Liz Brater (D)
State Senator, District 18
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Missed Votes

169 bills introduced by Sen. Liz Brater (D)

• Introduced 2009 Senate Bill 864 (Revise government mental health services ) to expand the scope and authority of the Medicaid mental illness assistance “recipients rights” offices that local community mental health authorities programs and licensed hospitals are required to have. The bill would mandate new investigatory and response procedures, and appeals processes, on behalf of Medicaid mental health service recipients.
• Introduced 2009 Senate Bill 865 (Revise government mental health services ) to create a simplified uniform assessment standard at community mental health agencies to determine if a person needs mental health services. As under current law, priority would go to individuals with “with the most severe forms of serious mental illness, serious emotional disturbance, and developmental disability“.
• Introduced 2009 Senate Bill 866 (Revise government mental health services ) to give the Department of Community Health the authority to place a community mental health facility into temporary receivership and appoint a new director.
• Introduced 2009 Senate Bill 867 (Revise government mental health services ) require the Department of Community Health to establish a standardized database and a statewide reporting system to track applicants who are denied mental health services.
• Introduced 2009 Senate Bill 868 (Revise government mental health services ) to require that any hearing related to a community mental health services program uses and records input and opinions regarding a particular case's merits from an independent mental health professional.
• Introduced 2009 Senate Bill 869 (Revise guardian’s mental health authority ) to explicitly authorize a legally incapacitated individual's guardian to give the consent or approval that is necessary for the person to be given psychiatric hospitalization or mental health outpatient care.
• Introduced 2009 Senate Bill 659 (Mandate infertility insurance coverage ) to impose a new coverage mandate that would require Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance policies sold in Michigan that include pregnancy coverage to also include coverage for infertility treatment.
• Introduced 2009 Senate Bill 661 (Impose pap smear insurance mandate ) to impose a new coverage mandate that would require Blue Cross Blue Shield policies sold in Michigan that include gynecological coverage to pay for annual pap smears.
• Introduced 2009 Senate Bill 486 (Mandate “comparable worth” pay ) to prohibit paying a person a wage or salary that is less than an amount established under a proposed interpretation of “comparable worth,” making doing so a civil rights law violation. The bill would prohibit different levels of compensation for work of “comparable value,” meaning a “comparable composite skill, responsibility, effort, education or training, and working conditions.” The bill does not specify how different kinds of work (as opposed to different people doing the same work) would be compared with regard to these various criteria.
• Introduced 2009 Senate Bill 487 (Mandate “comparable worth” wages ) to prohibit paying a person a wage or salary that is less than an amount established under a proposed definition of comparable worth, making doing so a violation of the civil rights laws of the state, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, or marital status. The bill would prohibit different levels of compensation for work of “comparable value,” meaning a “comparable composite skill, responsibility, effort, education or training, and working conditions.” The bill does not specify how different kinds of work would be compared with regard to these various criteria.
• Introduced 2009 Senate Bill 408 (Give drunk minors immunity if they turn themselves in ) to extend immunity from “minor in possession” of alcohol and related laws for a drunk minor who shows up at a health facility for observation. This would also apply to any other minor who accompanies the drunk one, or who contacts the proper authorities.
• Introduced 2009 Senate Bill 292 (Require citizenship/resident preferences in certain programs ) to prohibit a local government from issuing bonds to construct, improve, or finance improvements to industrial buildings unless the beneficiary promises not to knowingly hire illegal aliens, and to make a good faith effort to only hire Michigan residents and use Michigan suppliers and vendors on the project unless that means the project cannot be completed. Violators could have their tax breaks revoked and be required to repay all or part of those already used. Local governments 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 the specific reasons for each exemption granted from the proposed state-resident-job requirements.
• Introduced 2009 Senate Bill 300 (Appropriations: 2009-2010 Corrections budget ) the executive recommendation for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2009-2010 Department of Corrections budget. This would appropriate $1.958 billion in gross spending, compared to $2.040 billion, which was the FY 2008-2009 amount enrolled in 2008. Of this, $1.898 billion will come from the general fund (funded by actual state tax revenues), compared to the FY 2008-2009 amount of $1.978 billion.
• Introduced 2009 Senate Bill 307 (Appropriations: 2009-2010 Judiciary budget ) the executive recommendation for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2009-2010 Judiciary budget. This would appropriate $262.0 million in gross spending, compared to $262.8 million, which was the FY 2008-2009 amount enrolled in 2008. Of this, $158.7 million will come from the general fund (funded by actual state tax revenues), compared to the FY 2008-2009 amount of $159.3 million. $88.6 million is from "restricted funds," or earmarked state tax and fee revenue, and $5.1 million is federal revenue.
• Introduced 2009 Senate Bill 309 (Appropriations: 2009-2010 Natural Resources budget ) the executive recommendation for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2009-2010 Department of Natural Resources budget. This would appropriate $307.4 million in gross spending, compared to $289.9 million, which was the FY 2008-2009 amount enrolled in 2008. Of this, $16.4 million will come from the general fund (funded by actual state tax revenues), compared to the FY 2008-2009 amount of $10.6 million. Another $232.2 million comes from other state sources including debt, fees, royalties, etc., compared to $219.1 million in the previous budget. $54.7 million is from federal revenue.
• Introduced 2009 Senate Bill 171 (Authorize jail diversion for mentally ill criminals ) to require community mental health services programs to give priority in providing treatment to a person diverted from jail under the terms proposed by Senate Bill 172.
• Introduced 2009 Senate Bill 172 (Authorize jail diversion for mentally ill criminals) to authorize courts to allow mentally ill or mentally retarded individuals charged with a crime to be placed in treatment rather than jail under certain circumstances. The court would be required to consider the nature of the crime, the person’s prior criminal background, the nature of the illness, the likelihood that the person would benefit from treatment, etc. The bill would prohibit placing an individual who has a mental illness, emotional disturbance, developmental disability, or mental retardation in jail as an alternative to treatment, unless he or she is being held in protective custody.
• Introduced 2009 Senate Bill 174 (Ban life without parole sentence for juveniles ) to prohibit sentencing an individual convicted as a juvenile to imprisonment for life without the possibility of parole. This is the maximum penalty in Michigan law and is only imposed for the most serious crimes of violence.
• Introduced 2009 Senate Bill 173 (Ban life without parole sentence for juveniles) Ban life without parole sentence for juveniles to prohibit sentencing an individual convicted as a juvenile to imprisonment for life without the possibility of parole. This is the maximum penalty in Michigan law and is only imposed for the most serious crimes of violence.
• Introduced 2009 Senate Bill 170 (Raise compulsory school age to 18 ) to require compulsory school attendance for children up to age 18, instead of age 16 as is currently required.
• Introduced 2009 Senate Bill 97 (Allow no-reason absentee voting ) to eliminate the requirement that a person give a specific reason for requesting an absentee ballot. .
• Introduced 2008 Senate Resolution 229 to memorialize the United States House of Representatives to retain the Honorable John Dingell as the chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee. Passed in the Senate by voice vote on November 13, 2008.
• Introduced 2008 Senate Bill 1436 (Waive certain fees for indigent ) to waive the charge for a state identification card for individuals whose income is below 125 percent of the poverty level.
• Introduced 2008 Senate Bill 1356 (Require state to disseminate emergency contraceptives information ) to require the Department of Community Health to disseminate information to health care professionals on the use, safety, efficacy, and availability of emergency contraceptives.
• Introduced 2008 Senate Bill 1150 (Appropriations: 2008-2009 Natural Resources budget ) the executive recommendation for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008-2009 Department of Natural Resources budget. This would appropriate $286.9 million in gross spending, compared to $289.4 million, which was the FY 2007-2008 amount enrolled in 2007. Of this, $23.4 million will come from the general fund (funded by actual state tax revenues), compared to the FY 2007-2008 amount of $25.2 million. Another $206.5 million comes from other state sources including debt, fees, royalties, etc., compared to $210.5 million in the previous budget.
• Introduced 2008 Senate Bill 1151 (Appropriations: 2008-2009 Environmental Quality budget ) the executive recommendation for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008-2009 Department of Environmental Quality budget. This would appropriate $368.4 million in gross spending, compared to $370.8 million, which was the FY 2007-2008 amount enrolled in 2007. Of this, $44.9 million will come from the general fund (funded by actual state tax revenues), compared to the FY 2007-2008 amount of $31.7 million, and $173.3 million is from other state sources including debt, fees, royalties, etc., compared to $182.2 million in the previous budget.
• Introduced 2008 Senate Bill 1152 (Appropriations: 2008-2009 Judiciary budget ) the executive recommendation for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008-2009 Judiciary budget. This would appropriate $261.9 million in gross spending, compared to $260.3 million, which was the FY 2007-2008 amount enrolled in 2007. Of this, $159.9 million will come from the general fund (funded by actual state tax revenues), compared to the FY 2007-2008 amount of $158.0 million.
• Introduced 2008 Senate Bill 1153 (Appropriations: 2008-2009 Corrections budget ) the executive recommendation for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008-2009 Department of Corrections budget. This would appropriate $2.062 billion in gross spending, compared to $2.078 billion, which was the FY 2007-2008 amount enrolled in 2007. Of this, $1.978 billion will come from the general fund (funded by actual state tax revenues), compared to the FY 2007-2008 amount of $1.996 billion.
• Introduced 2008 Senate Bill 1025 (Reduce limits on state’s power to impose insurance price controls ) to repeal a provision of the insurance code that requires the state insurance bureau to determine that there not is a “reasonable degree” of competition for the particular type of insurance before it can declare a company’s rates “excessive” and order the firm to lower the price (or stop selling that line of insurance).
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 875 (Raise Michigan Business Tax rates to allow service tax repeal ) to create a “vehicle” bill that could be used to raise certain rates in the Michigan Business Tax by an amount determined to equal the revenue projected from the new 6 percent tax on many services, which presumably would then be repealed.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 874 (Raise Michigan Business Tax rates to allow service tax repeal ) to create a “vehicle” bill that could be used to raise certain rates in the Michigan Business Tax by an amount determined to equal the revenue projected from the new 6 percent tax on many services, which presumably would then be repealed.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 782 (Extend sunset on environmental permit fees ) to extend until 2011 the sunset on various environmental regulation permit fees, including ones for air emissions, groundwater discharge, hazardous waste management, and liquid industrial wastes.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 764 (Make non-substantive sales tax language changes ) to “clean up” the sales tax statutory language to related to various tax deductions that went into effect in the past. The bill makes no substantive change in the law.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 765 (Make non-substantive income tax language changes ) to “clean up” the income tax statutory language to related to various tax deductions that went into effect in the past. The bill makes no substantive change in the law.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 766 (Expand use tax to certain phone services ) to repeal a use tax exemption on toll free phone services (800-numbers, WATTS lines, etc.) and international calls.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 767 (Expand use tax to certain phone services ) to repeal a use tax exemption on toll free phone services (800-numbers, WATTS lines, etc.) and international calls.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 768 (Impose use tax on services ) to expand the 6 percent state “use tax” to services.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 769 (Impose use tax on services ) to expand the 6 percent state “use tax” to services.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 770 (Make non-substantive income tax language changes ) to “clean up” the income tax statutory language to related to various tax deductions that went into effect in the past. The bill makes no substantive change in the law.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 723 (Impose groundwater use restrictions and permitting mandates ) to give the Department of Environmental Quality the duty to determine that a commercial or industrial groundwater withdrawal does not “impair the waters of the state,” and with the other bills in this package, give the department broad regulatory authority to impose new regulations on commercial and industrial groundwater users, and broad discretion in how and when to exercise that authority over commercial and industrial groundwater users. The bill would also authorize “interested parties” and county prosecutors to sue businesses when they believe a violation has occurred, and civil fines of $5,000 per day for a person who knowingly violates certain water withdrawal regulations. The bill is part of a legislative package consisting of Senate Bills 721 to 729 and House Bills 5065 to 5073 that would restrict and subject to extensive regulation the use of groundwater by industrial and commercial businesses . Passed in the Senate (38 to 0) on May 14, 2008, to establish a government "Water Resources Conservation Advisory Council" that would replace a similar council and make recommendations on what (additonal) regulations and enforcement provisions to adopt to comply the requirements of the "Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact" (see Senate Bill 212), including how to refine an computer program "assessment tool" for estimating the effect of particular water withdrawals on streams, lakes and water tables.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 616 (Impose new CAFO regulations ) to impose new regulations on the application of manure taken from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). The bill prohibits applying manure within a specified distance of wells, homes, surface water, roads or property lines; prohibits applying manure more than once a year, applying it on ground that exceeds a certain slope, or where crops for direct human consumption are grown; requires the manure to be treated beforehand, or "mechanically incorporated" into the ground; and more.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 623 (Require notice of treated lumber in playground equipment ) to require a notice to be placed in any playground with equipment that contains chromated copper arsenate (i.e. "pressure treated" lumber), alerting users to this, and recommending hand washing after contact.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 483 (Extend baseline environmental assessment fee ) to eliminate a June, 2007 sunset on a $750 fee levied when submitting a petition to the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for a determination about a baseline environmental assessment. Under this program, someone who becomes the owner or operator of a contaminated property may petition the DEQ within six months after the completion of a baseline environmental assessment for an exemption from liability for hazardous substance cleanup costs.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 417 (Mandate “comparable worth” pay ) to prohibit paying a person a wage or salary that is less than an amount established under a proposed interpretation of “comparable worth,” making doing so a civil rights law violation. The bill would prohibit different levels of compensation for work of “comparable value,” meaning a “comparable composite skill, responsibility, effort, education or training, and working conditions.” The bill does not specify how different kinds of work (as opposed to different people doing the same work) would be compared with regard to these various criteria.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 406 (Increase fishing license fees ) to gradually increase fishing license fees by various amounts ranging from 30 percent to 100 percent. Also, to gradually reduce the amount that senior licenses are discounted, from 60 percent to 40 percent. See also House Bill 4624, which raises hunting license fees.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 311 (Gov. Granholm’s “Michigan Business Tax” ) to revise the law authorizing tax breaks on certain commercial and industrial property so it reflect provisions of the new business tax proposed by Gov. Granholm (see Senate Bill 307 and House Bill 4368) to replace the revenue from the Single Business Tax (SBT), which expires at the end of 2007. The proposal would also exempt business tools and equipment (the “personal property tax”) from the 6-mill state education tax and the 18-mill school operating tax. This bill applies the personal property tax exemptions to the lower tax rate levied under the “commercial and industrial personal property” tax break law.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 334 (Mandate mental health insurance “parity” ) to prohibit a health insurance company from applying more restrictive conditions on coverage for mental health and substance abuse inpatient treatment than apply to other health coverage.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 307 (Impose 2 percent tax on services ) to impose a 2 percent tax on services, except for health care and education. The new tax would take approximately $1.5 billion annually, one third of which would go into the school aid fund. Business-to-business services would also be taxed, meaning approximately two-thirds of the tax would fall on businesses. This tax was proposed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm as part of her annual budget recommendation. Failed in the Senate (16 to 22) on March 22, 2007.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 249 (Appropriations: 2007-2008 Corrections executive budget ) the executive recommendation for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2007-2008 Department of Corrections budget. This appropriates $2.001 billion in gross spending, compared to $1.940 billion, which was the FY 2006-2007 amount enrolled in 2006. Of this, $1.932 billion will come from the general fund (funded by actual state tax revenues), compared to the FY 2006-2007 amount of $1.858 billion. Note: Gov. Jenifer Granholm’s executive budget recommendations are premised on the legislature adopting a 2 percent tax on services which along with other tax increases and a proposed reduction in business taxes represents a net tax hike of approximately $1 billion.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 251 (Appropriations: 2007-2008 Environmental Quality executive budget ) the executive recommendation for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2007-2008 Department of Environmental Quality budget. This appropriates $370.9 million in gross spending, compared to $444.2 million, which was the FY 2006-2007 amount enrolled in 2006. Of this, $33.8 million will come from the general fund (funded by actual state tax revenues), compared to the FY 2006-2007 amount of $31.8 million. “Restricted funds” provided $251,379,000 the previous year, and $187,026,800 in this budget. Note: Gov. Jenifer Granholm’s executive budget recommendations are premised on the legislature adopting a 2 percent tax on services which along with other tax increases and a proposed reduction in business taxes represents a net tax hike of approximately $1 billion.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 257 (Appropriations: 2007-2008 Judiciary executive budget ) the executive recommendation for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2007-2008 Judiciary budget. This appropriates $263.2 million in gross spending, compared to $259.4 million, which was the FY 2006-2007 amount enrolled in 2006. Of this, $161.9 million will come from the general fund (funded by actual state tax revenues), compared to the FY 2006-2007 amount of $160.6 million. Note: Gov. Jenifer Granholm’s executive budget recommendations are premised on the legislature adopting a 2 percent tax on services which along with other tax increases and a proposed reduction in business taxes represents a net tax hike of approximately $1 billion .
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 260 (Appropriations: 2007-2008 Natural Resources executive budget ) the executive recommendation for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2007-2008 Department of Natural Resources budget. This appropriates $287.2 million in gross spending, compared to $291.5 million, which was the FY 2006-2007 amount enrolled in 2006. Of this, $24.7 million will come from the general fund (funded by actual state tax revenues), compared to the FY 2006-2007 amount of $25.2 million. Note: Gov. Jenifer Granholm’s executive budget recommendations are premised on the legislature adopting a 2 percent tax on services which along with other tax increases and a proposed reduction in business taxes represents a net tax hike of approximately $1 billion http://www.michiganvotes.com/Legislation.aspx?ID=45911.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 199 (Authorize “mental health court” ) to authorize a non-adversarial type of alternative judicial proceeding for mentally disturbed or disabled individuals who commit minor crimes, similar to the state “drug courts” for minor drug use crimes. These “mental health” courts would allow the prosecution to be stayed if the individual agrees to a prescribed mental health treatment program, and the charges to be dropped if he or she abides by the agreement.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 200 (Authorize “mental health court” ) to require community mental health services programs give priority to providing treatment to individuals participating in the non-adversarial type of alternative judicial proceeding proposed by Senate Bill 199 for mentally disturbed or disabled individuals who commit minor crimes, similar to the state “drug courts” for minor drug use crimes.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 195 (Expand "boot camp" prison alternative ) to eliminate a prohibition on allowing someone convicted of a crime for a second time to be placed in a special alternative incarceration program ("boot camp" type program). The program is sometimes required as a condition of probation, where the alternative is commitment to a real prison.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 177 (Expand "boot camp" prison alternative ) to eliminate a prohibition on allowing someone convicted of a crime for a second time to be placed in a special alternative incarceration program ("boot camp" type program). The program is sometimes required as a condition of probation, where the alternative is commitment to a real prison.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 152 (Ban phosphorus dishwashing detergents ) to prohibit the use of phosphates in dishwasher and laundry detergents beginning July 1, 2010. Under current law, these products can contain up to 8.7 percent phosphorous, and the bill would cut this to 0.5 percent. Passed in the Senate (38 to 0) on April 19, 2007.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 81 (Impose $7.50 per ton solid waste disposal surcharge ) to impose a $7.50 per ton solid waste disposal surcharge on solid waste placed in Michigan landfills or solid waste incinerators. Of the money collected, 50 percent would go to local governments for recycling and environmental protection activities, 40 percent to local governments for any other purpose, and ten percent for state and county administration and planning expenses.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 6 (Ban life without parole sentence for juveniles ) to prohibit sentencing an individual convicted as a juvenile to imprisonment for life without the possibility of parole. This is the maximum penalty in Michigan law and is only imposed for the most serious crimes of violence.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 7 (Impose separate state appliance energy standards ) to impose separate state energy requirements (in addition to any applicable federal standards) on consumer appliances, lights and household equipment or products that use electricity.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 8 (Make sewer permit conditional on zoning compliance ) to require a developer or other enterprise that applies for a sewage or other wastewater disposal permit to certify that the proposed use, activity or facility is in compliance with local zoning laws (or has been granted a variance).
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 9 (Ban life without parole sentence for juveniles ) to prohibit sentencing an individual convicted as a juvenile to imprisonment for life without the possibility of parole. This is the maximum penalty in Michigan law and is only imposed for the most serious crimes of violence.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 10 (Require vote-by-mail option ) to require statewide elections to have a vote-by-mail option, and authorize local elections to have this option.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 11 (Raise compulsory school age from 16 to 18 ) to require compulsory school attendance for children up to age 18, instead of age 16 as is currently required, with some exceptions. Attendance at a community college cooperative program for high school students, or in vocational education would be allowed as alternatives.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 12 (Allow no-reason absentee voting ) to eliminate the requirement that a person give a specific reason for requesting an absentee ballot.
• Introduced 2007 Senate Bill 13 (Allow election day voter registration ) to allow election day voting registration. Under current law, a citizen must register at least 30 days before an election.
• Introduced 2006 Senate Bill 1475 (Revise low income heating bill subsidies) to require the Department of Human Services to create an on-line database with the names of individuals and companies willing to donate time, services, and materials to assist in weatherization and energy efficiency projects in the homes of low-income families. Also, to require the department to survey state and federal laws and programs for available funding sources for low-income energy and weatherization subsidies, and make recommendations to the governor and the legislature regarding low-income energy subsidies.
• Introduced 2006 Senate Bill 1462 (Democratic identity theft package ) to extend the law that allows the prosecution of identity theft crimes committed in multiple jurisdictions in any one of these jurisdictions to other crimes that may be related to identity theft, such as forging a drivers license, credit application, etc.
• Introduced 2006 Senate Bill 1419 (Revise scrap tire regulations ) to revise details of the law that authorizes the regulation of scrap tire storage, disposal and recycling to update the regulations on certain activities, primarily so that they accommodate and apply equivalent regulations to new uses and recycling processes for scrap tires. For example, the bill extends to "tire chips" many of the current provisions for scrap tires, and eases some of the regulations to facilitate transport, storage and processing of this material. Passed in the Senate (36 to 0) on November 30, 2006, to revise details of the law that authorizes the regulation of scrap tire storage, disposal and recycling to update the regulations on certain activities, primarily so that they accommodate apply equivalent regulations to new uses and recycling processes for scrap tires. For example, the bill extends to "tire chips" many of the current provisions for scrap tires, and eases some of the regulations to facilitate transport, storage and processing of this material.
• Introduced 2006 Senate Bill 1409 (Revise oil and gas right foreclosure treatment ) to define the procedures for the treatment in a delinquent property tax foreclosure action of subsurface oil and gas rights that previously had been severed (sold) from the above-ground property. In a recent case (Antrim County Treasurer v. Michigan, SC docket No. 127212), the state Supreme Court upheld a trial court ruling that oil and gas interests are exempt from local government foreclosure. The bill would establish that the oil and gas rights are not exempt from foreclosure unless a severance deed has been recorded with the county register of deeds within the past 20 years. Passed in the Senate (37 to 0) on September 20, 2006.
• Introduced 2006 Senate Resolution 159 to memorialize the Congress of the United States to encourage other nations to adopt the International Plant Protection Convention guidelines for regulating wood packaging materials to prevent the introduction of invasive species into the United States.
• Introduced 2006 Senate Bill 1332 (Make sewer permit conditional on zoning compliance ) to require a developer or other enterprise that applies for a sewage or other waste disposal permit to certify that the proposed use, activity or facility is in compliance with local zoning laws (or has been granted a variance).
• Introduced 2006 Senate Bill 1333 (Impose separate state appliance energy standards ) to impose separate state energy requirements (in addition to any applicable federal standards) on consumer appliances, lights and household equipment or products that use electricity.
• Introduced 2006 Senate Resolution 147 observing September 18-24, 2006, as Pollution Prevention Week. Passed in the Senate by voice vote on June 7, 2006.
• Introduced 2006 Senate Bill 1238 (Give preference to state contracts using "unemployed outsourced workers" ) to require bidders on state contracts to include an "outsourced worker accountability form" with the bid that includes the percentage of the total bid price that would go to services performed by workers outside of Michigan but inside the U.S., to workers outside the U.S., and the number of "unemployed outsourced workers" who would be hired. The bill would require preference be given to bidders who propose to use more Michigan workers, and more "unemployed outsourced workers." The bill is part of a package comprised of Senate Bills 1235 to 1240.
• Introduced 2006 Senate Bill 1221 (Expand honorarium ban ) to extend the ban on the acceptance of an honorarium by legislators to also apply to statewide office holders (governor, lieutenant governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Supreme Court and Appeals Court judges). "Honorarium" is defined as a payment for an appearance, speech, article, or any activity related to or associated with the performance of duties as an official, except for reimbursement for the cost of transportation, accommodations, or meals for the official at an event.
• Introduced 2006 Senate Bill 1165 (Require lenders to postpone "outsourced worker's" loan principle repayment) to require savings banks to defer the collection of principle payments on a car or home loan and collect interest only for 12 months if so requested by a borrower who is an "outsourced worker," or who has lost his or her job due to the bankruptcy of their employer.
• Introduced 2006 Senate Bill 1065 (Impose new CAFO regulations ) to require certification of concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) operators, authorize a state training program for operators, and require pollution control permits for medium or large CAFOs. These permits would entail extensive application procedures, and compliance with detailed regulations specified in the bill, and additional regulations that the Department of Environmental Quality would be authorized to impose in the future without additional legislation.
• Introduced 2006 Senate Bill 1063 (Impose new CAFO regulations ) to impose new regulations on the application of manure taken from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). The bill prohibits applying manure within a specified distance of wells, homes, surface water, roads or property lines; prohibits applying manure more than once a year, applying it on ground that exceeds a certain slope, or where crops for direct human consumption are grown; requires the manure to be treated beforehand, or "mechanically incorporated" into the ground; and more.
• Introduced 2006 Senate Bill 1064 (Impose new CAFO regulations ) to allow local governments to establish their own property line setback requirements for a new or expanded concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO). This would create an exception to the preemption of local farm regulations in the state "Right to Farm Act." The bill also authorizes $500 fines or fees for certain repeat state inspections of a farm that has not adequately complied with a state order to follow "generally accepted agricultural practices" subsequent to a complaint.
• Introduced 2006 Senate Bill 941 (Ban life without parole sentence for juveniles ) to prohibit sentencing an individual convicted as a juvenile to imprisonment for life without the possibility of parole. This is the maximum penalty in Michigan law and is only imposed for the most serious crimes of violence.
• Introduced 2006 Senate Bill 942 (Ban life without parole sentence for juveniles ) to prohibit sentencing an individual convicted as a juvenile to imprisonment for life without the possibility of parole. This is the maximum penalty in Michigan law and is only imposed for the most serious crimes of violence.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 929 (Establish gender identity/sexual orientation "hate crime" ) to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the protected classes covered under the Michigan felonious intimidation law, which makes it a crime to maliciously and with specific intent intimidate or harass another person because of that person's race, color, religion, gender, or national origin. The bill also authorizes consecutive sentences (vs. concurrent sentences) for felonious intimidation convictions in addition to sentences for any other felony conviction that arises out of the same incident.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Resolution 84 to urge the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration and the United States Congress to implement the Action Plan to Restore and Protect the Great Lakes. Passed in the Senate by voice vote on November 29, 2005.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 857 (Establish new public water system restrictions ) to require the Department of Environmental Quality to consider impacts on ground and surface water movements before granting a water withdrawal permit to a public water supply system. Passed in the Senate (36 to 0) on December 8, 2005, to require the Department of Environmental Quality to consider impacts on ground and surface water movements before granting a water withdrawal permit to a public water supply system that uses more than 2 million gallons per day, or 5 million if from the Great Lakes and connected waterways. The department would have to reject proposals if the system would not meet standards proposed by Senate Bill 850, unless there was no feasible and prudent alternative, and the environmental impact of the withdrawal would be balanced by its public benefit.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 855 (Repeal property right to reasonable use of groundwater ) to repeal the riparian water use doctrine of Michigan law, which establishes that a property owner has a property right to the use of groundwater drawn from beneath his or her land, as long as this does not interfere with another person’s use of groundwater. Instead, property owners would not have a have an ownership right, but could use groundwater only if the state grants permission. This riparian use doctrine is the norm east of the Mississippi River, but not in arid states of the west. The bill would also prohibit the sale outside the Great Lakes basin of bottled water that is taken from a municipal water system. This would include the Nestle bottled water plant (formerly Perrier) in Mecosta County. This is the same as House Bill 5366. See also “Water Legacy Act”.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 856 (Establish water diversion proposal guidelines ) to require a public comment period before the governor could exercise the authority (including veto power) granted by the federal Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) over any proposal to divert or export water from this or another Great Lakes states. The bill would place in statute specific guidelines to be followed when any such water use proposal is under consideration.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Resolution 82 to memorialize the President and the Congress of the United States not to enact the Ballast Water Management Act of 2005.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Resolution 73 commending Congressman John Dingell for his achievements on the occasion of his fiftieth year of service in the United States House of Representatives. Passed in the Senate by voice vote on October 12, 2005.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 799 (Authorize local wastewater application consulting cost grants ) to enable up to $40 million to be expended for grants to cover the engineering and consulting costs incurred by local communities associated with sewage treatment projects paid for with money borrowed from the state revolving fund created by the Great Lakes Water Quality initiative of 2002. Authorization to borrow money for the grants would come from that initiative. The bill is part of a legislative package comprised of House Bills 4572 and 4573 and 789, 790, 799 and 800. Passed in the Senate (36 to 0) on October 20, 2005.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 787 (Prohibit gender identity/sexual orientation discrimination ) to add “sexual orientation” and “gender identity or expression” to the characteristics that define membership in a group against whom it is a crime to discriminate under the Michigan civil rights law. This would make it a crime to deny employment, housing, use of public accommodations, public services, and educational facilities to another person on the basis of a perception that the person has a particular sexual orientation or gender identity.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 596 (Add certain expenses to income tax base ) to expand the state income tax so as to levy the tax on expenses incurred in the production of income that is not otherwise subject to the state income tax.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 597 (FY 2006 Executive Budget “Revenue Enhancements” ) to increase from 4.0 percent to 6.6 percent the oil and gas severance tax rate on marginal wells (ones that produce less than 35 barrels per day). This is one of $200 million in “revenue enhancement” or “tax expenditure” proposals included in Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s Fiscal Year 2005-2006 budget recommendation, and it would increase the taxes paid by oil and gas producers approximately $2.2 million.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 598 (Add certain expenses to income tax base ) to expand the state income so as to tax to levy the tax on expenses incurred in the production of income that is not otherwise subject to the state income tax.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 557 (Mercury regulation package ) to regulate the placement of mercury into the waste stream by those in the business of replacing or repairing household items. The bill would in general apply hazardous waste disposal standards to this type of waste.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Resolution 35 to memorialize the Congress of the United States and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide assistance, including additional emergency funding, in the effort to mitigate the infestation of the Emerald Ash Borer. Passed in the Senate by voice vote on June 21, 2005.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 413 (Authorize new DDA public works spending ) to expand the scope of activities on which downtown development authorities may spend “captured” tax increment finance revenue. The bill would allow DDA’s to seek permission from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to undertake projects in a “downtown expansion zone” outside of a DDA’s jurisdiction, and to “capture” incremental increases in state or local school property taxes, for uses approved by MEDC, based on its assessment that these will increase economic activity in the area. The bill authorizes up to $100 million for projects that it would allow, if the agreements are signed by the end of 2006. This is part of Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s “Jobs Today” public works proposal.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Resolution 25 to urge the United States Coast Guard to immediately eliminate the "No Ballast on Board" (NOBOB) exemption from regulations on ballast water management and require all ships with ballast tanks that enter the Great Lakes to conform to all regulations for ballast water management in federal law. Passed in the Senate by voice vote on May 3, 2005.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 333 (Authorize lawsuits against HMOs ) to authorize a person who is harmed by an HMO that does not exercise ordinary care when making a health care treatment decision to sue the HMO, with certain exceptions.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 323 (Prohibit employment for less than specified wage ) to establish that an employer who discharges, threatens, or otherwise discriminates against an employee who files a complaint that the employer has paid a wage that is less than the minimum amount allowed by the state is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to 90 days in jail and a $100 fine. See also Senate Bills 318 to 322.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 284 .
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 259 (Authorize jail diversion for mentally ill criminals ) to require community mental health services programs to give priority in providing treatment to a person diverted from jail under the terms proposed by Senate Bill 260.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 260 (Authorize jail diversion for mentally ill criminals ) to authorize courts to allow mentally ill or mentally retarded individuals charged with a crime to be placed in treatment rather than jail under certain circumstances. The court would be required to consider the nature of the crime, the person’s prior criminal background, the nature of the illness, the likelihood that the person would benefit from treatment, etc. The bill would prohibit placing an individual who has a mental illness, emotional disturbance, developmental disability, or mental retardation in jail as an alternative to treatment, unless he or she is being held in protective custody.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 256 (Impose $6 per ton solid waste disposal surcharge ) to impose a $6 per ton solid waste disposal surcharge on solid waste placed in Michigan landfills or solid waste incinerators. Of the money collected, 50 percent would go to local governments for recycling and environmental protection activities, 40 percent to local governments for any other purpose, and ten percent for state and county administration and planning expenses.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 209 (Ban phosphorus dishwashing detergents ) to prohibit the use of phosphorus in dishwashing detergents.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 214 (Revise non-native species ban details ) to clarify the “state of mind” provision of the law banning the possession or release of certain genetically modified or non-native fish and plant species. This provision requires a person to have knowingly violated the law in order to be subject to penalties. Passed in the Senate (37 to 0) on June 9, 2005, to establish penalties ranging from a civil fine of $100 to criminal penalties punishable by up to four years in prison plus a $1 million fine for violations of the crimes defined in Senate Bills 212 and 213, which inolve possession or introduction of invasive species.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 158 (Ban items from landfills ) to prohibit disposing of batteries, fluorescent lightbulbs, electronic equipment containing cathode ray tubes, or any products containing mercury in landfills.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 157 (Tax questionable business practices ) to levy Single Business Tax (SBT) on the amount of any settlement paid by a firm for questionable practices in the past that were related to stock or securities transactions, to the extent that the amount was deducted when determining the firm’s SBT liability.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 145 (Allow no-reason absentee voting ) to eliminate the requirement that a person give a specific reason for requesting an absentee ballot.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 144 (Allow no-reason absentee voting ) to eliminate the requirement that a person give a specific reason for requesting an absentee ballot.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 122 (Mandate “comparable worth” wages ) to prohibit paying a person a wage or salary that is less than an amount established under a proposed definition of comparable worth, making doing so a violation of the civil rights laws of the state, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, or marital status. The bill would prohibit different levels of compensation for work of “comparable value,” meaning a “comparable composite skill, responsibility, effort, education or training, and working conditions.” The bill does not specify how different kinds of work would be compared with regard to these various criteria.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 123 (Mercury regulation package ) to prohibit the sale or use of blood pressure recording devices that contain mercury. Passed in the Senate (36 to 0) on November 30, 2006.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 7 (Require groundwater use permits ) to require a state groundwater withdrawal permit for industrial plants or farms that withdraw more than 2 million gallons a day or 100 million gallons a year. Beginning in 2009, permits would be authorized for existing facilities that withdraw 100,000 gallons a day or more, and existing facilities withdrawing at this level or greater would be required to submit five-year plans for water management and conservation. Beginning in 2010, permits would be required for new plants or farms that withdraw 100,000 gallons a day or more. This is Gov. Jennifer Granholm's "Water Legacy Act".
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 6 (Allow election day voter registration ) to allow election day voting registration. Under current law, a citizen must register at least 30 days before an election.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 5 (Require vote-by-mail option ) to require statewide elections to have a vote-by-mail option, and authorize local elections to have this option.
• Introduced 2005 Senate Bill 4 (Raise compulsory school age to 18 ) to require compulsory school attendance for children up to age 18, instead of age 16 as is currently required, with some exceptions. Attendance at a community college cooperative program for high school students, or in vocational education would be allowed as alternatives.
• Introduced 2004 Senate Bill 1419 (Revise truck cover regulations ) to allow certain exemptions to the law requiring trucks carrying sand, gravel, and other bulk products to be covered. These new exemptions would include trucks engaged in highway or street work, and those carrying very dense metal or other heavy items loaded in a way that prevents them from falling off the truck.
• Introduced 2004 Senate Bill 1426 (Clarify non-native species law “state of mind” provision ) to clarify the “state of mind” provision of the law banning the possession or release of certain genetically modified or non-native fish and plant species. This provision requires a person to have knowingly violated the law in order to be subject to penalties.
• Introduced 2004 Senate Bill 1405 (Allow no-reason absentee voting ) to eliminate the requirement that a person give a specific reason for requesting an absentee ballot.
• Introduced 2004 Senate Bill 1406 (Allow different drivers license and voting registration address ) to repeal a law that requires a person to use the same address for voting registration and for his or her driver licens.
• Introduced 2004 Senate Bill 1380 (Mercury regulation package ) to regulate the placement of mercury into the waste stream those in the business of replacing or repairing household items. The bill would in general apply hazardous waste disposal standards to this type of waste.
• Introduced 2004 Senate Bill 1355 (Authorize Natural Resources Trust Fund revenue bonds ) to authorize the issuance of Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund bonds backed only by the fund’s revenue, and not by the full faith and credit of the state. The bill would allow the pledging of not more than 50 percent of the trust fund’s revenues for this purpose.
• Introduced 2004 Senate Bill 1294 (Authorize watershed management districts ) to authorize the establishment of watershed management districts that would have extensive regulatory and spending authority similar to that held by county drain commissions, and could assess local units of governments for the cost of watershed management projects and the repayment of money borrowed for the projects. The local governments would pay these assessments with tax revenue.
• Introduced 2004 Senate Bill 1250 (Create light pollution study board ) to create a state outdoor lighting study board to investigate the establishment and likely effect of new laws to limit “light pollution,” which is “excessive and misdirected outdoor lighting” that wastes energy, causes excessive glare that is dangerous for drivers, and “deprives most residents of the beauty of the starry night sky and of nighttime cloud patterns”.
• Introduced 2004 Senate Bill 1195 (Prohibit SLAPP suits ) to prohibit strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP suits), which are filed against a person who communicates with a governmental unit, public official, or other person to seek relief, influence action, inform, communicate, and otherwise participate in the process of government.
• Introduced 2004 Senate Resolution 260 to memorialize the Office of the United States Trade Representative not to negotiate access to critical segments of the American automotive market on a piecemeal basis through a bilateral trade agreement with Thailand, but as part of comprehensive, multi-lateral negotiations with all major automobile-producing nations.
• Introduced 2004 Senate Bill 1169 (Ban lead wheel weights) to prohibit the sale of lead wheel weights used to balance wheels on cars and trucks. Violators would be subject to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. Zinc and iron products can be used as substitutes.
• Introduced 2004 Senate Resolution 229 observing September 20-26, 2004, as Pollution Prevention Week. Passed in the Senate by voice vote on March 23, 2004.
• Introduced 2004 Senate Resolution 227 proclaiming May 2004 as Mental Health Month in Michigan. Passed in the Senate by voice vote on March 16, 2004.
• Introduced 2004 Senate Bill 1087 to require a state groundwater withdrawal permit for industrial plants or farms that withdraw more than 2 million gallons a day or 100 million gallons a year. Beginning in 2009, permits would be authorized for existing facilities that withdraw 100,000 gallons a day or more, and existing facilities withdrawing at this level or greater would be required to submit five-year plans for water management and conservation. Beginning in 2010, permits would be required for new plants or farms that withdraw 100,000 gallons a day or more.
• Introduced 2004 Senate Bill 1088 to exempt from prosecution under the minor-in-possession law a minor who has drank too much and who voluntarily presents him or herself to a health facility for treatment or observation. Also exempted would be any other minor who accompanies that minor, and any minor who contacts a peace officer or emergency medical services personnel.
• Introduced 2004 Senate Bill 1070 to authorize courts to allow mentally ill or mentally retarded individuals charged with a crime to be placed in treatment rather than jail under certain circumstances. The court would be required to consider the nature of the crime, the person’s prior criminal background, the nature of the illness, the likelihood that the person would benefit from treatment, etc. The bill would prohibit placing an individual who has a mental illness, emotional disturbance, developmental disability, or mental retardation in jail as an alternative to treatment, unless he or she is being held in protective custody.
• Introduced 2004 Senate Bill 1071 to require community mental health services programs to give priority in providing treatment to a person diverted from jail under the terms proposed by Senate Bill 1070.
• Introduced 2004 Senate Resolution 218 recognizing 150 years of engineering excellence at the University of Michigan. Passed in the Senate by voice vote on February 19, 2004.
• Introduced 2004 Senate Bill 986 (Let nurse practitioners conduct mandated physical exams) to extend to certified nurse practitioners the authority to complete the medical certification of a death record. The bill is part of a legislative package comprised of Senate Bills 979 to 989 that extend to nurses and/or certified nurse practitioners the authority to conduct physical examinations mandated by various statutes, which under current law must be conducted by a physician. A nurse practitioner is a type of nurse who has advanced training beyond that required for initial licensure and who has demonstrated competency through examinations.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Resolution 203 to urge the Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider and reverse its proposal to ease restrictions on mercury emissions.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 818 to prohibit a person from publicly displaying the social security number of an employee, student, or other individual; printing a social security number on any card required to access products or services; requiring an individual to transmit his or her social security number over an unsecure or unencrypted internet connection; requiring a social security number to access an internet website without security measures; or printing an individual's social security number on a document mailed to an individual, except those mailed for certain specified purposes.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Resolution 186 to memorialize the United States Congress to enact legislation to prohibit the use of a person's Social Security number as an identification number beyond its original purpose. Passed in the Senate by voice vote on December 11, 2003.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 765 to prohibit funds from the state Strategic Fund to be used to subsidize landfill construction or expansion. The Strategic Fund provides state business tax breaks to select corporations.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 721 to impose a $3 per ton solid waste disposal surcharge on garbage placed in Michigan landfills. Of the money collected, 90 percent would go to various recycling grants to counties, and ten percent would fund a state landfill inspection program.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 722 (Revise small business pollution prevention loan program) to expand the types of projects and loan recipients eligible under the small business pollution prevention assistance revolving loan fund, and raise the maximum loan amount from $50,000 to $150,000. The bill would revise the definition of "small business" to include firms with up to 500 employees, rather than 100 as under current law. See Senate Bill 723. Passed in the Senate (36 to 0) on May 25, 2004.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Resolution 151 observing September 15-21, 2003, as Pollution Prevention Week. Passed in the Senate by voice vote on September 18, 2003.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 709 to levy Single Business Tax (SBT) on the amount of any settlement paid by a firm for questionable practices in the past related to stock or securities transactions, to the extent that the amount was deducted when determining the firm’s SBT taxes due.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Resolution 141 to memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact the Great Lakes Environmental Restoration Act. Passed in the Senate by voice vote on December 9, 2003.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 699 to allow same-day voting registration. Under current law, a citizen must register at least 30 days before an election.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 675 to prohibit an employer from monitoring employee communications in the workplace unless a monitoring policy is established and disclosed to employees.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 642 to exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act public school records with information contained in a student directory that would reveal the name, address, telephone number, photograph, or other identifying information about a student.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Resolution 124 celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Michigan Civil Rights Commission. Passed in the Senate by voice vote on July 3, 2003.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 608 to establish in statute that an option to purchase a piece of property does not give the option holder legal standing to challenge township zoning on the parcel.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 609 to add “sexual orientation” and “gender identity or expression” to the characteristics which define membership in a group against whom it is a crime to discriminate under the Michigan civil rights law. This would make it a crime to deny employment, housing, use of public accommodations, public services, and educational facilities to another person on the basis of a perception that the person has a particular sexual orientation or gender identity.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 610 to add a new “trigger” for the payment of extended unemployment insurance benefits. The new trigger would be when, over the preceding 13 weeks, the state unemployment rate is more than 6.5 percent, and is also 10 percent higher than the same period in either of the preceding two years. Under current law, the two existing extended benefit “triggers” are when the U.S. Secretary of Labor calls for them (a national "on" indicator), or when for the last thirteen weeks the insured unemployment rate in Michigan is more five percent, and is also 20 percent higher than the combined average rate over the same thirteen-week periods in each of the preceding two years. Also, under current law, the triggers are based on the unemployment rate among individuals who had been employed in the past. The bill would change this to include new job seekers in the basis used to calculate the rate. The bill is intended to garner increased federal extended unemployment insurance benefits. See also House Bill 4945, which contains the same provisions.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 557 to prohibit any new landfills or landfill expansions unless the cumulative total disposal capacity of all landfills in the state is less than 10 years. Passed in the Senate (36 to 0) on October 9, 2003, to require the owner or operator of a landfill to file a report annually with the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) on the remaining disposal capacity at the landfill, and require the department to report disposal capacity information to the legislature. The bill is part of a legislative package comprised of Senate Bills 57, 98, 497, 498, 499, 502, 505, 506, 557, 715, and Senate Resolutions 4 and 12.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 537 to authorize the Natural Resources Commission to set state park fees, rather than the legislature; and to repeal a prohibition in current law that some of the fees may not be used to offset general fund money which otherwise would go to state parks. This bill is one of many authorizing fee increases totaling some $125.5 million which Gov. Jennifer Granholm proposed to close a gap between state spending and expected revenue in the Fiscal Year 2003-2004 budget. Passed in the Senate (37 to 1) on June 18, 2003, to raise state park vehicle entrance fees. The annual fee for a resident would go from $20 to $24, for a nonresident from $20 to $29, and for a senior from $5 to $6. The daily fees would go from $4 to $6 for residents, and from $6 to $8 for nonresidents. The bill would also repeal a prohibition in current law that some of the fees may not be used to offset general fund money which otherwise would go to state parks. This is one of many bills authorizing fee increases totaling some $125.5 million which Gov. Jennifer Granholm proposed to close a gap between state spending and expected revenue in the Fiscal Year 2003-2004 budget.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 504 to establish in statute that an option to purchase a piece of property does not give the option holder legal standing to challenge township zoning on the parcel.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 480 to increase the annual license fee for commercial nurseries, plant growers and dealers, and nursery dealers. The fee for nurseries would go from $50 to $100, the fee for plant growers and dealers would go from $20 to $100, and the fee for nursery dealers would go from $50 to $100. The bill is expected to impose a total of $140,000 annually on these enterprises. Passed in the Senate (36 to 2) on June 12, 2003, to increase the annual license fee for commercial nurseries, plant growers and dealers, and nursery dealers. The fee for nurseries would go from $50 to $100, the fee for plant growers and dealers would go from $20 to $100, and the fee for nursery dealers would go from $50 to $100. The The bill would impose approximately $140,000 in additional annual costs on persons required to maintain these licenses.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 431 to replace the current fixed license fees on number of licensed professions with new fees to be determined by the legislature in annual budget bills. Under the bill, individuals required to maintain these licenses would not know how much new or renewed license fees would be until an annual appropriations bill was passed with the new amounts. Fees could potentially vary by a considerable amount as the legislature seeks to use fee revenue to pay for state spending. This bill is one of many authorizing fee increases totaling some $125.5 million which Gov. Jennifer Granholm proposed to close a gap between state spending and expected revenue in the Fiscal Year 2003-2004 budget. Passed in the Senate (36 to 2) on June 18, 2003, to increase license fees for a number of licensed professions. The bill would impose approximately $2.8 million in additional costs on individuals required to maintain these licenses. This bill is one of many authorizing fee increases totaling some $125.5 million which Gov. Jennifer Granholm is proposing to close a gap between state spending and expected revenue in the Fiscal Year 2003-2004 budget.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 413 to increase various fines and penalties for tax payment offenses which had been reduced by Senate Bill 1446 in 2002. The higher fines originated during an earlier tax amnesty program, when they had been adopted as an “incentive” to encourage use of the amnesty. This bill is one of many authorizing “revenue enhancements” which Gov. Jennifer Granholm has proposed to close a gap between state spending and expected revenue in the Fiscal Year 2003-2004 budget.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 389 to increase the fees on captive cervidae (deer, elk, moose) ranches from $500 to $600, and the full cervidae registration fees to from $150 to $210. This bill is one of many authorizing fee increases totaling some $125.5 million which Gov. Jennifer Granholm is proposing to close a gap between state spending and expected revenue in the Fiscal Year 2003-2004 budget.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 390 to increase the license fee for horse riding stables from $25 to $100, and renewal fees from $25 to $50. This bill is one of many authorizing fee increases totaling some $125.5 million which Gov. Jennifer Granholm is proposing to close a gap between state spending and expected revenue in the Fiscal Year 2003-2004 budget. Passed in the Senate (36 to 2) on June 12, 2003, to increase the license fee for horse riding stables from $25 to $100, and renewal fees from $25 to $50. This bill is one of many authorizing fee increases totaling some $125.5 million which Gov. Jennifer Granholm proposed to close a gap between state spending and expected revenue in the Fiscal Year 2003-2004 budget.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 351 to prohibit the use of phosphorus in dishwashing detergents. Current law bans the substance in laundry detergents.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 274 to prohibit disposing of batteries or fluorescent lightbulbs in landfills.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 252 to assess annual wastewater discharge permit fees on the basis of a sliding-scale fee schedule to be established by the Department or Environmental Quality, which would be based on the toxicity and quantity of the pollutants discharged, and whether they go directly into surface water, groundwater, or land disposal systems. The bill is part of a package comprised of Senate Bills 250 to 254. It is one of many authorizing fee increases totaling some $125.5 million proposed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm to close a gap between state spending and expected revenue in the Fiscal Year 2003-2004 budget. The bill is expected to impose some $7 million in new charges on businesses and municipalities. Passed in the Senate (34 to 4) on June 18, 2003, to impose annual wastewater and stormwater discharge permit fees. The fees are set in the bill, and vary according to the size and type of facility. The bill is expected to impose some $3.1 million in new charges on businesses and municipalities.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Resolution 10 to urge the International Joint Commission to maintain its vigilance in opposing diversion of Great Lakes water and to support the prompt resolution of all issues related to the finalization of Annex 2001. Passed in the Senate by voice vote on February 20, 2003.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 149 to require statewide elections to have a vote-by-mail option, and authorize local elections to have this option.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 124 to prohibit paying a person a wage or salary that is less than an amount established under a proposed definition of comparable worth, making doing so a violation of the civil rights laws of the state, which prohibit discrimination on the bases of religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, or marital status. The bill would prohibit different levels of compensation for work of “comparable value,” meaning a “comparable composite skill, responsibility, effort, education or training, and working conditions.” Because of the difficulty of objectively comparing the value of different jobs, the interpretation of the “comparable value” standard would ultimately be determined by courts on a case-by-case basis.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 125 to authorize a person who is harmed by an HMO which does not exercise ordinary care when making a health care treatment decision to sue the HMO, with certain exceptions.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 98 to prohibit the disposal in Michigan landfills of solid waste imported from Canada and other states if the waste contains materials which Michigan environmental laws prohibit for disposal in state landfills. Before waste could be imported from another state or country, the Department of Environmental Quality would be required to certify that the jurisdiction’s solid waste regulatory system is at least as stringent as Michigan’s. Passed in the Senate (36 to 0) on October 9, 2003, to prohibit the disposal in Michigan landfills of solid waste imported from Canada and other states if the waste contains materials which Michigan environmental laws prohibit for disposal in state landfills. Before waste could be imported from another state or country, the sender would have to be on a Department of Environmental Quality list of jurisdictions whose solid waste regulatory system is at least as stringent as Michigan’s (see Senate Bill 502), or the waste would have to be processed through a transfer station which documented that items prohibited from Michigan landfills had removed.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 69 to authorize entry by the state into a Midwest pharmaceutical compact to negotiate prices with manufacturers and buy drugs for recipients of Medicaid and other state-funded health care services, and any other category of individuals the compact deems eligible. The multistate compact would include between three and ten states. States would buy drugs for distribution to eligible consumers.
• Introduced 2003 Senate Bill 24 (Raise compulsory school age from 16 to 18) to require compulsory school attendance for children up to age 18, instead of age 16 as is currently required, with some exceptions. Attendance at a community college cooperative program for high school students, or in vocational education would be allowed as alternatives.

82 amendments introduced by Sen. Liz Brater (D)

• Offered an amendment to 2009 Senate Bill 578 (Ban DNR closing existing horseback riding areas on state land ) prohibit the manufacture or distribution of products containing decabromodiphenyl ethers (deca-BDEs), which are a commonly used flame retardant for electronics. The amendment failed in the Senate (16 to 21) on December 17, 2009.
• Offered an amendment to 2009 Senate Bill 981 (Authorize failing school “turnaround” procedures ) to require charter schools to report the number of special education students. The amendment passed in the Senate (20 to 16) on December 2, 2009.
• Offered an amendment to 2009 Senate Bill 981 (Authorize failing school “turnaround” procedures ) to require charter schools to report the number of special education students. The amendment passed in the Senate (36 to 0) on December 2, 2009.
• Offered a motion to 2009 House Bill 4436 (Appropriations: 2009-2010 Department of Community Health budget ) . The motion passed in the Senate by voice vote on June 24, 2009.
• Offered an amendment to 2009 House Bill 4436 (Appropriations: 2009-2010 Department of Community Health budget ) to limit the subsitution of less costly mental health antipsychotic prescriptions drugs for Medicaid patients. The amendment failed in the Senate (15 to 21) on June 24, 2009, to increase spending on a low income prescription drug subsidy program.
• Offered an amendment to 2009 House Bill 4436 (Appropriations: 2009-2010 Department of Community Health budget ) to limit the subsitution of less costly mental health antipsychotic prescriptions drugs for Medicaid patients. The amendment passed in the Senate (19 to 17) on June 24, 2009.
• Offered an amendment to 2009 House Bill 4441 (Appropriations: 2009-2010 Higher Education budget ) to add $140 million to avoid eliminating the Michigan "promise grant" scholarships, formerly known as the "merit awards," which gives tobacco lawsuit settlement money to student who do well on state assessment tests. The amendment failed in the Senate (16 to 20) on June 23, 2009.
• Offered an amendment to 2009 House Bill 4441 (Appropriations: 2009-2010 Higher Education budget ) to add $100 "placeholders" or "points of difference" between the House version in line items for various state scholarship programs, which leaves this items open to further negotiation in a House-Senate conference committee. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on June 23, 2009.
• Offered an amendment to 2009 Senate Bill 436 (Establish expedited environmental permit application process ) to increase the restrictions on groundwater use by industry, commerce and municipalities authorized by Public Act 185 of 2008 and related new laws (including Public Act 190 of 2008). The amendment failed in the Senate (16 to 20) on June 18, 2009.
• Offered an amendment to 2009 Senate Bill 436 (Establish expedited environmental permit application process ) to ban Canadian trash from Michigan landfills. The amendment passed because Lt. Gov. John Cherry broke the 18-18 tie with a vote in favor. It was reconsidered the next day and defeated. Note: Such a ban may be prohibited by international trade treaties. The amendment passed in the Senate (18 to 18) on June 17, 2009.
• Offered an amendment to 2009 Senate Bill 249 (Appropriations: 2009-2010 Judiciary budget ) to add money for an appeals court low income assigned counsel program. The amendment failed in the Senate (15 to 20) on June 11, 2009.
• Offered a substitute to 2009 House Bill 4092 (Require citizenship and resident preferences in subsidies & tax breaks ) to replace the committee substitute with a version that puts back the the "prevailing wage" mandate of the House version, and which does not include the exceptions for people who plan to become residents. The substitute failed in the Senate (17 to 20) on May 7, 2009.
• Offered an amendment to 2009 House Bill 4453 (Impose new regulations on foreclosures ) to prohibit an original lender of a mortgage loan who has sold the loan but still services it, from foreclosing on the loan if the borrower is delinquent under the terms of the loan, unless the lender (now servicer) can show the documents by which the long was assigned to the current holder. The amendment failed in the Senate (16 to 21) on April 2, 2009.
• Offered an amendment to 2009 House Bill 4455 (Impose new regulations on foreclosures ) to require a mortgage lender who has foreclosed on a property to pay 1 percent of the proceeds realized in the subsequent sale of the property into a state fund, which would then give the money to the Legal Services of Michigan organization to represent delinquent borrowers in foreclosure proceedings. The amendment failed in the Senate (16 to 21) on April 2, 2009.
• Offered an amendment to 2009 House Bill 4455 (Impose new regulations on foreclosures ) to prohibit a mortgage lender who has foreclosed and realized less on the subsequent sale of the property than the amount owed from suing the borrower for the deficiency if the borrower had been eligible for an FDIC "workout". The amendment failed in the Senate (16 to 21) on April 2, 2009.
• Offered an amendment to 2009 Senate Bill 21 (Authorize judicial nominating petition “do-overs” ) to tie-bar the bill to Senate Bill 97, meaning this bill cannot become law unless that one does also. SB 97 would to eliminate the requirement that a person give a specific reason for requesting an absentee ballot. The amendment failed in the Senate (16 to 20) on March 4, 2009.
• Offered a substitute to 2007 House Bill 4688 (Authorize higher drain tax assessments ) to replace the previous version of the bill with one that would authorize the establishment of watershed management districts. The substitute failed in the Senate (14 to 21) on December 19, 2008.
• Offered a motion to 2007 Senate Bill 12 (Allow no-reason absentee voting ) . The motion failed in the Senate by voice vote on October 2, 2008.
• Offered an amendment to 2008 Senate Bill 1097 (Appropriations: 2008-2009 Department of Environmental Quality budget ) to strip out a provision prohibiting the DEQ from regulating wetlands use in counties with fewer than 100,000 people until a detailed state wetland inventory required by statute as a condition for such regulation provides more detailed information than the current version, which has been criticized as not meeting the legislative intent. The amendment failed in the Senate (17 to 21) on May 28, 2008.
• Offered an amendment to 2007 Senate Bill 860 (Impose groundwater use restrictions and permitting mandates ) to establish that groundwater is a "public trust" in the same fashion as surface water (streams and lakes). This would in effect repeal the riparian water use doctrine of Michigan law, which establishes that a property owner has a property right to the use of groundwater drawn from beneath his or her land, as long as this does not interfere with another person’s use of groundwater. Instead, property owners would not have a have an ownership right, but could use groundwater only if the state grants permission. The amendment failed in the Senate (19 to 18) on May 15, 2008.
• Offered an amendment to 2008 Senate Bill 1094 (Appropriations: 2008-2009 Department of Community Health budget ) to add $2.2 million for "mental health courts" proposed by Gov. Granholm, which allow a criminal prosecution to be stayed if the defendent agrees to a prescribed mental health treatment program, and the charges to be dropped if he or she abides by the agreement. The amendment failed in the Senate (18 to 20) on March 25, 2008.
• Offered a motion to 2007 House Bill 4641 (Authorize drain commission name change ) to withdraw the first Brater amendment.
• Offered an amendment to 2007 House Bill 4641 (Authorize drain commission name change ) to establish the duties and conditions for an individual appointed to be a temporary drain commissioner.
• Offered an amendment to 2007 House Bill 4641 (Authorize drain commission name change ) to establish the duties and conditions for an individual appointed to be a temporary drain commissioner. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on August 22, 2007.
• Offered an amendment to 2007 House Bill 4641 (Authorize drain commission name change ) to establish procedures for appointing a temporary drain commissioner that require the county clerk, chief probate judge and prosecuting attorney to pick the individual, and the county board of commissioners to approve the choice.
• Offered an amendment to 2007 Senate Bill 504 (Revise farm environmental regulation enforcement ) to require additional annual testing of streams near large CAFOs, and if tests after manure is spread on fields show that downstream water does not meet water quality standards, to presume that the CAFO is responsible for the pollution. The amendment failed in the Senate (17 to 21) on June 20, 2007.
• Offered an amendment to 2007 Senate Bill 448 (Impose new CAFO regulations ) to authorize the neighbor of a large CAFO to sue the operation for damages resulting from the loss of property value due to objectionable odors, if the neighbor was there first. The amendment failed in the Senate (17 to 21) on June 20, 2007.
• Offered an amendment to 2007 Senate Bill 307 (Impose 2 percent tax on services ) to insert a statement in the bill, as follows: "Revenue collected under this act shall be used to provide essential services including public safety, education, healthcare, protection of our natural resources, and to invest in the future of Michigan". The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on March 22, 2007.
• Offered an amendment to 2007 Senate Bill 220 (Appropriations: Supplemental budget ) to strip out a provision cutting community corrections programs by $3.8 million.
• Offered an amendment to 2006 Senate Bill 1080 (Appropriations: 2006-2007 Agriculture budget ) to increase from 120 to 123 the number of full time government port inspection employees, at an average cost of $100,000. The amendment failed in the Senate (19 to 17) on May 24, 2006.
• Offered an amendment to 2006 Senate Bill 1078 (Authorize tax subsidy for certain alternative energy facilities) to prohibit the producers of agricultural crop-based ethanol from distributing the byproducts of its distilling process (the "mash") as feed to concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). The amendment failed in the Senate by voice vote on April 20, 2006.
• Offered a substitute to 2005 Senate Bill 777 (Preempt local government plant seed regulations ) to not preempt local government seed regulations, but instead require the state to study the issue and make recommendations. The substitute failed in the Senate (16 to 20) on March 30, 2006.
• Offered an amendment to 2005 House Bill 4993 (Authorize local “light rail” system tax) to extend to bill's scope to Detroit, allowing it too to levy transit taxes for 25 years. The amendment failed in the Senate (15 to 21) on December 8, 2005.
• Offered an amendment to 2005 Senate Bill 850 (Require groundwater use permits ) to also tie-bar the bill to Senate Bill 850, meaning this bill cannot become law unless that one does also. SB 850 would repeal the riparian water use doctrine of Michigan law, which establishes that a property owner has a property right to the use of groundwater drawn from beneath his or her land, as long as this does not interfere with another person’s use of groundwater. The amendment failed in the Senate (16 to 19) on December 8, 2005.
• Offered an amendment to 2005 Senate Bill 850 (Require groundwater use permits ) to give the DEQ the authority to define "adverse impact" through its rulemaking process. The amendment failed in the Senate (16 to 20) on December 8, 2005.
• Offered an amendment to 2005 House Bill 5176 (Ban Canadian waste imports if Congress allows ) to tie-bar the bill to Senate Bill 256, meaning this bill cannot become law unless that one does also. SB 256 would impose a $6 per ton solid waste disposal surcharge on solid waste placed in Michigan landfills. The amendment failed in the Senate (10 to 25) on December 1, 2005.
• Offered an amendment to 2005 House Bill 5176 (Ban Canadian waste imports if Congress allows ) to tie-bar the bill to House Bill 4760, meaning this bill cannot become law unless that one does also. HB 4760 would extend until 2010 a moratorium on permits for new landfills. The amendment failed in the Senate (12 to 23) on December 1, 2005.
• Offered an amendment to 2005 Senate Bill 754 (Re-write expiring Michigan Telecommunication Act ) to prohibit providers of the regulated "essential basic" from seeking more than one rate increase in a 12 month period.
• Offered an amendment to 2005 Senate Bill 754 (Re-write expiring Michigan Telecommunication Act ) to require cell phone and Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) phone service providers to provide 9-1-1 service.
• Offered an amendment to 2005 Senate Bill 754 (Re-write expiring Michigan Telecommunication Act ) to require phone companies to include in service contracts which entity is responsible for repair and service issues, including contact information.
• Offered an amendment to 2005 Senate Bill 271 (Appropriations: 2005-2006 Welfare budget ) to add $5 million for welfare recipient child care subsidies. The amendment failed in the Senate (18 to 20) on June 15, 2005.
• Offered an amendment to 2005 Senate Bill 270 (Appropriations: 2005-2006 Environmental Quality budget ) to strip out a requirement that the department derive its environmental cleanup criteria from peer-reviewed risk assessment studies. The amendment failed in the Senate by voice vote on June 14, 2005.
• Offered an amendment to 2005 Senate Bill 270 (Appropriations: 2005-2006 Environmental Quality budget ) to add $5 million for state recycling subsidies. The amendment failed in the Senate (15 to 22) on June 14, 2005.
• Offered an amendment to 2005 Senate Bill 270 (Appropriations: 2005-2006 Environmental Quality budget ) to strip out a prohibition on the department developing or enforcing new regulations on groundwater withdrawals. Controversial legislation has been introduced to authorize such regulation, but has not been passed by the House or Senate. The amendment failed in the Senate (15 to 22) on June 14, 2005.
• Offered an amendment to 2005 Senate Bill 282 (Revise DEQ soil erosion permits ) to prohibit a homeowner from seeding or reseeding a lawn within 500 feet of a storm drain inlet without getting a permit. The amendment failed in the Senate by voice vote on March 24, 2005.
• Offered an amendment to 2005 Senate Bill 282 (Revise DEQ soil erosion permits ) to prohibit a homeowner from stockpiling 10 cubic yards or more of dirt or sand within 500 feet of a storm drain inlet without getting a permit. The amendment failed in the Senate (16 to 21) on March 24, 2005.
• Offered an amendment to 2005 Senate Bill 151 (Ban surreptitious “spyware” ) to tie-bar the bill to Senate Bill 284, meaning this bill cannot become law unless that one does also. SB 284 would prohibit an employer from monitoring employee communications in the workplace unless a monitoring policy is established and disclosed to employees. The amendment failed in the Senate by voice vote on March 9, 2005.
• Offered an amendment to 2005 Senate Bill 93 (Establish school "character development" program ) to strip out the provision that cites specific privately-developed curriculums as models on which a school's character education program might be based. The amendment failed in the Senate by voice vote on February 17, 2005.
• Offered a substitute to 2004 Senate Resolution 216 . The substitute passed in the Senate by voice vote on November 10, 2004.
• Offered an amendment to 2003 House Bill 4458 to tie-bar the bill to Senate Bill 914, meaning this bill cannot become law unless that one does also. Senate Bill 914 would raise the state liquor tax. The amendment failed in the Senate (12 to 24) on November 9, 2004.
• Offered an amendment to 2004 House Bill 5802 (Revise commercial motor vehicle driver license regulations) to repeal a law that requires the a person use the same address be for voter registration and driver license purposes. The amendment failed in the Senate (16 to 22) on September 15, 2004.
• Offered an amendment to 2004 House Bill 6061 (Authorize postcard voter registration for military ) to eliminate the requirement that a person give a specific reason for requesting an absentee ballot.
• Offered an amendment to 2004 House Bill 5554 (Require sustainable forestry by DNR) to eliminate the tie-bar to Senate Bill 1023, which would establish four private management forest pilot project areas. The amendment failed in the Senate by voice vote on May 6, 2004.
• Offered an amendment to 2004 Senate Bill 1024 (Require sustainable forestry by DNR) to eliminate the tie-bar to Senate Bill 1023, which would establish four private management forest pilot project areas . The amendment failed in the Senate by voice vote on May 6, 2004.
• Offered an amendment to 2003 House Bill 5182 (Expedite drug dealer evictions) to strip out a provision that prohibits judges from delaying the drug dealer eviction proceedings. The amendment failed in the Senate by voice vote on April 29, 2004.
• Offered an amendment to 2004 Senate Bill 1066 (Appropriations: 2005 Department of Environmental Quality budget) to eliminate a proposed air quality program funding source shift that would substitute general fund money with air pollution permit fee revenue. The amendment failed in the Senate (16 to 22) on March 30, 2004.
• Offered an amendment to 2003 House Bill 4702 to charge a three-percent to seven-percent conversion tax on farmland that is removed the from agricultural use, and use part of the tax revenue to purchase development rights on other farmland . The amendment failed in the Senate (17 to 20) on March 25, 2004.
• Offered an amendment to 2004 House Bill 5434 to establish that the bill would not go into effect unless the legislature appropriates $2.7 million to process the additional paper tax returns that would be expected if electronic filing is not mandatory. The amendment failed in the Senate (15 to 22) on March 4, 2004.
• Offered an amendment to 2004 House Bill 5440 to establish that the bill would not go into effect unless the legislature appropriates $2.7 million to process the additional paper tax returns that would be expected if electronic filing is not mandatory. The amendment failed in the Senate (14 to 22) on March 4, 2004.
• Offered an amendment to 2003 Senate Bill 864 (Tax breaks for "start-up business") to allow local governments to not include local property taxes in the proposed tax abatement for a qualified start-up business under the bill. The amendment failed in the Senate (15 to 23) on February 11, 2004.
• Offered an amendment to 2003 Senate Bill 432 (Clarify voting tabulation standards) to require statewide elections to have a vote-by-mail option, and authorize local elections to have this option. The amendment failed in the Senate (16 to 22) on February 10, 2004.
• Offered an amendment to 2003 House Bill 4478 to authorize a court to grant a petition for a minor to have an abortion if it is performed pursuant to an emergency; or if a physician certifies in writing that there is reasonable cause to believe that continuation of the pregnancy will result in permanent physical impairment or infertility of the minor, that the minor will commit suicide rather than approach her parent, or than the minor will resort to a self-induced or illegal abortion. The amendment failed in the Senate by voice vote on January 21, 2004.
• Offered an amendment to 2003 Senate Bill 627 (Allow state scholarships for theology/divinity students) to prohibit the scholarships from being used for sectarian religious training. The amendment failed in the Senate (12 to 24) on January 20, 2004.
• Offered an amendment to 2003 Senate Bill 628 (Allow state scholarships for theology/divinity students) to prohibit the scholarships from being used for sectarian religious training. The amendment failed in the Senate by voice vote on January 20, 2004.
• Offered an amendment to 2003 Senate Bill 629 to prohibit the scholarships from being used for sectarian religious training. The amendment failed in the Senate by voice vote on January 20, 2004.
• Offered an amendment to 2003 Senate Bill 625 (Allow state scholarships for theology/divinity students) to prohibit the scholarships from being used for sectarian religious training. The amendment failed in the Senate by voice vote on January 20, 2004.
• Offered an amendment to 2003 Senate Bill 626 (Allow state scholarships for theology/divinity students) to prohibit the scholarships from being used for sectarian religious training. The amendment failed in the Senate by voice vote on January 20, 2004.
• Offered an amendment to 2003 Senate Bill 842 to reduce the maximum fines proposed by the bill. The amendment failed in the Senate by voice vote on December 10, 2003.
• Offered an amendment to 2003 Senate Bill 637 to eliminate the proposed jail penalties for certain minor-in-possesion of alcohol crimes. The amendment failed in the Senate (13 to 23) on November 12, 2003.
• Offered an amendment to 2003 Senate Bill 637 to exempt from prosecution under the minor-in-possesion-of-alcohol law a minor who has drunk too much and who voluntarily goes to a health facility for treatment, as well as any other minor who accompanies that minor, and any minor who contacts a peace officer or emergency medical services personnel. The amendment failed in the Senate (19 to 19) on November 12, 2003.
• Offered an amendment to 2003 Senate Bill 568 to authorize additional sanctions in those cases where an individual knowingly provides false information in an effort to get a reward, but not in those cases where a person knowingly provides false information for another reason. The amendment failed in the Senate by voice vote on October 16, 2003.
• Offered an amendment to 2003 Senate Bill 46 to lower the level of culpability that can subject a person to civil prosecution for a prohibited water pollution discharge, by making the standard "careless disregard" of the standard of care that a reasonable person should observe, rather than "reckless disregard". The amendment failed in the Senate (15 to 21) on October 8, 2003.
• Offered an amendment to 2003 Senate Bill 568 to authorize additional sanctions in those cases where an individual knowingly provides false information in an effort to get a reward, but not in those cases where a person knowingly provides false information for another reason. The amendment passed in the Senate (21 to 15) on October 8, 2003.
• Offered an amendment to 2003 Senate Bill 362 to require the annual state report of state tax credits, deductions, and exemptions to also include "loopholes." The term "loophole" is not defined in the amendment, and is subject to varied interpretations. The amendment failed in the Senate by voice vote on June 10, 2003.
• Offered a substitute to 2003 House Bill 4087 to replace the previous version of the bill with one which imposes higher fees on well owners, and increases the power of the Department of Environmental Quality to regulate well water use. The substitute failed in the Senate (17 to 21) on June 10, 2003.
• Offered a substitute to 2003 House Bill 4257 to replace the previous version of the bill with one which is more restrictive on the beach grooming activities that would be allowed without a permit. The substitute failed in the Senate (13 to 24) on May 29, 2003.
• Offered an amendment to 2003 House Bill 4257 to require that requests from property owners to remove vegetation in the two pilot areas to be designated by the DEQ include the width of the shoreline frontage, and the width of the area proposed for removal of vegetation. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on May 29, 2003.
• Offered an amendment to 2003 Senate Bill 289 to require high capacity well users to annually report to the state on efforts they undertake to conserve water use. The amendment failed in the Senate (16 to 22) on May 8, 2003.
• Offered an amendment to 2003 Senate Bill 289 to require the Department of Agriculture to forward copies of all conservation plans that it receives from farms which are high capacity well users to the Department of Environmental Quality. Also, to require farms to include on those reports "the latitude and longitude of their wells as digitized from a 1:24,000 geological survey quadrangle map, or a global positioning system, with the accuracy of either method of reported location data to within 15 feet". The amendment failed in the Senate (16 to 22) on May 8, 2003.
• Offered an amendment to 2003 Senate Bill 289 to increase from $50 to $100 the annual fee paid by farms that pump more than 100,000 gallons of groundwater per day. The amendment failed in the Senate (15 to 22) on May 8, 2003.
• Offered an amendment to 2003 Senate Bill 289 to grant the Department of Environmental Quality new power to restrict large groundwater withdrawals. The amendment failed in the Senate (15 to 22) on May 8, 2003.
• Offered an amendment to 2003 Senate Bill 163 to require prior disclosure of a funding source to replace the forgone revenue arising from tax subsidies to particular enterprises located in the additional renaisssance zones, and to require that funds be appropriated by the legislature to replace the forgone revenue. The amendment failed in the Senate (16 to 22) on March 27, 2003.

• Did not vote on a motion for 2009 Senate Bill 981 (Authorize failing school “turnaround” procedures ). The motion passed in the Senate (24 to 4) on December 19, 2009, to give the bill immediate effect. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Did not vote on a motion for 2009 House Bill 4787 (Authorize failing school “turnaround schools” [charter schools] ). The motion passed in the Senate (25 to 1) on December 19, 2009, to give the bill immediate effect. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Did not vote on 2009 Senate Bill 926 (Authorize limited charter school expansion ). Passed in the Senate (24 to 7) on December 19, 2009, to adopt a compromise version of the bill reported by a House-Senate conference committee. This would create a teacher performance "identifier" system that matches individual teachers to student performance data, and also establish a system for responding to teacher complaints that they lack supplies. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Did not vote on a motion for 2009 Senate Bill 926 (Authorize limited charter school expansion ). The motion passed in the Senate (26 to 3) on December 19, 2009, to give the bill immediate effect. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Did not vote on 2009 House Bill 4788 (Authorize failing school “turnaround schools” [charter schools] ). Passed in the Senate (26 to 5) on December 19, 2009, to adopt a compromise version of the bill reported by a House-Senate conference committee. This would revise the Public Employees Relations Act to accommodate the powers that House Bill 4787 would give a state school "reform/redesign officer" to revise certain labor contract provisions (seniority and work rules). The bill would also prohibit privatizing non-instructional services in a public school unless the current union employees are given an opportunity to bid on the contract. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Did not vote on 2009 Senate Bill 981 (Authorize failing school “turnaround” procedures ). Passed in the Senate (23 to 8) on December 19, 2009, to adopt a compromise version of the bill reported by a House-Senate conference committee. This would establish a process by not more than 10 failed public schools could be converted into charter schools, and existing charters that meet very high standards could be converted into "school of excellence" charters, freeing a regular charter slot under the existing cap. It is estimated that only around 30 new charters (including "schools of excellence" charters) would be authorized. The bill would also authorize the creation of two statewide "cyber-schools," require school districts to adopt some form of merit pay; essentially eliminate the current Algebra II high school graduation requirement; and mandate the certification of school administrators. Most (but not all) of these are measures intended to make Michigan eligible for federal "Race to the Top" grants. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Did not vote on 2009 House Bill 4787 (Authorize failing school “turnaround schools” [charter schools] ). Passed in the Senate (23 to 8) on December 19, 2009, to adopt a compromise version of the bill reported by a House-Senate conference committee. This would create a state "school reform/redesign" officer with the power to impose one of four school intervention models authorized under federal "race to the top" rules on a failed public school, which include either closing the school, imposing new management and personnel, or contracting with a charter school manager. This reform/redesign officer would have the power to revise teacher seniority and work rule provisions in an existing collective bargaining agreement (but not change pay scales of benefits). The bill would also essentially eliminate the state Algebra II graduation requirement, and increase the compulsory school attendance age from 16 to 18. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Did not vote on 2009 Senate Bill 851 (Temporarily eliminate one Oakland County circuit judgeship ). Passed in the Senate (31 to 1) on December 18, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Did not vote on 2009 Senate Bill 388 (Replace state park and recreation fees with vehicle registration surcharge ). Passed in the Senate (20 to 11) on December 18, 2009, to extend the sunset on the current authority of state parks to charge user fees from Dec. 31, 2009 to April 1, 2010. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Opposed 2009 House Bill 5220 (Increase certain air emissions fees ). Passed in the Senate (21 to 15) on December 17, 2009, to prohibit the Department of Environmental Quality from basing electric generating plant permit decisions on factors other than ones related to pollution, such as whether the agency thinks the state needs the plant or the owner should look for alternative forms of electricity. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 House Bill 4677 (Replace state park and recreation fees with vehicle registration surcharge ). Passed in the Senate (22 to 13) on December 17, 2009, to establish a formula for distributing the revenue from a $10 voluntary annual vehicle registration surcharge proposed by House Bill 4678 to state parks, forests, boating access facilities and other natural resources and recreation uses. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Opposed 2009 House Bill 5220 (Increase certain air emissions fees ). Passed in the Senate (21 to 16) on December 17, 2009, to prohibit the Department of Environmental Quality from basing electric generating plant permit decisions on factors other than ones related to pollution, such as whether the agency thinks the state needs the plant or the owner should look for alternative forms of electricity. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 House Bill 4677 (Replace state park and recreation fees with vehicle registration surcharge ). Passed in the Senate (25 to 12) on December 17, 2009, to establish a formula for distributing the revenue from a $10 voluntary annual vehicle registration surcharge proposed by Senate Bill 389 to state parks, forests, boating access facilities and other natural resources and recreation uses. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 Senate Bill 100 (Revise child custody, support, and parenting time procedures ). Passed in the Senate (37 to 0) on December 17, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 House Bill 5593 (Increase licensure fees on nurses ). Passed in the Senate (32 to 3) on December 17, 2009, to increase license fees on nurses from $20 to $30, and also increase application and other related fees. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 Senate Bill 99 (Revise child custody, support, and parenting time procedures ). Passed in the Senate (37 to 0) on December 17, 2009, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 Senate Bill 105 (Revise child custody, support, and parenting time procedures ). Passed in the Senate (37 to 0) on December 17, 2009, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 Senate Bill 106 (Revise child custody, support, and parenting time procedures ). Passed in the Senate (37 to 0) on December 17, 2009, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 Senate Bill 107 (Revise child custody, support, and parenting time procedures ). Passed in the Senate (37 to 0) on December 17, 2009, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 Senate Bill 126 (Authorize biomass generator tax breaks ). Passed in the Senate (36 to 0) on December 17, 2009, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 Senate Bill 284 (Revise “incompatible public offices” statute for various authorities ). Passed in the Senate (36 to 0) on December 17, 2009, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 Senate Bill 597 (Authorize fee for duplicate enhanced drivers license ). Passed in the Senate (35 to 0) on December 17, 2009, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 Senate Bill 786 (Impose “accreditation” mandate on trade schools ). Passed in the Senate (34 to 0) on December 17, 2009, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 Senate Bill 818 (Re-combine DEQ and DNR ). Passed in the Senate (34 to 0) on December 17, 2009, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill, which along with House Bill 5469, would authorize a total of up to $120 million in subsidies for three electric car battery makers, Ford, GM and a German company called "Fortu" . [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 Senate Bill 968 (Expand scope of practice for chiropractors ). Passed in the Senate (33 to 4) on December 17, 2009, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 Senate Bill 970 (Expand scope of practice for chiropractors ). Passed in the Senate (35 to 2) on December 17, 2009, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 Senate Bill 971 (Expand scope of practice for chiropractors ). Passed in the Senate (35 to 2) on December 17, 2009, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 Senate Bill 972 (Expand scope of practice for chiropractors ). Passed in the Senate (35 to 2) on December 17, 2009, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 House Bill 5100 (Expand 21st Century Jobs Fund subsidy options ). Passed in the Senate (35 to 0) on December 17, 2009, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill, which stripped out authorization for a particular business subsidy in the Holland area. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 House Bill 5479 (Expand “historic rehabilitation” tax breaks ). Passed in the Senate (36 to 0) on December 17, 2009, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 Senate Bill 973 (Expand scope of practice for chiropractors ). Passed in the Senate (35 to 2) on December 17, 2009, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported an amendment for 2009 Senate Bill 578 (Ban DNR closing existing horseback riding areas on state land ). The amendment failed in the Senate (16 to 21) on December 17, 2009, to prohibit the sale or use of human lice treatments containing lindane. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported an amendment for 2009 Senate Bill 578 (Ban DNR closing existing horseback riding areas on state land ). The amendment failed in the Senate (16 to 21) on December 17, 2009, prohibit the manufacture or distribution of products containing decabromodiphenyl ethers (deca-BDEs), which are a commonly used flame retardant for electronics. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Did not vote on 2009 House Bill 5596 (Establish alternative teacher certification option ). Passed in the Senate (26 to 1) on December 19, 2009, to authorize an “interim teaching certificate” for individuals who have a college bachelors degree with at least a 3.0 grade point, and who are taking a 12 credit hour alternative “intensive teaching program” that meets standards defined in the bill. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Opposed 2009 Senate Bill 926 (Authorize limited charter school expansion ). Failed in the Senate (0 to 30) on December 10, 2009, to concur with a House-passed version of the bill. The vote sends the bill to a House-Senate conference committee to work out the differences. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 Senate Bill 981 (Authorize failing school “turnaround” procedures ). Failed in the Senate (1 to 31) on December 10, 2009, to concur with a House-passed version of the bill. The vote sends the bill to a House-Senate conference committee to work out the differences. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 House Bill 5091 (Expand scope of practice for chiropractors ). Passed in the Senate (34 to 3) on December 17, 2009, to concur with the Senate-passed version of the bill. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 House Bill 5105 (Revise health insurance chiropractic regulations ). Passed in the Senate (35 to 2) on December 17, 2009, to establish that the personal injury protection coverage mandated by the no-fault auto insurance law would not have to cover services authorized under any easing of the scope of practice restrictions for chiropractors, beyond what was allowed under the licensure law as of Jan. 1, 2009. House Bill 5091 would authorize such a scope of practice expansion. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 Senate Bill 163 (Restrict authority of State Police director to fire civilian employee ). Passed in the Senate (36 to 0) on December 9, 2009, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 House Bill 5503 (Revise child custody, support, and parenting time procedures ). Passed in the Senate (37 to 0) on December 17, 2009, to revise details and procedures of the law that authorizes the suspension of the drivers license for an individual who fails to pay court-ordered child support, and add a new $45 driver license clearance fee to get the license back. See also Senate Bill 99. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 House Bill 5380 (Extend ban on deer feeding ). Passed in the Senate (37 to 0) on December 17, 2009, to extend through 2016 a Jan. 1, 2010 sunset on Department of Natural Resources authority to prohibit the feeding of deer and elk, and revise details of this authority. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 House Bill 5584 (Revise certain TIFA procedures ). Passed in the Senate (37 to 0) on December 17, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 Senate Bill 91 (Revise MBT transition details ). Passed in the Senate (37 to 0) on December 8, 2009, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 House Bill 4257 (Repeal certain small phone company price control exemption ). Passed in the Senate (37 to 0) on December 9, 2009, to impose what is essentially a new tax on all phone service providers (except Voice Over Internet Protocol providers) to pay a subsidy to small phone companies for a reduction in intrastate toll rates they would be allowed to charge. The bill repeals an exemption for those small companies from a government-mandated price control that prohibits intrastate toll service charges greater than out-of-state tolls . [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 House Bill 5501 (Revise child custody, support, and parenting time procedures ). Passed in the Senate (37 to 0) on December 17, 2009, to revise references in the child custody act so that it is consistent with the revisions in the child custody law proposed by Senate Bill 99. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 House Bill 5502 (Revise child custody, support, and parenting time procedures ). Passed in the Senate (37 to 0) on December 17, 2009, to revise details of the law that establishes certain duties of the state Office of Child Support so that it is consistent with the revisions in the child custody law proposed by Senate Bill 99. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 House Bill 5504 (Revise child custody, support, and parenting time procedures ). Passed in the Senate (37 to 0) on December 17, 2009, to revise procedural details of the law that authorizes court fees from divorce, paternity, and family support cases. See also Senate Bill 99. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 Senate Bill 204 (Exempt military from self-store nonpayment enforcement ). Passed in the Senate (34 to 0) on December 3, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Supported 2009 Senate Bill 554 (Impose restrictions on utility shutoff for nonpayment ). Passed in the Senate (34 to 0) on December 3, 2009, to concur with the House-passed version of the bill. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Opposed 2009 Senate Bill 638 (Revise teacher tenure provisions ). Failed in the Senate (19 to 13) on December 3, 2009, to allow a teacher to be fired or demoted for consistent ineffectiveness. Under current law it is very difficult or impossible to fire a teacher. [Vote Details and Comments]

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