House Bill 4813, Create process for dissolving fiscally-failed school districts: Passed 20 to 18 in the Senate

To establish criteria and procedures for dissolving a school district that has become so financially unviable that it can no longer educate students, and for attaching the failed district’s territory to one or more nearby school districts. The bill was introduced after the Buena Vista and Inkster school districts reached this state shortly before the end of the 2012-2013 school year. The House concurred with minor changes and sent the bill to the Governor for signature, which is expected.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

 House Bill 4664, Allow pension double-dipping by some “retired” prison workers: Passed 20 to 18 in the Senate
To extend for two years a Sept. 30, 2013 sunset on a 2012 law that “temporarily” allowed retired prison employees to simultaneously collect pension benefits and a paycheck for going back to work in a prison. Under current law, prison guards can retire and begin collecting pension checks as young as age 51 in some cases.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

Senate Bill 284, Authorize electric bill surcharge for low income heating subsidies: Passed 34 to 4 in the Senate
To authorize imposing a $1 per month surcharge on customer electric utility bills, and use the money to provide up to $50 million annually in low income home heating subsidies.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

House Bill 4668, Revise, increase hunting and fishing license fees: Passed 24 to 14 in the Senate
To revise the structure of hunting and fishing license fees in a manner that would increase license fees for most sportsmen. For example, the cost for a resident to hunt deer would go from $15 to $31, and the minimum fishing license cost would increase from $15 to $26. The House Fiscal Agency reports this would extract an additional $19.7 million annually from sportsmen.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

House Bill 4665, Increase landfill tipping fees: Passed 20 to 18 in the Senate
To extend until Sept. 30, 2015 a “temporary” increase from 7 cents to 12 cents on the per-cubic yard state “tipping fee” tax imposed on dumping in landfills, which was authorized by a 2011 law.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

House Bill 4669, Increase annual ORV tax: Passed 20 to 18 in the Senate
To increase the annual off road vehicle license tax from $16.25 to $26.25 for a license that does not authorize operation on state ORV trails, and $36.25 for one that does.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

Senate Bill 374, Create statewide school violence “hotline”: Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate
To require the Attorney General and the State Police to create a “hotline” manned 24 hours a day all year long to collect “confidential reports of unsafe, potentially harmful, dangerous, violent, or criminal activities,” and share any tips with local law enforcement and school officials. These could include cell phone camera and video images. Money for this was appropriated this week in House Bill 4112.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

House Bill 4112, Adjust budget; increase higher education construction debt: Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate
To authorize increasing government debt by $81.5 million to pay for proposed state university and college construction projects; make adjustments to the current year state budget to reflect, among other things, around $675 million in reduced spending due to lower than expected welfare and Medicaid caseloads; and authorize spending around $40 million more on a number of state programs.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

House Bill 4112, Adjust budget; increase higher education construction debt: Passed 106 to 3 in the House
The House vote on the supplemental appropriations bill described above.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

House Bill 4272, Mandate school “cardiac emergency response plans”: Passed 109 to 0 in the House
To require public schools to have to have a "cardiac emergency response plan" with specified components, one of which is "a plan for training all high school students" in defibrillator use and CPR. Also, to allow schools to substitute a “cardiac emergency response drill” for one of the eight fire drills they are required to hold each year, and require this if the school has defibrillator devices.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

House Bill 4529, Establish minimum indigent defense standards: Passed 101 to 6 in the House
To establish statewide standards and accountability measures for court-appointed attorneys who represent indigent criminal defendants, and establish a process by which all counties in the state would be required to conform with the standards. If a local government failed to adopt them, a state commission could take over its indigent defense administration, and impose a gradually increasing portion of the state’s costs for this, up to 40 percent. Locals would be responsible for maintaining funding at current levels, and all this would be subject to a detailed appeals and mediation process. The bill authorizes but does not fund state grants to cover increased costs.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"

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