House of Representatives Week in Review: February 18th - 20th

Hello Friends,

Below please find an update on legislation passed by the House of Representatives this week (February 18th through 20th).  Please feel free to contact me (517.373.0826; andyschor@house.mi.gov) if you have questions or thoughts about any of the below bills. 

Thank you! 

Andy Schor

State Representative
68th District

Clarification that Certain Intercompany Transactions are eliminated for Determining Exemptions
HB 5009 (Farrington), Passed: 107-1
Next: Sent to Governor for signature
HB 5009 clarifies that certain intercompany transactions are eliminated for purposes of determining exemptions, credits, and the filing threshold under Corporate Income Tax provisions.

Creation of the “Infant Safe Sleep Act”

HB 4962 (Haines), Passed: 105-3
Next: Sent to Senate for consideration
HB 4962 amends the Public Health Code to create the “Infant Safe Sleep Act.”

Extension of the Saginaw Renaissance Zone

SB 553 (Kahn), Passed: 87-21
Next: Sent to Governor for signature
SB 553 would extend the Saginaw Renaissance Zone.

Amendment to the Downtown Development Authority Act to Allow Certain Revenues to be used for the Agricultural Industry

HB 4487 (OAKES), Passed: 81-27
Next: Sent to Senate for consideration
HB 4487 amends the Downtown Development Authority Act to allow certain revenues to be used for the agricultural industry. Current law prescribes the allowable actions of the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) Board. For example, the DDA board may study and analyze the impact metropolitan grown has on the downtown district; implement any development plan necessary to achieve the Act’s goals; enter into contracts necessary to exercise its powers; lease any building under the Authority’s control; create, operate, and fund marketing initiatives benefitting only retail and general marketing; create, operate and fund loan programs to fund improvements for existing buildings and create, operate, and fund retail business incubators in the downtown district. 

Exemption of Helmet Requirement when Property Owner is Operating an ORV on their Land

HB 5191 (Rendon), Passed: 99-9
Next: Sent to Senate for consideration
HB 5191 is a bill which would create an exemption to the helmet requirement when the property owner is operating an ORV on their own land.

Limiting the Amount of Temporary Motorcycle Instruction Permits

HB 4781 (Jacobsen), Passed: 108-0
Next: Sent to Senate for consideration
HB 4781 prohibits the Secretary of State from issuing more than 2 motorcycle temporary instruction permits to an individual in a 10-year period, beginning January 1, 2015.

Elimination of Requirement that MDOT Sell or Lease Specific Rail Lines

SB 263 (Caswell), Passed: 108-0
Next: Sent to Governor for signature
SB 263 eliminates language in the State Transportation Preservation Act that encourages the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to sell or lease specific rail lines currently owned by the State and further eliminates several requirements pertaining to the process under which the department may sell or lease these rail lines.

Waiver of Requirement that a License Plate Be Displayed on a “Historic Military Vehicle”

SB 463 (Caswell), Passed: 108-0
Next: Sent to Governor for signature
SB 463 waives the requirement that a registration plate be displayed on a vehicle for a “historic military vehicle.”

Definition of “Diverted Waste”

HB 5005 (LaFontaine), Passed: 110-0
Next: Sent to Governor for Signature
HB 5005 amends the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to define ‘diverted waste’ and ‘waste diversion center’.

Allowing the DNR to Convey the Rogue River Streambank Access for $1.00

HB 5141 (MacGregor), Passed: 110-0
Next: Sent to Senate for consideration
HB 5141 would allow the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to convey to Kent County the Rogue River Streambank Access for $1.00.

Granting the use of General Fund/General Purpose funds for Mental Health Services for County Jail Inmates

SB 557 (Schuitmaker), Passed: 110-0
Next: Sent to Senate for consideration
SB 557 amends the Mental Health Code to prohibit the Department of Community Health from prohibiting the use of state General Fund/General Purpose funds for mental health services provided to county jail inmates. Specifically, if a Community Mental Health Services Program (CMHSP) has entered into an agreement with the county or the county sheriff to provide mental health services to the jail inmates, DCH may not prohibit the CMHSP from using state GF/GP to provide these services.

Requiring that Each County have A Written Interagency Agreement to Provide Mental Health Treatment for Individuals at Risk for being incarcerated

SB 558 (Schuitmaker), Passed: 110-0
Next: Sent to Senate for reconsideration
SB 558 requires each county to have a written interagency agreement to provide mental health treatment and assistance to certain individuals at risk for being incarcerated or not receiving treatment while incarcerated or upon discharge.

Date Change for When an Election Must Take Place for a Vacant Local Office

HB 5152 (Lyons), Passed: 109-0
Next: Sent to Senate for consideration
HB 5152 would amend the Michigan Election Law to change the date when an election must take place in order to fill a vacant local office. This bill is necessary because of a conflict created by a change made to the Michigan Election Law in 2012. House Bill 5152 would also amend the law to exempt a registered voter’s social security number from a Freedom of Information Act request.

Requirement of Disclosure on Issue Advertisements

HB 5222 (Forlini), Passed: 109-0
Next: Sent to Senate for consideration
HB 5222 would amend the Michigan Campaign Finance Act to require disclosure on issue advertisements 60 days prior to a primary, and that disclosure requirement would continue through that primary’s election. This change would apply to ALL elections, not just an August and November election.

Revision of Procedure for Preliminary Examinations in Criminal Cases and Establishment of a
“Probable Cause Conference”

HB 5154 (Leonard), Passed: 110-0
Next: Sent to Senate for consideration
HB 5154 would revise the procedure for preliminary examinations in criminal cases and establish in statue a “probably cause conference,” which is already in practice in many jurisdictions throughout Michigan.