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Senate Bill 3, Repeal “prevailing wage” law: Passed 22 to 15 in the Senate
To repeal the state “prevailing wage” law, which prohibits awarding government contracts to contractors who submit the lowest bid unless the contractor pays wages based on pay scales that local union officials represent as prevalent in a particular area, but which tend to be above the market rate. Senate Bill 1 would repeal the law for schools, and passed by the same margin. The Senate added a modest appropriation, which has the effect of making the bill not subject to a referendum.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 4163, Ease residential lift licensure restrictions: Passed 27 to 10 in the Senate
To permit a licensed residential home builder to install residential stairway lifts without being subjected to the much more rigorous licensure provisions that apply to elevator contractors. The residential contractor would have to carry $2 million in liability insurance and be certified by the manufacturer of the lifts, which are one-story stair-climbing machines for elderly or handicapped individuals.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 165, Authorize pedal-powered beer bars: Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate
To establish in statute that a “commercial quadricycle,” which is a pedal-powered mobile beer bar, is not considered a “motor vehicle” even if it has auxiliary power, and instead would be subject to much less onerous regulations. Under this and Senate Bill 166 passengers would be allowed to have open beer or wine containers, but the driver would be required to have a blood alcohol level of zero.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 4038, Allow eviction notices by email: Passed 26 to 11 in the Senate
To allow landlords to send eviction notices by email, if the lease provides for this. Sending these notices is just the first step in the eviction process.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 244, Increase fine for illegally shooting game animals: Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate
To increase the amount of restitution a person must pay for illegally shooting certain game or protected animals. Among other fines the bill would impose a $5,000 fine for illegally killing an elk or moose, $3,500 for a bear, $1,500 for an eagle, etc.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 245, Increase illegal game killing penalties: Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate
To increase the number of years an individual is banned from hunting for illegally shooting, buying or selling a deer, bear, elk, moose, etc. Under current law the suspension is for three years, and the bill would change this to up to 15 years depending on the species.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
Senate Bill 139, Push-back against school “bake sale” restrictions: Passed 36 to 1 in the Senate
To require the Michigan Department of Education (MDOE) to set rules that permit no less than two days a week on which schools could hold fundraising sales of food or beverages that do not meet mandated school lunch nutritional standards. Also, to require schools to notify parents a week ahead of such sales. The bill was introduced in response to federal and MDOE restrictions and bans on the sales.
Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
House Bill 4101, Try to "buy-back" state venture capital investment guarantees: Passed 107 to 1 in the House
To appropriate $45 million for an effort to buy-back at a discount some $50 million worth of investor return guarantees the state gave out under an "early stage venture capital investment" scheme authorized by a 2003 law.
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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