Senate Bill 897, Require able-bodied Medicaid recipients to work: Passed 26 to 11 in the Senate

To require state welfare officials to seek permission from federal welfare officials for requiring able-bodied recipients of Medicaid health coverage to work at least 29 hours a week, or be in school, job-training or volunteer work. The bill authorizes exceptions for a parent with children under age six, individuals getting disability benefits, a disabled person's caretaker, and more, including temporary emergencies and "life-changing events." It would also require beneficiaries to verify compliance each month and verify family income changes within 10 days.

House Bill 5012, Restrict election recounts when outcome isn't close: Passed 27 to 8 in the Senate

To make more rigorous the definition of “aggrieved candidate” in the law that authorizes recounts of elections where the vote margin isn't close. The bill reflects court rulings after the 2016 Green Party presidential candidate (reportedly with the assistance of Democratic Party operatives) orchestrated a statewide recount, even though this candidate received less than 2 percent of the Michigan vote.

Senate Bill 290, Increase election recount fee in votes that aren't close: Passed 93 to 16 in the House

To increase the deposit that a candidate must make to get an election recount, to $250 per precinct if the winner’s vote margin was more than 5 percent or 75 votes, whichever is greater. If the recount does not change the outcome the candidate loses the deposit. The bill reflects court rulings after the 2016 Green Party presidential candidate's 2016 recount activities referenced in the preceding bill.

House Bill 5646, Check voter lists against Social Security death lists: Passed 35 to 0 in the Senate

To require the Secretary of State to check the statewide qualified voter file against the U.S. Social Security Administration's death master file on a monthly basis. Also, to enroll the state in multistate voter registration verification programs, to the extent these do not require a new law to be passed or pushed.

House Bill 5669, Define which IDs are good for voting: Passed 27 to 8 in the Senate

To place in statute a definition of “identification for election purposes,” including a list of specific forms of personal identification that meet the criteria.

House Bill 5321, Prohibit giving permits to sterilize game animals: Passed 69 to 40 in the House

To prohibit the Department of Natural Resources from issuing permits to sterilize game animals as a way to reduce overpopulation. Also, to allow the Natural Resources Commission to establish special deer management zones adjacent to urban areas where more deer licenses (tags) could be issued.

House Bill 4115, Increase nonprofit sales tax exemption: Passed 76 to 33 in the House

To exempt from sales tax the retail sales of a nonprofit organization that has less than $25,000 in aggregate annual retail sales during a year, rather than $5,000 under current law. Under current law if a group exceeds this threshold then all of its sales are taxable, and the bill would change this to exempt the first $10,000 in sales for groups that don't exceed the new cap.

House Bill 5687, Require resident alien’s driver's license to expire with visa: Passed 96 to 13 in the House

To require that a driver's license issued to a resident alien must have an expiration no later than the date on which the individual’s presence in the in the U.S. becomes unlawful.

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 www.MichiganVotes.org.

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