I like peering through the list of bills in the hopper at the Capitol. The last time I did this, I assembled a list of the bills threatening collective bargaining (hours of work), only to have our database chew up the post the next day.
These pending bills are a random collection of good news and bad. The name of each bill is a hotlink to a downloadable PDF of its current version. The name of the sponsoring representative or senator is a hotlink to their website, so you can go there and give them your views. Let’s hope the tech gods leave this posting intact.
Nice timing on your birther bill
House Bill 4581 (2011) - Rep. Mike Callton (R): “Elections; ballots; proof of citizenship for presidential candidate to be placed on the ballot; require. Amends 1954 PA 116 (MCL 168.1 - 168.992) by adding sec. 696a.” Printed bill filed 04/27/2011 - the same day Barack Obama released his long-form birth certificate.
Good news for food entrepreneurs
House Bill 4114 (2011) - Rep. Nancy Jenkins (R) -Increases the cottage food bill’s gross sales from $15,000 to $30,000 a year.
A sensible exception to our Freedom of Information Act
House Bill 4261 (2011) - Rep. Tom McMillan (R) -”Crime victims; rights; names and addresses of minors who have been victims of child abuse or sex crimes; allow to be exempted from disclosure under freedom of information act.
Uh-oh And I thought you guys were going to focus on jobs
Senate Bill 0013 (2011) - Sen. Mark Gaines (R) - Law; other; definition of individual; specify to include fetus for purposes of statutory interpretation. Amends sec. 3 of 1846 RS 1 (MCL 8.3) & adds sec. 3x.
Haul them out in handcuffs, please
Senate Bill 0043 (2011) - Sen. Tupac Hunter (D) - “Financial institutions; generally; crime of residential mortgage fraud; establish. Amends 1931 PA 328 (MCL 750.1 - 750.568) by adding sec. 219d.”
Would allow reducing pay for state workers by 5%
Senate Joint Resolution B (2011) - Constitutional Amendment - Sen. John Pappageorge (R) - “Labor; public service employment; constitutional amendment for salary reduction for public employees and temporary pay freeze; provide for. Amends sec. 10, art. I, secs. 12 & 48, art. IV, sec. 23, art. V, secs. 3 & 18, art. VI, sec. 9, art. VII, secs. 5, 6 & 7, art. VIII & sec. 5, art. XI & adds sec. 9 to art. XI of the state constitution.”
Limiting college tuition hikes to the Consumer Price Index
House Joint Resolution D (2011) - Rep. Al Pscholka (R) - Higher education; tuition; in-state tuition rates of state universities; limit increases based on CPI in state constitution. Amends secs. 5 & 6, art. VIII & adds sec. 10 to art. VIII of the state constitution.
Turning civil service into a joke by requiring approval of governor and legislature for pay hikes
House Joint Resolution R (2011) - Rep. Eileen Kowall (R) - State agencies (existing); civil service; civil service commission’s authority to increase public employee compensation benefits without approval of legislature and governor; prohibit. Amends sec. 5, art. XI of the state constitution.
