" for the blind.

• Modifies 'Welfare to Work Requirements' language. This language mirrors what the welfare reform legislation reported from the Appropriations Committee on May 9, 2006. (House Bill 4309 –Hummel).

Article 13 (Michigan Strategic Fund)

The recommended funding for Job Creation services is $17.4 million. Travel Tourism program remains constant at $5.7 million. Federal Community Development Block Grant program remains at $45 million. Economic Development Job Training Grants remain at $9.7 million. Boilerplate was added that requires the MEDC to contract with a state research university in Michigan to conduct a scientific study of the return on investment of state tourism advertising expenditures. Currently, the Department uses a renowned Canadian company to do studies on Michigan tourism.

Article 14 (Military and Vets)

The budget mostly follows the Executive Recommendation and fully funds the Challenge program and maintains funding for veteran's homes.

Article 15 (Natural Resources)

The budget sets aside an appropriate amount of funding to aid in the control of Double Crested Cormorants which have become a rapidly growing problem in northern Michigan and for the first time in several years, PILT is fully funded.

Article 16 (State Police)

The Department of State Police retains funding that is adequate to maintain their programs. Funding is added to train 50 new troopers and included is $120.0 million in federal funds for statewide homeland security efforts. There are no closures of any state police posts.

Article 17 (Transportation)

• Interdepartmental grant (IDG) from the MTF to the Department of Treasury is reduced by $3.2 million compared to the current year (and reduced by $3.8 million compared to the Executive Recommendation.)
• $15.7 million increase for State Trunkline Road and Bridge Construction. (The increase reflects, in part, restoration of funds tied to specific earmarks that were vetoed from the current year budget and $1.3 million available from cut in IDG to Treasury.)
• $15 million increase (including 10 FTE increase) for State Trunkline Maintenance.
• $4 million in new federal funds for new Safe Routes to School Program (no state or local match required).
• $9.2 million increase in estimated MTF distribution to county road commissions and cities and villages. (Reflects additional $1.3 million to counties and $750,000 to cities and villages due to cut in IDG to Treasury).
• $1.7 million increase for Public Transportation and Freight Services administration provided by MDOT. (Reflects 8 FTEs restored from cuts in the current year budget.)
• $3.3 million increase in Local Bus Operating Assistance.
• $17.8 million increase in Bus Capital, which includes $10.8 million in state restricted funds and $7 million local funds to match federal aid projects.
• Rail Passenger Service (AMTRAK) is fully funded ($7.1 million in state funds) with no strings attached.

HB 5789 School Aid Budget for Fiscal Year 2006-2007

This School Aid budget funds the state's local school districts, public school academies, and intermediate school districts. Highlights of this budget include increasing the per pupil foundation allowance by $230, and an equity payment of $35 per pupil in districts with a foundation allowance below $7,480. The budget did not include additional funding to help schools with declining enrollment. Reps. Cheeks and Cushingberry offered a substitute version of the bill that would restore $50 million in funding for schools with declining enrollment; the substitute version of the bill was not adopted by a vote of 47-58. Rep. Williams offered a substitute version of the bill that would increase the Michigan School Readiness Program which provides preschool education to at-risk children. The Williams amendment failed 49-56. The School Aid Budget passed 90-15.

HB 4437 Supplemental Budget

This supplemental budget bill for the current fiscal year appropriates $11 million to replace all the existing blue Michigan license plates with a new plate that will be more readable at night. The bill also contains a $2 million appropriation to purchase a public access point at Walloon Lake. Bill passed 102-2.

SB 242 Supplemental Budget

This is a compromise version of the bill which was reported by a House-Senate conference committee. The bill appropriates $231.4 million, of which $82.9 million is federal money. Among high profile items in funded by the bill are $4 million for the Detroit zoo. Bill passed 96-8.

SB 1112 Reporting of Methamphetamine Labs

This bill requires local law enforcement agencies to notify the Department of Community Health when they discover an illegal methamphetamine lab. Current law requires that law enforcement notifies the Department of Environmental Quality. Bill passed 106-0.

SB 1115 Posting Methamphetamine Labs on the Internet

This bill requires the State Police to post on a web site the location of methamphetamine labs that are discovered, with the status of the clean up efforts. Bill passed 106-0.

SB 1119 Prohibit Methamphetamine Websites

This bill would allow the Attorney General to commence a civil action against persons who develop or maintain websites on how to manufacture or create methamphetamines or how to obtain substances that may be used in the manufacture of creation of methamphetamines. Bill passed 105-1.

SB 1116 Define Exposure to Meth Production as Child Abuse

The bill explicitly adds exposure to methamphetamine production to the definition of child abuse in law. Bill passed 106-0.

HB 5217 Protect Privacy of Concealed Weapons Permit Holders

This bill would amend the Concealed Weapons Act to exempt personal information on a permit application from the Freedom of Information Act. Bill passed 104-0.

HB 4431 Expand Definition of First Degree Murder

This bill amends the definition of first-degree murder to also include the murder committed in the perpetration of aggravated stalking or torture. Bill passed 106-0.

HB 5529 Compensation for Joint Public Safety Boards

This bill would allow townships, cities and villages that have a joint police administrative board, fire administrative board, or police and fire administrative board to raise the compensation rate for its members. Under current law the compensation is capped at $30 per meeting. Bill passed 102-2.

SBs 1133-1145 and HBs 5860-5871 Create the Bureau of Fire Services

These twelve House Bills and thirteen Senate 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 would place all state programs and activities related to fire fighting and prevention to the newly created office. All twenty-five bills passed unanimously.

HB 5056 Downtown Development Authority Board Requirements

This bill clarifies a current requirement that a certain number of the members of a Downtown Development Authority's board be "persons" with an interest in property located in the downtown district, so that it instead specifies that they be "officers, members, trustees, principals, or employees of an entity" that has an interest in property located in the district. Bill passed 102-0.

HB 4778 Liability Waiver for Canoe Liveries

This bill would establish that an owner of a nonmotorized rental watercraft (such as a canoe livery) is not liable for injuries sustained by renters or users of the craft that arise from the risk inherent in the watercraft's use or operation, including waves, weather, collision avoidance maneuvers, failure of the renter or user's own equipment, failure to wear a life preserver, having too many persons on board, or other actions of the renter or user of the boat. Bill passed 73-33.

HB 5354 Sale of State Property

This bill authorizes the sale by the state at fair market value of the 35 acres of the former Michigan School for the Blind property in the city of Lansing, which was closed in 1994. The bill would sell 8.5 acres to the Mid-Michigan Leadership Academy, a charter school that now leases part of the property, and the balance to the Lansing Housing Commission for a public housing project. Five percent of the sale revenue would go to the Newsline for the Blind Fund and the rest to support of Camp Tuhsmeheta in Greenville. Bill passed 106-0.

HB 5977 Partial Exemption for Pre-LaborDay School Ban

This bill would allow an Intermediate School District that provides student programs or services under contract to a regular school district to be exempt from the ban on starting school before Labor Day if the regular school district is also exempt (because of previous labor contracts or because it has a year round school schedule). Bill passed 105-0.

HB 6069 Revise School Borrowing Regulations

This bill amends the Revised School Code to change the maximum number of months, from twelve to thirteen months, for which school aid anticipation notes may be issued. School Aid anticipation notes are short-term loans schools borrow against their expected school aid payments for the year. Bill passed 105-0.

SB 1184 Payment Formula of Certain School Hearings

This bill would establish that local school districts are responsible for paying 75 percent of the cost of certain hearings related to the services provided to disabled children that receive special education services. Bill passed 105-0.

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 104-1.

HB 5060 and SB 693 Prohibit Eminent Domain for Private Benefit

These bills would prohibit the use of eminent domain by state or local governments to take private property for the primary benefit of a private entity, rather than for "the use or benefit" of the public. The bills passed 102-1 and 103-0, respectively.

HB 5817 Increase Moving Expense for Eminent Domain Takings

This bill increases from $1,000 to $5,200 the compensation for moving expenses that is paid to the owner or renter of a residence that has been condemned and will be taken by the government under eminent domain for a public use. Bill passed 104-0.

HB 5818 Eminent Domain Challenges

This bill would allow a court to award attorney or expert witness fees to a low income person who brings an unsuccessful challenge to a government taking of his or her property under eminent domain. Bill passed 104-0.

HB 5819 Eminent Domain Compensation Schedule

This bill would require the compensation offered to a person dispossessed of his or her property by a government taking under eminent domain to be paid at least 30 days before the actual dispossession. Bill passed 104-0.

HB 5820 Eminent Domain Compensation

This bill would exempt residential dwellings from provisions in the state eminent domain condemnation law that requires cost recovery from the owner of a polluted or contaminated property. Since most environment contamination is caused by industrial property owners, not residential owners, this bill would allow residential property owners to be justly compensated for property taken under eminent domain without responsibility for environmental cleanup. Bill passed 102-0.

HB 5821 Property Owner Rights in Eminent Domain Cases

This bill would require a government agency taking a property under eminent domain to outline for the owner his or her rights in the process. The bill also revises the deadlines and procedures for a property owner making a claim that the compensation is not adequate. Bill passed 103-0.

HB 6085 Show Citizenship on Drivers Licenses

This bill would require that drivers licenses indicate whether the holder is a U.S. citizen, prohibit the Secretary of State from issuing a drivers license to a person they determine is in the U.S. illegally, and require that the expiration date of a drivers license issued to an alien expires on the date on which his or her presence in the U.S. becomes illegal. Bill passed 76-27.

HB 4977 Renewal Dates for Concealed Weapons Permits

This bill would amend the Concealed Weapons Act to change a licensee's permit renewal date to the applicant's birth date. Under current law a license expires five years after either the date it was issued, or the date of its renewal. This change would only apply to new licenses and renewals that take place after July 1, 2006. Bill passed 103-0.

HB 6070 Transfers of MEGA Brownfield Tax Credits

The bill allows Brownfield tax credits to be transferred between qualified taxpayers. Bill passed 102-0.

HB 5786 Michigan Strategic Fund Budget

This bill contains the budget of the Michigan Strategic Fund which promotes economic growth in Michigan. Its services also include the creation and retention of good jobs for Michigan citizens. The four areas funded by General Fund/General Purpose dollars are as follows: Administration, Job Creation Services, Michigan Promotion Program (Travel tourism), and Economic Development Job Training Grants.

SB 837 Purses for Overnight Horse Races

This bill would state that purses for overnight horse races at fairs shall be at least $1000.00. Bill passed 103-0.

HB 5545 Revise Hotel Taxes

This bill would revise the law that authorizes certain local hotel and liquor taxes to pay for convention facilities so that it applies to counties with populations over 750,000 instead of 600,000. Bill passed 103-0.

SB 538 Loan Program for Biomass Energy Systems for Farmers

This bill would allow loans up to $200,000 from the Small Business Pollution Prevention

Assistance Revolving Loan Fund for the structures, equipment, and apparatus that would be used for methane digesters using agricultural biomass (manure). Bill passed 70-33.

HB 5454 Penalties for Withdrawing from the Commercial Forestry Act

This bill modifies the method by which a financial penalty is imposed on property that is withdrawn from the Commercial Forest Act (CFA). The bill also requires some commercial forest property owners to provide certain documentation as to how that property can be accessed by the public for hunting and fishing purposes. Additionally, the bill raises the specific tax rate on CFA property to $1.20/acre on January 1, 2007 and by five cents every five years after that, and it freezes the state payment on CFA property at $1.20/acre until December 31, 2012 increasing five cents every five years after that. The House rejected the Senate-modified version of the bill, 7-95, and the bill now goes to a Conference Committee where differences between the House and Senate-passed versions will be worked out.

HB 5455 Criteria for Entering into the Commercial Forestry Act

This bill amends the eligibility criteria for the Commercial Forest Act (CFA) and repeals the statutory ten-year payment adjustment ratio for the state's payment rate on CFA property ($1.20/acre) and the CFA property owner's specific tax rate ($1.10/acre). The House rejected the Senate-modified version of the bill, 4-99, and the bill now goes to a Conference Committee where differences between the House and Senate-passed versions will be worked out.

HB 5796 Omnibus Budget Bill

This was the Senate version of the omnibus budget bill that was passed by the House last week. The Senate stripped the bill of all actual appropriations before sending the bill back to the House. The bill failed in the House 1-99, and will now go to a House-Senate conference committee to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.

HB 5789 School Aid Budget

This was the Senate version of the School Aid Budget that was passed by the House last week. The Senate stripped the bill of all actual appropriations before sending the bill back to the House. The bill failed in the House 0-100, and will now go to a House-Senate conference committee to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.

SBs 1080 and 1082-1097 Senate Budget Bills

These seventeen Senate bills are budget bills that contain no appropriations. The zeroed-out bills passed the House and were returned to the Senate, to advance the budget process to Conference Committee where differences between the Senate and House-passed budgets can be worked out.