Tuesday, June 25th, 2024

I voted NO on HB 5803 (Rep. Koleszar) would lower the statutorily required MPSERS contribution for school districts by 7.06% and eliminate the employee healthcare contribution. EXPLANATION: This money should continue to go to MPSERS to pay down the pension system. It would be fiscally irresponsible to “shift” the money elsewhere, and against the intent of responsible MPSERS reforms made in the 2010s.

PASSED: 56-52

I voted YES on SB 482 (Sen. McDonald) would allow a sharps container to be stored in the location for longer than 90 days if the container is not more than 3/4 full. EXPLANATION: This will help alleviate the need for frequent disposal of empty sharps containers and lessen the disposal costs on smaller and more rural operations.

PASSED: 110-0

I voted NO on SB 449, 450 (Sens. Daley, Irwin) would require the Department of Health and Human Services to develop policies and rules focused on the nature and need for Complex Rehabilitative Technology (CRT) services necessary for individuals within the Medicaid program. EXPLANATION: This could lead to higher costs and the standards that can now be set, might keep business and innovation out of the marketplace.

PASSED: 104-6

I voted YES on HB 5060 (Rep. O’Neal) would repeal the Michigan Economic and Social Opportunity (MESO) Act of 1981. EXPLANATION: The opportunity to repeal government programs under Democrat leadership is a rare opportunity!

PASSED: 110-0

I voted NO on HB 5523 (Rep. Glanville) would create a new act that consolidates community action agency statutes and establishes the Bureau of Community Services and a Commission on Economic and Social Opportunity. EXPLANATION: Exempting community action agencies (CAAs) from FOIA and from legislative oversight on how the funds are distributed is opposite to public good and this bill further expands the administrative state as well as the welfare system.

PASSED: 84-26

I voted NO on HB 5191, 5192, 5193, 5194, 5195, 5196, 5197 (Reps. B. Carter, Neeley, Harris, McFall, Aragona, Fitzgerald) would amend multiple sections of the Insurance Code, penal code, and Health Care False Claims Act in order to strengthen anti-fraud insurance laws. EXPLANATION: On top of the privacy issues associated with this legislation, including insurance fraud in the definition of racketeering to allow duplicative charging will not help investigate or prevent insurance fraud. We have existing civil and criminal insurance fraud offenses and they are sufficient.

PASSED: 106-4, PASSED: 106-4, PASSED: 106-4, PASSED: 106-4, PASSED: 106-4, PASSED: 106-4, PASSED: 106-4

Wednesday, June 26th, 2024

I voted NO on HB 5827 (Rep.Whitsett) would increase the maximum number of weeks that an individual may receive unemployment compensation from 20 to 26 weeks beginning on January 1, 2025. EXPLANATION: This will lead to increased costs for employers because people will be drawing off unemployment for even longer. We should not be paying people not to work.

PASSED: 56-54

I voted NO on SB 571 (Sen. Cherry) would create a new state project registration and certified payroll database as well as add the prevailing wage requirements for both public and private solar and wind generation to the prevailing wage law. EXPLANATION: These changes would extend burdensome and costly prevailing wage requirements to the private sector for the first time and add another layer of bureaucracy that employers will have to deal with. This only leads to even higher energy costs to families.

PASSED: 56-54

I voted NO on HB 4409 (Rep. Steckloff) would create the Drug Manufacturers Data Reporting Act establishing transparency reporting requirements for drug manufacturers. EXPLANATION: These reporting requirements are burdensome. They will increase costs to consumers as the manufacturers may find a way to pass the cost on through their drug prices.

PASSED: 90-20

I voted NO on SB 293 (Sen. McDonald) would expand eligibility for MSHDA’s Michigan Housing and Community Development Fund (HCDF) to middle-income households (up to 120% AMI) and provide state/regional housing authorities greater flexibility to address “missing middle” housing needs. EXPLANATION: Not only will low-income housing see a reduction in money available, but by expanding housing assistance to middle-income households as well, we are continuing to fuel inflation and driving up the cost of homes in Michigan, which was the cause of the “missing middle” crisis in the first place.

POSTPONED: 53-54

I voted NO on SB 398 (Sen. McCann) would give DEGLE the authority to issue written emergency orders when inland lakes and streams are threatened with harm to “public health, safety, welfare, property, or the natural resources or the public trust in those natural resources.”  EXPLANATION:  Republicans have spent years and countless dollars trying to relieve Governor Whitmer of her ability to issue decrees and shut down our state. DEGLE currently has the authority for enforcement activities so there is absolutely no reason to give yet another executive branch arm the ability to shut down our lives.

PASSED: 56-54

I voted YES on HB 4728 (Rep. Rogers) would delete the requirement that a repeat donor of self-replicating body fluids (this primarily includes breast Milk and does not include sperm or blood) must be continually tested for HIV on a regular basis after an initial test, which is not less than every three months. EXPLANATION: This bill reduces the burden Michigan places on business by cutting red tape.

PASSED: 103-6

I voted NO on HB5027, 5166-5173 (Reps. Rogers, Pohutsky, Young, Neeley, Edwards, Hood, B. Carter, Grant, Glanville, Hope) would amend several acts to create a perinatal quality collaborative, provide perinatal facility level designations, and require health insurance to cover prenatal and postpartum services. EXPLANATION: These bills will increase costs in both the state Medicaid program and for private insurers. Further, they will create yet another layer of state government and bureaucracy.

PASSED: 91-18, PASSED: 87-22, PASSED: 101-8, PASSED: 89-20, PASSED: 102-7, PASSED: 90-19, PASSED: 97-12, PASSED: 70-39, PASSED: 99-10

I voted YES on HB 5699-5702 (Reps. Tsernoglu, Piaz, Koleszar, MacDonell) would modify the term of office for township, village, and city officials to ensure that elected officials are sworn into office no sooner than Noon on December 1st. This is in response to the changes from Proposal 22-2, which created scenarios where post-election canvasses cannot begin until at least 7 days following the election. EXPLANATION: This will help secure our elections by allowing the board of canvassers sufficient time to assess the security and accuracy of the election before certifying the results.

PASSED: 109-0, PASSED: 109-0, PASSED: 109-0, PASSED: 109-0

I voted NO on SB 544 & 545 (Sen. Klinefelt) would provide a license process for operation of a refrigeration facility and transportation removal service for deceased bodies. EXPLANATION: This would establish new licensing that would stop people from going into business. We would be spending taxpayer money hiring regulation agents and departmental analysts to basically impede people while they are trying to make a living.

PASSED: 76-33

I voted NO on SB 602 (Sen. Hertel) would provide consumer protections for a residential real estate owner who enters into a right-to-list home sale agreement with a real estate broker. EXPLANATION: More regulation is not what we need. People who choose to enter into fully legal right-to-list agreements should be able to do so and the state should not get in the way.

PASSED: 103-7

I voted NO on HB 5571-5576 (Reps. Tsernoglu, McKinney, Morgan, Andrews, Martus, Churches) would change the formatting requirements of petitions, changes the requirements for individuals circulating petitions, petitions proposing a constitutional amendment, 100-word summaries for ballot proposals, changes to the Board of State Canvassers determination process, changes to city and county clerk requirements, changes to how the board of state canvassers deals with the canvassing of petitions after the clerks send them to the Secretary of State, changes to  the requirements for the state board of canvassers regarding petitions, change the deadline by which the SOS must certify a proposed constitutional amendment or other special question for the ballot and modify the procedure by which local clerks are provided with the required related materials, changes the petition process for a candidate from a new political party.  EXPLANATION: These new substitutes are substantially different from the original legislation. The intent of the package as submitted by the Board of Canvassers is no longer clear. We are making changes that take the certainty out of the process and regulations. This will cause legal issues as things are challenged in court. We should not have advocacy groups (Voters Not Politicians) writing our laws.

PASSED: 56-54, PASSED: 56-54,PASSED: 56-54,PASSED: 56-54,PASSED: 56-54

I voted NO on HB 5683 & 5684 (Rep. Liberati) would expand the scope of practice for estheticians in our state by allowing them to practice all the skills they have learned and trained for during the pursuit of their professional license. EXPLANATION: Michigan should not be adding more barriers in front of people getting into business, Michigan should be removing them.

PASSED: 107-3,  PASSED: 106-4

I voted NO on SB 175 (Sen. Santana) amends the General Property Tax Act by increasing fines for those who fail to file a transfer of ownership on property with the local assessor. EXPLANATION: This increases fees by twenty times the prior fee when there is no need for it, especially for instances where an individual simply forgot to report the required information to the assessor.

PASSED: 56-54

I voted NO on HB 5661 & 5662 (Reps. McFall, Filler) would prohibit the use of an automated software program known as a “bot” from purchasing an excess amount of taylor swift tickets, or circumventing waiting periods and pre-sale codes for a beyonce concert. EXPLANATION: An “up-to $5,000 per ticket” civil fine for a smart business strategy, is exorbitant. People should be free to buy and sell things in order to make money, making that illegal is the opposite of what Michigan should be doing.

PASSED: 106-4, PASSED: 98-12

I voted NO on HB 5694 (Rep. Carter) would amend the Insurance Code by allowing insurers to offer or provide value-added products or services which are not specified in the policy coverage, if certain criteria are met. EXPLANATION: Giving a rogue director of the Department of Insurance and Financial Services permission to declare rules could lead to some erroneous rules being adopted. It could also mean that they could declare rules regarding consumer data protection, privacy and consumer disclosure.

PASSED: 104-6

I voted NO on SB 393 (Sen. Bayer) would repeal Part 26 (Environmental Science Advisory Board) of NREPA, which established the ESAB to advise the executive branch on issues affecting the protection of the environment or management of natural resources, upon request of the Governor. Would also repeal the Environmental Permit Review Commission (EPRC) and the process by which the Director of EGLE is advised on disputes related to permits and permit applications. EXPLANATION: The DEGLE rule-making process has been proven time and again to be out of control, so this is not an ideal solution, but these boards and commissions prevent the DEGLE bureaucrats from steamrolling over Michigan job providers with unnecessary rules and permit denials.

POSTPONED: 45-54

I voted NO on SB 662 (Sen. Bayer) would amend the definition of a “normal inland lake level” and amend the process for financing a “normal level project” by special assessment. EXPLANATION: What “removing the requirement of an election to approve financing costs under a certain amount” means, is another fancy way to increase our taxes. Michigan should be reducing people’s taxes, not coming up with new ways to increase them.

PASSED: 68-42

I voted NO on HB 5733 (Rep. Carter) would authorize the secretary of state to enter into agreements with bridge and tunnel toll facilities that implement automated tolling. Under the agreements, the Secretary of State must assist in the collection of tolls by rejecting vehicle registration renewal after an excessive number of unpaid tolls. EXPLANATION: The Secretary of State shouldn’t be helping toll operators collect revenue. Further, we should not have toll roads in Michigan at all.

PASSED: 70-40

I voted NO on HB 4062, 4063 & SB 205-207 (Reps. Conlin, Morgan & Sen. Cavanagh, Irwin, Bayer) would amend the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act by altering the title and including income source as a form of prohibited discrimination to prohibit landlords from discrimination based on “a tenant’s or prospective tenant’s source of income.” EXPLANATION: Making it so that property owners and landlords have to take on increased risk, as well as additional regulatory burdens by requiring them to adapt the government’s preferred screening processes, is utterly ridiculous. The government has no place in this. The property is theirs, they should be able to do as they please.

PASSED: 56-54, PASSED: 56-54, PASSED: 56-54, PASSED: 56-54, PASSED: 56-54

I voted YES on SB 150 (Sen. Chang) would amend the Tax Tribunal Act by allowing for residential property and small claims division hearings with the Michigan Tax Tribunal, to be conducted remotely. EXPLANATION: Allowing for remote hearings will save money for not only those petitioning, but the tribunal/court as well. Petitioners will be less likely to need to be burdened by traveling or taking time off work and other commitments, in order to argue against all the taxes the government imposes on them!

PASSED: 104-6

I voted NO on HB 5817 &  5818 (Reps. Carter, Steckloff) would exempt Museum Authorities from Brownfield Redevelopment Act taxation and Tax Increment Financing taxation. EXPLANATION: Taxpayers should not be forced to support museums they will never use. Museums have the ability to support themselves through private donations, user fees, and other revenues. Residents are already taxed too much on their property so we shouldn’t allow even more property taxes to be levied.

PASSED: 56-54, PASSED: 56-54

I voted NO on HB 5507 (Rep. Andrews) general omnibus spending bill containing appropriations for the upcoming fiscal year, FY 24-25. EXPLANATION: This budget doubles down on failed policies. Michigan needs to reduce taxes, cut red tape, and increase accountability. Instead, the Democrat budget pushes a liberal social agenda and unionization, solidifies tax hikes, dismantles transparency measures, and funnels resources into special interests at the expense of the taxpayer. This budget blatantly disregards the needs of Michigan’s people.

PASSED: 56-54

I voted NO on SB 911 (Sen. Hertel) creates an unfunded liability for the contribution rate of payroll, to retiree health benefits. Further, if someone became a member before September 4, 2012, there would be no member contribution required at all. EXPLANATION: This could lead to insolvency of the retirement benefits for public school teachers.

PASSED: 56-54

I voted NO on HB 4485-4487 (Reps. Miller, Whitsett, Scott) would eliminate the period of limitations for criminal prosecutions for criminal sexual conduct, modify governmental immunity for civil tort actions, and provide an exception to notice requirements for actions filed against the state of Michigan in the Court of Claims. EXPLANATION: No change in law is necessary, statutes of limitation are important and should remain as is.

PASSED: 57-53, PASSED: 58-52, PASSED: 56-54

I voted NO on HB 5736 (Rep. Mantzer) would require an employer to display a poster at their place of business that lists available services to veterans. EXPLANATION: This is just another regulation that the state is forcing employers to comply with even if they don’t have a veteran working for them.

PASSED: 56-54

I voted NO on SB 366 (Sen. McCann) – increases the penalties for natural gas safety violations. EXPLANATION: Increasing the maximum penalty from $10,000 to $200,000 is an unreasonable and over-the-top twentyfold increase.

PASSED: 89-21

I voted NO on HB 5568 (Rep. Scott) would create the Michigan High-Speed Internet Office within the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. EXPLANATION: This expands the size and authority of the state government with little legislative oversight.

PASSED: 56-54

I voted NO on HB 4414 (Rep. Scott) would require the Department of Technology, Management, and Budget (DTMB) to collaborate with the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) to create and collate digital literacy resources. LEO is then responsible for posting them on the department website. EXPLANATION: There is nothing stopping the department from doing this. It’s an unnecessary waste of time and resources to be focused on a bill that directs an executive agency to do something that they could already do.

PASSED: 56-54

I voted NO on HB 5724 (Rep. Breen) would adopt a new act called the “Judicial Protection Act”, designed to protect the personal information and physical safety for judges, their families and household members. EXPLANATION:  If this is important, it should apply to every Michigan Citizen. We should not be giving Judges and their families special treatment, especially when it will be exceedingly difficult to put into practice on a small scale, given the details of how to redact judges’ information from various types of public records.

PASSED: 81-27

I voted NO on HB 4718 (Rep. Pohutsky) would prohibit as a defense to a crime the fact that the victim had a certain sexual orientation or gender identity. Extreme Leftists refer to this bill as the “Gay panic defense ban.” EXPLANATION: This is a bill that is a solution in search of a problem. This one class of victims should not be singled out for special treatment. Law should apply to all victims equally.

PASSED: 56-54

I voted NO on HB 4331& 4332 (Rep. Whitsett) increases Michigan’s fire insurance escrow program by increasing the residential withholding amount to match the current cost of demolitions and allowing cities to use abandoned funds for repairs. EXPLANATION: This creates yet another revenue generator for cities that could be abused. Central planning bills like these ensure that Michigan will continue to make sure that people cannot afford a home.

PASSED: 96-14, PASSED: 69-41

I voted NO on HB 5056 & 5058 (Reps. Miller, Bierlein) would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to require the Secretary of State (SOS) to create a Michigan 4-H fundraising plate and establish the Michigan 4-H Foundation Fund within the department of Treasury. EXPLANATION: The State of Michigan should not be hosting fundraisers for causes even if they are noble and legislators should be focused on more important things.

PASSED: 109-1, PASSED: 109-1

I voted NO on HB 5429 (Rep. Morse) would create a new act to establish a Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program. This would be a program in which each court in the state may participate, on a voluntary basis. The court would appoint a CASA volunteer in child-protective proceedings, to advocate for the child’s best interests. EXPLANATION:  There is no funding mechanism established for this program, yet it would increase expenditures for every local government that participated. Kent county program for example costs 2.5 million dollars each year. There are numerous examples of Family Court and CPS targeting conservatives.

PASSED: 99-11

I voted NO on HB 4921 & 5726 (Reps. Fitzgerald, McFall) would authorize automated speed enforcement devices to be placed in school zones and ensure fine revenues received are allocated to the county treasurer. EXPLANATION: It is unclear how this video surveillance system could identify the driver of the vehicle in question. For example, speeding tickets are issued to drivers, not to registered owners of vehicles. Further, more harm is done to children within the schools than at the bus stops.

PASSED: 60-50, PASSED: 60-50

I voted NO on HB 5535 & 5536 (Reps. Aragona, Liberati) would increase maximum pawn interest rates in Michigan. EXPLANATION: If someone wants to buy and sell goods they should not be impeded by the government. The state has no role here.

PASSED: 88-22, PASSED: 90-20

I voted YES on HB 4613 (Rep. Prestin) would amend the Public Health Code by extending a temporary license for an EMTs or paramedic from 120 days to 1 year. EXPLANATION: Michigan already requires this license. It should be repealed to allow for a free market, but extending a temporary license is better than nothing.

PASSED: 110-0

I voted NO on HB 4723 (Rep. Morgan) would create a special Merchant Marines registration plate for individuals and/or their spouses that were or are currently a member of the United States Merchant Marines. EXPLANATION: Adding additional plates further increases the administrative cost to the SOS.

PASSED: 104-6

I voted YES on SB 716 (Sen. Klinefelt) Authorizes historic vehicles to have a personalized license plate for a fee of $150 dollars. EXPLANATION: This provides greater freedom because individuals can customize their historic vehicles and there is 10-year eligibility.

PASSED: 109-0

I voted NO on SB 747 (Sen. Anthony) FY 2024-25 General Omnibus Budget. EXPLANATION: Funding far-left programs while ignoring the priorities of Michigan families is a terrible plan. It also spends tax dollars to implement Green New Scams, dedicates funding for gun grabs and creates carve-outs designed for Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers. And lastly, this budget is racist against white people.

PASSED: 56-54

I voted YES on HB 5635 (Rep. Kunse) Designates a portion of highway US-131 in Mecosta County as the “Sgt. Matthew Webber Memorial Highway.” EXPLANATION: This highway naming is paid for with private funds and it  allows us to express our gratitude and appreciation for Sgt. Matthew Webber and the ultimate sacrifice he made to protect our country.

PASSED: 110-0

I voted NO on HB 5826 (Rep. Xiong) would create a new act to establish a doula scholarship program. EXPLANATION: This bill is unnecessary because it can already be done through an appropriation. The government should not be using taxpayer money to pay for someone else’s education anyway.

PASSED: 58-52

I voted NO on HB 5696 (Rep. Price) would remove conflicting statutory language and delinks the definition of alterations and excessive/unusual noise from decibel levels. This would eliminate the affirmative defense of those who have altered their exhaust system to produce excess noise. EXPLANATION: Issuing tickets for vehicle exhaust is wasting the time of law enforcement in Michigan. Just another way to Californicate Michigan and it’s a major affront to car enthusiasts.

POSTPONED: 42-49