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By Jack McHugh
While legislative committees were active this week, no votes were taken in House or Senate. The Roll Call Report therefore continues its review of key votes from the 2015-2016 session.
House Bill 4522, Expand legislative subpoena power: Passed 69 to 39 in the House on June 2, 2015
To give certain committees of the legislature the explicit authority to subpoena and investigate records of local governments, authorities, school districts and community colleges. At least one member of the minority party would have to agree. Under current law committees can subpoena state agency personnel and private citizens. The Senate has not voted on this bill.
Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No”
House Bill 4505, Increase civil asset forfeiture burden of proof: Passed 103 to 6 in the House on June 4, 2015
To require a more rigorous “clear and convincing” burden of proof standard in the law that gives police agencies the power to seize and sell a person’s property if it may be connected with an illegal drug crime, even if the person is not charged or convicted. Under current law property may be taken under the least rigorous "preponderance of the evidence" standard.
Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No”
House Bill 4505, Increase civil asset forfeiture burden of proof: Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate on October 7, 2015
The Senate vote on the bill described above.
Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No”
House Bill 4605, Road funding votes, earmark some income tax for roads: Passed 62 to 47 in the House on June 10, 2015
To earmark a portion of state income tax revenue to road funding, starting with $192 million in 2016 and increasing to $717 million in 2019.
Following the overwhelming defeat of a May, 2015 ballot initiative requesting $2 billion in tax increases for roads and more, the House and Senate traded competing alternative proposals, of which this was one of the first. The Senate did not vote on this bill, but similar provisions were eventually included in a successful road funding package.
Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No”
House Bill 4609, Road funding votes, EITC repeal: Passed 57 to 52 in the House on June 10, 2015
To eliminate the state earned income tax credit, which grants recipients an amount equal to 6 percent of the federal EITC. The EITC is a "refundable" tax credit that sends checks to low income workers totaling around $115 million annually, which would be reallocated to road funding (see previous bill). The Senate did not vote on this bill, and the repeal was not included in the final road funding package.
Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No”
House Bill 4607, Road funding votes, shift corporate subsidies to roads: Passed 60 to 49 in the House on June 10, 2015
To no longer spend $75 million annually on various direct and indirect subsidies granted to corporations and developers under the “21st Century Jobs Fund” rubric, and instead use this money on road repairs. House Bill 4608 defunds other subsidies, but both bills require spending to continue for government tourism industry promotion ("Pure Michigan" ads). Neither bill was voted on in the Senate, and the proposals were not part of the final road package.
Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No”
House Bill 4189, Let adoption agencies refuse adoptions that violate moral convictions: Passed 65 to 44 in the House on March 18, 2015
To establish that a private adoption or foster care agency is not required to assist or participate in an adoption or placement that violates its written religious or moral convictions, including adoptions of a child by a same-sex couple. State agencies would be prohibited from discriminating or taking an “adverse action” against an agency for this reason.
Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No”
House Bill 4189, Let adoption agencies refuse adoptions that violate moral convictions: Passed 26 to 12 in the Senate on June 10, 2015
The Senate vote on the bill described above.
Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No”
House Bill 4052, Preempt local employer wage, benefit or labor law mandates: Passed 57 to 52 in the House on May 20, 2015
To preempt local governments, public schools, state colleges and universities, and other governmental authorities from imposing mandatory wage, benefit, leave time and other requirements on employers that exceed those required by state or federal law.
Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No”
House Bill 4052, Preempt local employer wage, benefit or labor law mandates: Passed 23 to 15 in the Senate on June 17, 2015
The Senate vote on the bill described above.
Who Voted “Yes” and Who Voted “No”
Senate Bill 211, Authorize uncensored public school American heritage instruction: Passed 30 to 8 in the Senate on June 11, 2015
To require public school boards to “permit” instruction and reading of “America's founding documents” including those related to the country’s “representative form of limited government, the Bill of Rights, our free-market economic system, and patriotism.” School districts would be prohibited from censoring or restraining reading that includes “religious references in original source documents, writings, speeches, proclamations, or records.” This bill has not been taken up by the House.
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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