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By Jack McHugh
While the Legislature is adjourned for a primary election campaign break, the Roll Call Report is reviewing key votes of the 2013-2014 session.
Senate Bill 257, Expand “Business Improvement Zone” tax-and-spend entities: Passed 35 to 2 in the Senate on April 11, 2013.
To expand the items that a “Business Improvement Zone” can spend money on, revise voting rules in a way that (potentially) reduces the proportion of property owners needed to impose a zone's tax-and-spending powers, increase the proportion of owners needed to dissolve one, reduce notice and public meeting requirements required to establish one, increase penalties for not paying the "special assessments" these entities impose, and more. These zones have the power to impose levies to pay for the debt they incur to pay for projects that are supposed to benefit the property owners.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 38, Authorize wage garnishment for nonpayment of “administrative hearing bureau” fines: Passed 35 to 1 in the Senate on April 18, 2013
To allow a local government to garnish the wages of a property owner who has failed to pay fines imposed by “administrative hearing bureaus” that most cities are allowed to create for enforcing "blight violations" under a 2003 law.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 39, Authorize foreclosure for nonpayment of “administrative hearing bureau” fines: Passed 35 to 1 in the Senate on April 18, 2013
To allow a local government to foreclose on property owned by a person who has failed to pay fines imposed by “administrative hearing bureaus” that most cities are allowed to create for enforcing "blight violations" under a 2003 law.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 218, Expand borrow-and-spend "water resource improvement authorities": Passed 32 to 5 in the Senate on March 14, 2013
To eliminate the sunset on local governments creating new "water resource improvement authorities," which use extra property tax levies and “tax increment financing” schemes to divert other taxing units' property tax revenue to cover debt service payments on debt they incur for various recreation and development projects. The bill would also expand the scope of activities and geographic limits of these entities, letting them borrow and spend for dredging among other things.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 288, Give NRC duty of designating huntable game species: Passed 25 to 11 in the Senate on April 25, 2013
To give the state Natural Resources Commission (in addition to the Legislature) the power to designate a species as a huntable game species. This was widely regarded as an effort to preempt a ballot initiative to prohibit creating a wolf-hunting season.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 347, Expand MSHDA developer subsidies: Passed 36 to 2 in the Senate on May 16, 2013
To empower the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) to “invest” (buy ownership interest) in companies or nonprofits whose “primary purpose is to acquire ownership interests in multifamily housing projects” (and not necessarily build new ones).
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 345, Authorize more state government housing subsidy debt: Passed 34 to 4 in the Senate on May 16, 2013
To repeal a requirement that the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) must scale back its debt from a “temporary” maximum of $4.2 billion authorized in 2012, to $3.4 billion after Nov. 1, 2014, subject to some exceptions. The borrowed money is used to provide taxpayer-backed mortgage loan guarantees, subsidies and more. The House has not taken up this bill.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 163, Limit DEQ wetland use restrictions: Passed 25 to 12 in the Senate on May 22, 2013
To expand certain exemptions to a state wetland permit mandate, require permit denials to document their rationale and authority, slightly increase the state's burden to justify restrictions on an owner's use of his or her property, prohibit the Department of Environmental Quality from imposing regulations that are beyond the scope those required by federal law, and make other changes to these land use restrictions.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 173, Ban local mandates that private employers must grant leave: Passed 25 to 13 in the Senate on June 5, 2013
To preempt local governments from adopting ordinances or policies that require private sector employers to provide paid or unpaid employee leave that is not required under state or federal law. This is related to a nationwide campaign promoted by unions to lobby for such local mandates. The House has not taken up this bill.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 257, Expand “Business Improvement Zone” tax-and-spend entities: Passed 77 to 31 in the House on September 12, 2013
The House vote on the bill described above. This was signed into law on Oct. 8, 2013
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 175, Undo National Guard pension reform: Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on May 22, 2013
To reverse a 2010 reform that eliminated "defined benefit" pensions for future Michigan National Guard commanders and their assistants, and instead provided 401k benefits. The 2010 reform was adopted following reports of these "Adjutant Generals" being granted generous state pensions based on limited state service ($78,000 to $133,000 for 1.5 years to 13 years service).
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 38, Authorize wage garnishment for nonpayment of “administrative hearing bureau” fines: Passed 95 to 15 in the House on November 14, 2013
The House vote on the bill described above. This was signed into law on Dec. 17, 2013.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 39, Authorize foreclosure for nonpayment of “administrative hearing bureau” fines: Passed 103 to 7 in the House on November 14, 2013
The House vote on the bill described above. This was signed into law on Dec. 17, 2013.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 218, Expand borrow-and-spend "water resource improvement authorities": Passed 92 to 16 in the House on April 18, 2013
The House vote on the bill described above. This was signed into law on May 9, 2013.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 288, Give NRC duty of designating huntable game species: Passed 72 to 38 in the House on May 2, 2013
The House vote on the bill described above. This was signed into law on May 8, 2013.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 347, Expand MSHDA developer subsidies: Passed 88 to 20 in the House on September 12, 2013
The House vote on the bill described above. This was signed into law on September 24, 2013.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 163, Limit DEQ wetland use restrictions: Passed 66 to 42 in the House on June 12, 2013
The House vote on the bill described above. This was signed into law on July 2, 2013.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 175, Undo National Guard pension reform: Passed 91 to 14 in the House on June 6, 2013
The House vote on a revised version of the bill described above. The House slightly limited eligibility for these benefits compared to the Senate version and the pre-2010 law, but also added some exceptions to the new limits. This was signed into law by Gov. Rick Snyder on July 2, 2013.
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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