HB 4625:  Juvenile Justice Task Force (JJTF) – require use of a screening tool for diversion of juveniles.

Sponsor: Rep. Carter (D)
Passage: 72-38 with Immediate Effect

Why I voted NO:  No change in current juvenile court practices is warranted.

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HB 4626:  Would limit to only 3 months the time period to complete the terms of a juvenile diversion agreement.

Sponsor: Rep. Hope (D)
Passage: 67-43 with Immediate Effect

Why I voted NO:  This change in law unnecessarily curtails the discretion of the juvenile court judge, who should have discretion to determine what type and length of diversion is appropriate to an individual case.

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HB 4628:  Would require courts to use a screening tool before placing a juvenile case on the consent calendar.

Sponsor: Rep. Brabec (D)
Passage: 74-36 with Immediate Effect

Why I voted NO:  The additional staffing needed to implement this new mandate will be expensive, and that the additional requirements will bog down the juvenile justice system unnecessarily.

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HB 4629:  Would require courts to use a detention screening tool before ordering the detention of any juvenile pending hearing.

Sponsor: Rep. O’Neal (D)
Passage: 61-49 with Immediate Effect

Why I voted NO:  It unnecessarily limits a juvenile judge’s discretion in making detention decisions.

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HB 4630:  Would expand the duties of the Michigan Indigent Defense Commission (MIDC) to include juvenile cases.

Sponsor: Rep. Lightner (R)
Passage: 85-25 with Immediate Effect

Why I voted NO:  This bill is a gift to the trial lawyers who would gain more public-funded court-appointed legal work.

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HB 4633:  Juvenile Justice Task Force (JJTF) – would alter the factors considered by the trial court when deciding whether to try a juvenile offender in the same manner as an adult. In addition, the bill would limit the time a juvenile can spend on the juvenile court’s consent calendar to 6 months.

Sponsor: Rep. Breen (D)
Passage: 58-52 with Immediate Effect

Why I voted NO:  This bill does not improve public safety outcomes, but simply makes it more difficult for trial judges to hold juvenile offenders accountable for their crimes.

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BILL PACKAGE HB 4636 & 4637:  Juvenile Justice Task Force (JJTF) – HB 4636 would eliminate the ability of juvenile court judges to assess late fees in juvenile prosecutions. HB 4637 would eliminate the ability of trial court judges to assess any fees or costs on juveniles tried as adults.

Sponsors: Reps. Dievendorf (D) & Glanville (D)
HB 4636 Passage: 58-52 with Immediate Effect

HB 4637 Passage: 56-54 with Immediate Effect

Why I voted NO:  No change in current juvenile court practices is warranted, and that elimination of monetary penalties simply encourages continued unlawful behavior. 

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BILL PACKAGE HB 4639, 4640, 4643:  Juvenile Justice Task Force (JJTF) – HB 4639 changes references in the Social Welfare Act from Children’s Ombudsman to Child Advocate, HB 4640 changes references in the Probate Code from Children’s Ombudsman to Child Advocate, HB 4643 changes references in the Foster Care and Adoption Services Act from Children’s Ombudsman to Child Advocate.

Sponsors: Reps. Edwards (D), Wilson (D), McKinney (D)
HB 4639 & 4640 Passages: 92-18 with Immediate Effect

HB 4643 Passage: 90-20 with Immediate Effect

Why I voted NO:  No change in current law is warranted.

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SB 384:  Amends the insurance code to prohibit denying or limiting disability, long-term care, or life insurance policies to living organ donors.

Sponsor: Sen. Hertel (D)
Passage: 104-6 with Immediate Effect

Why I voted YES:  This will remove a disincentive for individuals to become organ donors which are sorely in need across the country.

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SB 506:  MDARD Budget Implementation

Sponsor: Sen. Klinefelt (D)
Passage: 56-54 with Immediate Effect

Why I voted NO:  We need to end all frivolous bureaucracy fees in this state.

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SB 507:  Treasury Budget Implementation

Sponsor: Sen. Anthony (D)
Passage: 56-54 with Immediate Effect

Why I voted NO:  This legislation is paving the way for cities to more easily implement a city income tax.

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BILL PACKAGE SBs 508, 510:  MDARD Budget Implementations

Sponsors: Sens. Hertel (D) & Cavanaugh (D)
Passages: 56-54 with Immediate Effect

Why I voted NO:  SB 508: These members should not be paid this much compensation for travel expenses. SB 510: MDARD should be able to work within the original 30-day timeframe.

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SB 511:  Implements language from the Higher Education budget pertaining to Michigan Public School Employees’ Retirement System (MPSERS) unfunded liability payments for the seven universities in the MPSERS system.

Sponsor: Sen. McCann (D)
Passage: 65-45 with Immediate Effect

Why I voted NO:  While this legislation would mean that universities would put less money into MPSERS, this creates a financing gap that the state would have to fill on top of the $200 million appropriation the House made earlier this year.

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SB 55:  Amends the General Property Tax Act by making changes to the poverty property tax exemption.

Sponsor: Sen. Chang (D)
Passage: 86-24 with Immediate Effect

Why I voted NO:  The poverty property tax exemption program is working fine as is. There is no need to make any additional changes.

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HB 4861:  Allows Muskegon County to sell a plot of land that is currently restricted for public use.

Sponsor: Rep. Snyder (D)
Passage: 83-26 with Immediate Effect

Why I voted NO:  This is setting a bad precedent of needing to alter state law because a county is unhappy about the terms of a prior transaction.

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HB 5074:  Modifies the rules regarding economic development tax increment financing agreements to allow a retroactive 5-year extension on the initial 15-year capture cap

Sponsor: Rep. Snyder (D)
Passage: 63-46 with Immediate Effect

Why I voted NO:  Many of these deals have proven to be inefficient and unhelpful to residents. Any further expansion of these deals is misguided.

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HB 4965:  Amends the Uniform Video Services Local Franchise Act by amending the definition of video services.

Sponsor: Rep. Andrews (D)
Passage: 79-30 with Immediate Effect

Why I voted YES:  This will prevent providers and customers from being charged franchise fees, which would increase the cost of services.

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HB 4850:  Would allow active-duty military service personnel to seek an exemption from state jury service for the duration of their active-duty service period. To qualify for the exemption, active-duty military service members must present a copy of their active-duty military orders as proof of current service. This bill would serve as the state counterpart to the federal law that grants active-duty service members an exemption from jury service.

Sponsor: Rep. Glanville (D)
Passage: 86-23 with Immediate Effect

Why I voted NO:  Exempting active-duty military personnel from jury duty could strain the available juror pool, making it more challenging to assemble juries and potentially delaying or hindering the justice system’s functioning.

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HB 4942:  Provides for the transfer of ownership of the Roosevelt parking structure from the state of Michigan to the Michigan House of Representatives.

Sponsor: Rep. Dievendorf (D)
Passage: 56-53 with Immediate Effect

Why I voted NO:  If we’re so concerned with staff safety, we shouldn’t be prohibiting staff from carrying firearms on House property.

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HB 4844:  Modifies provisions surrounding student-athlete name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights, expressly prohibits institutions or other authorities from preventing NIL earnings, and sets guidelines for how institutions and staff can assist student-athletes in securing NIL deals.

Sponsor: Rep. Witwer (D)
Passage: 86-23 with Immediate Effect

Why I voted NO: This legislation doesn’t go far enough – we should allow the university (one of the entities profiting off student-athletes) to pay players directly.

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HB 4816:  Prohibits preventing high school students from receiving compensation for their name, image, or likeness (NIL).

Sponsor: Rep. Wilson (D)
Passage: 66-43 with Immediate Effect

Why I voted NO:  We’re opening the door to 14-year-olds being offered legal contracts for the rights to their name, image, and likeness – college students are one thing, but these are mostly minors.

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HB 4897:  Allows a county road commission to enter into an agreement with MDOT to perform road work and share equipment.

Sponsor: Rep. Shannon (D)
Passage: 109-0 with Immediate Effect

Why I voted YES:  Allows for greater cooperation and promotes efficiency based on the specific needs of the county and what the department can provide.

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HB 4608:  Would create licensure for dietician nutritionists and nutritionists along with requirements that must be met to qualify and licensing fees.

Sponsor: Rep. Pohutsky (D)
Passage: 63-46 with Immediate Effect

Why I voted NO:  The provisions of this bill are extensive and very restrictive and this will only limit individuals from participating or receiving help.

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HB 4718:  Would prohibit as a defense to a crime the fact that the victim had a certain sexual orientation or gender identity. Rep. Pohutsky refers to this bill as the “LGBTQ+ panic defense ban.”

Sponsor: Rep. Pohutsky (D)
Passage: 56-53 with Immediate Effect

Why I voted NO:  This one class of victims should not be singled out for special treatment, but that existing law should apply to all victims equally.