Key votes of 2017

Legend:  ✔ Correct,  × Incorrect,  
F Chamber failed to hold vote,  E Excused,  X Not Voting,  
? Ideal Vote not set,  – No vote in this chamber

Column Descriptions

House Bill 4001: Reduce state income tax rate
to cut the state income tax from the current 4.25 percent to 4.05 percent over two years
   • House Roll Call 5 on February 23, 2017.

Senate Bill 111: Transfer state revenue to big developers
to authorize giving ongoing cash subsidies to particular developers and business owners selected by state and local political appointees. Developers would get cash subsidies for up to 20 years based on the income tax paid by their employees and tenants. Fiscal agency projections suggest the process could transfer up to $1.8 billion state tax dollars to these beneficiaries. This would mean less money available for other state services (or for broad-based tax cuts). This is part of a package comprised of Senate Bills 111 to 115; see also Senate Bills 242 and 243
   • House Roll Call 94 on May 4, 2017.
   • Senate Roll Call 174 on May 9, 2017.

Senate Bill 242: Transfer state revenue to certain business owners
to authorize giving up to $200 million of state revenue to certain business owners, in particular a Chinese company involved in iPhone manufacture. Owners of selected firms would get cash subsidies for up to 10 years equal to half or all of the income tax paid by their employees
   • House Roll Call 260 on July 12, 2017.
   • Senate Roll Call 323 on July 12, 2017.

Senate Bill 469: Give some developers tax breaks for rehabbing...
[Give some developers tax breaks for rehabbing “historic” structures] to grant certain developers approved by state or local officials credits against the business income tax that are worth up to 25 percent of the amount spent to restore a structure that meets various criteria for being “historic.” Up to 90 percent of credits valued up to $250,000 would be "refundable," making them virtual cash subsidies
   • Senate Roll Call 544 on December 13, 2017.

House Bill 4207: Subsidize grocery stores in cities
to authorize state subsidies for grocery stores in urban areas. This would come from money earmarked to an existing business subsidy program, and is estimated to be around $2.5 million annually. The money could not be given to the owner of a grocery store located within a mile of an existing store. These particular subsidies would sunset in five years
   • House Roll Call 377 on November 7, 2017.
   • Senate Roll Call 555 on December 13, 2017.

House Bill 5013: Auto no fault reform
To allow auto insurance companies to offer policies with personal injury protection (PIP) coverage below the currently mandated unlimited coverage. A customer could keep the unlimited PIP or choose policies with $250,000 or $500,000 limits. Insurers would have to adjust their premiums to reflect savings realized from these limited policies, and if the savings were less than 40 percent would have to provide justifications for the higher prices. Medical service providers and hospitals could not charge more than 160 percent of the rates allowed under the federal Medicare program for medical care for crash victims.
   • House Roll Call 375 on November 2, 2017.

Senate Bill 335: Codify Citizens United
to revise Michigan campaign finance law provisions that violate the holding of the U.S. Supreme Court in the Citizens United case. The decision limited the power of congress and state legislatures to restrict election-related political speech by corporations, under a definition that includes non-profit groups motivated by ideological or political concerns. The bill would authorize “independent expenditure committees” (dubbed "super-PACs") that could advocate for a candidate or ballot initiative but not contribute to or coordinate with a candidate. Candidates could solicit money for those committees, however. Committees would be subject to campaign finance filings but would not have to disclose the identity of donors, and there would be no cap on spending or contributions, which could come from corporations and unions.
   • House Roll Call 271 on September 19, 2017.
   • Senate Roll Call 337 on September 14, 2017.

House Bill 4999: Ban local food and beverage taxes
to prohibit local governments or quasi-governmental entities from imposing a tax or fee on the manufacture, distribution, wholesaling or retail sale of food for immediate consumption or non-immediate consumption. Among other things this would prohibit local officials from imposing "soda taxes"
   • House Roll Call 294 on October 5, 2017.
   • Senate Roll Call 386 on October 12, 2017.

Senate Bill 401: Pension reform
to replace the current school pension system with one that requires more cost-sharing by new employees, and contains provisions intended to limit state management practices responsible for the $29.1 billion of unfunded liabilities in the status quo system. New employees could choose instead to receive substantial employer contributions to 401(k) accounts (4 percent of salary automatically, and an employer-match of up to 3 percent more). If the overhauled defined benefit component is not properly funded then employees who enrolled in it would have to pay half the cost of correcting this. If underfunding exceeds specified levels it would be closed to new hires
   • House Roll Call 216 on June 20, 2017.
   • Senate Roll Call 261 on June 15, 2017.

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