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• Introduced by Rep. Mike Huckleberry (D) on January 22, 2009, to prohibit a local government from granting Obsolete Property Rehabilitation property tax breaks unless the recipient promises in writing not to knowingly hire illegal aliens, and to only hire Michigan residents or contract with firms that promise the same, unless the project cannot be completed only with just Michigan residents. Violators could have their tax breaks revoked and required to pay all or part of their tax breaks. Local governments would have to report annually to the Michigan Strategic Fund board on the number of residents employed by beneficiaries of these tax breaks, and the specific reasons for each exemption granted from the proposed state-resident-job requirements.
  • Referred to the House Labor Committee on January 22, 2009.
    • Reported in the House on February 10, 2009, with the recommendation that the substitute (H-1) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
  • Substitute offered in the House on March 12, 2009, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that revises details but does not change the substance of the bill as previously described. The substitute passed by voice vote in the House on March 12, 2009.
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Fred Miller (D) on March 12, 2009, to transfer the duty to file compliance and job-creation reports with state targeted tax break-granting officials from the local government authorizing these particular tax breaks to to the recipient. The amendment passed by voice vote in the House on March 12, 2009.
• Passed 80 to 27 in the House on March 12, 2009, to prohibit a local government from granting Obsolete Property Rehabilitation property tax breaks unless the recipient promises in writing not to knowingly hire illegal aliens, and to only hire Michigan residents or contract with firms that promise the same, unless the project cannot be completed only with just Michigan residents. Violators could have their tax breaks revoked and required to pay all or part of their tax breaks. Tax break recipients would have to report annually to the Michigan Strategic Fund board on the number of residents employed by the beneficiaries of these bonds and tax breaks, and their "good faith efforts" to comply with the employee residency and related mandates.
  Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"
• Received in the Senate on March 18, 2009.
  • Referred to the Senate Commerce & Tourism Committee on March 18, 2009.
  • Motion by Sen. Samuel B. Thomas, III (D) on April 1, 2009, to discharge the Committee on Commerce and Tourism from further consideration of House Bills 4083 to 4093, and move them directly to the Senate floor for immediate consideration and debate. The bills would impose citizenship and resident preferences on companies that benefit from subsidies or tax breaks, or that have contracts with the state. A single motion covered all 11 bill, and the roll call vote on that is here. The motion failed by voice vote in the Senate on April 1, 2009.