October 5, 2012, MichiganVotes.org Weekly Roll Call

More votes from Sept. 25-27. The Legislature will meet just one day this month, on Oct. 17.

Y = Yes, N = No, X = Not Voting

Senate Bill 1129, Authorize local “pension obligation bond” borrowing: Passed 80 to 28 in the House
To allow local governments to borrow money to cover unfunded employee pension liabilities if the local has closed its traditional “defined benefit” pension system to new employees (who usually are given 401k contributions instead). Unlike other long-term local government borrowing (often called “bonding” or “selling bonds”), no vote of the people would be required.

 Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

House Bill 5557, Retroactively exempt Kalamazoo DDA from certain requirements: Passed 93 to 14 in the House
To retroactively create an exception for the Kalamazoo Downtown Development Authority, which failed to comply with certain requirements in the law that allows DDAs to “capture” a portion of taxes levied by local governments, even where the local has exempted a particular corporation from a tax (in other words, the local must pay the DDA some of the revenue it didn't collect). DDAs use the money they "capture" to repay debt they incur for government spending that benefits property owners in a particular area.

 Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

Senate Bill 1291, Regulate “internet-protocol security system” providers: Passed 34 to 1 in the Senate
To impose government registration, regulation, employee background check and fingerprinting mandates on providers of “internet-protocol enabled premises security, monitoring, and control systems.” These would be defined as security systems that use “an integrated system of IP-enabled devices, sensors, or controls, which may include door and window contacts, access control devices, motion detectors, smoke detectors, moisture detectors, cameras, and software installed at a customer's premises or property.”

Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

Senate Bill 1180, Allow “Pure Michigan” theme on license plates: Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate
To allow but not require the Secretary of State to use the "Pure Michigan" brand on standard design license plates.

 Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

House Bill 5284, Expand computer crime law to handheld internet gadgets: Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate
To revise the law that authorizes enhanced penalties for using a computer and the internet to communicate for the purpose of committing certain crimes (including stalking, sex crimes and serious violent crimes), so that it also applies to smart phones and other handheld gadgets that access the internet.

Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

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

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