Senate Bill 818, Exempt yoga instruction schools from licensure mandate: Passed 35 to 0 in the Senate

To exempt yoga teacher training schools from a state licensure mandate imposed on private trade-schools, with annual fees, government inspections, regulations and more. A Senate Fiscal Agency analysis notes that many take the classes just for the experience, and "the regulations reportedly have created a business environment that deters...offering or expanding instruction programs."

Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No”

House Bill 4478, Authorize protection orders for threats against pets: Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate

To authorize courts to issue a personal protection order against a former spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend who threatens, harms or tries to take an animal in which the petitioner has an ownership interest, or who interferes with the petitioner's efforts to remove the animal from the premises of the individual to be restrained.

Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No”

House Bill 4481, Expand denial of rapist father's parental rights: Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate

To expand a law that prohibits granting custody or parenting time to the father of a child who was conceived as the result of a rape for which he was convicted. Under the bill the ban would also apply if there was no conviction but a court fact-finding hearing discovers "clear and convincing" evidence that a rape had occurred. Also, to expand the criteria to cases where the rape and conviction was in another state. A mother could waive the ban, and it would not apply if the parents "cohabit and establish a mutual custodial environment."

Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No”

House Bill 4476, Restrict imposing mediation in some domestic relations disputes: Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate

To prohibit a court from ordering the parties in a domestic relations dispute to enter mediation against either's will if there is a personal protection or "no contact" order restraining one of them, or if either is involved in a child abuse or neglect proceeding.

Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No”

House Bill 5283, Sell unclaimed property records to "locators": Passed 75 to 33 in the House

To revise the "escheats" law that lets the state government take possession of unclaimed property, by allowing the state to sell information on this property to “locator” services that make money by finding apparent owners who pay them for having found the property. The bill would impose the equivalent of a $300 annual license fee on these services in addition to the cost of any records they purchase.

Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No”

House Bill 4580, Let local governments selectively revoke selective property tax breaks: Passed 109 to 0 in the House

To allow local governments to revoke certain tax breaks selectively granted to particular corporations or developers if the beneficiary does not abide by the terms of the tax break agreement, or is judged to no longer meet the criteria under which the tax break was authorized. This applies to property taxes levied on business tools and equipment ("personal property tax").

Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No”

House Bill 4695, Authorize load limit exceptions for potable water haulers: Passed 57 to 51 in the House

To allow an exception to seasonal road weight limit restrictions for trucks hauling drinking water.

Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No”

Senate Bill 508, Criminalize "cyber revenge porn": Passed 109 to 0 in the House

To make it a crime to post on the internet any sexually explicit pictures or videos of a person without his or her consent and with the intent to threaten, coerce or intimidate, if the material was obtained under circumstances a reasonable person would know were meant to remain private.

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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