2023 Vote Record/Reasons
Only 2 of 110 Reps reported every vote they made (and “why”) last term.
Here are all my votes & reasons in 2023:
HR1 – Vote to Elect Rep. Tate (D) as House Speaker
No – Representative Tate expected us to read, analyze and accept the House Rules (37 pages) less than 2 hours before the vote. Furthermore, we were not given an opportunity to discuss and recommend improvements.
Introduced 1/11. Approved via voice vote.
HR2 – Vote to Rep. Pohutsky (D) as Speaker Pro Tempore
No – Representative Pohutsky expected us to read, analyze, and accept the House Rules (37 pages) less than 2 hours before the vote. Furthermore, we were not given an opportunity to discuss and recommend improvements.
Introduced 1/11. Passed via roll call vote 100-9.
HR3 – Vote to Elect Richard J. Brown (Non-Partisan) as House Clerk
Yes –Mr. Brown transparently clarified & illustrated procedures/processes to enact change from my Seat on the House Floor.
Introduced 1/11. Passed via roll call vote 105-4.
SB7 – Unspecified $150 Million+ Taxpayer Spending Bill
No – My office received this $150 Million+ spending bill a few hours before our required vote. After reading, analyzing and reaching out to departments impacted, we did not gain any information regarding itemization, spending detail and the like. Why is this a good use of your tax dollars? Where will the money be spent, specifically? And how can we prove it will deliver results to all Michiganders?
Vote on 1/24. PASSED 56-52.
SB7/8 – Allocating Over $1 Billion of Taxpayer Dollars for Various State Departments and Subsidies
No / No – This bill contained elements benefiting some businesses and sectors, but left others out in the cold. Furthermore, this bill lacked public hearing, transparency, and itemized detail.
Votes on 1/26. PASSED 60-48 and 74-34.
HB4001 – Discriminatory Retirement Income Tax Exemption
No – My conviction is to serve all 90,000+ constituents equally and this bill gives preferential treatment toward public pension retirement income. All sources of income should be treated as equal as each person is. This targeted tax cut does not provide tax relief for all Michiganders, who are created equally. My focused mission is to provide tax relief to ALL struggling taxpayers, not just a limited few.
Vote on 1/26. PASSED 67-41.
HB4002 – Expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit to 30%
No – Solutions designed to deliver tax relief must be effective. This bill does not contain adequate protections to prevent fraud. Moreover, this targeted tax cut does not provide broad tax relief for all Michiganders, who are created equally. My focused mission is to provide tax relief to ALL struggling taxpayers, not just a limited few.
Vote on 1/26. PASSED 100-8.
SB 13– Partisan Bill to Hurry Michigan 2024 Presidential Primary
NO – This unnecessary, rushed move could cause confusion and error at the polls, as reported to me by our local clerks, who were against this legislation. Moreover, this Partisan Bill directly decreases one party’s Delegates for the Michigan Presidential Primary by 90%, according to their leadership. We must base election systems on integrity, not politics.
Vote on 1/31. PASSED: 56-53.
HB 4016 – Blank Check “Shell Bill”
NO – With no opportunity for public input, this taxpayer-funded spending bill included zero detail on final spending figures. This bill is what’s called a “Shell Bill”, which is like writing a blank check.
Vote on 2/1. PASSED: 56-53.
HB4001 Concurrence Vote to Send Bill to Transparent Committee
YES – This vote wasn’t on the bill content, rather the bill process. A “YES” vote here is to give you the greatest chance at receiving insight and providing input in the most transparent manner (regular Committee process), if PASSED. The “NO” vote would skip all that, if FAILED.
Vote on 2/1. FAILED: 53-56.
HB4001 (Revised) – Discriminatory Tax Cut + Nixing Income Tax Cut for All
NO – The revisions of this bill do not cut taxes for all Michigan taxpayers. The additions to this bill add a provision to give our taxpayer dollars to a few handpicked corporations, furthermore triggering a risk to negate an otherwise would-be .20% decrease in everyone’s personal income tax rate.
Vote on 2/9. PASSED: 56-53.
HB 4016- Allocating Taxpayer Dollars to Elite
NO- This bill allocates an additional $750 million of our tax dollars to Ford Motor Company (in addition to $1 billion Gretchen Whitmer already agreed to give them). This bill spends $680,000 tax dollars per job at Ford. This bill is not fair to all of Michigan’s hard-working business owners and taxpayers.
Vote on 3/1. PASSED: 59-49.
House Bills 4006 & 4032 – Repeal Michigan’s 1931 Abortion Ban
NO- This bill eliminates Michigan’s only means for prosecuting non-physician abortions, abortions conducted without the consent of the mother, and/or abortions performed by illegal means. Sickening.
Votes on 3/2. Both PASSED: 58-50.
SB12 – Eliminate 3rd Grade Reading Law
NO- Michigan is ranked 43rd in the nation for reading performance, according to a Michigan Department of Education press release.[1] Michigan’s reading test scores must improve, but it must be done the right way. Eliminating standards does not adequately address this problem.
Effective reading programs must account for different learning styles. Moreover, there are means for parents to submit waivers to advance their children if they wish. These waivers are used in 90% of instances to give parents ultimate control over this law.
There are many studies that show reading does not come naturally for many students.[2] They must be effectively taught how to do it. This bill does not present a well-thought out plan to improve literacy rates in this state.
Vote on 3/7. PASSED 57-51.
HB4004 & HB4005 – Repeal the Right to Work
NO- 88% of Michigan voters polled agree (66% strongly agree, 22% somewhat agree) with the following statement: “Workers should have the right to decide whether to join a labor union. Workers should never be forced, or coerced, to join a union or pay dues to a union as a condition of employment.” This poll was published by the National Institute for Labor Relations Research.[3]
Economic development experts report roughly half of all major businesses will not consider locating in jurisdictions without the Right to Work.[4] In Michigan, labor unions have done a lot to improve working conditions in this State; however, I am against legislation that requires public sector employees to join as a condition of employment.
Votes on 3/8. Both PASSED 56-53.
HB4007 – Mandate Prevailing Wage
NO- These prevailing wage bills allow Lansing to set wage standards for bids on construction projects. Also, this bill puts in place confusing mandates contractors must comply with.
This bill benefits large construction companies at the expense of the little guy, because they are better equipped to absorb the higher costs. It wipes out local control and competitive bidding. Local school boards and city councils will not be allowed to pay less – even if they find higher quality at a lower price or more bang for their buck.
Vote on 3/8. PASSED 56-53.
SB4 & HB4003 – Add Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Protections to Public Accommodations
NO- Multiple amendments were put forward to protect faith-based institutions from religious discrimination. Unfortunately, these did not make it out of committee.
Before vote, many Southeast Michigan faith community leaders said this legislation could lead to discrimination against Christian schools, churches, pregnancy centers, adoption agencies, and other similar institutions that still believe in the sanctity of marriage. Also, this law could be abused to penalize Christian wedding owners for not holding LGBTQ+ weddings.
The usable, inalienable, God-given rights of all Michigan residents are protected by the Constitution, without discrimination. I solemnly swear to uphold these rights for all, without discrimination.
Votes on 3/8. Both PASSED 64-45.
HB4138, HB4142, HB4143 – A New Registry of All Guns and Additional Ineffective Background Checks
NO- Universal background checks are unenforceable without mandatory registration, which is illegal under the 1986 Gun Control Act and the 1993 Brady Act.
Also, a 2013 Justice Department review of violence prevention studies found that even a “perfect universal background check system” would not address the largest sources of gun crimes. Furthermore, the study found that effectiveness would depend on “requiring gun registration.” [5]
This could target law-abiding citizens for loaning a firearm to friends and family members and make lawful gun transfers more difficult.
These bills make it more cumbersome for law-abiding citizens to defend themselves and others. The 2nd Amendment clearly says the right to keep and bear arms “shall not be infringed.” Furthermore, our Founding Fathers implemented the 2nd Amendment after experiencing British tyranny firsthand prior to America’s Founding in 1776. It’s an essential line of defense against senseless violence.
Votes on 3/8. All PASSED 56-53.
[1] Michigan NAEP Results Reflect National Declines Due to the Pandemic – State of Michigan Department of Education Press Release. Date: October 24, 2022
[2] Hard Words: Why aren’t kids being taught to read? – American Public Media
[3] 11/29/2022 Right to Work Poll, conducted by the National Institute for Labor Relations Research
[4] William J. Moore, “The Determinants and Effects of Right-to-Work Laws: A Review of the Recent Literature,” Journal of Labor Research, No. 19 (Summer 1998), pp. 445–469, and W. Robert Reed, “How Right-to-Work Laws Affect Wages,” Journal of Labor Research, Vol. 24, No. 4 (October 2003), pp. 713–730.
[5] Greg Ridgeway, Ph.D., “Summary of Select Firearm Violence Prevention Strategies,” National Institute of Justice, Jan. 4, 2013
House Bill 4219 – continues Michigan Strategic Fund corporate welfare programs
NO – Recently, the Whitmer Administration gave out approx. $680,000 per job in taxpayer money to subsidize the Ford electric vehicle plant in Marshall. “Corporate Welfare” (giving our taxpayer money to support a few private companies) is not right.
Right now, the Republicans have no representation on the Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) Board. This bill ensures several members of the caucus appointed by current Republican House leadership are allowed to give their input. Proponents of this bill argue it gives Michiganders more visibility on how this money gets allocated (and bipartisan committee representation). On the other hand, I do not believe Corporate Welfare is a good use of our tax dollars, which is why I oppose this bill.
Vote on 3/16. PASSED 93-10.
House Bill 4045 – Authorizes the Michigan State Police to Run Continual Background Checks on Child Care workers
NO – This bill authorizes the Michigan State Police, in conjunction with the FBI, to run criminal background checks on employees who work with the elderly, special needs individuals and children. The department argues this is necessary because of recent changes to federal law. Child protection laws already require employees that work for these entities to undergo a very specific background check before hired.
My objection: Section 4 Subsection 3 has too expansive of language by adding “including, but not limited to” for the Michigan State Police, giving them broad discretion to audit businesses. This seems like a step toward more government surveillance.
Vote on 3/16. PASSED 96-7.
House Bills 4039, 4137, and 4253 – Simplify Michigan’s Tax Code for Businesses and Reduces Ambiguity
YES – Delivery and installation are services – not products. They shouldn’t be subject to “sales” or “use” taxes. Prior to this bill, if you purchase a large piece of furniture from a retailer and paid extra to have it delivered in your home, both line items on the invoice could be taxed by our government. This bill fixes that.
Many businesses are unfairly burdened and penalized due to vague and inconsistent direction from the Department of Treasury around this issue. Also, operating a business is more cumbersome when our tax laws are not easy to understand.
Votes on 3/16. 4039 PASSED 85-19, 4253 PASSED 88-15, 4137 PASSED 85-18.
House Bill 4054 & 4055 – Bills to Protect Private Businesses from Unfair Taxation
YES – Equipment used for industrial processing is exempt from “sales” and “use” taxes, but some tax collectors have been abusing this vague law to try to penalize certain businesses that produce aggregate materials, which are used in road construction. This bill helps protect these businesses from unfair government taxation.
Votes on 3/16. 4054 PASSED 80-23, 4055 PASSED 81-22.
HB4166 – Repeals Incentivizing Common Core Standards
YES- According to several members of the Michigan State Board of Education, the (A-F) rating system incentivizes school districts to align their educational standards with Common Core standards.
Common Core pressures (and in some ways forces) teachers to “teach to the test”, instead of gearing instruction around what is best for the students sitting in front of them. For schools to get “better grades” on the A-F Scorecard, schools are forced to structure their curriculum around failed Common Core standards.
A couple of other reasons why I voted “YES” for this repeal:
· A “YES” vote here gives local school boards more control to measure and report the academic performance of the students they serve.
· A “YES” vote here gives local school administrators more leeway to make the best decisions for the students they serve.
Vote on 3/21. PASSED 63-45.
HB4288 – Removing Provisions of Revised School Code
NO- The unique language in this bill allows it to be amended or substituted beyond it’s original scope after passage, which could cause unforeseen problematic consequences that I will not good conscience be responsible for.
Vote on 3/21. PASSED 57-51.
SB6 & HB4007– Mandates Prevailing Wage in Michigan
NO- Prevailing wage allows Lansing to set wage standards for bids on construction projects. Also, this bill puts in place confusing mandates contractors must comply with.
This bill benefits large construction companies at the expense of the little guy, because they are better equipped to absorb the higher costs. It wipes out local control and competitive bidding. Local school boards and city councils will not be allowed to pay less – even if they find higher quality at a lower price or more bang for their buck.
Votes on 3/21. Both PASSED 56-52.
SB34 & HB4004 – Repealing the Right to Work
NO- The Supreme Court ruled in 2018 Janus v. AFSCME that forcing public employees to pay union dues as a condition of employment violates the First Amendment.
Votes on 3/21. Both PASSED 56-52.
HB4199 Taxpayer Tuition Assistance Transfer for National Guard
NO- This bill will allow National Guard members to transfer tuition benefits to their spouse or a child under the age of 26 to complete a degree. Also, it increases the amount of money required to be in the National Guard Assistance Fund from $10M to $15M. Although I believe helping National Guard members is a good idea, increased government spending to fund benefits for other family members is not prudent. The government’s increased spending of our taxpayer dollars seems to be a runaway train at this point.
Vote on 3/22. PASSED 102-6.
SB2 Expanding Abortion
NO- According to the National Right to Life Committee, 63 million babies have been murdered since Roe v. Wade in 1973. [1] This represents approximately 20 percent of the United States population. Abortion is an ongoing genocide. Also, according to U.S. News, Michigan ranks No. 9 in the states that have the most abortions. [2]
This bill repeals the Michigan Penal Code section that prohibits the sale of contraception or abortion pills. We should have laws in place that respect and promote human life.
It is part of a major push by Planned Parenthood and other activist groups to remove as many barriers to an abortion as possible. If our state continues down this path, it could lead toward the sale of abortion pills at local pharmacies like Walgreen’s and CVS.
Vote on 3/22. PASSED 56-52.
[1] Abortion Statistics: United States Data and Trends by National Right to Life
[2] States with the Highest Abortion Rates – U.S. News Article published on November 28, 2022
HB4167 Creates an Unelected Board of Public Health Bureaucrats
NO- This bill creates an unelected board of bureaucrats to conduct rare disease research and make policy recommendations. The creation of public health laws is the job of the legislature – not the Michigan Health Department.
Vote on 3/22. PASSED 88-20.
HB/SB 4139, 79, 80, 4144 Mandatory Safe Storage Law for Firearms
NO- Michigan already has plenty of laws on the books that can be used to punish people who act recklessly with a firearm or endanger their children. These bills do nothing more than micromanage law-abiding citizens who own guns for their personal protection.
I do not support a one-size-fits-all government mandate that dictates how everyone must store their firearms. Everyone’s situation is different. Many people have very real reasons why they want to have quick access to a firearm for their personal protection. I shared a very critical story about this in my last email.
Votes on 3/22. HB4139 PASSED 61-47, SB79 PASSED 61-57, SB80 PASSED 61-47, HB4144 PASSED 61-47.
HB/SB 4140, 4141, 81, 82 (Storage Tax Exemption Form)
NO- The mandatory forms to apply for these exemptions are problematic in how they may cause residents to be a part of databases they may not be comfortable being on that could be used in ways they do not approve of. Moreover, the job of the government is not to pick winners and losers in the marketplace in terms of saying some products are not allowed to be taxed while others are.
Votes on 3/22. HB 4140 PASSED 64-44, HB4141 PASSED 63-45, SB81 PASSED 64-44, SB82 PASSED 64-44.
HB4146-4148; SB83 – Gun Confiscation Orders
NO – This law allows the government to take away your guns because a judge decides you are likely to commit a crime in the future – even though no proof has been established that a crime has been committed.
Specific issues with Senate Bill 83:
● The court may consider “any other facts that the court believes are relevant” – which may allow the court to consider evidence not normally admissible in court, such as “hearsay” and “prior acts used to prove future action.”
● The defendant is entitled to a court hearing only AFTER the extreme risk protection order is issued by the court.
● It allows law enforcement to seize firearms present within a dwelling, vehicle and other places that are searched, even when the restrained individual is not present.
The judicial standard our Constitution requires is “innocent until proven guilty.”
According to the bill language, you would not be allowed to defend yourself before losing your ability to defend yourself and others.
It’s not “due process” if you aren’t part of the process.
Millions of people have come to Michigan from Communist China, Cuba, the Soviet Union and other places because America has Constitutional rights. Our Constitution clearly states, “the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed” so that we who obey the law will be able to defend ourselves and others.
We cannot simply go with what’s popular, quick and easy when data has shown Red Flag policies (1) do not solve the problem and (2) create new, life-threatening problems. We must implement proven strategies to successfully solve the problem of gun violence. have not I’ve expressed a few of the options I’m working on at-length in my previous letters. Click here to explore more deeply.
Votes on 4/13. PASSED: 56-51
HB4157 – Mandate Excused Absence if Performing “Taps” at a Military Funeral
NO – Local school administrators should decide what gets approved as an excused absence. It’s not the role of the state government to micromanage local school operations in this manner.
This type of micromanagement was a disaster during COVID-19, when many students experienced significant learning losses due to Statewide government-imposed lockdowns.
Vote on 4/11. PASSED: 103-5
HB4064 – Optional Cursive for Michigan Schools
NO – I believe cursive instruction should be mandatory in our public schools; not optional. Cursive forces students to slow down and think about what they are writing. Also, it is proven to help improve reading and math skills, develop self-discipline and build patience. Cursive helps students learn each individual letter and connect them into words, which is an underrated skill in this day-and-age. Also, some studies show cursive helps improve student memory (instead of taking notes on the computer). [1]. Cursive encourages the brain to learn functional specialization and improves fine motor skills.
Vote on 4/13. PASSED: 103-4
House Resolution 72: Abortion Resolution
This is a resolution to condemn the April 7, 2023 Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA court decision and denounce efforts to limit abortion access in Michigan.
NO – “Mifepristone” is a substance that ends innocent human life. It can also result in serious side effects for women taking it, such as blood clots in the uterus. Limiting access to this substance can result in saved lives. 60 million babies have died as a result of abortion since 1972…a grave historical tragedy.
Vote on 4/13. PASSED: 56-51
Senate Bill 63 – Use of School Millage Funds for Operating Expenses
NO – Typically, school mileage funds are used for significant building improvements that improve learning environments for all students. This bill would allow school milage funds to be earmarked to including “operational expenses” like transportation costs.
I voted NO on this bill because school mileage funds should go exactly where taxpayers expect it to go, to all students.
If a local school district faces a budget shortfall and wants to use leftover millage money for other purposes, they can hold a public hearing to determine how to reallocate funding (if need be) based on the unique situation of their local school.
PASSED: 61-45
House Bill 4202 – Overgeneralized Criminal Justice Reform
NO – This bill modifies sections 520b to 520g in the Michigan penal code to strike out the term “mentally incapacitated” as an exception for a legal spouse claiming victim status in cases of rape.
Marital rape is already illegal here in Michigan. Currently, there are 3 cases where a legal spouse cannot be the victim of a crime from their spouse: if they are “under 16”, “mentally incapable” or “mentally incapacitated.” This bill eliminates “mentally incapacitated” as a legal defense without shedding light on different contingencies and fails to mention any of the other two exceptions.
My office condemns all instances of martial rape. Criminal justice reform should be done in such a way that it effectively defines different contingencies involved in applicable situations. For example, in a scenario where a husband/wife are both at the bar and (unbeknownst to them) have a foreign substance “slipped” into both of their drinks (like a date-rape drug), and later on have marital relations in their home, this bill would open up a legal avenue for one spouse to claim that the other spouse raped. Currently, (and sadly) nearly 50% of all marriages end in divorce. With this being the case, an all-to-common case of divorce can easily turn into a rape trial, making messy situations even messier.
To avoid legal misinterpretation based on overgeneralized language, effective and fair reform in this area should include a clearly defined distinction between natural displays of affection that occur throughout a marriage relationship – and instances of marital rape that occur because of an abusive husband. It should also spell out applicable cases and the legal consequences – and identify what does not constitute rape to decrease likelihood of injustice in this area.
PASSED: 103-5
Senate Bill 101 – Allows Private Insurance Companies to Meet Remotely
YES – This straightforward bill allows private insurance companies to continue holding Board of Director meetings at their own discretion. Although I personally believe in-person meetings can be more effective for many reasons, I voted YES on this bill because it’s not the role of government to spell out the way in which private companies must hold their leadership meetings.
PASSED: 102-4
House Bill 4047 – Designates February 1 as Blue Star Mother’s Day
YES – Blue Star Mothers are mothers, stepmothers, grandmothers, foster mothers or legal guardians with children serving, or having served, in the military, guard or reserves.
These mothers work tirelessly to support men and women who serve in our armed forces. Also, according to one of my colleagues, they welcome home returning veterans, visit wounded veterans in hospitals and rehab centers, and attend numerous ceremonies, rallies and meetings.
These individuals have done a lot to serve our country, and this bill simply gives much deserved recognition.
PASSED: 106-0
SB18 – Designates January 30 as Fred Korematsu Day.
YES – At the age of 23, Fred Korematsu was a Japanese American who boldly stood up to the government’s internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Korematsu provided examples of specific cases in American history in which the government exceeded “Constitutional Authority” to support his case. We must ensure the Constitution is honored by our elected officials.
PASSED 103-4
HB4146 – HB4148 – Red Flag Law
NO – There are numerous Constitutional issues with these bills, which I have brought up in prior newsletters.
Livingston County Sheriff Mike Murphy brought up some other issues:
· Red Flag Law sets a dangerously low legal standard: the “preponderance of evidence”, which is much lower than the Constitutional standard of proof beyond a shadow of a doubt.
· A Red Flag Law court hearings would be scheduled after the court has already decided to order gun confiscation. Our Constitution requires a trial by jury before a decision is made on whether to take away personal property.
· Red Flag Law authorizes the government to take firearms before a court hearing/ruling.
· If you do not comply with Red Flag Law – the courts can create a bench warrant.
· Red Flag Law allows the government to issue an “extreme risk protection order” to take away one’s ability to defend themselves and others without notifying the defendant beforehand.
PASSED 56-52
SB259: Allows Absentee Ballots to be Counted Without a Postmark
NO – The Michigan Constitution does not allow ballots delivered days after an election without a postmark to be counted. Accepting ballots without postmarks could allow people to fill out their ballots and send them in after election day is over and still have them counted. This doesn’t seem right.
Bills like this reduce the systemic integrity and validity of our election systems. Our election systems must be shown to be incorruptible beyond a shadow of a doubt.
The Department of Homeland Security classifies our election system as “critical infrastructure.”
PASSED 56-52
HR81 – Partisan Public Library Resolution
NO – I evaluate resolutions based on the substance and merit of the language within.
The Resolution Title claims to support libraries; however, a careful look at the language within shows this resolution is anything but bipartisan – which is why nearly half of our State Reps in Michigan opposed it.
For example, the resolution states, “Whereas, Michigan’s librarians and library workers strive to create inclusive collections and programs, and provide access to information and resources to all members of the community regardless of race, ethnicity, creed, ability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or socio-economic status.”
Why can’t we have a simple resolution to honor our librarians for all the hard work they do without incorporating language that many residents object to?
I voted NO because I have an issue with the way this is worded.
PASSED 56-53
HR4054, SB97, SB160 – Simplify Michigan’s Tax Code to Protect Private Buisness from Unfair Taxation
YES – Delivery and installation are services – not products. They shouldn’t be subject to “sales” or “use” taxes. Prior to this bill, if you purchase a large piece of furniture from a retailer and paid extra to have it delivered in your home, both line items on the invoice could be taxed by our government. This bill fixes that.
Many businesses are unfairly burdened and penalized due to vague and inconsistent direction from the Department of Treasury around this issue. Also, operating a business is more cumbersome when our tax laws are not easy to understand.
Equipment used for industrial processing is exempt from “sales” and “use” taxes, but some tax collectors have been abusing this vague law to try to penalize certain businesses that produce aggregate materials, which are used in road construction. This bill helps protect these businesses from unfair government taxation.
HB4054 PASSED 83-24
SB97 PASSED 86-22
SB160 PASSED 92-16
While I don’t have room to get into all the details of these massive government spending bills in one email, I will go over the highlights.
I voted NO on all of them: HB 4244, 4249, 4280, 4281, 4289, 4290, 4303, 4304, 4246, 4247, 4286, 4287, 4292, 4309, 4310, 4437 and all the other spending bills that were up for consideration (SB 173, 178, 194, 199, 200, 186, 195, 197, 201):
Here are a few MAJOR issues with these taxpayer spending bills:
· The state budget eliminates funding for School Resource Officers (SRO) in our schools. We should prioritize more school security – not less.
· Lansing has not set aside any extra money for savings. Don’t you think our government should set aside some extra money in the event there is an economic downturn?
· The budget surplus does not come close to adequately increasing funding to improve road conditions. Michigan’s infrastructure just received a failing grade from the American Society of Civil Engineers.
· State government removed a law that prohibits the use of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services taxpayer funds to pay for elective abortion procedures. This means your tax dollars could be used to fund organizations like Planned Parenthood (even if this goes against your beliefs).
· There is nothing in the budget to prohibit the Health Department from requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccines to access the vast umbrella of state services or put a vaccine passport program in place. This means the department could put this in place should the Governor’s office declare another “public health emergency” at some point.
· This budget adds $160 Million toward free breakfast and lunch in the school system. Where is the money going to come from to pay for this in future years, once all the COVID-19 stimulus money dries up? What if we enter a recession? How will we ensure this taxpayer food is not wasted?
· Your tax dollars can now be used to fund Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) training for military and public employees. This could be used to promote controversial ideologies that many people of religious backgrounds object to (Imagine training on gender identity, “reproductive rights”, political correctness and other controversial issues). Often, when entities need to “cut back”, the DEI positions are cut first. Why are we adding these positions at your expense during such uncertain economic times?
· Removes whistleblower protections for some public employees. Some of these state budget bills remove laws on the books that prohibit disciplinary action for reporting issues to the legislature. This means that some of them could risk losing their jobs if they speak up about government corruption.. We need WAY more government transparency, not less!
· “Green New Deal” Subsidies: The state budget includes tens of millions of dollars in renewable energy subsidies, even though it accounted for under 10 percent of the state’s electricity in 2021.
· $100 million to “encourage” high speed rail development. Why would you earmark taxpayer money to “encourage” development of something – without detailed stipulations of what the money will be used for? This is not right.
· $500 million toward corporate welfare programs. This incentivizes Lansing to give tax breaks and subsidies to corporate lobbyists and special interest groups that help our politicians get elected.
· More 2-year free community college. Where is the money going to come from to pay for this in the future?
· And more….
An $81 Billion dollar budget for 2023-2024 is simply not sustainable and poorly allocated across the board. What is the plan to fund all these new government programs if Michigan experiences an economic disaster?
This could result in more tax increases if state government ends up with a “budget shortfall” in a couple of years.
Also, here’s how I voted on a few other non-budget bills:
HB4033 – requires the State of Michigan to reimburse local clerks for special election costs
NO – I voted against this bill because mishandling is very rare and already illegal. Also, we don’t need new legislation that could open up law-abiding businesses to more lawsuits for a minor mistake in reporting.
PASSED: 94-13
HB4376 – requires insurance agents to keep fiduciary money in a separate account from their own.
NO – insurance fraud is already a felony in Michigan, punishable by up to four years in jail and up to $50,000 in fines. There’s also restitution, court costs, and lawyer’s fees to pay. Plus, those who are convicted get a felony charge on their record that follows them for life, and that can stand in the way of securing employment or housing. I don’t see the need to add additional laws on the books for this.
PASSED: 83-24
HB4362-4364 – allows individuals to opt in to the organ donor registry when filing taxes
YES – currently, Secretary of State branch offices ask people whether they would like to opt in to the Michigan organ donor registry program. As a result, over 60 percent of Michigan residents have opted in to the statewide donor registry program. This will also include an option to opt in on tax return forms and get the word out.
Every organ donation that occurs can save up to 8 lives and improve up to 75 more through cornea and tissue donation, which is why I voted in favor of this bill.
HB4362 PASSED: 102-5
HB4363 PASSED: 103-4
HB4364 PASSED: 103-4
HB4250-4251 – Expands Law Enforcement Driver Monitoring
NO –The Highway Data Loss Institute (affiliate of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety), found that in 3 of 4 states that enacted “distracted driving laws”, accidents actually increased after the ban went into effect.
The above study analyzed insurance claims for accidents in 4 states California, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Washington – during many months before and after these laws were passed. In Minnesota, accidents increased 9% after these laws went into effect. The study also looked at states that had not enacted bans as the “control variable” to their extremely valid and relevant study.
The law at play here is a “law of unintended consequences.” Edward Tenner wrote a book about this called “Why Things Bite Back: Technology and the Revenge of Unintended Consequences.” He makes the case that for every action there are often unexpected reactions.
HB4250 PASSED: 71-36
HB4252 PASSED: 70-37
HB4375 / SB32 – Increasing Government Land Banks in Michigan
NO- Many land banks have a history of corruption and mismanagement of taxpayer resources. For example, the St. Louis land bank acquired approximately 10,000 land parcels for “future development” that never materialized.
Also, land banks open the door for political favoritism. For example, the Detroit Land Bank pays the down payment for municipal employees that decide to purchase property from city government. Also, in Genesee County, their land bank offers a 30% discount on land to certain government employees, including firefighters, military veterans and others.
Local officials should not have the final say over development decisions or basic property rights. Also, they have a history of blocking private development and giving preferential treatment to government employees when selling vacant property or land.
PASSED 57-50
HB4176 – Allow Local Police Departments to Recoup Cost of Training Employees that Decide to Work Elsewhere
This bill would allow municipal police departments to recoup the cost of job training.
For staff that complete professional training that their employer pays for then leave to pursue other opportunities, they would have to pay for the cost of training as follows:
· Leave 1 year – pay up to 100% of the cost
· 2 years – up to 75% of the cost
· 3 years – up to 50% of the cost.
· 4 years – up to 25% of the cost.
This bill does very little to help recruit more police officers to join the profession – or encourage them to stick around. How many people would join the military if they were told in the interview that they would have to repay the cost of training if they decided it wasn’t the right career path for them?
What about firefighters?
Instead of creating a law that could make the problem worse, why not address the root cause of the issue?
Examples:
· Take the time to find out why there is high turnover – and fix it!
· Make sure police academy training programs are up to par.
· Focus on recruiting the right people for the job
Bills like this illustrate a very common problem Lansing has: an obsession with “quick fixes” at the expense of solutions of substance.
Not enough discussion occurs about the second and third order consequences of bills up for vote. More critical thinking needs to take place before bills are passed!
PASSED 103-4
HB4438-4439: Mandatory Arbitration for Corrections Officers
-NO- I believe elected officials, not unelected bureaucrats must have the final say in compensation plans & benefits for public employees. Elected officials are selected by their communities to represent their voices in local government. Residents deserve to have visibility into the salaries of public employees and benefits. Also, they should know the rationale behind those decisions.
I opposed this bill because I’m concerned this would put too much negotiating power in the hands of arbitrators to settle contract disputes, at the expense of elected officials.
HB4438 PASSED: 88-18; HB4439 PASSED: 90-16
HB4071: Sets Price Controls for Chemotherapy Treatments
-NO- House Bill 4071 amends the Michigan Insurance Code of 1956 (MCL.500.100 to 500.8302), adding a new provision for orally administered chemotherapy treatments.
This bill puts into place price fixing mechanisms for chemotherapy treatments in the State of Michigan. Government imposed price controls have a very poor track record of lowering health care costs. In some ways, price controls actually make the problem worse.
Currently, health care is very expensive because health care workers have to spend so much time and money complying with countless government regulations put in place with the “Affordable Care Act.” The cost of this time is passed along to patients in the form of higher health care costs. To lower health insurance costs, an effective solution would be to significantly reduce bureaucracy doctors have to deal with at the state and federal level, so they can give patients the time and attention they deserve and spend less money out of pocket to ensure compliance with state and federal statutes.
PASSED: 70-37
HB4120: Requires Organizations to Provide Child Abuse Report Materials with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
-NO- I voted against this bill because it’s not very clear how child care workers will be trained to report child abuse.
For example:
• What information specifically will child care workers at these organizations be required to report on to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services?
• What are the training materials supposed to look like?
• How will child care workers be trained properly to discern between legitimate cases of child abuse and illegitimate ones? The lack of specificity could cause organizations to get confused on how their employees are supposed to comply with this statute.
Ambiguity can lead to interrogation by government organizations for crimes that individuals did not commit. For example, one colleague said the Michigan Health Department conducted an entire search of her home and did an extensive interrogation because of something her child said in school – only to find out the parent had done nothing wrong.
Child abuse cases should be handled by local law enforcement, not bureaucrats in Lansing. Moreover, child care workers already receive training on how to handle cases of child abuse.
PASSED: 102-5
HB4121-4122: Revoke Licensure from Doctors for Sex Crimes Committed While Giving Medical Treatment
-YES- I voted in favor of this because no doctor should be allowed to practice medicine if they use their professional practice to commit sex crimes. Pretty self-explanatory.
BOTH PASSED: 107-0
HB4123 – Prohibits Preventing a Crime by a Position of Authority
-NO- I voted NO on these bills because of several things that are not clear within the bill:
• How does this bill define a “position of authority?” This term is not clearly defined in the statute. It could be interpreted many ways by a judge or a jury.
• “Preventing of a reporting of a crime” is not very clear. A better way to describe this would be “covering up a crime.”
The lack of specificity in this bill can create a lot of problematic unintended consequences.
To improve our judicial system, we need laws that are easy to understand and easy to interpret by judges and jury panels. Confusing laws only make it harder to ensure justice is done when crimes are committed.
PASSED: 102-5
HB4124: Prohibits School Administrators from Expelling Students from Reporting an Incident for a Certain Time Period
-NO- Obstruction of justice and intimidation to prevent a crime report is wrong. However, this bill is poorly written, stating school administrators will be prohibited from expelling students over reporting an “alleged” violation. What happens if that student proceeds to commit a serious crime shortly after an incident is reported to school administrators – and it poses a real threat to public safety?
This bill does not specify what school administrators are supposed to do when this happens.
PASSED: 102-5
HB4125: 1-year Misdemeanor to Prevent Students from Reporting Crimes to Title IX Coordinators
-NO- I voted against this bill because I believe sex crime complaints should be reported to local law enforcement, not Title IX Coordinators. They are best equipped to investigate the situation swiftly and file charges if a crime has been committed.
The scandal involving Larry Nassar at Michigan State University is sickeningly immoral. To avoid future scandals of this nature, we need ways for schools to handle complaints as swiftly and efficiently as possible, with minimal red tape. Title IX coordinators create a layer of bureaucracy between the victims and law enforcement – which can slow down a criminal investigation. Local law enforcement should investigate these cases – as they are BEST prepared to swiftly and quickly prosecute sex crimes when they occur.
PASSED: 97-10
HB4555: Designates June 12 as Women’s Veteran’s Day
-YES- because this is a way to thank female veterans in our community for their service to our country.
PASSED: 104-3
HB4244, 4245, 4247, 4281, 4289, 4290, 4292, 4310: “Zeroed Out” Budget Bills
-YES- I voted YES here because it was a “zeroed out” budget. A YES vote here (for PASSAGE) sends it to the Governor’s desk at “zero”, which would hopefully result in the use eventual use of taxpayer dollars to pay our debt, invest in our roads and other vital needs. A NO vote here (for FAILURE) sends these items to a “Conference Committee” to be injected with countless special projects that are not in the best interests of taxpayers.
FAILED: 52-54
HB4516: Allows Indian Tribes to be Eligible for Federal Grants to Reduce Domestic Violence
-NO- I voted against this bill because lawmakers were not given enough visibility into the following before the vote:
A. The effectiveness of these programs for taxpayers
B. The criteria used for the disbursement of these grants
Before expanding the pool of jurisdictions eligible for grant money, it’s important to have access to this data, so the legislature to make informed decisions and make good use of taxpayer money.
PASSED: 103-3
HB4420: Allows Law Enforcement to Share Contact Information of Victims w/ “Survivor Programs”
-NO- I believe in protecting the privacy of these victims. Law enforcement should ask for written authorization before victim contact information is shared with these organizations.
PASSED: 100-6
HB4421 Allows Victims to Have Faces Blurred During Live Stream of a Court Hearing
-NO- During a court hearing, it’s important for the general public to understand the full scope of what someone is saying when they testify during a court proceeding. FBI agents know 55% of human communication is nonverbal (body language, facial expressions and other nonverbal cues). If the faces are blurred, those watching the court proceeding may have a more difficult time understanding the full scope of what a crime victim is attempting to communicate. Also, when facial expressions are blurred, it’s more difficult for those watching online to discern whether someone is telling the truth or not.
This bill causes less transparency in our Justice System.
PASSED: 105-1
HB4422 – makes it a crime to threaten an MDHHS employee with physical harm.
-NO- This is another case of a nice sounding “headline bill”, without a clear definition of what the bill means by “threatening an MDHHS employee with physical harm.” This bill should be very specific on what types of behaviors or actions this bill is referring to and how it will be enforced.
To prevent this law from being abused by law enforcement, a judge or a jury panel, non-examples also must be included to clearly define what behaviors this law would not apply to. Many vital details are missing from this proposed law.
PASSED: 100-6
HB4423: Allows Victims to Make Statements Remotely
-NO- I voted against this bill because it’s a lot easier for the court to cross-examine witnesses if victim impact statements are delivered in-person. Also, attorneys involved in the court proceeding can ask follow-up questions easily this way.
Furthermore, remote testifying could cause the victim impact statement to be taken less seriously by a jury panel than if the testifying was done in a courtroom.
PASSED: 105-1
SB90: Hair Style Discrimination Bill
-NO- Current law already prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion, biological gender and ethnicity. Politicians can add countless examples of things that should not be discriminated against – but that doesn’t mean we need a law for it.
PASSED: 100-7
HB 4197: Allows Financial Advisors to Place Holds on Accounts if Fraud is Suspected
-NO- We already have laws on the books to protect Michigan residents from financial exploitation. Also, many credit card companies and financial institutions currently have mechanisms in place to detect and resolve issues with fraudulent transactions.
I voted against this bill because of a couple of concerns:
• This law allows financial professionals to freeze transactions without confirmation of fraud first
• It allows a financial advisor to place a 15-day hold on the disbursement of funds or securities from a specified account, or any other transaction concerning the account, if the advisor detects exploitation. Does this mean financial advisors can place a hold on all transactions within someone else’s account? What if an elderly individual uses that account to pay their rent? This is not clear.
• Financial advisors will now be required to report potential fraud to law enforcement. This should only be escalated to law enforcement when there is very convincing evidence a crime has been committed after conducting due diligence on the transactions in question.
PASSED: 103-4
HB 4273: Mandated Communication of Code Enforcement Issues
-NO- Inspectors should notify occupants if the property “poses an immediate health & safety hazard to the occupants.” The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services does not need to be involved here. If an issue persists between landlords, inspectors and occupants, then the issue should be addressed at the local level. Lansing does not need to get involved unless there is a very compelling state interest as defined by the Constitution.
PASSED: 93-14
HB4153 and SB125: Government Grant Program w/o Funding Details
NO – The Michigan Department of Transportation is establishing a grant program that will allow municipalities to receive transportation funding to construct railroad underpasses in places with traffic backups. Some railroad crossings that struggle with a lot of congestion may need some infrastructure upgrades; however, this bill fails to put first things first.
Some vital details are missing from the bill, including:
• A ballpark figure of how much each railroad underpass will cost in construction costs
• How many grants will be administered per year
• How much this grant program will require in MDOT funding
• What metrics the Michigan Department of Transportation will use to measure the effectiveness of this program.
I cannot support this bill until I get a better idea of how much in tax dollars this will cost. They should spell this out upfront – not try to “figure it out later.”
HB4153 PASSED: 95-14; SB125 PASSED: 93-16
HB4495-4496: Unconstitutional Government Health Care & Power to Unelected Bureaucrats
NO – First, government-run health care is not Constitutional.
Also, according to the House Fiscal Agency, this bill would remove several provisions from the Healthy Michigan plan:
• Convene a symposium to examine the issues of emergency department over-utilization and improper use and issue a report with recommendations
• Contract with an independent third-party vendor to review required reports on uncompensated care to develop a methodology for tracking costs and cost reductions and their effect on health insurance rates, with recommendations for annual review.
• Repeal Section 105c, which required the DHHS director to submit recommendations regarding Medicaid eligibility to legislative leaders and the State Budget office, and section 105f, which required directors of DHHS and DIFS to establish a Michigan Health Care Cost and Quality Advisory Committee and report its recommendations.
• Provision on the Healthy Michigan Plan that eliminates the program if net costs become greater than net savings.
Also, this gives more power to unelected bureaucrats instead of the Michigan legislature. According to the Fiscal agency, “The bill also would remove provisions requiring DHHS to submit a written copy of approved waiver provisions from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to the legislature and requiring DHHS to pursue any or all necessary waivers to enroll persons eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare into the four integrated care demonstration regions.”
HB 4495 PASSED: 80-27; HB 4496 PASSED: 83-24
HB4515 – Permanent License Fees to Drive Off Road Vehicles (like ATV’s) on Public Land
NO — It seems like Lansing has a “fee” for just about everything. Does Lansing really need to force residents to pay a fee to drive a snowmobile across a lake when it is frozen? What about riding an ATV on a trail maintained by the DNR?
Did you know that Lansing even charges a $100 fine if you fail to report a deer harvest to the Department of Natural Resources within a couple of days? Where does it end?
I voted against this bill because this fee is totally unnecessary.
PASSED: 79-30
SB50/HB4457: $40 Million Taxpayer Funded Holiday (Juneteenth) for Government/Bank Workers
NO – It is estimated that a single holiday for government workers costs Michigan taxpayers between $30-$40 Million. I cannot justify giving government workers another day off funded by Michigan residents unless there is a functional reason to do so, like Election Day.
PASSED: 105-4
HB4616-4617 – Legalized Medical Malpractice
NO – This bill package would require mental health professionals throughout the State of Michigan to affirm a minor’s perceived gender identity (not the one listed on their birth certificate) and develop a plan to help them “transition” when they are considering making a life-altering change that is irreversible.
Doctors must refrain from warning patients about its negative ramifications, or they could lose their license from the state to practice medicine.
According to the American Society of Pediatricians, there is zero evidence to demonstrate the safety or efficacy of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries for transgender-believing youth.
Some issues with it:
• The best long-term research shows that individuals who do go through medical transition kill themselves at a rate 19 times greater than the general population.[1]
• Youth transition is considered to be experimental – which means parents cannot provide informed consent, and minors cannot assent to these interventions.
• World renowned Swedish psychiatrist Dr. Christopher Gillberg has said that pediatric transition is “possibly one of the greatest scandals in medical history.”[2]
Most minors are not in a position where they are mature enough to make their own medical decisions. They rely on the experience of medical professionals to guide them in the right direction.
And why is the state forcing doctors to prescribe medical treatments that are considered by many doctors to be experimental?
The #1 rule of the Hippocratic Oath: “do no harm.” When patients go to the doctor for medical treatment, they expect the professional to be upfront about the potential medical and psychological side effects of a medical procedure.
Under this bill, disclosing them will soon be illegal if the Governor signs it.
This law could force many therapists, foster care centers and adoption agencies to either close their doors – or shut down their beliefs just to practice medicine.
Also, multiple courts, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, have held that these “counseling censorship” laws violate fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the Free Speech Clause. The Supreme Court itself strongly hinted in a recent opinion that similar laws enacted in California and New Jersey are not Constitutional.
PASSED: 56-53
HB4159 – Designates the Black Swallowtail Butterfly as the Official State Butterfly for the State of Michigan
YES – The black swallowtail, also known as Papilio polyxenes, is a popular North American butterfly. Currently, Michigan is one of the few states without an official state insect. This bill would change that.
PASSED: 67-42
HB4695-4702; 4594; 4569 – Election Interference Bill Package
NO — According to one clerk that reached out to my office, “These bills would not only fail township clerks, who are the critical backbone to the election administration in the State of Michigan, but would also massively fail Michigan voters… it will send the Michigan election system into chaos.”
I’m sure that even some Michiganders who voted in favor of Proposal 2 did not expect to see the following provisions taken up for a vote in the legislature:
• Allowing drivers to get paid to drive voters to the polls
• Allowing teenagers to pre-register to vote once they turn 18
• Prohibiting the challenge of ballots if a voter registers to vote the same day but does not present proper identification
• Allowing printing of ballots on-demand. The recording of voted ballots, verification of chain of custody, and the ability to recount ballots are compromised by eliminating key checks and balances in the process precinct by precinct.
• Allowing voters to go to ANY early voting center within the county that they live in to cast their ballot. There is NO provision within this bill package for a real-time verification that the voter has not voted elsewhere. They will not be “caught” until later on.
According to a Gallup poll released in February of 2020, 59% of Americans say they are no longer confident in the integrity of our election systems.[3] These bills could push that number much higher in the Great Lakes State, at a time when public trust is at an all-time low.
Our election systems should have checks and balances to make our election systems bulletproof. The Constitution requires the legislature to have a zero tolerance policy for election corruption. America will NOT remain a free country if Michigan does not have secure elections.
Bills like this only legitimize election corruption and make one of America’s most corrupt state governments even worse. Michigan was recently ranked dead last among all 50 states by the Center for Public Integrity for its lack of transparency.
Didn’t think it could get any worse? Well…many of our politicians chose to stand on the side of tyranny rather than freedom and liberty by supporting bills that will make government corruption even more prevalent.
4695-4701: PASSED 56-53; 4702: PASSED 62-47
HB4191-4194 – Allow Secretary of State to Give Driver’s Licenses to Parolees Before Release
NO – This bill package allows this department to issue driver’s licenses to prisoners before they are released from custody.
When HB4191 was proposed, they tried to change the application requirements for driver’s licenses, allowing Michigan residents to list their “gender” instead of their “sex” on the application. Many concerns were raised by other lawmakers about a potential loophole that would allow Secretary of State branch offices to issue driver’s licenses with a different gender than the one listed on birth certificates.
This bill package was amended to change it back to “sex”; however, the final version was not clear on the precise legal definition of “sex.”
It’s only a matter of time before the Attorney General’s office says the legal definition of “sex” and “gender” in the Michigan legal system is “outdated” and needs to be expanded to account for “gender fluidity”, which could nullify the intent of the adopted amendment.
4191 PASSED: 73-36; 4192 PASSED: 73-36; 4193 PASSED 74-35; 4194 PASSED 73-36
HB4173 & 4384 – Creates a Criminal Justice Commission in State Government
NO –This would create a new layer of government-funded bureaucracy tasked with studying, analyzing, and making recommendations on matters that are already within the responsibilities of existing departments and commissions. This new commission would be in charge of massive areas of criminal justice policy, including bail reform and a rewriting of the criminal sentencing guidelines
Several issues with this bill:
• This bill gives a ton of power to the Executive branch. Only a handful of the appointees will be selected by the legislature. The rest will be selected by the Governor’s office.
• This bill package gives more power to unelected bureaucrats to craft criminal justice reform – at the expense of lawmakers elected by their constituents.
PASSED: 56-53
[1] The Myth About Suicide and Gender Dysphoric Children by the American Society of Pediatricians
[2] Doctors back inquiry into kids’ trans care – The Australian
[3] Faith in Elections in Relatively Short Supply in U.S. by RJ Reinhart – Gallup Poll – February 13, 2020
HB4354-4357: Labor Unions Leverage to Decide Teacher Performance Reviews
NO- Allowing unions to decide when and how teachers are evaluated removes accountability from those closest to the students. An evaluation should accurately reflect how well teachers teach students and present learning material to their classrooms each and every day. Telling them the exact time and material they are being evaluated on will not show how well they work with our kids on a daily basis.
PASSED 56/53
SB359: Factors Considered When Determining Teacher Compensation
NO – This bill eliminates provisions within the school code to require school administrators in a community school district to evaluate performance on the job when setting school teacher compensation, through revising Section 1250 of the Revised School Code.
Also, it removes provisions that prevent tenure or consideration of an advanced degree as a factor when setting pay structures, unless it furthers the teacher’s skills in their subject area.
I believe school teachers who excel at their job should be rewarded for their hard work. Salaries should be determined primarily based on teaching effectiveness.
PASSED 56/53
SB289: Increases Brownfield Tax Capture Cap
NO – Tax financing allows cities to use the property, sales and other taxes collected from new developments – taxes that would normally go toward schools, libraries, fire departments, and other types of services – to subsidize those same developments. Bad idea.
PASSED 90/19
SB35: Eliminates the Asset Test for Food Assistance Program Eligibility
NO – I voted against the elimination of the asset test to determine eligibility for governmental food assistance. This is an important mechanism put in place to prevent people from abusing the system.
PASSED 56/53
HB4474-4477: Hate Crimes Legislation
NO – I voted against these laws for several reasons:
• We already have countless laws on the books to prosecute crimes that occur. No matter what your skin color, ethnicity or religious background, destruction of private property, stealing, murder, threatening harm and other such acts are crimes.
• Judges should focus on the crime committed, period. Judgments and sentences should be equal for equal crimes.
Also, the wording in these laws is troublesome. Issues with the bill:
• These laws redefine “gender identity” as “having or being perceived as having a gender identity or expression, whether or not that associated with an individual’s assigned sex at birth.” This statute redefines gender to eliminate biological distinctions between males and females.
• These laws are not explicitly clear on what a “hate crime” is (and what is not). They say “intimidate does not include constitutionally protected activity or conduct that serves a legitimate purpose.” The bill is not specific on what “Constitutionally protected activity means.” Same with “Conduct that serves a legitimate purpose.” Our Constitutional rights are already protected by existing law.
Finally, hate crime laws have led to religious persecution in some European countries. Päivi Räsänen, a member of the parliament in Finland, and Bishop Juhana Pohjola of the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission were both charged with hate crimes after publishing a book about the traditional view of marriage. The pastor was interrogated for hours because he affirmed biological distinctions between males and females.
All Michiganders have a fundamental right to the freedoms of religion and speech, which should be upheld without fear of government interference. Citizens should be able to share their views in public forums, regular conversations, church gatherings and on social media platforms. No Michigan resident should have to live in fear of religious persecution for voicing deeply held religious convictions.
4474 PASSED 59/50, 4475 PASSED 59/50, 4476 PASSED 83/26, 4477 PASSED 82/27
HB4354/4356/4357: Redefines Collective Bargaining Agreements
NO – Several issues with this bill:
• Schools must be able to contract with other local businesses to make sure their non-instructional needs (janitorial, bus, or cafeteria services) are met in the most cost-effective manner. Efficiency in these areas ultimately frees up more money to teach students and shrink class sizes. Preventing schools from contracting these types of services could increase costs, forcing layoffs and larger class sizes.
• This bill gives less power to local elected officials. School board members were elected by Michigan residents to help ensure local school districts are run smoothly. This bill gives more power to labor unions, at the expense of elected officials.
• Students deserve to have the most qualified educators teaching in their classrooms. School administrators must be free to evaluate teachers based on their qualifications and place them where they are best suited. For example, teachers who have a degree in special education should be working with special needs students.
PASSED 56/53
HB4689: Designates a portion of US-127 as the “Trooper Starr Memorial Highway”
YES – This bill will establish part of US-127 as Trooper Starr Memorial Highway, to honor the Michigan State Police trooper who was killed in the line of duty.
PASSED 109/0
HB4044: Repeals the Prohibition on Step Increases During Contract Negotiations
NO – The reforms eliminated by PA 54 of 2011 removed automatic increases in pay and benefits for school workers operating under an expired union contract. This helps incentivize more efficient contract negotiations. Undoing these would place undue strain on already struggling schools and municipalities, and place Michigan a step behind when it comes to efficient bargaining.
PASSED 56/53
HB4233: Allows School Districts to Engage in the Collection of Union Dues
NO – We invest public tax dollars in Michigan schools to educate students and teach them the skills they need to succeed in life. Using school resources to benefit labor unions or other private organizations is not appropriate.
PASSED 56/53
HB4293-4302: Sacred Sacrament of Marriage Illegal until 18 – Sex Legal at 16
NO – Why are individuals allowed to consent to having sex at age 16, but cannot consent to the Sacred Sacrament of Marriage until 18? This bill will have unintended consequences. It encourages teenagers to have sex before marriage. This will lead to fatherless children and higher abortion rates, both indicators of an extremely unhealthy society.
4293 PASSED 104/5, 4294 PASSED 98/11, 4295 PASSED 103/6, 4296 PASSED 104/5, 4297 PASSED 104/5, 4298 PASSED 104/5, 4299 PASSED 104/5, 4300 PASSED 104/5, 4301 PASSED 104/5, 4302 PASSED 104/5
SB66-73: Redundant Rape Bills
NO – I voted against this bill package for several reasons:
Sexual conduct when performing a surgery is already illegal. We don’t need additional laws on the books for this.
If you are making an accusation against someone in civil court, you should not be allowed to conceal your identity on legal documents. Everyone has the right to face their accuser in court.
It is not clear what kind of information state departments will be required to provide to students regarding sexual assault. Important questions: Who will be tasked with providing these materials? Will students be warned about the medical risks of gender transition surgery as well?
Some parents could be concerned about their kids receiving materials about sexual assault as early as 6th grade. Will parents have the ability to opt out if they feel their 6th grader is too young to be exposed to material like this? These laws do not answer these simple questions.
Many hospitals already have a medical assistant present when a doctor performs medical treatment. You don’t need to legislate this when so many hospitals already have this in place.
Rape is already illegal in Michigan. Law enforcement professionals already have plenty of legal avenues they can use to ensure justice is done when these crimes occur.
Many hospitals already train medical staff to obtain the consent of a parent or guardian before medical treatment on a minor. The state does not need to get involved in this.
PASSED 105/4
SB236: Intoxicated Sex Ban
NO – The Michigan Penal Code’s current definition of “mentally incapacitated” is more appropriate, and no changes are necessary.
PASSED 105/4
SB129-132: More Subsidies for Housing Units Throughout Michigan
NO – Subsidized housing has a very poor track record of success. In Detroit, countless “affordable housing” projects have fallen into disrepair due to poor building maintenance. Also, where is the money going to come from to pay for all these affordable housing units?
129 PASSED 71/38, 130 PASSED 72/37, 131 PASSED 72/37, 132 PASSED 72/37
HB 4375: Expands Government-Owned Land Banks in Michigan
NO- This bill expands the number of land banks that will be operated by municipalities in the State of Michigan. Municipal land banks have a very poor track record of success as I’ve highlighted in previous newsletters.
PASSED 61/48
HB 4343: Legislative Report Requirement for Deferred Presentment Service
NO – This information is already widely available on the State of Michigan website for anyone to access. It’s not a necessary law.
PASSEED 97/12
HB 4377/78: Confusing Regulations for Food Preparation
NO – I voted against this bill for several reasons:
• The bill would tax items differently depending on a business’ revenue from prepared foods. An item might be exempt from sales tax if purchased at a business that has less than 75% of their revenue from prepared foods, but that same item could be taxed at a business that has more than 75% of their revenue from prepared food.
• Under the legislation, items such as unsweet tea would be taxed, but sweet tea would not be subject to that same tax. Similarly, prepackaged chips and nuts would be taxed but prepackaged candy would remain untaxed. These are just a few examples of the nonsensical nature of this legislation and the confusion it creates for businesses and consumers.
PASSED 56/53
SB 137/138: Allows Guardians of Tribal children to Gain Access to Michigan Guardian Funds
NO – The guardianship assistance program would better serve those in need through the private sector. Despite numerous requests, no specific data was made available regarding the viability of this program as a whole. Therefore, I could not in good conscience vote to expand it.
PASSED 105/4
SB 161/162: Allows Michigan to Accept Out of State Licenses for Teachers/Counselors
YES — Simple, effective way to address the teacher shortage and address increases in need for mental health services.
PASSED 108/0
House Bill 4066: Government Bureaucracy to Expand High-Speed Internet in the State of Michigan
NO – There are some rural areas throughout Michigan that lack adequate access to high speed Internet; however, government-orchestrated expansion is not the way to go about it.
For example, in Minnesota, 10 cities and 17 townships joined a cooperative that financed $13.7 million in taxpayer bonds to construct a $55 million fiber optic network. After only two-thirds of the needed subscribers signed up, a $1 million revenue shortfall developed. As a result, many taxpayers were on the hook for higher taxes to cover the bond payments. This should be done by the private sector; not the government.
PASSED 56/53
HB 4454/SB164: Economic Development Programs to Create an Uneven Playing Field
NO – If this bill passes, it could hurt small businesses in commercial shopping corridors. Consequences: a weighted voting system will give larger businesses a bigger voting share than smaller ones in determining how they are taxed.
HB4454 PASSED 77/32, SB164 PASSED 75/34
SB 288: Allows Michigan to Permanently Hand Out Energy Assistance Subsidies to Homeowners
NO – We should not make permanent a government program that should be eliminated.
PASSED 87/22
HB 4132/33: Set Up Cameras in Construction Zones to Automatically Mail Out Speeding Tickets
NO – This will put in place more government surveillance of Michigan residents.
PASSED 67/42
HB 4317/18: Payment for Certain Renewable Energy Facilities
NO – This bill will require municipalities to receive state approval for large-scale solar projects in their communities. Ultimately, it should be the decision of local governments, with the input of local residents, to decide if or where they would like to have large-scale solar projects. That’s not the role of state government to make these decisions.
PASSED 92/17
HB 4561: Electronic Rebate Coupons Provided Directly to a Retail Customer
NO – This bill tells vendors who sell alcoholic beverages that they can no longer offer coupons for free alcoholic beverages. This doesn’t make sense to me. If any private company wants to give out a “buy one, get one free coupon”, then the government shouldn’t get in their way.
PASSED 100/9
SB 326: Ensures Dealerships Don’t Have to Pay Tax on Used Vehicles Sitting in Their Lot
YES – I voted in favor of this bill for several reasons:
• Auto dealerships should not have to pay taxes on a used vehicle when it sits in the parking lot.
• We have laws on the books to ensure they don’t have to pay the use tax when someone takes the vehicle for a test drive.
This bill helps provide more clarity in the tax code for the auto industry. Pretty self-explanatory.
PASSED 106/3
HB 4437: Bill to Require the 2023-2024 Budget to Be Negotiated With Public Hearings
YES – I voted in favor of this bill because this vote would have allowed the state budget would be negotiated with public hearings to ensure citizens can give input during these negotiations.
The bill failed, which meant the budget was negotiated in "Conference Committee." These types of budget negotiations are not subject to public hearings.
FAILED 52/56
HB 4362/63: Allows Michigan Residents to Opt In to the Michigan Organ Donor List on Tax Returns
NO – Initially, when this proposal was floated in the legislature, it didn’t seem like a bad idea. Currently, Michigan residents are asked if they would like to be added to the organ donor list when renewing their driver’s license. This bill adds an option for Michigan residents to opt in to the list when filling out their tax returns.
I voted in favor of the initial proposal when it was up for vote in the House. But after they presented the final version to lawmakers to send to the Governor for her signature, I had a couple of reservations:
In my opinion, it’s a lot more efficient for Secretary of State branch offices to handle this than to have 2 different ways to opt in, which could be a lot more cumbersome to implement.
4362 PASSED 103/5, 4363 PASSED 104/4
HB 4495: Healthy Michigan Plan Waiver Removal
NO – This was added to the agenda to ensure identical versions of the bill in the House and the Senate are sent to the Governor for approval or veto.
I voted against this bill due to concerns about lack of proper legislative oversight and the removal of transparency requirements, which I outlined before. Also, government run health care is not Constitutional.
PASSED 81/27
HB 4619-4623: Codifies Certain Affordable Care Act Provisions into Michigan Law
NO – This bill codifies many federal provisions within the Affordable Care Act into state law. Government-run health care does not fit within the essential parameters of government as defined by the U.S. Constitution.
4619 PASSED 67/41, 4620 PASSED 84/24, 4621 PASSED 74/34, 4622 PASSED 64/44, 4623 PASSED 4623
HB 4644-4646: Uniform Power of Attorney Act
NO – We already have plenty of statutes in place to ensure Michigan residents can grant someone power of attorney when the need arises. I did not see a very compelling reason to change existing law.
PASSED 104/4
HB 4352/53: Creates High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes on State Freeways
NO – This bill package would allow state government to add a carpooling lane on I-75 and other state highways. Not enough Michigan residents carpool to and from work to justify setting aside an entire lane for this. We need to adequately fix existing roads in ways that will last longer than a few years before we begin building special projects like this. Furthermore, this project is likely to lead to more traffic congestion on state highways and lengthen commute times to / from work in Oakland County and elsewhere.
PASSED 56/52
HB 4569: Allows Teenagers to Pre-Register to Vote at Age 16
NO – Currently, Michigan requires U.S. citizens to be at least 18 before they are allowed to register to vote. Given the amount of legal scrutiny the Secretary of State has received in recent years over violations of Michigan election law (e.g. failure to maintain clean and accurate voter rolls), we should not be putting laws in place that could make the problem worse, not better.
PASSED 56/52
SB 59: Peace Officer Expansion
NO – This bill alters the definition of “peace officer” within the Mental Health Code to include any officer that is licensed by the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards.
It’s not clear what standards these “peace officers” go through to become licensed through this department. How much training do they undergo on the Constitution? It seems like that should be a high priority – because law enforcement officers swear an oath to honor and respect the Constitution of the United States.
Also, why does the State of Michigan have separate legal definitions for “conservation officers”, “peace officers” and “law enforcement officers”? It seems like the penal code should be simplified to include one category: law enforcement officers.
PASSED 104/4
HB 4520/21: Increases Penalties for & Requires Hospitals to Post Signs for Assault/Battery
NO – This bill package would require hospitals to post signs in a prominent viewing area that says assault / battery is subject to a criminal penalty. You don’t need a state law to require hospitals to post this in hospital waiting rooms or other areas. It should be left to each hospital to decide whether this is something they want to do. Also, this bill increases criminal penalties for assault / battery crimes that occur in a hospital / medical setting. If you’re going to increase the fines or sentencing guidelines for crimes like this, make the penalties consistent across the board in the Michigan penal code.
4520 PASSED 97/11, 4521 PASSED 99/9
SB 247: Allow Liquor Sales from Higher Education Institutions
NO – This bill would allow vendors to sell alcohol at higher education events. I voted against this bill due to several concerns:
PASSED 85/23
HB 4082: Portion of I-96 Named "Barry Lyn Hause Memorial Highway"
YES – This bill renames a portion of I-96 as the Barry Lyn Hause Memorial Highway. In 2020, a driver struck Barry Lyn Hause, critically injuring him while he worked as an operating engineer cutting concrete on one of Michigan’s major state highways.
PASSED 106/2
HB 4602: Portion of I-94 Named "Washtenaw County Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway"
YES – This designation will honor veterans who served our country during the Vietnam War.
PASSED 108/0
SB 339: Creates A Centralized Tracking System for Absentee Ballots
NO – Traditionally, the tracking of absentee ballots is handled by local clerks. Many election clerks have systems in place to let Michigan residents know the status of their absentee ballot once submitted. This bill will create a centralized system for the tracking of absentee ballots. This means more centralization of control over a critical aspect of our election process – at the expense of local clerk offices.
PASSED 56/52
SB 367-373; HB4696 Proposal 2 EXPANSION (Election Interference Bills)
NO – I voted against these bills for several reasons:
PASSED 56/52
SB 302/303: Creates Government Financing Programs for Renewable Energy Projects
NO – Financing programs for renewable energy projects is best handled by the private sector – not government entities.
PASSED 56/52
SB 52: Establishes a Civil Infraction for Failure to Report a Deer Harvest
NO – We should not have a law on the books to penalize Michigan residents for failing to report a deer harvest. This seems like government overreach to me.
PASSED 61/47
SB 219: Allows Pharmacists to Prescribe Vaccinations Without a Doctor’s Note
NO – This bill will allow pharmacists to prescribe vaccinations to Michigan residents at local pharmacies without a doctor’s note or a prescription from a doctor’s office. Expands ability for experimental shots to be distributed in times of societal fear.
PASSED 96/12
SB 209-216: Legal for Age 16/17 to Consent to Sex, Illegal for Age 16/17 to Consent to Sacred Sacrament of Marriage
NO – The legal age to get married will now be 18, while the legal age to have sex is still 16. This could encourage more minors to have sex before marriage. It could also lead to increases in abortion rates – and more fatherless children.
PASSED 103/5
HB 4706: Establishes Electric Vehicle Charging Stations As Separate from Utility Providers
NO – This amends the Michigan Public Services Act to define electric vehicle charging stations / services and clarify that retail utility providers of electric charging stations may resell energy but are not considered a utility under Michigan law. A law like this could lead to higher electricity costs.
PASSED 100/8
SB 14: Repeal State Ability to Enact Rules More Strict Than Federal Standards
NO – This bill repeals a law implemented when Rick Snyder was Governor that prohibits the State of Michigan from enacting laws that are more strict than federal law without a clearly defined reason.
The repeal of this law will make it easier for lawmakers to enact very strict regulations that businesses have to comply with without strong justification. It could lead to more regulatory burdens businesses have to comply with, hurting Michigan’s business owners and workers.
PASSED 56/52
HB 4573: Mandates ALICE Wage Tool Data & Expands Community Colleges into Private Sector
NO – This extends a government program that allows employees to receive taxpayer-funded job training from community colleges, in exchange for a withholding of the cost of tuition for professional development or college degrees from their tax return. Right now, this is capped at $50 million dollars.
This bill would extend this government program for an additional 10 years. Several issues:
PASSED 85/23
HB 4752: Retiree "Double Dipping" In School Systems Only
NO – Currently, retired school teachers are prohibited from accepting retirement benefits if they get a full-time teaching job in local school districts after they retire.
This bill changes the law to state that retired school teachers can obtain a maximum salary of $10,100 for 9 months after retiring from a public school teaching job – and still receive retirement benefits. After this 9 month period, they can accept a full-time teaching position AND receive retirement benefits from the government.
I voted against this bill because the House Fiscal Agency states this bill will allow “double dipping”: retired school teachers who accept a full-time teaching position will now be allowed to earn a full-time salary and collect generous retirement benefits. At the very least – retirement pension plan payments should be withheld until school teachers retire again. Retirement benefits come after retirement.
PASSED 100/8
SB 141: Allow Restaurants to Provide SEALED Alcoholic Drinks To-Go Permanently
YES – Many residents report finishing their drink quickly before leaving a restaurant. This gives them an option to seal their drink, stay sober, and drink it at home.
PASSED 103/5
HB 4437: General State Budget
NO – The 2023-2024 budget is not sustainable. It represents a 40 percent increase in government spending since 2019 – even though state government has nearly $30 billion in debt. It does not address the backlog of deferred infrastructure maintenance. The budget authors should have used part of the budget surplus to pay down Michigan’s debt and allocate more money to highways and bridges maintained by MDOT that are rapidly deteriorating. The authors removed a prohibition on vaccine passports, which was in the 2022 budget. Section 224 was not included in this year’s version. The authors removed free speech protection requirements for college campuses. These were in last year’s budget, but it didn’t make it into this year’s version.
PASSED 61/47
SB 173: Budget that Allocates “Record Funding” for Public Schools
NO – More funding will not turn the ship around. The problem is with the approach Michigan schools are using. Many school employees get frustrated with bureaucrats that pressure them to “teach to the test” at the expense of student engagement and effective learning. As a result, many young professionals find the curriculum standards fail to teach students the essential skills they need to excel after college. Why not teach students basic car maintenance, including oil changes, changing a flat tire, detailing and cleaning changing spark-plugs and changing the battery like how to deal with a flat tire or replace a dead car battery? What about creating a budget, balancing a checkbook, writing a check, compound interest, saving, investing, credit scores, types of mortgages, responsible credit card usage, student loans (and when to apply for them) and the types of insurance? This budget also removes funding for School Resource Officers and does not adequately fund School Safety. Moreover, the School Safety funding in this budget is not well-defined. We need to ensure that our children are safe at our public schools.
SB56: Repeals a Law that Prohibits Unmarried Couples from Living Together
This law is a testament to the God-honoring foundation of our state and can be used today in cases of fraudulent claims for government benefits. Removing this law does not promote the institution of marriage. Also, these arrangements lead to broken homes that hurt our children and society.
PASSED 82/26
HB4820: Personnel Decisions in Schools Based on Teacher Seniority...Not Effectiveness
NO – Taking decisions away from school administrators and locally elected school boards and turning them over to collective bargaining organizations who are not accountable to the community is not in the best interest of our students. Furthermore, countless school administrators oppose this law. It includes Michigan Association of Administrators of Special Education, Michigan Association of School Boards, Michigan Association of Superintendents and Administrators, Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals, Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators, Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association, Michigan Alliance for Student Opportunity, and multiple local intermediate school districts.
PASSED 56/52
SB 377: Creates a Commission to Develop Criminal Justice Policy Recommendations
NO – The development and implementation of laws to improve our criminal justice system is the job of the legislature. This is supposed to be done by elected officials who serve on the criminal justice committee – not unelected bureaucrats.
PASSED 56/52
VOTE RECORD:
Last Session, only 2 of 110 State Reps self-reported every vote/reason. I do this because I promised to be as transparent as possible. All my votes/reasons thus far can be found on www.RepSchriver.com. Here is my report for this week:
SB134-135 – Allow Drug, Veteran and Mental Health Courts to Enroll Michigan Residents in the Interlock Device Program
NO – Currently, Michigan allows residents pulled over for drunk driving to have interlock devices installed in their vehicles if they meet certain conditions. This bill package expanded the program to 3 other specialty courts.
I opposed this package for a couple of different reasons:
-We already have laws on the books to allow drivers with a DUI conviction to participate in this program if they qualify.
-The interlock devices used by the Secretary of State don’t always function properly, which causes transportation problems for many Michigan residents. This should be fixed before the program is expanded.
-The wording of this legislation is convoluted. What criteria are the courts supposed to use in a non-DUI court case before issuing an interlock device? What specific crimes does this apply to? What are the exceptions?
PASSED 82-25
HB4829 – Extends the Timeframe for a Subsidy for a Development Project in Midtown Detroit that was Approved in 2011
NO – This subsidy was approved in 2011 and recent news reports show the developer still has not broken ground. Huge waste of taxpayer money! Plus, I do not believe in picking winners and losers.
PASSED 74-35
House Bills 4294-96; 4302 – Marriage Restrictions
NO – I voted against these bills because their ramifications are significant: Michigan allows 16 and 17 year olds to consent to have premarital sex (since the legal age is 16), but not consent to the Sacred Sacrament of Marriage until 18. At the very least – fix this problem to make the laws consistent.
4295 PASSED 102-5
4296 PASSED 101-6
4302 PASSED 102-5
4294 PASSED 99-8
House Bill 4210 – Allows Military Members to Return Their Ballots Electronically
NO – Although this bill was taken off the agenda at the last minute, I oppose electronic voting for several reasons:
-Four federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, concluded in a risk assessment that electronic ballot return creates significant security risks due to the confidentiality of ballot and voter data.[13]
-Dr. Halderman from the University of Michigan was appointed by Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to co-chair Michigan’s election security advisory commission. During the public hearing on House Bill 4210, he said it would seriously undermine the security of Michigan’s elections.[14]
[13] U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Institute of Standards and Technology and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, Risk Management for Electronic Ballot Delivery, Marking and Return (2020)
[14] Michigan House TV – HELOC – 050923
SB31 & HB4200 – requires minors to be tested for lead poisoning at certain intervals NO – This bill would require minors to be tested for lead poisoning by certain medical professionals starting on January 1, 2024. Parents can already have their kids screened for lead poisoning if they have concerns.
Although parents will be allowed to opt out of this, you don’t need a government mandate.
PASSED 67-42
HB446-4449; 4544; 4545 – additional state holidays NO – These bills designate the following as state holidays: Diwali, Eid-al-Adha, Eid-al-Fitr, the Lunar New Year, Vaisakhi, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur. We already have more than enough state holidays.
HB 4448 PASSED 70-38, HB 4446 PASSED 89-19, HB 4447 PASSED 87-21, HB4449 PASSED 88-20, HB4544 PASSED: 90-18, HB4545 PASSED: 92-16
House Bills 4988-5007 – Budget Implementation Bills
NO - These bills were advanced to the House Floor to ensure current Michigan law reflects the 2023-2024 state budget.
I opposed for many reasons:
Also, one of the budget implementation bills would allocate $200M to reduce unfunded liabilities at several universities.
Pensions help retirees obtain income after retirement. However, many educational institutions in Michigan have failed to set aside adequate money to keep the promises they made to their employees.
When public institutions fail to meet pension obligations, it decreases the amount of taxpayer money available to go toward the classroom. It also means governmental entities have less money available to provide good services.
Right now, Michigan has billions of dollars in unfunded pension liabilities. There are many lingering questions that need to be answered about this state’s growing pension crisis:
Another bill in this bill package significantly increases fees for medical facilities, including some very burdensome ones for medical facilities.
Examples:
This will undoubtedly increase compliance costs for hospital facilities. Also, as a result, many medical facilities could raise prices for various medical procedures. Not good.
House Bill 4982 – Extends Michigan’s participation in the Higher Education Authorization and Distance Education Reciprocal Exchange Act from 2023 to 2029
NO - Currently, this reciprocity agreement allows educational institutions to provide distance learning opportunities for students in other states. These agreements are put in place to help universities meet federal guidelines and maintain eligibility for federal student loan assistance.
I voted against these bills I think it is better for the legislature to review the effectiveness of Michigan’s participation every couple of years to ensure it is meeting the needs of our residents and hold these entities to account.
House Bills 4340-4342 – Require Child Care Centers, Public Schools & Private Schools to Install Water Filtration Devices to Screen for Lead
While I can agree that having mechanisms to keep lead out of our water systems is important, there are a lot of lingering questions about the financial costs involved – and how these mandates will impact child care centers.
Important questions:
My office reached out to various entities to get answers to these questions; however, my office received insufficient details on this spending proposal before the vote. It’s not always possible to get all the answers you need with such short lead time (e.g. agenda released less than 24 hours before session begins), but I’m quickly adapting to make educated votes with wise counsel. At this time, lead contamination issues are best addressed at the local level. If a local child care facility or school has issues with lead contamination in its water, they should work with municipal water departments to get the problem resolved immediately.
Senate Bills 176, 330, 364 - Property Tax Exemption for Spouses of Disabled Veterans
NO - This bill provides a property tax exemption for a spouse of a disabled veteran if the husband passes away. It also allows them to file once, rather than every single tax year.
Currently, disabled veterans must meet certain criteria to qualify, including permanent disability and inability to work. Also, it only applies to the primary residence. I voted against this bill because I support a property tax cut for all Michigan residents (including disabled veterans and their families) rather than cutting these taxes for certain groups.
PASSED: 103-5
House Bill 4183: Allows Historical Vehicles to Use Michigan Roads in June – August Every Year
YES – Historical vehicles are typically used for events like the Woodward Dream Cruise during the month of August. Under Michigan law, the use of historical vehicles is limited to participation in club activities, exhibitions, tours, parades, and similar uses (including mechanical testing), but not for public transportation. This bill allows designated historical vehicles (30 years or older) to drive in Michigan roads only from June – August every year, because many special events like this take place throughout the whole summer, not just the month of August.
PASSED: 106-4
House Bills 4331/32 – Increases Amount a Municipality Can Withhold in Escrow from Insurance Policies Re: Fire Damage
This bill increases the amount municipalities can withdraw from homeowner’s insurance if fire damage occurs from $14,000 to $20,000. If the homeowner fails to repair the damage, municipalities can then use the funds for demolition.
I voted against this bill because the bill does not solve the underlying issues that cause blight in the first place: high crime, failing schools, a lack of job growth and other issues.
PASSED: 100-9
Senate Bill 43: Requires MDOT to Install Concrete Barriers to Perform Construction Work at Night
NO – this bill requires concrete barriers where construction work occurs at night for more than 3 days. I voted against this bill because it’s overly simplistic. MDOT should have the leeway to put up the right barriers depending on the type of construction work needed (e.g. sometimes, orange barrels are required; other times you need concrete barriers).
PASSED: 75-35
House Bill 4852 - Designates Wild Rice as the Official Native Grain for the State of Michigan
NO - This bill designates wild rice as the official native grain for the State of Michigan. Michigan has plenty of symbols to represent the Great Lakes State. We already have a state fish, a state flower, a state tree, a state bird, and other symbols. We have learned that it takes approximately $250,000 in public funds to get a bill ready for the Governor’s signature. We already have plenty of state symbols – we don’t need any more.
PASSED: 104-4
House Bills 4337 – Designates M-50 in Eaton County as Ensign Francis Flaherty Medal of Honor Recipient Memorial Highway
YES – Francis Flaherty was a recipient of America's highest military decoration — the Medal of Honor. He received this designation for helping crew members escape the sinking USS Oklahoma (BB-37) while sacrificing his own life at Pearl Harbor. He was initially buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii. In 2019, he was buried in Charlotte, Michigan. He truly is an American hero and this will honor his legacy.
PASSED: 110-0
House Bills 4352-4353 – Bills to Designate High Vehicle Occupancy Lanes on I-75.
NO – These are special lanes reserved for the use of carpools, vans and buses. They are usually located next to regular, or unrestricted, lanes. A final vote on this was taken in the legislature after it was ratified by the House and the Senate to be presented to the Governor for her signature or veto. I voted against this bill because it will lead to more congestion because evidence shows a lack of usage of these lanes in other states.
BOTH PASSED: 56-52
House Bill 4308 – Establishes Special Fundraising License Plates for Sickle Cell Anemia Research/Treatment
NO – Michigan already has plenty of fundraising vehicle license plates to choose from, including breast cancer awareness, children’s trust, the organ donor registry, water quality, wildlife habitats, veterans and many other causes. All Michigan residents are free to donate to Sickle Cell Anemia without using taxpayer dollars to create additional plates for this initiative.
PASSED: 106-4
Senate Bill 397 – Doubles the Borrowing Limit for Affordable Housing Bonds Throughout Michigan
NO – The Michigan Housing Development Authority sells bonds to help fund low-income housing development projects around the state. Affordable housing projects have a very questionable return on investment for taxpayers. Currently, the borrowing limit is $5B. The House version raises the cap to $7B; however, the amended Senate version voted on this past week raised the borrowing limit to over $7B is not prudent. Currently, Michigan has approximately $30B in debt – approximately $10,000 per taxpayer!
If any of these housing projects turn sour, the state government would not allow MSHDA to default on its bonds. Instead, taxpayers would be forced to make these payments. This is fiscally irresponsible.
A better solution: loosen up zoning laws. Square footage and building material mandates drive up the cost of housing, which increases housing costs. Also, end the government’s involvement in subsidized housing and let the private sector handle it.
PASSED: 57-53
House Bills 4511-4512 – Complex Child Safety Laws
NO – Currently, children under the age of 8 and less than 4’9” in height must ride in a car seat or booster seat. However, once a child reaches the age of 8 or grows to be taller than 4’9”, then he / she no longer needs to ride in them.
This bill makes some changes to Michigan’s car seat regulations that vary depending on the age & height of the child.
I voted against this bill (along with many of my colleagues) because I believe existing child safety laws are effective and simple to understand.
PASSED: 68-42
House Bill 4717 – Requires Realtors to Receive Continuing Education on Fair Housing Laws
NO - Realtors are already required to receive professional education on Michigan’s fair housing laws before they get their license. Also, this bill is not specific. What exactly does it mean by “fair housing laws”? This bill is vague and unnecessary.
PASSED: 93-17
House Bill 4567 – Allows Drivers to Get Paid to Drive Voters to the Polls
Currently, under Michigan law, drivers are prohibited from getting paid to drive voters to the polls, unless the voter is physically unable to walk. This law was upheld in the U.S. Court of Appeals. In the legal opinion, written by Judge Danny J. Boggs and Judge Deborah L. Cook, they said, “Michigan’s ban on voter transportation is one provision in the statute intended to prevent fraud and undue influence.”
I opposed this bill because election integrity is a matter of state and national security.
PASSED: 56-54
House Bill 4570 – Creates an Online System for Michigan Residents to Request Absentee Ballots with the Department of State
NO – I voted against this bill because local clerk offices should distribute absentee ballot applications. Centralizing this aspect of our election system within the Department of State might appear to be more convenient, but the checks and balances involved in a localized election system are in place as a means to ensure our elections have the highest levels of systemic integrity.
PASSED: 56-54
HB4210 – Allows Veterans & Their Spouses to Return Ballots Electronically
NO - Four federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, concluded in a risk assessment that electronic ballot return “creates significant security risks to the confidentiality of ballot and voter data.”[1]
Also, C. Jay Coles, a policy expert at Verified Voting, said he thought electronic voting could make Michigan’s voting systems more vulnerable to sophisticated foreign hackers.[2] Furthermore, a commission of appointed election officials by Jocelyn Benson concluded that electronic voting is not secure, because “no available technology that is adequately secure at the present time.”[3]
PASSED: 56-54
HB4567 – Eliminates Requiring a Ballot to be Challenged if Someone Registers to Vote the Same Day as an Election if They Do Not Present Proper Identification
NO - If this plan goes into effect, there will be no legal recourse if a voter who registers to vote the same day is found to cast an illegitimate ballot. The ballots of last-minute registrants will no longer have to be labeled.
This bill removes an important safeguard to help detect voter fraud if someone casts their ballot illegally. At a time when public confidence in our elections is very low, we should be putting safeguards in place to make our elections more secure – not less.
America’s election systems must be proven to be secure beyond a shadow of a doubt. Also, those that break election laws must be held accountable – or our children and Grandchildren will inherit an illegitimate nation and a fallen empire.
PASSED: 56-54
House Bill 4926 – Amends the General Property Tax Act by Ensuring Personal Property Located in Other Jurisdictions is Assessed at Its Normal Location Each Tax Year
YES - During COVID-19, some personal property items such as computers, monitors and printers employees needed to do their jobs were moved from their normal locations to where the employee was working remotely. Because keeping track of personal property in multiple jurisdictions proved to be challenging and time-consuming, this provision was enacted.
This bill makes this change permanent. Many businesses support it, because it helps simplify the tax code.
Passed: 105-5
House Bill 4752 – Bill to Allow Retired School Teachers to Collect a Maximum of $15,100 Part-Time Without Withholding Retirement Pensions Until 9 Months After Retirement
NO - This bill amends Section 61 of PA 300 of 1980 to say that conditions preventing retired school employees from becoming employed in a school again without forfeiting their benefits do not apply to a retiree that earns $15,100 or less in a calendar year. Incentivizing early retirement puts an additional strain on public school employee retirement systems.
Passed: 102-6
House Bill 5004 – Budget Implementation Bills
NO - This bill is part of the bill package to implement the $82B state budget – a 40% increase in government spending since 2019. This bill also contains a number of fee increases for mammography machines, including:
This increases the cost of doing business in Michigan for medical facilities, as they will need to incorporate these fee increases into their operating budgets.
Passed: 56-54
House Bill 4356 – Allows Non-Instructional Services to be Included as Part of Collective Bargaining Agreements for Local School Districts
NO – Many school districts can see significant cost savings by contracting with private companies for food, transportation, custodial and other non-instructional services, such as technology and security. These decisions should be made by local school boards – not labor unions.
A 2001 Mackinac Center for Public Policy survey found approximately 80% of school districts reported saving money through contracting with private companies for various services. This can help school districts save money and allocate more educational funds where it should go: toward the classroom...students and teachers.
PASSED: 56-54
House Bill 4332: Changes in Blight Penalties
We already have fines in place for blight issues that fail to get corrected.
The current fine structure for failing to pay the civil fine for blight within 30 days (if those fines and fees are over $1,000) is:
Changing existing laws is not necessary.
Passed – 75-38
SB268 – Funeral Insurance Bill Payout Changes
NO - This changes the maximum allowable payout from funeral insurance policies in the State of Michigan from $5,000 to approximately $12,000.
I voted against this bill because this will increase the cost of your insurance premiums.
PASSED: 95-14
House Bill 4021 – Off Road Vehicle Bill
NO - This bill allows peace officers to enforce Michigan’s laws regarding how Off Road Vehicles around the State of Michigan can operate. I voted against this bill because some “peace officers” may not have experience in this area of law and 40 hours of training is not enough time to properly equip these officers on how to properly enforce these laws.
PASSED: 95-14
[1] U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Institute of Standards and Technology and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, Risk Management for Electronic Ballot Delivery, Marking, and Return (2020)
[2] Democrats advance internet voting bill that worries security experts – MLive Article – September 28, 2023
[3] Democrats advance internet voting bill that worries security experts – MLive Article – September 28, 2023
House Bill 4625 – requires the use of mental health and risk screening tools when evaluating juveniles
NO - Currently, the juvenile justice bench book gives courts a lot of flexibility in handling juvenile cases and diversion programs. Also, individual courts are allowed to tailor options depending on the court case. However, a state mandate like this gives municipal courts less flexibility to do what they think is best for their community.
PASSED – 72/38
HB 4626 – spells out certain offenses eligible for diversion; also caps court-mandated diversion programs at 3 months
NO – It is unclear why these diversion programs are capped at 3 months. Diversion programs should vary depending on what kind of rehabilitation help is needed.
Although a law enforcement officer or court intake worker can grant an exception if they believe a longer period is needed and they fill out the necessary documentation, I believe this is too restrictive.
PASSED – 67/23
House Bill 4627 – this bill adds additional factors that must be considered when the courts decide whether to divert a juvenile
NO – these factors include public safety, victim rehabilitation, improved juvenile outcomes, and victim interests. Some of these are erroneous and extraneous measures that could add more complications to a court proceeding.
PULLED FROM BOARD
House Bill 4628 – this requires court administrators to incorporate a risk & needs assessment before deciding if the juvenile’s proceedings should be added to the consent calendar.
NO - Although findings from these assessments are not normally considered admissible in court, including admissions of guilt, many courts already do this when deciding what types of services juveniles are eligible for as part of rehabilitation. You don’t need a state mandate for this. Each jurisdictional court should decide what is best for them.
PASSED – 74/36
House Bill 4629 - would require courts to use a detention screening tool before ordering the detention of any juvenile pending hearing.
NO - I voted against this bill because it unnecessarily limits a juvenile judge’s discretion in making detention decisions.
PASSED – 61 / 49
House Bill 4630 – expands indigent defense programs to include services for youth defendants
NO - This bill expands indigent defense services to include services for youth defendants. This necessitates a substantial increase in funding for these grants, since the population of eligible defendants would increase. The Michigan Indigent Defense Commission indicated that youth caseloads are currently estimated to be about 2/3 of adult caseloads. Using this 2/3 figure and the FY 2023-24 MIDC Grant appropriation amount of $220.9 million, the cost increase for MIDC Grants could be in the vicinity of $145 million.
I voted against I don’t think is financially prudent to increase government spending at this time, since the state budget has already increased by 40% since 2019 – from $59B to $82B (2023-2024).
PASSED – 86/25
House Bill 4631 –this adds juveniles into the Appellate Defender Act. It updates other sections of Michigan law to ensure the penal code is consistent.
NO – this is part of a flawed bill package that does not help protect the integrity of our judicial system.
PULLED FROM BOARD
House Bill 4632 – this allows the Michigan Health Department to adjust per diem rates for facilities for juveniles, instead of members of the legislature.
NO - I voted against this because elected officials should set per diem rates, not unelected bureaucrats.
PULLED FROM BOARD
House Bill 4633 – requires the courts to consider past delinquencies, prior out of home treatment, amenability to treatment, developmental maturity, emotional health, and mental health in court proceedings.
Also, the bill requires the courts to use “cultural considerations” and whether the individual is part of a federally recognized Indian tribe.
“Cultural considerations” and “ethnicity” could make it more difficult for courts to issue sentences based on objective criteria (e.g. the trail of evidence in a court proceeding).
PASSED – 58 / 52
House Bill 4634-37 – this eliminates many fees / fines for juveniles, including late fees and other fines.
NO - I voted against these bills because you shouldn’t eliminate court fees without some other method of accountability (e.g. community service) if juveniles are unable to pay fines for crimes committed. Accountability is important.
4634 – PULLED FROM BOARD; 4635 – PULLED FROM BOARD; 4636 – PASSED – 58/52; 4637 – PASSED – 56 / 54
House Bill 4638-43– this will give the Health Department authority to pursue legal action when maltreatment occurs
NO – local law enforcement agencies are best equipped to investigate incidents at juvenile centers when they occur.
HB4638 – PULLED FROM BOARD; HB4639 – PASSED 92/18; HB4640 – PASSED 92/18; 4641 – PULLED FROM BOARD; 4642 – PULLED FROM BOARD; 4643 – PASSED – 90/20
SB384 – “prohibits” insurance companies from discriminating based on organ donations
NO - The title of this bill is a bit misleading. It claims to prohibit insurance companies from discriminating against individuals for organ donations; however, it still contains a loophole to allow insurance companies to charge higher premiums, depending on actuarial assessments.
PASSED – 104 / 6
Senate Bills 506, 507, 508, 510 and 511 – 2023-2024 budget implementation bills
NO - These bills are part of a series of implementation bills to implement aspects of the 2023-2024 budget, which increases government spending by 40% since 2019 ($59B to $82B).
I voted against these for several reasons:
· One allows the State of Michigan to continue charging licensing fees to some food service establishments for 4 years, without requiring the department to justify these fees to the legislature. This decreases accountability.
· Another allows the Department of Treasury to handle city income tax collection for municipal governments. Currently, the department does this for the City of Detroit, as part of the deal that was negotiated during the bankruptcy proceedings. These bills also could pave the way for more municipal income taxes.
· One allows unelected bureaucrats to receive per diem reimbursements from taxpayers for board meetings they attend twice a year. They are not even elected officials.
· Another bill extends the timeframe under which the state can issue or deny license applications for grain dealers from 30 to 60 days. This gives the department less incentive to complete this task in a timely manner.
SB506 – PASSED 56 / 54; SB507 – PASSED 56 / 54; SB508 – PASSED – 56/54; SB510 – PASSED – 56/54; SB511 – PASSED – 65 / 45
SB55: Bill that Takes Away Power from Local Municipal Supervisors
NO - This amends the General Property Tax Act to stipulate those properties which qualified for a property exemption during the 2019, 2020 and 2021 fiscal years could remain exempt during the 2023 tax year. It also allows local boards of review to grant a 75% property exemption, if the applicant qualifies.
There is one major problem with the bill: it grants local boards of review the sole authority to determine if an applicant qualifies, rather than local boards of review and local supervisors, which decreases accountability.
That’s why I voted against this.
PASSED – 86/24
House Bill 4861 – allows Muskegon County to sell a plot of land designated for public use
NO - This bill would allow Muskegon County to sell a plot of land that was designated for public use to a private entity. I voted against this bill because I believe this should be decided by the Muskegon County Board of Commissioners. Not the legislature.
PASSED – 83/26
House Bill 5074 – allows municipalities to continue tax incremental financing for 20 years, instead of 15
NO - This bill creates a 5-year extension on tax incremental financing deals. I voted against this bill because tax increment financing incentives divert money away from revenue municipalities need to fund essential city services (e.g. fire and police departments).
PASSED – 63/46
House Bill 4965 – ambiguous bill that allegedly means video streaming providers and their customers are not charged franchise fees.
NO - I voted against this because the bill does not lay out in layman's terms how these video streaming providers would be exempt from these fees. Cable T.V. and internet T.V. should be treated the same.
PASSED: 79/30
House Bill 4850 – allows active duty military members to seek an exemption from jury duty
NO - Members of our military should be encouraged to participate in jury duty, as long as it does not interfere with their ability to fulfill deployment duties. Exceptions should be handled on a case-by-case basis (e.g. active duty military members cannot participate because he / she is out of the country, or stationed in another state).
PASSED: 86/23
House Bill 4942 – transfers ownership of the Roosevelt Parking Structure in Lansing from the State of Michigan to the Michigan House of Representatives
NO - This allows the Michigan legislature to buy this parking structure for $1. The Michigan House will assume all responsibility associated with maintenance of the structure.
Although this is not likely to require additional appropriations unless significant parking structure upgrades are performed, I voted against this bill because I don’t believe it’s necessary.
PASSED: 56/53
House Bill 4844– allows high school athletes to receive compensation for their brand
NO – this could compromise the integrity of high school athletics. Also, this opens the door for teenagers to be offered legal contracts for the rights to their name, image, and likeness. Professional sports are one thing, but these are mostly minors.
PASSED: 86/23
House Bill 4608 – creates licensing requirements for professional nutritionists
NO - This bill ensures anyone who wants to practice nutrition professionally will have to pass exams and pay for a license. This creates a licensing fee structure that includes a $75 application fee and a $55 fee for an annual license or a temporary license. Also, many of the provisions in this bill are quite extensive and very restrictive.
In 2012, the Office of Regulatory Reinvention (ORR) recommended doing away with occupational licensing for this profession due to a lack of evidence to support the idea this helps improve public health and safety.[1]
PASSED: 63/46
House Bill 4718 – adds “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” as protected classes in a court proceeding
NO – The jury needs to know the individual’s biological gender (not just the one someone “identifies” with), because a failure to do so could jeopardize the safety of other people in a women’s prison.
Furthermore, juries can’t “discriminate” – so these individuals could be bunked with females when their biological gender is male. Also, juries deciding the fate of these individuals may not be able to know their actual sex because it’s “discriminatory.”
PASSED: 56/53
House Bill 4897 – allows counties to enter into an agreement with MDOT to perform road work.
YES - This allows the Michigan Department of Transportation to help counties fix roads in their jurisdictions when they are short staffed. I voted in favor of this, because I believe it’s a good start to help improve Michigan’s crumbling infrastructure.
PASSED: 109/0
SB293 – this allows the State of Michigan to establish subsidies for “middle income” housing projects (120% AMI)
NO – many times, subsidized housing projects have failed to generate the return on investment originally promised to taxpayers. The Brewster-Douglas Housing Projects in the City of Detroit (now demolished) are a classic example of this. Also, these subsidies reduce the amount of money available for infrastructure improvements.
PASSED: 63/46
HB4647: Requires the State of Michigan to Inspect Barber Shops on a “Regular” Basis
NO- House Bill 4647 would change the timeframe that the State of Michigan will be required to inspect barber shops from once a year to “on a regular basis.”
Voted against this bill because it’s not very clear. What does “regularly” actually mean? 3 months? 6 months? A year?
Also, this law could lead to more frequent barber shop inspections throughout the state.
PASSED 60/50
HB4438: Allows Corrections Officers to be Part of Arbitration Contracts
NO – this bill allows corrections officers to be part of arbitration agreements.
I voted against this bill for several reasons:
· Arbitration frequently creates many delays in the negotiation process of employment contracts, which can make it more difficult to come to a resolution in a timely fashion.
· Arbitration undermines the ability of citizens to govern their own communities. It puts a significant portion of control of the local budget – salaries for those that serve on the front lines – in the hands of arbitrators rather than elected officials.
These negotiations should be done between elected officials and municipal employees. Sometimes, local governments need help when agreements are at an impasse, but this should be done in a way that respects the Constitutional authority of elected officials.
Example: Establish a fact finding panel to gather as much input as possible from various stakeholders, while preserving their authority to review / amend the agreement based on their conclusions.
PASSED 94/16
HB4704: Gift Limitations for Private Companies
NO- this bill increases the amount that a property casualty insurance company can give to their customers from $10 to $50 in a given calendar year. Also, life insurance agents could do the same.
While many insurance agents give gifts to their customers to help increase customer retention, I voted against this legislation because I believe the government should not be regulating this.
PASSED 88/20
HB4966-4970: a bill to make changes to the land tax in Detroit and put it on the ballot
NO- this bill would make the following changes to the Detroit land tax:
· It enacts a different tax rate, depending on the type of property. It allows vacant lots and abandoned homes to be taxed at a much higher tax rate than residential properties.
· It would allow the Detroit City Council to vote to place it on the ballot for a vote by Detroit residents in February of 2024.
I voted against this bill because of a potential conflict with the Michigan Constitution. Article 9, Section 3 of the Michigan Constitution says there must be a uniform valuation of real and personal property through the system of equalization. This tax proposal establishes different tax structures depending on the type of property.
PULLED FROM THE BOARD DUE TO NOT ENOUGH VOTES
HB4341 / SB88: Drinking Water Mandates
NO- these bills would require the legislature to allocate enough funding to install filtered bottle-filling and water faucets in all schools throughout Michigan by the end of the 2024-2025 school year and fund annual water sampling and testing.
Although the cost to install all these water stations would be between $20-30 million for all Michigan schools, many of these government spending proposals start to add up.
Also, this would require all schools throughout the state to develop a water quality management plan and present it to the State of Michigan upon request. I voted against this bill because I believe water quality issues are best addressed at the local level.
Also, the 2023-2024 fiscal year budget is $82 billion. This represents a nearly 40% increase in government spending since 2019, when the state budget was nearly $60 billion. Considering this (and inflation), it’s not right to appropriate more spending without a plan to decrease wasteful spending in other parts of the state budget (e.g. corporate welfare deals without clear empirical evidence they actually lead to more jobs).
PASSED 74/36; 56 / 54
HB4071: Creates Additional Healthcare Provisions
NO- this bill would enact additional coinsurance or copay regulations for oral chemo medications. They could be up to, but not exceed, $150 per 30 day supply. The cap of $150 per 30 day supply would be adjusted annually on January 1 by the department to reflect inflation increases during the previous year. I voted against this bill because price restrictions inevitably worsen the very problems they are trying to solve.
Laws like this frequently lead to companies allocating less resources to research and development. Consequently, they make it more difficult for tomorrow’s cures to be developed when the government puts lots of regulations in place that stipulate how they must run their business.
PASSED 72/38
HB4620 / SB356-58: Codifies Obamacare regulations into Michigan Law;
NO- this is part of a bill package to codify parts of the Affordable Care Act (i.e. Obamacare) into Michigan law. I voted against this bill package because I believe government-run health care is not Constitutional.
Also, these federal health care mandates have led to increased consolidation among health systems, less independent medical practices, fewer patient choices, and higher consumer costs.
Rising health care costs cause many Americans to have to worry about whether their loved ones will have access to the health care they need – when they need it.
PASSED 84/26; PASSED 56/54
HB4320/4387: Criminalize Coercing Vulnerable Adults for Sexually Explicit Material
YES- currently, under Michigan law, it is illegal to coerce someone under the age of 18 into viewing pornography. These bills would ensure vulnerable adults (e.g. those with special needs) are legally protected as well. As a former autism clinician, I believe this is important legislation to protect those with special needs.
Ultimately, I believe all Michigan residents should be protected; however, this is a step in the right direction and I hope it sparks more conversations about what can be done to address this important issue.
PASSED 110/0
SB103-105: Fishing/Hunting Licenses
NO- I voted against this legislation because of overly burdensome reporting requirements for hunting / fishing operators in the State of Michigan on public lands.
For example, the bill would require the operators to submit activities detailing guiding activities in which water bodies, species of fish, number of clients and number of hours fished for each trip, number of fish caught and released, and number of fish harvested by their clients, other information regarding biological characteristics of the game animals.
TAKEN OFF THE BOARD DUE TO NOT ENOUGH VOTES
HB5021: Bills that Push School Teachers into a Riskier Retirement Plan Option
NO- Currently, new employees who wish to enroll in the Pension Plus 2 plan must elect enrollment during the 75-day benefits election period that begins upon receipt of their first paycheck, otherwise, they are automatically placed into the defined contribution plan.
If House Bill 5021 is signed into law by the Governor’s office, it would automatically place new teachers into the retirement plan that requires 10 years in the classroom before fully vesting. If a teacher moves on to a new profession before those 10 years are up, they lose their retirement savings. I don’t think this is right, which is why I voted against the bill.
PASSED 56/54
HB4823/4920: Adding More Judges in Macomb & Kent Counties
NO- currently, under Michigan law, each county is required to have a probate court to deal with probate cases that come up in various counties throughout the State of Michigan. This bill was put forward to allow the State of Michigan to allocate additional taxpayer money for additional judges to work in probate courts in both counties.
These positions would be effective January 1, 2025. In order to fill this position, an election to fill these vacant seats would need to be held sometime in 2024.
I voted against this bill because many Michigan counties utilize judges across county lines if they need extra manpower when there is a lot of legal work that needs to be completed. There are already extra judges that can be utilized in other jurisdictions if these probate courts are understaffed.
PASSED 106/4
HB4012/4126: Allow Municipalities to Set Their Own Speed Limits Using Traffic Safety Best Practices
NO- this bill allows municipalities to consider traffic safety best practices and the nature of the road itself (e.g. proximity to public parks, the number of entry points on a particular road, etc.) when setting speed limits that are different than standardized speed limits required under Michigan law.
Currently, municipalities are required to have a traffic safety study done before adjustments are made; however, bill does away with this requirement. Local traffic safety professionals my office spoke at the County Road Commission to had concerns that setting local speed limits based on arbitrary criteria rather than a professional evaluation of the road could create public safety risks.
4012 PASSED 100/10 & 4126 PASSED 92/18
SB331: Reimburses Municipalities for Lost Revenue as a Result of the Increased Personal Property Tax Exemption
NO- this reimburses municipalities for lost revenue as a result of the increased small business property tax exemption that was passed a while back – an increase to $180,000.
This bill was up for vote on the House floor after both chambers ratified the bill language. It would establish a new $75 million reimbursement fund to compensate municipalities for lost revenue as a result of the increase in the exemption.
I voted against this bill because I don’t believe you need another fund within the state budget. Also, I believe we should work to reduce or eliminate the personal property tax in Michigan completely.
PASSED 78/32
HB4732/4733: Insurance Code Expansion
NO- this bill clarifies that supplemental insurance products are not regulated the same as major medical health insurance providers. Also, this updates the Michigan Insurance Code to reflect federal regulations on how these supplemental insurance products are treated.
I voted against this bill package because clarifications and carveouts for supplemental insurance providers should be sought on a caseby-case basis, and not with a one size fits all approach.
PASSED 106/4
HB470: Electronic Ballot Return
NO- this delays the timeframe under which the Secretary of State can implement electronic return for military members to 2025.
I voted against this bill because of many legitimate concerns about cybersecurity risks that have been raised by federal agencies and an individual appointed by the Michigan Department of State who serves on the Election Commission, as I’ve highlighted in previous newsletter editions.
PASSED 56/54
SB31 & HB4200 – requires minors to be tested for lead poisoning at certain intervals
NO - This bill would require minors to be tested for lead poisoning by certain medical professionals starting on January 1, 2024.
Parents can already have their kids screened for lead poisoning if they have concerns. Although parents will be allowed to opt out of this, you don’t need a government mandate.
HB446-4449; 4544; 4545 – additional state holidays
NO - These bills designate the following as state holidays: Diwali, Eid-al-Adha, Eid-al-Fitr, the Lunar New Year, Vaisakhi, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur.
We already have more than enough state holidays.
House Bills 4738-39 – crime victim protection bills
YES - this requires a prosecuting attorney to keep the personal information of any victim confidential unless it must be disclosed for all parties involved to understand all relevant facts as part of a court proceeding.
I voted in favor of this for several reasons:
· Victims of crime are often reluctant to come forward and identify their assailants. They often fear reprisals from the perpetrator, and one way to protect victims from retaliation is by shielding from disclosure their address, cell phone numbers, or other information that might unnecessarily allow others to track them down.
· The issue of protecting the disclosure of personal information of victims of crime – as well as witnesses more generally – is critical, and the Legislature should do all it can to protect crime victims.
· Victims deserve the assurance that the system will protect their privacy to ensure they do not become targets of retribution.
PASSED: 106/3; 105/4
House Bill 4573 – continues the New Jobs Training Program in the State of Michigan for another 10 years
NO - Currently, the State of Michigan partners with publicly funded universities to provide tuition assistance to new hires for professional development, in exchange for paycheck withdrawals to pay for these expenses.
Many times, workers use these funds for skill assessments, college tuition, books, training equipment and other professional development related expenses.
Currently, they must pay 175% of the state mandated minimum wage. This works out to approximately $16-18 / hour.
I voted against this bill because it extends the program for 10 more years without requiring the legislature to conduct periodic performance reviews on the effectiveness of the program.
PASSED – 80/20
House Bill 4979 – allows counties to partner with state government to conduct assessments
NO - I voted against this bill because I believe assessments should be handled by individual counties instead of the state. Also, it could be more cumbersome for residents throughout the state who want to schedule an in-person hearing to dispute them, since they will have to drive all the way to Lansing if the counties contract with the state to do this.
PASSED – 85/24
Senate Bill 280 – requires children to complete a mandatory oral dental assessment before enrolling in kindergarten or 1st grade
NO – currently, parents are encouraged to have their kids complete a dental assessment before enrolling in kindergarten or 1st grade. This evaluation is optional. Also, they may present documentation, instead of being required to do so.
It appears this bill will require a parent or guardian to ensure children to get a dental evaluation within 6 months before school starts and mandate follow up treatment if it is needed. The bill also allows parents to seek a religious exemption. Children cannot be prohibited from attending school if they don’t comply.
Although dental evaluations are good for the health and well-being of children, I believe this needs to be optional – not changed to a government mandate. Also, I believe it’s important for the state to respect the rights of parents to decide what is best for their children.
PASSED – 85/24
House Bill 4909-4912; 5047 – establishes licensing protocols for professional guardians and other regulations
NO – I opposed this for several reasons:
· This bill requires professional guardians to keep records of items with sentimental value. Some professionals have indicated compliance with the requirements listed in this legislation could be cumbersome. It could make some guardians and conservators more reluctant to provide services when many are already overworked.
· This establishes licensing protocols for professional guardians in Michigan. Many times, occupational licensing creates workforce shortages and increases the cost of professional services.
· This establishes the Office of State Guardian to investigate complaints of abuse within group homes. We already have legal avenues in place to investigate guardianship fraud when it occurs. I do not believe another government agency will help solve the problem.
· Unelected bureaucrats will be presenting policy recommendations for professional certification requirements to the Michigan Supreme Court, rather than elected officials in the state legislature.
4909 PASSED 87/22; 4910 PASSED 89/20; 4911 PASSED 91/18; 4912 PASSED 92/17; 5047 PASSED 74/35
House Bills 4416-4419 –bills to give families more flexibility in estate related transfers of property
YES - This bill makes certain items eligible for transfer of ownership to a surviving spouse or heir after the owner’s death and modifies the maximum value. Also, it requires adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
This is good for Michigan residents for several reasons:
· It prohibits an attorney from receiving significant financial gifts through an estate-planning document that the attorney drafted for his or her client. This is important.
· It increases outdated financial caps in the estate code for watercraft and vehicles. This will help give families more flexibility in state-related transfers of personal property. Also, it requires these financial caps to be adjusted based on the Consumer Price Index.
Also, title transfers conducted between family members are exempt from the use tax.
PASSD – 109/0
House Bill 4346 – allows municipal public employee retirement boards to meet remotely
NO - I voted against this because I believe in-person public meetings are best to maximize citizen engagement.
PASSED - 86/23
House Bill 4085-86 – gives childcare institutions the opportunity to provide services to a homeless runaway youth for up to 72 hours with or without parental consent
NO – I believe it’s important to protect parental rights. Childcare institutions should be required to receive permission from the parents before they proceed.
4085 PASSED 63/46, 4086 PASSED 62/47
House Bill 4865 – removes minimum inventory requirements for gas stations selling alcohol
YES - Currently, gas stations selling alcohol must carry $250,000 in inventory to maintain a Specially Designated Distributor license from the Michigan Liquor Control Commission and sell liquor. It can be very costly for gas stations to maintain these minimum inventory requirements to keep their license, especially small businesses. I believe HB4865 will help our business community.
PASSED – 1077/2
SB174 – placeholder bill for even more government spending
NO – this is a “placeholder bill” to allocate hundreds of millions in supplemental school aid funds. While these spending proposals have not been laid out yet, government spending is already 40% higher than it was in 2019 ($82B for the 2023-2024 fiscal year; $59B in 2019).[1] This is a lot higher than inflation.
PASSED – 56/53
House Bill 4276 – amends the Social Welfare Act to prevent the Department of Health and Human Services from entering contracts with Medicaid managed care organizations that use Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBM’s) under certain conditions.
NO – this mandates certain dispensing fee requirements instead of letting the market determine what is appropriate.
PASSED – 105/4
[1] Michigan budget breakdown: Spending up $1.7B, but roads, higher ed cut – Detroit News – October 16, 2019 – Beth LeBlanc
House Bills 4449, 4951, 4953-46, SB474, 476-77: Legalization of Partial Birth Abortion
NO - Currently, partial birth abortion is defined as an “abortion in which the physician or individual acting under the delegatory authority of the physician performing the abortion partially vaginally delivers a living fetus before killing the fetus and completing the delivery.”
This is in the Public Health Code, Act 368 of 1987 – which prohibits the performance of partial birth abortion. However, this bill package repeals the ban.
Partial birth abortion is a gruesome procedure. The baby is pulled feet first out of the womb and into the birth canal. The base of the baby’s skull is punctured with a surgical instrument, and the brain is removed. This causes the skull to collapse after the delivery of the now-dead baby is complete. This is homicide. Furthermore, abortionists will be allowed to do this with zero repercussions. I haven’t even touched the dangers to the mother!
Furthermore, these abortion bills will:
· Remove requirements for mothers to be informed about ways to save the baby, including adoption. The Hippocratic Oath: do no harm. Withholding life-saving information from mothers is wrong.
· Enable human traffickers and predators by NOT screening patients for coercion against their will. Studies show that 64% of women that had abortions felt pressure to do so. Coercion occurs in many forms: unethical, negligent, or profit-driven counseling, substandard medical and professional practices, or abuse of power. It also occurs through blackmailing.
· Allow taxpayer-funded universities to send students to Planned Parenthood, which enriches the abortion industry’s bottom line at the expense of human life. Michigan taxpayers will be forced to fund the salaries of these referral partners, even if it goes against religious convictions.
· And more….
These bills passed both chambers. The Governor is widely expected to sign it this week.
ALL BILLS PASSED ALONG PARTY LINES (56-54)
HB5120, 5121, SB273, 502 and 519; SB271 / 77 – mandates that could cause your electric bills to go up
NO - Recently, the Michigan legislature voted along party lines to approve 100% clean energy mandates by 2040. These bills will dictate how much electricity DTE & Consumers Energy must generate from wind turbines, solar panels and other forms of renewable energy:
· 25% renewable energy requirements by 2028 & 2029
· 50% from 2030-2023
· 60% in 2033 and beyond
Natural gas and nuclear power plants are still allowed; however, they must install carbon capture technology to reduce emissions by 2040.
We all want reliable and affordable electricity and clean air. However, I cannot support policy proposals with pie in the sky promises and no feasibility study.
Utility companies said they will have no choice but to raise rates if this goes into effect, since these grid upgrades will be extremely costly. They should be free to choose what works best for their business based on cost-effectiveness, reliability, and consumer demand. Not top-down mandates from Lansing.
These bills also give the Public Service Commission authority to issue permits for solar farms. This will override local renewable energy ordinances. Unfortunately, this passed despite substantial pushback from residents in rural areas and community leaders from all around the state.
5120, 5121, SB273, 502 and 519 passed 56-52 (2 members abstained from voting). SB271 & 277 passed 56-51-3 (2 members were absent; another abstained due to a conflict of interest).
House Bill 4520 & 4520 - Larger criminal penalties for assault / battery of workers in a hospital setting
NO - Currently, assault & battery is already a crime.
These bills will increase the fines as follows:
· Basic A&B 93-day misdemeanor and/or fine up to $500; new fine - fine up to $1,000
· Aggravated A&B 1-year misdemeanor and/or fine up to $1,000; new fine up to $2,000
· Felonious assault 4-year felony and/or a fine up to $2,000; increased fine up to $4,000
I opposed because both crimes are already illegal. Also, this legislation increases the fines for assault for a certain group of people (creating a protected class), while everyone else gets a much lower fine.
BOTH PASSED: 97-12 (1 member was absent)
HB5059: Designates Part of M-39 as the Bishop A. Brooks Memorial Highway
YES - Bishop A. Brooks was a very influential community & faith leader in the black community who passed away in 2020.
PASSED: 105-4.
House Bills 5100-5102; 5096, 4368 – creates a research & development tax credit for Electric Vehicle Research & Development
I voted against this tax credit because the Michigan Strategic Fund board will decide which businesses in specific industries qualify. It is not a uniform tax credit across the board. Plus, I do not support picking winners and losers.
HB5099 PASSED – 77-33; HB5100 PASSED 79-31; HB5101 PASSED 79-31; HB5102 PASSED 80-30; HB4368 – 81-29; HB5096 – 72-38
House Bill 4187 – allows fees collected from salvage vehicle inspections to be used for equipment, training and road patrol services for public safety
YES – this requires police departments to use these fees for public safety, instead of just stolen vehicle recovery efforts. This gives Police Chiefs more leeway to allocate these funds in a way that keeps their jurisdictions safe.
PASSED: 108-2
House Bills 4948 / 4960 – hides juvenile criminal convictions from landlords when vetting tenants
NO – landlords can no longer see these convictions when running background checks on college students. They need access to this, so they can make informed decisions. This will likely cause rent increases, as this mandate creates additional liabilities for their industry.
BOTH PASSED 57-53
House Bill 4724 – creates a tax credit for disabled veterans who rent or lease their home
NO – I have a lot of respect for all the sacrifices our veterans have made. However, I believe the best way to grow our economy is to simplify the tax code so it helps lower the cost of living for all Michigan residents – not a select few.
PASSED: 102-7
House Bills 4185-90 – more state involvement in asbestos inspections in the State of Michigan
NO - This bill will require the state to perform more asbestos inspections. Also, property owners will now have to pay a $100 fee for this service. I believe this should be done by municipal building inspectors rather than the state.
Also, although I voted in favor of a few components of the bill package for further consideration on the floor during committee (e.g. HB 4185 which prohibits the state from reducing fines by a greater standard than what OSHA allows, and HB4190 which requires contractors to disclose environmental violations as part of the bidding process), I opposed the whole bill package on the House floor because I believe local governments are best equipped to conduct these inspections in a cost-effective and timely manner after conducting further due diligence. So did many of my colleagues.
HB 4185 PASSED: 73-37; HB4186 PASSED: 72-38; HB4187 PASSED: 68-42: HB4188 PASSED: 56-54; HB4189 PASSED: 81-29; HB4190 PASSED: 83-27
House Bill 4522-25 – establishes more family treatment courts in the State of Michigan
NO – I voted against this to protect parental rights. Currently, alleged child abuse can lead to loss of custody; however, some children have been unjustly removed from biological parents and placed in foster care environments in family courts, even though the parents did nothing wrong. Instead of expanding family treatment courts, our court system must be reformed, so parental rights are respected.
Everyone deserves the right to proper due process, as outlined in our Constitution.
PASSED: 99-11
HB4981 – requires sheriffs to have 5 years of law enforcement experience and training certifications before filing to run for County Sheriff
NO - I voted against this bill because it goes far beyond the Constitutional requirements for public office. Candidates must be a law enforcement officer licensed under the Michigan Coalition on Law Enforcement Standards with 5 years’ experience or be a certified corrections officer with training from the Michigan Sheriffs Coordinating and Training Council with 5 or more years of experience. Also, this bill does not allow military or federal law enforcement personnel to run for this position.
PASSED: 79-30
House Bill 5028 – prohibits HOA’s from denying solar applications, with few exceptions
NO – HOA boards should be free to form their own solar bylaws. Board members should make decisions that are best for their neighborhood, with input from residents. This top-down state mandate infringes on the autonomy of homeowner’s associations.
PASSED: 56-54
House Bill 5048: allows local units of government to enact a hotel tax in the State of Michigan
NO – this could cause hotel costs to go up and make tourism less affordable.
PASSED: 66-44
House Bill 5141-45 – makes it illegal to distribute “materially deceptive media” with the use of AI – or distribute “deepfakes” during election season without a full disclaimer
NO – Deepfakes are seemingly real, but altered videos or audio files that show political leaders doing or saying something that they did not do. I am certainly opposed to deception, but the standards for “deepfakes” and “manipulative media” in the bill are too subjective.
Furthermore, there is no need to give the state more power to punish certain types of defamation when civil remedies already exist.
5141 PASSED: 59-51; 5142 PASSED: 59-51; 5143 PSSED 63-47; 5144 PASSED 60-50; 5145 PASSED 58-52
House Bill 4129-4130 – prohibits an individual from “intimidating” or “preventing” an election official from performing his / her duties
NO - Harassing or intimidating election officials is already a crime. Also, this bill does not have precise legal definitions. For example – “intimidation” is defined as a willful course of conduct that causes individuals to “feel personal injury.” Juries will get confused on what this term means. Also, feelings do not constitute tangible evidence normally admissible in a court of law.
Also, poll challengers and poll workers who scrutinize our election process to identify corruption so legal remedies can be deployed should be legally protected, so they can do their jobs. An amendment was offered in committee to include legal protections for them, but it was rejected.
HB4129 & 5130 – BOTH PASSED: 56-54
House Bill 4723 – creates license plates for members of the United States Merchant Marines
NO – Michigan already has more than enough license plate designs to choose from at branch offices. We don’t need any more.
PASSED: 104-6
SB513 – allows Helen Newberry Joy Hospital in Luce County to restructure as a non-profit corporation
NO – this bill gives away a publicly funded hospital for free to a nonprofit. It should be sold to them – not just given away after public funds were used to build it.
PASSED: 104-6
SB385 – allows municipal clerks to establish an online application process for election workers to work the polls
NO – I voted against this legislation because identity verification requirements are missing from the bill. Also, in-person application is the best way for local clerks to obtain all the information needed from poll workers. These bills lower the bar for those seeking to apply to work the polls at our elections.
PASSED: 93-17
House Bill 48854 & 4923 – establishes occupational licensing requirements for medication aide professionals
NO – the healthcare industry is already experiencing significant staffing shortages. An occupational licensing requirement makes the problem worse, not better.
HB4885 PASSED 83-27; 4923 PASSED – 82-28
House Bill 5046 – increases the per page transcript fee for Michigan residents to receive transcripts associated with a court case
NO - This bill amends the Judicature Act (RJA) - MCL 600.2543. It increases fees for court transcriptions to $3.75 per original pager and 90 cents per page for each copy. It also establishes a $50 minimum charge for each transcript, and 90 cents per page for copies requested. I opposed because it excessively increases fees to access the court system.
PASSED: 104-6
SB262 – creates additional fire safety requirements for tents used for special events (e.g. church services, weddings, community fairs)
NO – we already have plenty of laws on the books to protect the health and well-being of our residents. It’s not clear to me why a change in existing law is necessary.
PASSED: 90-20
SB395 / 396 – removes the requirement that school teachers must receive an annual performance review
NO – only 20% of a schoolteacher’s performance review must be done based on student growth or assessment data, or student learning objective metrics. Also, this removes the requirement for annual performance reviews. Finally, evaluations conducted not based on student growth and assessment data must be done based on "objective criteria." This term is not clearly defined in the bill.
SB395 – PASSED: 56-54; SB396 – PASSED: 56-54
HB4520-21 – allows the government to confiscate firearms for non-violent misdemeanor offenses.
NO – the U.S. Court of appeals ruled in Range v. Garland that our government can’t disarm citizens convicted of nonviolent misdemeanors. Also, depriving citizens of the right to self-defense after serving their time in prison is not Constitutional.
These bills treat non-violent offenses even more harshly than some violent felonies, undermining the principles of fairness and proportional punishment in our criminal justice system. For example, an individual who keys their boyfriend or girlfriend’s car would lose access to firearms for eight years under these bills, while someone who keys a friend’s car would not be subject to any such restrictions. Meanwhile, a felon convicted of violently assaulting a police officer would only lose access to firearms for five years. That makes no sense.
HB4945 PASSED 58-52; SB471 PASSED 58-52; SB528 PASSED 58-52
HB4720 / SB382 – creates additional “language access” responsibilities for state departments, agencies and entities
No – this bill requires state departments to put language access programs in place for non-English speaking residents. This will lead to higher operational costs. Also, it disincentivizes them from learning English.
BOTH PASSED 56-52
House Bill 4158 – renames part of M-50 in Monroe County
NO – I opposed because highway names should be reserved for prominent community leaders (e.g. veterans or fallen law enforcement).
PASSED: 106-3-1 (1 member was absent)
House Bill 4722 – eliminates Juneteenth National Freedom Day
YES - This legislation eliminates a duplicate state holiday from the books.
PASSED: 109-0-1 (one member was absent)
House Bill 4154 – designates part of M-3 after Officer Jason P. May in Macomb County.
YES – he passed away unexpectedly at age 38 in June of 2015 while aboard the U.S.S. Essex, an amphibious assault ship which served in part of Operation Enduring Freedom. He is a military hero. This is a way to thank him for his well-deserved service to our country while out on the battlefield.
PASSED: 109-0-1
House Bill 4048 – allows the identity of winners of the statewide lottery to remain confidential
YES – this bill allows for people who win the lottery to not have so much unwanted attention if they do win.
PASSED: 106-3-1 (one member was absent)
SB572-73 – increases precinct sizes from 3,000 to 5,000 voters
NO – voted against this legislation because fewer precincts could lead to longer lines at the polls and less efficient ballot processing.
SB272 PASSED 102-8, SB573 PASSED 102-8
SB280 – mandates a dental evaluation before kids start Kindergarten
NO – voted against this legislation because I believe this should be encouraged, but it should not be a state mandate. Parents should be free to do what they think is best for their children.
PASSED: 84-24-2 (2 members were absent)
House Bill 4292 – more government spending with very little time to review the fine print
NO – the mantra now: “pass now, review later!” As usual, a $500M supplemental school aid fund spending proposal was added to the agenda less than 24 hours before the vote. Not enough time to review these proposed expenditures to determine if they are fiscally responsible.
PASSED: HB4292 PASSED - 56-2-2 (2 members absent)
House Bills 4230 / 34 – OPPOSED – because this would allow labor unions to automatically withdraw funds from public employee paychecks using public funds for campaign purposes.
BOTH PASSED: 56-54
House Bills 4274 / 75 – OPPOSED – because it creates a trust fund that forces communities to take funds and share them instead of appropriating funds where needed.
BOTH PASSED: 106-4