MichiganVotes Weekly Report: May 13, 2022

House Joint Resolution R: Lengthen legislative term limits
Passed 76 to 28 in the House on May 10, 2022

To place on the November 2022 general election ballot a constitutional amendment to extend legislative term limits to 12 years in either or both the state House and Senate. Under Michigan’s current term limits, state representatives may only be elected for three terms of two-years each, and state senators for two terms of four-years each. The proposal would also place in the constitution a financial disclosure mandate, requiring lawmakers to submit lists each year of all assets, liabilities and more. Michigan's current term limits were placed in the state constitution by voters in a 1992 citizen's initiative that passed 59% to 41%.

House Joint Resolution R: Lengthen legislative term limits
Passed 26 to 6 in the Senate on May 10, 2022

The Senate vote on the term limits constitutional amendment described above. The measure was brought to both bodies on the same day and requires a two-thirds majority from each to be placed on the November ballot, which it received.

Senate Bill 382: Require teachers get dyslexia training
Passed 32 to 1 in the Senate on May 11, 2022

To require individuals seeking the license and certificates required to teach in a public school to obtain training in dyslexia, as specified in the bill.

House Bill 5749: Increase pay of district court judges
Passed 96 to 8 in the House on May 10, 2022

To increase the pay of district court judges to the same rate as probate court judges, which is 84% of the amount set by a state officers compensation commission for Supreme Court justices. Probate and circuit court judges now receive $159,917 per year, and district court judges now get $158,027.

House Bill 5984: Permit liquor at some public pools
Passed 100 to 4 in the House on May 10, 2022

To permit establishments with a public swimming pool and an “on-premises” liquor license to pay an additional $350 license fee that gives them permission to sell drinks at the pool, subject to a broad range of additional regulations and requirements including advanced pool filtration.

House Bill 4326: Let students substitute computer programming for language credit
Passed 59 to 49 in the House on May 18, 2021

Reported in the Senate on March 9, 2022
With the recommendation that the substitute (S-1) be adopted and that the bill then pass.

To allow a student to meet the foreign language requirement in the state’s high school graduation requirements by taking a computer software class instead.