Commentary

March 23, 2012, MichiganVotes.org Weekly Roll Call

MichiganVotes.org sends a weekly report to newspapers and TV stations around the state showing how state legislators in their service area voted on the most important or interesting bills of the past week. Y = Yes, N = No, X = Not Voting


Senate Bill 1018, Ban unionization of contractors paid with government subsidies: Passed 25 to 13 in the Senate
To establish that a person whose private employment compensation comes from a direct or indirect government subsidy is not considered a government employee, and so is not subject to being inducted into a government employee union. Such a scheme involving home day care providers was ended by the Snyder administration subsequent to a Mackinac Center legal challenge, and the bill would (eventually) end a still-ongoing one extracting SEIU union dues from home health care providers who are mostly relatives of disabled individuals.

 Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"


Senate Bill 821, Reduce rental boat inspection mandates: Passed 33 to 5 in the Senate
To eliminate a requirement that rental boats which are non-motorized, including canoes and kayaks, must get government inspections. The bill would slightly increase the fees for mandated annual inspections of rental motorboats, and revise other details of boat rental regulations.

 Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"


Senate Bill 596, Criminalize teacher sex with adult student: Passed 36 to 2 in the Senate
To make it a crime for a teacher, school official, employee or volunteer to have sex with a student even if the student is not a minor and it is consensual. Under current law, this is illegal only if the student is under 18.

 Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"


House Bill 4803, Sell state fairgrounds: Passed 101 to 7 in the House
To transfer the state fairgrounds in Detroit to a Michigan "Land Bank Fast Track Authority" created by the legislature in 2003, which has extensive powers to assemble and dispose of tax reverted property. Alternatively, the state could sell the property itself at fair market value, or give it to a local government. The property could not be used for a horse or auto race track, casino, prison, or railroad freight yard. Part of the sale is in Senate Bill 515.

 Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"


House Bill 4289, Lund "Obamacare statement" amendment: Failed 47 to 62 in the House
To add $9.8 million to an unrelated appropriations bill to create a state “Obamacare exchange,” which would administer the health insurance subsidy entitlement created by the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.” Note: The amendment and roll call vote were done at this time to allow representatives to make a "statement" on the federal health care law prior to U.S. Supreme Court oral arguments on it next week.

 Who Voted "Yes" and Who Voted "No"


Interested in a cumulative list of all weekly Roll Call Report Votes for 2012?

 

SOURCE: MichiganVotes.org, a free, nonpartisan website created by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, providing concise, nonpartisan, plain-English descriptions of every bill and vote in the Michigan House and Senate. Please visit https://www.michiganvotes.org.

Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Michigan Capitol Confidential reports with a free-market news perspective.