August 26 MichiganVotes.org Weekly Roll Call Report

MichiganVotes.org sends a weekly report to newspapers and TV stations around the state showing how state legislators in their service area voted on the most important or interesting bills of the past week.

Senate Bill 7, Mandate 20 percent government employee health benefit contribution: Passed 25 to 13 in the Senate
To prohibit local governments and public schools from providing employee health insurance benefits whose premiums cost more (in the aggregate) than $5,500 for a single person, $11,000 for a couple and $15,000 for a family plan, or alternatively, require employees to contribute at least 20 percent toward the cost. Most local governments but not schools could waive the requirements with a two-thirds vote of their governing body. Republican Tom Casperson joined all Democrats in voting "no."

Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

Senate Bill 485, Limit future local government "minimum staffing" requirements: Passed 26 to 12 in the Senate
To concur with the House-passed version of a bill that would prohibit local governments from adopting a charter or ordinance that imposes any minimum staffing requirements on themselves. The House stripped out a Senate-passed loophole allowing locals to impose these mandates on themselves through government employee union contracts. The bill is one of a package that applies to cities, villages, counties and townships.

Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

House Bill 4787, 9-1-1 service cell phone tax "fund raid": Passed 26 to 12 in the Senate
To continue earmarking $7 million from cell phone taxes intended to pay for 9-1-1 emergency services to instead pay for a State Police radio system; and also divert $150,000 of this money to the Department of Treasury.

Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

House Bill 4005, Require school board elections be in even-year Novembers: Passed 72 to 36 in the House
To require school board elections to be held in November of even numbered years.

Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

Senate Bill 449, Increase landfill use tax: Passed 57 to 49 in the House
To increase from 7 cents to 12 cents the per-cubic yard state “tipping fee” tax imposed on dumping in landfills.

Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

Senate Bill 348, Revise medical services taxes to get more federal Medicaid money: Passed 65 to 42 in the House
To repeal a 6 percent use tax on medical services health care providers, and replace it with a 1 percent tax on health insurance claims. These taxes are designed to “game” the federal Medicaid system in ways that result in higher federal payments to Michigan’s medical welfare system.

Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

Senate Bill 7, Mandate 20 percent government employee health benefit contribution: Passed 59 to 48 in the House
To prohibit local governments and public schools from providing employee health insurance benefits whose premiums cost more (in the aggregate) than $5,500 for a single person, $11,000 for a couple and $15,000 for a family plan, or alternatively, require employees to contribute at least 20 percent toward the cost. Most local governments but not schools could waive the requirements with a two-thirds vote of their governing body. Republicans Foster, Goike, McBroom, O'Brien and Pettalia joined all but one Democrat in voting "no;" Democrat Tim Melton joined all but five Republicans in support.

Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

SOURCE: MichiganVotes.org, a free, nonpartisan website created by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, providing concise, nonpartisan, plain-English descriptions of every bill and vote in the Michigan House and Senate. Please visit https://www.michiganvotes.org.

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