News Story

I'm Just a Bill

A Sampling of Proposed New State Laws, as Described on MichiganVotes.org

House Bill 4599
(Name road after term-limited legislator)

Rename a portion of Highway M-63 in Berrien County the "Harry Gast Parkway."

Introduced by State Rep. John Proos IV, R-St. Joseph.


_____________

House Bill 4703
(Designate peeper as official state amphibian)

Establish in law that henceforth the northern spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) shall be designated as the official State of Michigan amphibian.
Note: At present, Michigan does not have an official state amphibian, or an official state insect. Past bills have proposed designating the marbled salamander as the official state amphibian and the monarch butterfly as the official state insect. Michigan does have an official state reptile, which is the painted turtle. See also House Bill 4704, which would designate apple cider as the official state beverage.

Introduced by State Rep. Pam Byrnes, D-Lyndon Township.


_____________

Senate Bill 49
(Create government women’s history commission)

Create a government Michigan women’s history commission within the state Department of History, Arts, and Libraries. This entity would promote and preserve the history of women in this state to enhance Michigan’s tourism product, and expand educational materials; sponsor commemorations, linkages, seminars, and public forums on women in this state; seek private funding and lobby for government funding for "activities to protect, preserve, educate, and promote the legacy of women in this state;" and promote the making of applications for inclusion in the national and state register of historic places.

Introduced by State Sen. Gretchen Whitmer, D-East Lansing.


_____________

House Bill 4314
(Require certain labels on water bottled in Michigan)

Require any water bottled in Michigan for sale at market to have a label stating that the water is from Michigan and showing a small map outline of the state.

Introduced by State Rep. Gino Polidori, D-Dearborn.


_____________

Senate Bill 110
(Prohibit allowing smoking in private workplace)

Prohibit a business owner from choosing to allow smoking in his or her establishment.

Introduced by State Sen. Tom George, R-Kalamazoo.


_____________

House Bill 4754
(Spend $300,000 to open government "trade office" in Arabia)

Authorize spending $300,000 to open a Michigan "African and Mideast Trade Office" in Qatar or the United Arab Emirates.

Introduced by State Rep. George Cushingberry, D-Detroit.


_____________

Senate Bill 629
(Ban swimming from a pier)

Prohibit jumping, diving or swimming off any pier, jetty or breakwater in the Great Lakes, subject to a $500 fine.

Introduced by State Sen. Ron Jelinek, R-Three Oaks.


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.