Friday, May 15, 2015

House of Representatives Week in Review: May 11th – May 15th

Hello Friends,

Below is a list of the legislation that came before the House this week (May 11th through May 15th).  Please feel free to contact me (517.373.0826; andyschor@house.mi.gov) if you have any questions or thoughts about any of the below bills.

Thank you!

Andy Schor
State Representative
68th District

Passed 5/11 - 5/15 

Prohibit a court from assigning HYTA to certain youth offenders. It would also require a court to revoke HYTA-status under certain circumstances
HB 4135 (S-1) 5/12/15, Passed 84-26
House Bill 4135 amends MCL 762.12 of the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act (HYTA) to prohibit a court from assigning an individual to HYTA or revoking HYTA status if the individual is convicted of any of the following offenses either during the period of consideration of assignment to HYTA or while assigned to HYTA: A felony for which the maximum penalty is life in prison, A major controlled substance offense or a violation or attempted violation of the offenses (MCL 750.82 Felonious Assault; MCL 750.84 Assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder)

Make clarifications regarding the exemption of over-the-counter prescription drugs from sales taxes
HB 4464 (H-1) 5/12/15, Passed 108-2
HB 4465 (H-1) 5/12/15, Passed 109-1
House Bills 4464 (H-1) and 4465 (H-1) amend the Sales Tax Act and Use Tax Act, respectively, to make clarifications regarding the exemption of over-the-counter prescription drugs from sales and use taxes.             

Amends an Act authorizing counties to levy special taxes or appropriate money from their general fund for advertising agricultural advantages of the county
HB 4166 (H-1) 5/12/15, Passed 73-37
House Bill 4166 (H-1) amends an Act authorizing counties to levy special taxes or appropriate money from their general fund for advertising agricultural advantages of the county. The Act is currently available to all counties. Under the bill, a county that is currently levying the tax (Washtenaw County) could continue to levy it until January 1, 2020. The bill would also provide a mechanism by which all counties could have these levies only if they are approved by a majority of the voters.

Allows certain places with fuel pumps to obtain a Specially Designated Merchant (SDM) license (to sell alcohol)
HB 4074 (H-2) 5/12/15, Passed 106-4
House Bill 4074 (H-2) amends the Liquor Control Code (Code) to allow the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) to issue a SDM license to an applicant or licensee who owns or operates motor vehicle fuel pumps on or adjacent to the premises if it is located in a township with a population density of less than four people per square mile and county with a population density of less than 11 people per square mile.

Updates the Department responsible for sending a welcome home letter to returning veterans
SB 52 (S-1) 5/12/15, Passed 110-0
The former Department of Labor and Economic Growth routinely sent a welcome-home letter to returning veterans, directing them to a website with information about pursuing work or education, starting a business, and securing veterans benefits. It was suggested that the letter also should inform veterans about state-funded veterans service organizations (VSO), which led to the enactment of the Veterans Welcome Home Act in 2008, requiring the Department’s letter to include a list of state-funded VSOs.Under Executive Reorganization Order (ERO) 2011-4, the Department of Energy, Labor, and Economic Growth was renamed the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. It has since been suggested that the Veterans Affairs Agency, created within the Department of Military and Veteran Affairs by ERO 2013-2 be responsible for sending out the welcome home letter to returning veterans and informing them about the VSOs.

Allow certain fund-raising activities during school hours
SB 139 5/13/15, Passed 66-43
Amends the Revised School Code to require the Department of Education to “ensure maximum state and local control over the implementation” of school meal programs established under Section 1272a, including but not limited to establishing an upper limit on the number and frequency of fund-raising activities that may take place in a public school during school hours that do not meet the nutritional standards established under federal rules and regulations. The bill allows a maximum of 2 fundraisers per week that local schools may go over, and defines a fundraiser occurring at multiple times per day over one day as one fundraiser. The bill also requires the group doing the fundraiser to ensure that notification of the fundraiser occurring be given to the parents at least 1 week before the event with a description of the products to be sold.

Provide funding to allow the state to attempt to buy back tax vouchers issued due to the Venture Michigan Fund (VMF I) at a 10% discount in FY 14/15
HB 4101 (H-1) 5/14/15, Passed 107-1
House Bill 4101 (H-1) is a Fiscal Year (FY) 2014-2015 mid-year General Fund supplemental to provide funding to allow the state to attempt to buy back tax vouchers issued due to the Venture Michigan Fund (VMF I) at a 10% discount. This would allow the state to realize $5 million in savings associated with the first year of tax vouchers issued due to VMF I.

Removes the contiguity requirement from Community College districts
HB 4265 (H-1) 5/14/15, Passed 108-0
HB 4265 (H-1) removes the contiguity requirement from community college districts.

Remove the term “crippled child” and replace it with “children and youth with special health care needs”
HB 4203 (H-1) 5/14/15, Passed 108-0
HB 4204 5/14/15, Passed 108-0
HB 4205 (H-2) 5/14/15, Passed 108-0 *Schor Legislation*
House Bill 4203 (H-1) would amend Public Act 327 of 1931, which sets guidelines for the founding and endowing hospital or charitable asylum, to refer to a child or children “with special health care needs” rather than a “crippled” child or children. The bill is tie-barred to HB 4205, which is Schor Legislation. House Bill 4204 would amend the Social Welfare Act, which deals with the administration of public welfare programs by county departments, to refer to child or children “with special health care needs” rather than a “crippled” child or children. The bill is tie-barred to HB 4205. House Bill 4205 (H-2) amends numerous sections of the Public Health Code, to refer to a child or children “with special health care needs” rather than a “crippled” child or children. Changes include renaming the title of Part 58 of the Public Health Code and updating additional outdated language, notably the term “deformity”.


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