October 19, 2012, MichiganVotes.org Weekly Roll Call

The House did not meet this week. The Senate met for one day.

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

Senate Bill 1293, Repeal BCBS tax exemption, regulate like other insurers: Passed 33 to 4 in the Senate
To convert Blue Cross Blue Shield into a “nonprofit mutual insurance company” (technically "owned" by the policy holders), make it subject to the same regulations as regular health insurers, and no longer exempt BCBS from state and local taxes. The bill requires BCBS to spend $1.5 billion in accumulated reserves over 18 years to augment government health programs.
Note: Under the federal “Affordable Care Act” (“Obamacare”) the “social mission” of being the “insurer of last resort” which was the rationale for this insurer's tax-exempt status no longer applies, since all insurance companies would be subject to similar "guaranteed issue" mandates.

 Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

Senate Bill 1263, Revise state “civilian conservation corps” program: Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate
To authorize conversion of the state “Civilian Conservation Corps” into a nonprofit run by a private entity. Other bills in a package comprised of Senate Bills 1261 to 1265 would cap CCC participation at two years, limit participants' compensation and require the program to persuade colleges and universities to give credit for CCC participation and more.

  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

Senate Bill 1279, Authorize some electrician licensure exemptions: Passed 25 to 12 in the Senate
To exclude certain work in manufacturing and mining operations, or at an "independent power producer" facility, from a licensure mandate that prohibits an individual from earning a living as an electrician without a state license (which among other things requires at least four years of apprenticeship in which 8,000 hours of experience must be accumulated).

  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

Senate Bill 1000, Ban granting parenting time in certain countries: Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate
To prohibit a Michigan court from awarding “parenting time” in child custody disputes which would take place in a country that is not a party to the "Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction," unless both parents give consent. That would include most countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

Senate Bill 1141, Authorize enhanced parole enforcement: Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate
To authorize counties to adopt a “swift and sure” program for the immediate detection and prompt imposition of sanctions for probation violations (including more drug tests), authorize state grants for this, and establish uniform statewide standards and procedures.

  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

Senate Bill 1296, Create six-year deadline on malpractice lawsuits against lawyers: Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate
To require that malpractice lawsuits against lawyers, law firms or a “legal services” entity be commenced within six years of the lawyer's fault or omission.

  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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