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The House and Senate are on a two-week spring break. Therefore, this report contains several recently introduced bills of interest.

Senate Bill 80: Decriminalize marijuana

Introduced by Sen. Coleman Young II (D), to eliminate criminal sanctions for possession of one ounce or less of marijuana, and instead authorize civil fines of $25 for a first offense, $50 for a second, and $100 for subsequent offenses. Referred to committee, no further action at this time.

Senate Bill 90: Create African-American Affairs Commission

Introduced by Sen. Rick Jones (R), to create a government African-American Affairs Commission, with the mission of developing “a unified policy and plan of action to serve the needs of African-Americans in this state.” Referred to committee, no further action at this time.

Senate Bill 97: Require agencies disclose federal aid requests to Legislature

Introduced by Sen. Mike Shirkey (R), to require state agencies that apply for any form of federal or other financial assistance to notify the Legislature within 10 days, including any conditions or stipulations associated. Referred to committee, no further action at this time.

Senate Bill 101 and House Bill 4167: Mandate employers provide paid sick leave

Introduced by Sen. Jim Ananich (D) Rep. Stephanie Chang (D), respectively, to mandate that employers must grant employees one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to 40 hours annually for small businesses, and 72 hours annually for larger employers. Referred to committee, no further action at this time.

Senate Bill 102: Give new school employees 401(k), not pensions

Introduced by Sen. Phil Pavlov (R), to close the current “defined benefit” pension system to new school employees hired starting July 1, 2015, and instead provide 401(k) benefits. Employees could contribute up to 5 percent of salary to their account, and the local school district would have to contribute an amount equal to 80 percent of this. Referred to committee, no further action at this time.

Senate Bill 143 and House Bill 4206: Impose regulations and mandates on for-profit mothers milk banks

Introduced by Sen. David Knezek (D) Rep. Erika Geiss (D), respectively, to impose a range of regulations, restrictions and mandates on “for-profit human breast milk banks, companies, and cooperatives,” but not on non-profit entities that provide a similar service. Among other things the bill would mandate that for-profit service give half the milk they collect to hospitals and non-profit providers of this service. Referred to committee, no further action at this time.

House Bill 4219: Give some Detroit drug crime seizure proceeds to “community organizations”

Introduced by Rep. Harvey Santana (D), to mandate that 5 percent of the proceeds from the sale of property seized in Detroit drug raids and arrests be given to “community organizations” in the city. Referred to committee, no further action at this time.

House Bill 4226: Expand technology business subsidies

Introduced by Rep. Daniela Garcia (R), to increase from three to nine the number of areas in which “certified technology parks” (previously dubbed “smart zones”) are permitted to “capture” school taxes. These entities collect the extra local property tax revenue that (hopefully) results from property value increases generated by their selective subsidies and projects, and use it to repay debt incurred to provide them. Referred to committee, no further action at this time.

House Bill 4229: Mandate police body cameras

Introduced by Rep. Rose Mary Robinson (D), to require uniformed law enforcement officers to wear a continuously-activated body camera while on duty, with various exceptions specified in the bill. The bill also prescribes rules for how long recordings must be kept and for erasing them, prohibits agencies from using facial recognition programs with the captured images, and more. Referred to committee, no further action at this time.

House Bill 4232: Require police shooting reports

Introduced by Rep. Alberta Tinsley Talabi (D), to require the state Department of Civil Rights to investigate and give a report to the Legislature and the employing agency whenever a law enforcement officer is responsible for the death of an individual who belonged to “a group or had a characteristic that has been the subject of past discriminatory practices.” Referred to committee, no further action at this time.

House Bill 4240: Place 1st and 2nd Amendment plaques on Capitol grounds

Introduced by Rep. Martin Howrylak (R), to require plaques honoring the First and Second Amendments on the state Capitol grounds. Like several previous bills, the right to bear arms plaque would be one created by the “Brass Roots” organization in 1994. This bill adds an invitation for “an organization with a history of advocating for First Amendment rights” to provide a First Amendment plaque, and suggests the American Civil Liberties Union, Michigan Press Association, League of Women Voters, American Libraries Association and some others. Referred to committee, no further action at this time.

House Bill 4261: Ban “open carry” in prohibited concealed pistol carry areas

Introduced by Rep. Andy Schor (D), to ban “open carry” (versus concealed carry) of firearms in “gun free zones” specified in the state concealed pistol license law, which includes schools, day care centers, stadiums, arenas, theaters, bars, churches, college dorms and classrooms, hospitals, casinos, and courts. Also, to add public libraries to this list. Referred to committee, no further action at this time.

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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