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By Jack McHugh
While the Legislature is on a campaign season break from voting, the Roll Call Report continues a series reviewing key votes of the 2013-2014 session.
House Bill 4001, Cap FOIA charges and increase government FOIA scofflaw penalties: Passed 102 to 8 in the House on March 20, 2014
To cap the costs a government body may charge to fulfill a Freedom of Information Act request, and increase the penalty for a unit of government wrongfully denying an open records law request. The bill was referred to the Senate Government Operations Committee on March 25, where it remains.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 5574, Give $195 million bankruptcy grant to Detroit: Passed 74 to 36 in the House on May 22, 2014
To grant $194.8 million to Detroit, to be applied toward a proposed bankruptcy settlement.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 5492, House road repair bills: Passed 91 to 18 in the House on May 8, 2014
To earmark a portion of state use tax revenue to roads. Reportedly this would generate around $250 million annually for repairs. Along with several other House-passed bills this would increase road funding by around $500 million annually, with only a small amount from increased taxes and fees. The Senate did not take up this package, instead voting on and defeating measures increase fuel taxes by $1.2 billion.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 5255, Authorize eminent domain for oil well CO2 pipelines: Passed 69 to 41 in the House on February 13, 2014.
To extend the state law authorizing eminent domain takings for gas, oil and other pipeline easements, so it also includes pipelines carrying carbon dioxide used to produce hydrocarbons in secondary or “enhanced recovery” operations.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 4369, Codify “education achievement authority” for failed schools: Passed 56 to 54 in the House on March 20, 2014
To codify in statute the authority of a state “education achievement authority” tasked with reforming public schools whose performance is in the bottom 5 percent for two consecutive years. Not more than 50 schools could eventually be subject to this office's authority, and their management could be transferred to a charter school, or another conventional school district. The Senate earlier passed a more rigorous proposal, and has not taken up this version.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Joint Resolution V, Call for U.S. balanced budget amendment convention: Passed 77 to 32 in the House on March 20, 2014
To submit an application to Congress calling for a "convention to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution," limited to proposing one that prohibits the federal government from spending more in any fiscal year than it collects in tax and other revenue (balanced budget amendment). Legislatures representing two-thirds of the states must request this to get a convention, and three-quarters of the states must approve any amendment proposed by an “Article V” convention for it to become part of the constitution.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 5108, Repeal ban on ticket scalping: Passed 66 to 42 in the House on February 27, 2014
To repeal a state law that bans ticket “scalping” at sports and entertainment events, or selling tickets at a higher price through some service or agency. The Senate has not taken up this bill.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 5414, Phase-out “driver responsibility fees”: Passed 108 to 0 in the House on May 21, 2014
To phase-out the so-called “driver responsibility fees” (a.k.a. “bad driver tax”) imposed for certain traffic violations, which were originally adopted in 2003 to avoid spending cuts in that year’s and subsequent state budgets.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 5168, Facilitate DARTA operating Woodward streetcar: Passed 82 to 26 in the House on June 5, 2014
To eliminate restrictions on the Detroit area regional transportation operating a Woodward Avenue streetcar in Detroit.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 5255, Authorize eminent domain for oil well CO2 pipelines: Passed 25 to 13 in the Senate on March 18, 2014
The Senate vote on the bill described above.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Joint Resolution V, Call for U.S. balanced budget amendment convention: Passed 26 to 12 in the Senate on November 7, 2013
The Senate vote on the measure described above.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 5414, Phase-out “driver responsibility fees”: Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate on June 12, 2014
The Senate vote on the bill described above.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 5168, Facilitate DARTA operating Woodward streetcar: Passed 32 to 6 in the Senate on June 11, 2014
The Senate vote on the bill described above.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 5477, Impose higher gas tax: Failed 17 to 21 in the Senate.
To phase in a diesel and gas tax increase of more than $1 billion over five years. This was a "trial" vote a much more costly road package than the one passed by the House (described above), which the Senate did not take up.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 5574, Give Detroit $195 million bankruptcy grant: Passed 21 to 17 in the Senate on June 3, 2014
The Senate vote on the bill described above.
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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