Senate Bill 862, Allow alcohol at Michigan Stadium international soccer game: Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate

To allow the sale of alcohol at the University of Michigan football stadium in Ann Arbor during a potential soccer game in August 2014 between the Manchester United and Real Madrid international soccer teams.

Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No”

Senate Bill 786, Give tax breaks to aquaculture and hydroponics: Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate

To exempt aquaculture and hydroponics production facilities from property taxes. Senate Bill 787 would instead impose a new “specific” tax equal to 25 percent of the regular property tax.

Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No”

House Bill 4288, Restrict use of “indirect” tax audits: Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate

To prohibit the Department of Treasury from levying a delinquent sales tax assessment on a person or business based on an “indirect audit,” if a taxpayer has filed all the required returns and has maintained and preserved adequate records as required. The bill also establishes minimum standards for such “indirect audits.”

Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No”

House Bill 5282, Allow deadly force to defend nuclear plants: Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate

To explicitly allow an officer providing security at a nuclear generating plant to use deadly force if he or she “honestly and reasonably believes" it is necessary to prevent a person from breaking in with the intent to inflict harm, engage in radiological sabotage or steal nuclear material. This would include immunity from lawsuits.

Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No”

Senate Bill 821, Replace local revenue from reduced tax on business tools and equipment: Passed 107 to 2 in the House

To earmark enough state "use tax" revenue to local governments to fully replace (or nearly so) any revenue they lose due to related reductions in the "personal property tax" they impose on business tools and equipment. Under Senate Bills 829 and 830, some revenue the state gives up to the earmark would be replaced by imposing a new state "essential services" tax on some but not all of the businesses getting a personal property tax cut, with the political appointees on the board of the state economic development agency also empowered to grant exemptions to particular firms they select. The package still provides a net tax cut for businesses. For any of this to happen voters must approve related changes to the state use tax in an August, 2014 ballot initiative; the current proposal is intended to forestall local government opposition to that measure.

Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No”

House Bill 4135, Let foreclosing banks claim homestead tax exemption: Passed 85 to 23 in the House

To grant the 18-mill homestead property tax exemption for up to three years to a bank or other financial institution that has foreclosed and taken possession of a home because the borrower failed to make payments on the mortgage loan, as long as the property is for sale and not leased out.

Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No”

Senate Bill 613, Permit keeping road kill: Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate

To allow a driver who kills or injures a game animal other than bird on the road to keep it, and give the driver first priority if more than one person wants it. The Department of Natural Resources would be required to issue a “salvage tag” if requested, which would be required to get the carcass stuffed or tanned by a taxidermist. The driver would have to keep a record of the circumstances until the game is consumed or discarded.

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.

Permission to reprint this blog post in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided that the author (or authors) and the Mackinac Center for Public Policy are properly cited.