The state education budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct 1, 2018. This appropriates $16.843 billion, including $1.843 billion of federal money. Of this, $14.765 billion goes to K-12 public schools, up from $14.580 billion this year. Another $1.669 billion is for state universities, compared to $1.629 billion this year. Community colleges get $408 million, up from $399 million. The bill increases the basic state "foundation allowance" grants to public schools by $120 per pupil for higher-spending districts, and $240 per pupil for districts that get less funding.
To convert a registration mandate now imposed on acupuncturists into a more comprehensive licensure regime, including training and apprenticeship requirements, license fees, regulations specified in the bill and additional ones that the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs would be authorized to impose, and more.
To impose licensure, fees, certification through a nationally recognized agency, and more on “genetic counselors” as they are defined in the bill.
To require second-hand goods and junk dealers that use an “automatic recycling kiosk” to obtain a license from the local government in each jurisdiction where one is located. “Automatic recycling kiosk” is defined as one that verifies identity by “remote examination of a seller's government-issued identification card by a live representative during all hours of operation,” and that captures and stores images of the seller and goods.
To prohibit local governments from imposing new licensure mandates on individuals seeking to earn a living in a particular occupation if the state already imposes its own licensure mandate on that occupation. Locals could keep their current licensure mandates but not impose any new ones.
To repeal the state prevailing wage law, which prohibits awarding government contracts to contractors who submit the lowest bid unless the contractor pays wages based on union pay scales that local union officials represent as prevalent in a particular area. The voter-initiated legislation was placed before the legislature by petition, and does not require the Governor's approval to become law.
The House vote on the prevailing wage law repeal described above.
To exempt a person age 65 or above from having to buy the unlimited personal injury protection (PIP) coverage mandated by the state’s no fault auto insurance law. Specifically, these individuals could buy either unlimited coverage or a policy that caps medical coverage at $50,000, with injury expenses above that amount covered by the individual's Medicare and related coverage. By the same margin the Senate also passed Senate Bill 1014, which restricts charges for long term attendant care provided by family members to crash victims under the standard unlimited medical benefit coverage.
To require state welfare officials to seek federal permission to allow requiring able-bodied individuals enrolled in the Medicaid expansion authorized by the federal health care law to work at least 80 hours a month for at least nine months a year, or be in school, job-training or volunteer work. The bill authorizes exceptions for a parent with children under age six, individuals getting disability benefits or above age 62, a disabled person's caretaker and more.
The Senate vote to concur with the House-passed version of the bill described above.
To spend $100 million on government job and career training programs, scholarships, program grants and more, which would be labeled a “Marshall plan for talent.” Senate Bill 942 would authorize paying for this with money borrowed against revenues from a 1998 state tobacco lawsuit settlement.
To create a state environmental permit appeal panel comprised of certain officials and representatives of specified interests including business and environmentalist organizations. A permit applicant aggrieved by permit denial could appeal to the panel, which would have the authority to revise or reject state environmental regulators' decision or conditions of a permit.
To expand a law that requires individuals who apply for a school job to sign a document that authorizes the applicant’s current or former employers to disclose any unprofessional conduct to the school. The bill would require the school to report to the Department of Education any information obtained this way about sex or other crimes involving a minor, or inappropriate conduct involving a minor. This would also apply if a school receives similar information about a current employee. The department would be required to keep these reports for six years.
To extend the statute of limitations to 10 years on filing civil lawsuits related to criminal sexual conduct offenses, or if the victim was a minor, until the individual turns 28 years of age. This would be retroactive for cases going back to 1997 that match the profile of offenses committed by convicted MSU sports doctor Larry Nassar, except a victim would have to file a suit within three months of the bill becoming law.
To impose licensure and regulation on naturopathic physicians, with license fees, education requirements and more. The bill defines naturopathic medicine as “a system of practice that is based on the natural healing capacity of individuals.”
To establish streamlined procedures and timetables for a mining company getting revisions to restrictions in its state operating permit, with many exceptions. This would apply to determinations that a permit amendment does not “result in environmental impacts that are materially increased or different” from those specified in the original permit.
To revise a 2008 law that imposed a comprehensive regulatory regime and restrictions on industrial, commercial and agricultural groundwater uses that might have a negative impact. The bill would allow a more streamlined process for agricultural and other withdrawals that meet certain conditions, and establish deadlines for state officials to process permit requests. It would also repeal a requirement that landowners make public certain agricultural well use information.
To expand the taxing power of local authorities created to deliver direct and indirect subsidies to business property owners in “principal shopping districts” and “business improvement districts,” by letting them impose property taxes styled as “special assessments” on home and residential property owners. Under current law residential property is excluded from the levies these entities are authorized to impose.
To allow the indefinite continuation of special discounted electricity rates granted by Consumers Energy to the Hemlock Semiconductor subsidiary of Dow Corning, which under a 2010 law were exempted from a ban on cross-subsidization between residential and commercial/industrial customers (meaning residential customers pay more while Hemlock pays less). The styles the discount as a privilege potentially available to all industrial customers, but details that limit it to just this one company. Note: Hemlock makes photovoltaic solar cells, which were recently granted tariff protection against foreign competition by the Trump administration.
To establish that property seized from a person because it may be associated with a suspected drug crime is not subject to permanent forfeiture (loss of ownership) unless an individual is actually convicted. However, the conviction requirement would only apply to forfeitures of less than $50,000 (meaning police and prosecutors could still take and keep assets worth more than that using a lower burden of proof).
To revise the extraordinarily detailed law establishing a comprehensive regulatory regime on the wholesale distribution of beer, wine and liquor, so as to allow manufacturers, wholesalers or retailers to get a special license to hold a beer or wine festival in which they provide the sponsor with beer or wine dispensing or cooling equipment and a brand-logoed tent.
To mandate that an electrician on a job must show a government official or inspector a photo ID and evidence of licensure status if ordered. Also, to only allow an individual to get a "master electrician" license if an individual has at least 12,000 hours of experience in related work under the supervision of a master electrician, and has held an electrical journeyman's license for at least two years.
To let county sheriffs request and a court grant probation for a prisoner who is physically or mentally incapacitated due to a medical condition that renders the prisoner unable to perform activities of basic daily living, and/or the prisoner requires 24-hour care. Also, to let county sheriffs ask and a court grant a compassionate release if a physician determines the prisoner is not expected to live more than six months.
To require state welfare officials to seek permission from federal welfare officials for requiring able-bodied recipients of Medicaid health coverage to work at least 29 hours a week, or be in school, job-training or volunteer work. The bill authorizes exceptions for a parent with children under age six, individuals getting disability benefits, a disabled person's caretaker, and more, including temporary emergencies and "life-changing events." It would also require beneficiaries to verify compliance each month and verify family income changes within 10 days.
To make more rigorous the definition of “aggrieved candidate” in the law that authorizes recounts of elections where the vote margin isn't close. The bill reflects court rulings after the 2016 Green Party presidential candidate (reportedly with the assistance of Democratic Party operatives) orchestrated a statewide recount, even though this candidate received less than 2 percent of the Michigan vote.
To exempt from sales tax the retail sales of a nonprofit organization that has less than $25,000 in aggregate annual retail sales during a year, rather than $5,000 under current law. Under current law if a group exceeds this threshold then all of its sales are taxable, and the bill would change this to exempt the first $10,000 in sales for groups that don't exceed the new cap.
To require that a drivers license issued to a resident alien must have an expiration no later than the date on which the individual’s presence in the in the U.S. becomes unlawful.
To impose a new licensure mandate on professional foresters (styled by the bill as registration), with a $200 fee, regulations, education and experience requirements and more. The bill would create a state board comprised of officials and individuals currently in this or related businesses, which would devise specific rules, requirements and restrictions. This is related to a recent small forestland property tax break law that requires owners to engage the services of a forester to apply for the special tax treatment.
To establish streamlined procedures for a mining company getting certain restrictions in its state operating permit revised, subject to many exceptions. This would specifically apply to the process for determining that a permit amendment does not “result in environmental impacts that are materially increased or different” from those specified in the original permit. Among other things this refers to allowing a permittee “to relocate, reconfigure, or modify surface or underground facilities, buildings, or equipment, other than a tailings basin or a stockpile.”
To extend to 10 years the statute of limitations on filing a civil lawsuit related to criminal sexual conduct offenses, or if the victim was a minor, until the individual turns 48 years of age, with some narrow exceptions. This would apply retroactively to offenses committed after 1996, and would not require that any criminal prosecution or other legal action was ever brought as a result of an alleged offense. Alleged victims would have to file suits within one year after the bill becomes law.
To establish a comprehensive regulatory regime for small cell wireless systems that use routers on power line poles and other existing infrastructure to provide cell phone and internet access without needing expensive towers. The bill would cap the amount that state and local governments could charge for zoning, permits and other fees.
To require plaintiffs who seek damages for alleged asbestos-related conditions to disclose whether they have already filed suits against trusts or claims pools created in previous asbestos bankruptcy cases. Reportedly some plaintiff attorneys have filed multiple suits seeking duplicate damages. The bill would also authorize reopening and readjusting cases and damage awards in such cases.
To potentially permit the use of pneumatic air bows to hunt game during any open season in which a firearm may be used, and also potentially permit disabled hunters to use air bows during bow season. Specifically, the bill allows but does not require state officials to authorize this. These devices are like crossbows but use compressed air to drive an arrow.
To allow medically frail prisoners whose condition makes them “a minimal threat to society” to be paroled to a hospital, hospice, nursing home or other suitable accommodation for the balance of their term.
To expand a law that prohibits local governments from restricting what prospective employers can ask on a job application. Among other things a local government could not prohibit an employer from asking about a prospective employee's previous salary history during a job interview.
To establish English as the official state language. This would apply to government activities, but not to private sector activity. It would require governmental documents, records, meetings, actions, and policies to be in English, but would not prohibit them from also being in another language.
To establish a Natural Resources Trust Fund advisory board comprised of the Governor, the state Treasurer, the Senate Majority Leader, the Speaker of the House (or their designees) and one member of an existing NRTF governing board, which would make non-binding recommendations for annual spending and operation of the fund. State land oil and gas royalty money is earmarked for this fund, which acquires and develops more land for recreational purposes
To appropriate $160 million from state general fund revenue to road repairs, and $15 million for "next generation technologies, hydrogen fueling stations, and demonstration projects related to enhanced transportation services for senior citizens." The road repair money would be divided between the state and local governments according to the usual road tax allocation formula.
To repeal the “driver responsibility fees” that are assessed for various traffic violations in addition to the fine for the violation itself. This and related bills would go into effect on Sept. 30, 2018, and would also clear any outstanding liability an individual may have to pay these fees, and allow reinstatement of drivers licenses suspended for non-payment with no charge. These very expensive fees were originally adopted in 2003 to increase state revenue collections.
The House vote on the bill described above.
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Contact my lawmakers
Sen. Curtis Hertel, Jr., D-East Lansing, District 23. 517-373-1734. senchertel@senate.michigan.gov
SOURCE: MichiganVotes.org, a free, non-partisan website created by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, providing concise, non-partisan, plain-English descriptions of every bill and vote in the Michigan House and Senate. Please visit www.MichiganVotes.org.
Permission to reprint this legislative summary in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided that www.MichiganVotes.org is properly cited.
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