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

Hello Friends,

Below please find an update on legislation passed by the House of Representatives this week (March 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

Changes to the Military Relief Fund

HB 4811 (Franz), Passed: 110-0

Next: Sent to Governor for signature

HB 4811 makes a number of changes to the Military Relief Fund that will increase access to the funds and further promote the availability of the funds.

Expanding the Grounds for Administrative Sanctions for Health Care Professionals

SB 575 (Schuitmaker), Passed: 110-0

SB 576 (Schuitmaker), Passed: 110-0

SB 577 (Schuitmaker), Passed: 109-1

SB 578 (Schuitmaker), Passed: 110-0

Next: Sent to Senate for reconsideration

SB 575 requires disciplinary subcommittee members to disclose potential conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from decision making when a conflict arises. SB 576 will create the Regulatory Boards and Commissions Ethics Act to establish conflict of interest standards and procedures for regulatory bodies in LARA. SB 577 adds areas that must be investigated by the disciplinary board if a licensed health care professional were to engage in certain activities. The bill also amends penalties and sanctions for violations. SB 578 outlines when a disciplinary subcommittee’s decision is final and subject to judicial review.

Revisions to Michigan’s Human Trafficking Statute

HB 5234 (Jenkins), Passed: 108-1

HB 5235 (HOVEY-WRIGHT), Passed: 108-1

Next: Sent to Senate for consideration
HBs 5234 and 5235 make various revisions and updates to Michigan’s Human Trafficking statute.

Amendment to a Statutory Reference to the Human Trafficking Chapter of the “Revised Judicature Act”

HB 5236 (McBroom), Passed: 110-0

Next: Sent to Senate for consideration

HB 5236 amends MCL 600.4701 of the “Revised Judicature Act” to amend a statutory reference to the Human Trafficking Chapter.

Amendment to a Reference to the Human Trafficking Law in the Crime Victim’s Rights Act

HB 5237 (CAVANAGH), Passed: 110-0

Next: Sent to Senate for consideration

HB 5237 amends a reference to the human trafficking law in the William Van Regenmorter Crime Victim’s Rights Act.

Requiring Individuals to Report Violations of the Human Trafficking Law

HB 5239 (Kurtz), Passed: 110-0

Next: Sent to Senate for consideration

HB 5239 would require individuals who are mandated by statute to report suspected child abuse or neglect to also report suspected violations of the human trafficking law.

Amending Regulations Concerning the Buying and Selling of Scrap Metal

HB 4593 (Muxlow), Passed: 98-12

Next: Sent to Conference Committee

HB 4593 amends regulations concerning the buying and selling of scrap metal, including amending the definition of scrap metal, requiring sellers to provide scrap metal dealers certain information at the time of purchases and the dealer to retain. The bill also requires that scrap metal dealers implement and maintain purchase records and make the records available for law enforcement purposes. The legislation also creates standards for how and when a scrap metal dealer may pay a seller, as well as a list of items a scrap metal dealer cannot purchase unless the seller has proper authorization. The bill also includes penalties for sellers and purchasers who buy or sell scrap metal that they know or should have known was stolen.

Increase in Judgeships in Macomb County

HB 5121 (Walsh), Passed: 104-6

Next: Sent to Governor for signature

HB 5121 increases the number of circuit judgeships in 16^th Judicial Circuit by four judges.

Increase in Judgeships in Oakland County

HB 5122 (Kesto), Passed: 103-7

Next: Sent to Governor for signature

HB 5122 increases the number of circuit court judgeships in Oakland County by one.

Change in Judgeships in Certain Circuit Courts

HB 5123 (Cotter), Passed: 61-49

Next: Sent to Governor for signature

HB 5123 increases the number of judgeships in the 17th circuit (Kent County) by one. It also eliminates one judge in the 5th circuit (Berrien County), 25^th District (Cities of Ecorse, Lincoln Park, and River Rouge). It also consolidates the 28^th District and the 33^rd District Courts.

Consolidation in Judgeships in Certain Judicial Circuit Courts

HB 5124 (Leonard), Passed: 61-48

Next: Sent to Governor for signature

HB 5124 consolidates four judges in the 3^rd Judicial Circuit (Wayne County).

Elimination and Consolidation of Judges in Certain District Courts

HB 5125 (Heise), Passed: 72-38

Next: Sent to Governor for signature

HB 5125 adds judges to the 63^rd District (Kent County) and consolidates/eliminates judges from the 67^th and 68^th District Courts (Genesee County) and eliminates one judge from the 70^th District (Saginaw County).

Expansion of Condemnation Authority for Pipelines Carrying CO2

HB 5255 (STALLWORTH), Passed: 67-43

Next: Sent to Senate for consideration

HB 5255 would expand condemnation authority for pipelines carrying CO2 for the purposes of enhanced oil recovery.

Addition of Carbon Dioxide and Enhanced Recovery Operation Terms

HB 5274 (Pettalia), Passed: 96-14

Next: Sent to Governor for signature

HB 5274 is a bill to add the carbon dioxide and enhanced recovery operation terms found in House Bill 5254 to the rest of 1929 PA 16.

Reduction of the Severance Tax on Oil and Gas from “Enhanced Recovery Methods”

HB 4885 (Nesbitt), Passed: 82-28

Next: Sent to Senate for consideration

HB 4885 is a bill to reduce the severance tax on oil and gas produced by “enhanced recovery methods.”

Revision of the Licensing and License Renewal Process for Real Estate Brokers

SB 641 (Kowall), Passed: 110-0

Next: Sent to Senate for reconsideration

SB 641 revises the licensing and license renewal process for real estate brokers, associate real estate brokers, and real estate salespersons.

Amending Licensing Requirements for Barbers

HB 5396 (LaFontaine), Passed: 103-7

Next: Sent to Senate for consideration

SB 612 will amend the licensing requirements for barbers, including barbers applying for license from out-of-state, out-of-jurisdiction, or from another country.

Addition of a New Section to the Mental Health Code

HB 5332 (Lori), Passed: 110-0

Next: Sent to Senate for consideration

HB 5332 adds a new section to the Mental Health Code by requiring that the Department of Community Health (Department) shall establish a uniform substance use disorder credentialing program for state departments or agencies.

Allowing Renegotiation of a Loan from the Clean Michigan Initiative Bond Fund

SB 719 (Booher), Passed: 103-7

Next: Sent to Senate for reconsideration

SB 719 is a bill to allow the terms of an outstanding loan from the Clean Michigan Initiative Bond Fund to be renegotiated upon a demonstration of financial hardship by the loan recipient.

Amendments to the Uniform Commercial Code

HB 5119 (VerHeulen), Passed: 110-0

Next: Sent to Senate for consideration

HB 5119 would make various amendments to Article 4a of the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) to apply it to a remittance transfer and provide that if there were an inconsistency between the article and the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, supremacy clause would apply and the Act would govern.

Removal of References to “Mentally Retarded” In Legislation

SB 805 (WARREN), Passed: 110-0

SB 806 (Caswell), Passed: 110-0

SB 807 (ANANICH), Passed: 110-0

SB 808 (Jones), Passed: 110-0

SB 809 (Jansen), Passed: 110-0

SB 810 (JOHNSON), Passed: 110-0

SB 811 (Moolenar), Passed: 110-0

Next: Sent to Governor for signature

The bills remove references to “mentally retarded” and replace them with terms deemed more appropriate.

Expansion of the Education Achievement Authority

HB 4369 (Lyons), Passed: 56-54

Next: Sent to Senate for reconsideration

HB 4369 establishes the right for entities functioning as a State School Reform/Redesign District to borrow money and issue notes on a short term basis, only for school operations, and in limited amounts.

Implementing a Formula to Determine the Total Cost of a FOIA Request

HB 4001 (Shirkey), Passed: 102-8

Next: Sent to Senate for consideration

HB 4001 amends the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to implement a formula to determine the total cost of a FOIA request, put a cap on the cost of paper copies related to FOIA requests, expand the reduced rate for FOIA requests to certain nonprofit organizations, and allow an individual to appeal to the public body or the circuit court if he or she has a good-faith belief that the fee is unreasonable.

Proposal for a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

SJR V (Challenge of the Chair’s Decision), Passed: 59-51

SJR V (Appeal of the Chair’s Decision), Passed: 59-51

SJR V (Green), Passed: 77-32

Next: Sent to Senate for consideration

Senate Joint Resolution V (Green) urge Congress to call a convention for the purposes of proposing a balanced budget amendment to the United States Constitution.

Appointment of Delegates to an Article V Convention

HB 5380 (Franz), Passed: 62-47

Next: Sent to Senate for consideration

HB 5380 provides for the appointment of delegates to an Article V convention for proposing amendments to the United States Constitution.