Local representative votes against ban on use of "mobile electronics" while driving
Tales From Lansing
This update is compiled from official records held at legislature.michigan.gov.
Sen. Ed McBroom listening to a constituent at an office hour meeting in Ontonagon. November 2021.
Sen. Ed McBroom
Email: SenEMcBroom@senate.michigan.gov
Phone: 866-305-2038
Sponsored bills introduced
Sen. Ed McBroom has introduced no bills in January 2022.
Votes of note
Sen. Ed McBroom did not vote on 2022’s Senate Resolution 101, which condemns the federal mandate that Head Start staff and other workers be vaccinated and that anyone over 2 years old wears a mask.
From page 2 of Senate Resolution 101
The resolution passed 22-16, strictly along party lines, with two Republicans and one Democrat not voting.
Sen. McBroom joined Democrats in opposing Senate Bill 546, which gives special, temporary fee discounts and loosens limitations on “millionaire parties”, which are fundraisers styled after casino gambling. The bill passed the Senate 23 to 15 and has been referred to the House Committee on Regulatory Reform.
Sen. McBroom was one of only four votes against Senate Bill 706, which establishes the definition and permits the construction of an “automated vehicle roadway” or lane, which would be reserved for vehicles operating autonomously. The bill has been passed on to the House Committee on Transportation.
Rep. Greg Markkanen speaking to a constituent in Ontonagon. November 2021.
Rep. Greg Markkanen
Email: GregMarkkanen@house.mi.gov
Phone: 517-373-0850
Sponsored bills introduced
Rep. Greg Markkanen has introduced no bills in January 2022.
Votes of note
Rep. Greg Markkanen voted against House Bill 4277, House Bill 4278, and House Bill 4279 which all aim to increase limitations and penalties for use of a cell phone while driving. 4277 bans the use of any “mobile electronic device” while driving except for speaking on a hands-free or voice-activated phone. 4278 would authorize a penalty point on a driver’s license for the second violation of that ban. 4279 deals with the keeping of records pertaining to the ban. The bills passed with a 75-vote, mixed-party majority. They’re now in the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
Tales from Lansing
November & December legislation
This update is compiled from official records held at legislature.michigan.gov.
Sen. Ed McBroom listening to a constituent at an office hour meeting in Ontonagon. November 2021.
Sen. Ed McBroom
Email: SenEMcBroom@senate.michigan.gov
Phone: 866-305-2038
Sponsored bills introduced
In November, Sen. Ed McBroom introduced only one bill, SB 0728, which had the main goal of clarifying that the Open Meetings Act also applies to the independent citizens redistricting commission. The redistricting commission was recently ordered by the Michigan Supreme Court to release notes and audio recordings from a meeting it held that was closed to public observers. The bill passed unanimously in the Senate and 100 to 2 in the House. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the bill into law on Dec. 23, 2021.
Sen. McBroom introduced no bills in December.
Votes of note
At the beginning of November, Sen. Ed McBroom voted in favor of Senate Resolution 86. The resolution condemns a U.S. Department of Justice memorandum that announces action on organizing the FBI with local law enforcement to prevent harassment and violence against civil servants, particularly school board members. The resolution says such action inhibits the free speech of parents. The resolution was adopted by the senate strictly on party lines, with 20 Republicans in favor (one not voting) and 16 Democrats against.
Sen. McBroom was the lone vote in the Senate against House Bill 4921. It changes the annual required financial reporting for licensed marijuana sellers to a three-year requirement. The bill was signed into law by Gov. Whitmer on Dec. 7, 2021.
In December, Sen. McBroom was also the only senator to oppose the authorization of “robo-bartenders” - alcohol dispensing machines. The bill contains limitations on volume and human monitoring. It was received in the House and waits for review by the House Regulatory Reform Committee.
Sen. McBroom was one of just three senators to oppose authorizing the deduction of gambling losses. The bill received bipartisan support in the House and was signed into law by the governor on Dec. 23, 2021.
Sen. McBroom split from most of his party and voted against House Bill 4294, which allows school employees who are otherwise unqualified to act as teachers to be hired as substitutes for the rest of the 2021-2022 school year. The bill narrowly passed the House mostly on party lines with Republican support and was signed into law by Gov. Whitmer on Dec. 23, 2021. Sen. McBroom has a history as a school teacher.
Editor’s note: This is not an exhaustive list of votes. Routine bill packages, many party-line or unanimous votes, and bills being followed by mainstream media are generally not included. The intent is to spotlight votes our local legislators have made that might be unexpected or otherwise unnoticed by Lansing-based media. If you’d like a more complete record of your representatives’ votes, I recommend MichiganVotes.org, which has a fairly up-to-date and easily searchable summary.
Rep. Greg Markkanen speaking to a constituent in Ontonagon. November 2021.
Rep. Greg Markkanen
Email:
GregMarkkanen@house.mi.gov
Phone: 517-373-0850
Sponsored bills introduced
Rep. Greg Markkanen introduced no bills in November or December.
Votes of note
Rep. Greg Markkanen voted in favor of House Bill 5097 in November. The bill prohibits the promotion of “any form of race or gender stereotyping”, including “anything that could be understood as implicit race or gender stereotyping”. It also includes the below definition for race and gender stereotyping:
Excerpt from HB 5097
All the Republicans present voted for the bill, while no Democrats cast a vote at all. The bill was passed on to the Senate and has been in the Committee on Education and Career Readiness since.
Rep. Markkanen cast his vote in favor of House Bill 5368, which specifies that court records cannot have the name or date of birth redacted when supplied to the public. The bill passed the House early in November with some support from Democrats and has since been in the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
Rep. Markkanen was one of about half of House Republicans that joined with Democrats to approve Senate Bill 103. The bill “provides for the rights” of electric transmission line owners to construct transmission lines under certain conditions. It was signed into law on Dec. 15, 2021.
Rep. Markkanen voted in favor of House Bill 4232, which would lower the legal age for selling or serving alcohol to 17 years old. The bill is now in the Senate Committee on Regulatory Reform.
Rep. Markkanen voted against Senate Bill 0245 and Senate Bill 0242, which have been signed into law. It makes the terms for county commissioners 4 years long, instead of the two-year terms they had before.
Rep. Markkanen, formerly a school teacher, voted in favor of House Bill 4294, which allows school employees that are not otherwise legally qualified to teach to be hired as substitute teachers. The vote was very near a strict party-line vote.
Rep. Markkanen also voted for Senate Bill 0764, which allows for the deduction of gambling losses from an individual’s taxes. The bill has been signed into law.
Editor’s note: This is not an exhaustive list of votes. Routine bill packages, many party-line or unanimous votes, and bill packages being followed by mainstream media are generally not included. The intent is to spotlight votes our local legislators have made that might be unexpected or otherwise unnoticed by Lansing-based media. If you’d like a more complete record of your representatives’ votes, I recommend MichiganVotes.org, which has a fairly up-to-date and easily searchable summary.
Tales from Lansing
McBroom votes down "carveout" for feminine hygiene products, Markkanen asks for the resignation of official on the job for less than 1 year, votes to shoot down local Airbnb zoning
This update is compiled from official records held at legislature.michigan.gov.
Sen. Ed McBroom
Email: SenEMcBroom@senate.michigan.gov
Phone: 866-305-2038
Sponsored bills introduced
Senator Ed McBroom introduced Senate Bill 681, to rename the M-69 bridge over the Paint River to the “Clark Schwedler Memorial Bridge”. No vote has occurred.
Clark Schwedler grew up in Crystal Falls and was a U.S. Navy Seal. He died in Iraq in April of 2007.
Sen. McBroom also introduced Senate Bill 682 in October. The bill would create the Office of Rural Development within the existing Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The bill assigns duties to the office including work to identify opportunities for rural businesses, analyze energy and infrastructure issues, assist with grant applications, and more. No vote has occurred.
Sen. McBroom also cosponsored Senate Bill 703, an appropriations bill for northern Michigan recreation and state parks. It would dedicate $310 million to the Department of Natural Resources, $250 million to address deferred maintenance on infrastructure in state parks, $30 million for Mackinac Island State Park, and $30 million for the Northern Michigan Regional Tourism and Sports Fund.
Votes of note
Editor’s note: This is not an exhaustive list of votes. Unanimous votes, party-line votes, and routine bill packages are generally not included as they are typically covered by other media sources. The intent is to spotlight votes our local legislators have made that might be unexpected or otherwise unnoticed. If you’d like a more complete record of your representatives’ votes, I recommend MichiganVotes.org, which has a fairly up-to-date and easily searchable summary. Ballotpedia.org also has some good information.
Sen. McBroom was one of two Republican senators that voted against House Bill 4485 when it came up before them. The bill would extend the sunset on a 50 cent cap on the tobacco tax placed on cigars. Four Democrats also voted against the bill, but it still passed.
Sen. McBroom was one of two senators who voted against exempting feminine hygiene products from use tax with Senate Bill 153 and House Bill 5267. Sen. McBroom said that carveouts in the property tax laws had and were again causing problems, and starting to make similar carveouts in the sales tax portion “undermines the broadness and the scope of the sales tax”. He said he could only support such a change if it were in the context of a broader discussion and overhaul of the tax law.
He was joined by Senator Lana Theis, who said parents were more concerned about children being forced to wear masks in schools than taxes on feminine hygiene products.
Rep. Greg Markkanen
Email: GregMarkkanen@house.mi.gov
Phone: 517-373-0850
Sponsored bills introduced
Representative Greg Markkanen introduced House Bill 5365, which modifies the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to work with House Bill 5367, which HB 5365 is tie-barred with.
House Bill 5367, proposed by Representative Beau LaFave, essentially repeals the requirement to get a special license to carry a weapon in public spaces by gutting the law of the definition for “acceptable proof”, among other things.
Rep. Markkanen also introduced House Bill 5450 in October. The bill would reduce sentencing guidelines for defendants who have been honorably discharged from the military or completed a term with the AmeriCorps or Peace Corps or another community service (including employment). No vote has occurred on the bill.
Votes of note
Rep. Markkanen was one of several Republican representatives to vote in favor of House Bill 5043, which directs the Department of Education to establish a home-based family child care network. The network would offer participants coaching, professional development, and other operational supports. It was passed by the House and is currently in the Senate Committee on Families, Seniors, and Veterans, under chairperson John Bizon.
Rep. Markkanen was among the majority who voted for House Bill 5003, which increases fees on surface discharge permits. Fourteen other Republicans split from their party to vote against the measure. The bill was signed into law by Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Oct. 19.
Rep. Markkanen voted in favor of House Resolution 175, which calls for the resignation of Acting Director of the Unemployment Insurance Agency Liza Estlund Olson because of (in short) mismanagement. Olson was appointed by Gov. Whitmer on Nov. 5, 2020.
In a mixed vote, Rep. Markkanen joined with several other Republicans and Democrats to pass licensure mandates and a $75/per charger fee on paid electric vehicle charging service stations in House Bill 4801.
In a mixed vote, Rep. Markkanen voted in favor of House Bill 4722, which would keep local governments from enforcing zoning restrictions on “Airbnb-style” short-term rentals. Only certain regulations on noise, advertising, and other nuisances would be allowed under the law.
Tales from Lansing
A quick review of our representative's actions in the state capitol
Editor’s Note: Forgot to catch up with July, so this is a “twofer”, July and August. Luckily, summer is pretty slow in Lansing.
Sen. Ed McBroom
Email: SenEMcBroom@senate.michigan.gov
Phone: 866-305-2038
Sponsored bills introduced
Sen. Ed McBroom has introduced only two bills since the end of June.
Senate Bill 0595 would allow county taxes on hotel and motel rooms to be extended to short-term rentals (commonly called AirBnBs). It was referred to the Senate Committee on Economic and Small Business Development in mid-July and hasn’t seen any action since.
Senate Bill 0594 would allow counties to impose a 3% tax on short-term rentals, too. It was referred to the same committee.
You can see all the bills Sen. McBroom has sponsored by clicking here.
Votes of note
On July 15, Sen. McBroom voted in favor of repealing the 1945 emergency powers law.
He also supported a bill to spend money supporting auto crash injury rehab facilities after insurance reforms threatened their financial stability, and the waiving of drivers license renewal late fees until the Secretary of State fully reopens (for walk-in service).
You can review Sen. McBroom’s voting record by clicking here.
Rep. Greg Markkanen
Email: GregMarkkanen@house.mi.gov
Phone: 517-373-0850
Sponsored bills introduced
Rep. Greg Markkanen has introduced one bill since the last update.
House Bill 5256 establishes new rules for debt collectors, specifically, that written notice must be sent to debtors five days ahead of any other contact. The notice must include the amount of the debt claim, the name of the original creditor, the name of the collection agency, and more.
It also requires the collection agency to “contact a debtor” about claims of economic abuse but doesn’t specify what action should be taken if that economic abuse is proven. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Regulatory Reform and has seen no action since.
The bill is tie-barred with House Bill 5257.
Votes of note
Rep. Markkanen voted in favor of House Bill 4788, which would allow for local voter initiatives that could place term limits on village councilors. It passed the House 59 to 49 and is now in the Senate Committee on Elections.
Rep. Markkanen also favored making some drunk driving convictions expungable by voting for HB 4219 and 4220, and extending the .08 blood/alcohol content limit for drunk driving. The BAC limit was originally lowered from .1 to .08 to maintain access to federal gas tax dollars. These three bills have all been signed into law by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Bills on unemployment, property tax, wolf management, and more
What’s been happening in Lansing during June?
Michigan Legislative Action, June 2021
Sen. Ed McBroom
Email: SenEMcBroom@senate.michigan.gov
Phone: 866-305-2038
Sponsored bills introduced
Sen. Ed McBroom introduced Senate Bill 531 early in June. This bill would require the unemployment insurance agency to get background checks on independent contractors, and their employees. It was referred to the Committee on Economic and Small Business Development and there has been no further movement.
Sen. McBroom introduced Senate Bill 541, which creates a homestead property tax exemption for the surviving spouse of a person who dies on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces if they have not remarried. It is currently held by the Committee on Finance.
Sen. McBroom also introduced Senate Bill 540, which would shift the cost of property tax exemptions granted to disabled veterans from the county to the state through reimbursement. This bill was referred to the Committee on Finance. Tie-barred with it is Senate Bill 539, which prescribes more of the process.
At the end of June, Sen. McBroom introduced Senate Bill 590, which would require conservation officers to wear body cameras while on duty. It has been referred to the Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
Sen. McBroom also introduced Senate Bill 581, which sets the penalty for someone who injures a “vulnerable roadway user” as not more than 5 years in prison, a $5,000 fine, or both. It is tie-barred with Senate Bill 580, which defines a vulnerable roadway user as pedestrians, bicyclists, people using wheelchairs, or others “operating or riding a transportation device in compliance with this act [the law]”.
Votes of note
Sen. McBroom voted in favor of Senate Bill 458, requiring the governor to notify legislators when traveling out of state, and against Sen. Jeff Irwin’s proposed amendment to waive the requirement for legislators believed to be “a security risk to this state because of his or her affiliations with a domestic terrorist organization.” The bill and amendment passed and failed, respectively, along strict party lines. The bill has been received by the House and referred to a committee.
Sen. McBroom’s bill to limit the membership of the Wolf Management Advisory Council to residents of the Upper Peninsula until studies find a wolf population in the Lower Peninsula passed the Senate along party lines and has been referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation.
Sen. McBroom voted with a mix of Democrats and Republicans that supported waiving driver’s license fees until the Secretary of State offices are “fully open”, which includes at least 25 hours a week of walk-in service. The bill passed the Senate, was amended and passed by the House — where Rep. Greg Markkanen also voted in favor — and has now been returned to the Senate for confirmation.
Sen. McBroom voted in favor of Senate Bill 393, which would grant a tax break to restaurants, taverns, hotels, and other commercial businesses that had to close under pandemic orders for at least six weeks, along with other restrictions. The bill passed with solely Republican support and is now in the House Committee on Tax Policy.
Sen. McBroom supported Senate Bill 285, which would require identification to vote with some exceptions. It passed along party lines with Republican support. The bill is now in the House Committee on Elections and Ethics.
Sen. McBroom also voted yes on Senate Bill 379, which prohibits the governor from selling bonds to fund road repairs without approval from two-thirds of the House and Senate. It passed on party lines and is now in the House Committee on Transportation.
Finally, Sen. McBroom supported Senate Bill 28, which would grant $25 million to certain rehab clinics that are reported to be in danger of closing after fee caps in the 2019 auto insurance reform law take effect this year. It was presented to the governor on July 1.
Rep. Greg Markkanen
Email: GregMarkkanen@house.mi.gov
Phone: 517-373-0850
Sponsored bills introduced
Rep. Greg Markkanen, with fellow U.P. representatives Sara Cambensy and Beau LaFave, proposed House Bill 4978, which would exempt interstate truckers from a fuel tax reciprocity agreement. The bill has been referred to the Committee on Transportation and hasn’t received a vote or any fiscal analysis yet.
House Bill 4976, which exempts truckers from state sales and use tax on fuel if they are subject to fuel tax reciprocity agreements, has also been referred to the same committee and has not been analyzed.
Likewise, House Bill 4977, which amends the rules for entering into fuel tax reciprocity agreements, has not seen any action since being introduced.
Rep. Markkanen is also a sponsor of House Bill 5046, which has support from both major political parties. It sets a time limit of 90 days for child care centers or group homes to come into compliance with new rules.
Votes of note
Rep. Markkanen voted in favor of House Bill 4667, to prohibit state or local governments from issuing COVID-19 “vaccine passports”. While the bill passed mostly along party lines, it did have some support from a handful of House Democrats as well. The bill passed on to the Senate but has yet to receive a vote there.
Rep. Markkanen also supported House Joint Resolution D, which would let voters decide if a two-thirds majority of the House or Senate could suspend the salary and expense allowances of another member. It would also require roll call votes to give a law immediate effect after passage. The bill moved on to the Senate but has not received a vote there.
House Bill 4685 also received a ‘Yes’ vote from Sen. Markkanen. This bill would impose a personal financial disclosure mandate on state officers from the governor to members of state university governing boards. It passed the House with a mix of support from Democrats and Republicans but has not been voted on in the Senate.
The story is nearly the same for House Bill 4684, which would impose similar disclosure mandates on members of the legislature. However, these reports would be exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.
Rep. Markkanen and other Michigan House Republicans joined with two House Democrats to pass House Bill 4434, which will cancel the state’s participation in the federal $300 boost to unemployment benefits. The bill was originally introduced to require the unemployment agency to use plainer language in its communications but was amended before being passed. It was amended again by the Senate — where Sen. McBroom also supported it — and concurred to in the House.
Legistlative Update, May 2021
Sen. Ed McBroom
Email: SenEMcBroom@senate.michigan.gov
Phone: 866-305-2038
Sponsored bills introduced:
Senator Ed McBroom introduced three bills during the month of May.
Senate Bill 443 - This bill would require the secretary of state to develop a license plate that featured the outline of the Upper Peninsula, and offer that license plate to vehicle owners. The proceeds from the specialty fundraising plate would go to the Great Lakes Sports Commission. The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, led by Sen. Tom Barrett(R).
//I might actually need to find someone to explain this one to me. The Headlee Amendment is already near-incomprehensible. From what I can discern, the bill is intended to more clearly define what an unfunded mandate from the state is, and create a legal path for municipalities to hold the state accountable for not meeting those obligations.
An excerpt from S.B. 449
The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Oversight, led by Sen. McBroom himself.
Senate Bill 486 - This bill would require that all members of the Wolf Management Advisory Council be residents of the Upper Peninsula, until such time that tracking finds a wolf population in the Lower Peninsula. It was referred to the Senate Committee on Natural Resources, of which Sen. McBroom is the chairperson, and has already been reported back to the Senate.
Sen. McBroom also offered an amendment to Senate Bill 90 which would require the state to pay the legal fees of Enbridge if the company wins the lawsuit currently being fought over Line 5. The bill passed the Senate along party lines with Republicans in support, but the Senate unanimously voted against a substitute approved by the House which only budgeted $100.
//A full list of Sen. McBroom’s sponsored legislation is available on legislature.mi.gov.
Votes of note:
May was a full month of legislative sessions, and there were many, many votes in the Senate. Many of them were for appropriations and spending. Below I’ve highlighted votes on items you may have seen elsewhere in the news, or that you might expect to see soon.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently signed legislation that Sen. McBroom proposed. Senate Bill 118, to reduce the sanctions on schools that hire staff that doesn’t meet licensure mandates, passed the Senate and House unanimously before being signed by the governor on May 19.
Another bill from Sen. McBroom may also be destined for the governor’s desk soon. Senate Bill 400, which would allow for the expungement of a first drunk driving offense under some conditions, passed the Senate 35-1 and the House 91-18, where Rep. Greg Markkanen also supported it. It needs another concurring vote from the Senate before heading to Gov. Whitmer.
Sen. McBroom voted in favor of Senate Bill 428, which would ban the state or local health department from requiring children under the age of 5 to wear a mask.
Sen. McBroom supported the recently-vetoed legislation that would have exempted high school graduation ceremonies from state pandemic restrictions.
Senate Bill 457, to ban requirements for minors to get vaccinated under emergency orders, also received a stamp of approval from Sen. McBroom. The bill is now in the House.
Sen. McBroom supported House Bill 4448, which prohibits the limiting of open records disclosures under the Freedom of Information Act during emergencies, as was done for two months in 2020. The bill was forwarded to the governor and vetoed.
In an interestingly split vote, Sen. McBroom and six other Republican senators voted against the rest of their party and Senate Bill 429. The bill would establish a state permit mandate for sand and gravel mining that would preempt locally imposed restrictions and mandates. It passed the Senate, 19-17. Sen. McBroom also opposed two related bills, Senate Bills 430 and 431.
Sen. McBroom is also among the majority who support making county commissioner terms four years instead of two, with Senate Bills 242 and 245, having sponsored SB 242 himself.
Rep. Greg Markkanen
Email: GregMarkkanen@house.mi.gov
Phone: 517-373-0850
Sponsored bills introduced:
House Bill 4788 - This bill would create a process for putting term limits on elected village officers through a ballot initiative. It’s been referred to the House Committee on Elections and Ethics, led by Rep. Ann Bollin.
House Bill 4748 - This bill waives the written driver’s license test in addition to the skills test for “an individual with military commercial motor vehicle experience…” It’s been referred to the House Committee on Transportation, which is led by Rep. Jack O’Malley.
House Bills 4806 and 4807 - These bills revise the law that prescribes the steps and requirements to acquire easements under condemnation to install power lines. More specifically, it changes the definition of who can undertake the process.
//I’m not sure of the significance of this, but it must be important to someone for Rep. Markkanen to spend time on it.
The bill has now been forwarded to the House Committee on Energy, led by Rep. Joe Bellino.
//A full list of Rep. Markkanen’s sponsored legislation is available at legislature.mi.gov.
Votes of note:
Rep. Markkanen cast more than 100 votes in May, many of them on budget and appropriations bills. The following are votes that stand out.
Rep. Markkanen voted with the rest of the House to pass House Bill 4591, which would prevent the state from entering severance and confidentiality agreements similar to the one entered with former MDHHS Director Robert Gordon. The bill has been sent to the Senate, and is now in the Senate Committee on Oversight, chaired by Sen. McBroom.
Rep. Markkanen voted in favor of the newsmaking House Bill 4728, which would have exempted high school graduation ceremonies from pandemic restrictions had it not been vetoed by Gov. Whitmer.
Rep. Markkanen also supported House Bill 4001, which expands the conflict of interest rules to prohibit members of the legislature from voting on an issue in which they have a personal or professional interest. It passed the House 105-3 and is now in the Senate Committee on Government Operations, led by Sen. Mike Shirkey.
Rep. Markkanen supported House Bill 4293, which would add substitute teacher jobs to the things teachers’ unions cannot bargain over. The bill passed 56-52 and is now in the Senate Committee on Education and Career Readiness, led by Sen. Lana Theis.
Rep. Markkanen was one of the 62 representatives that support House Bill 4667, which prohibits the creation or issuing (or even the incentivization to use) a “vaccination passport.” The bill is now in the Senate Committee on Health Policy and Human Services, led by Sen. Curtis VanderWall.
Legislation in February
McBroom’s bills and resolutions-
(resolutions are non-binding)
Sandhill cranes grazing in a field. Photo courtesy of Mark Moschell/Creative Commons.
This week, Sen. Ed McBroom(R) introduced Senate Resolution 20, to encourage the Natural Resources Commission to add Eastern sandhill cranes to the game species list. The resolution has been referred to the Senate Natural Resources Committee, which McBroom chairs.
McBroom’s co-resolution with Sen. Jon Bumstead(R), Senate Resolution 15 urging the NRC to authorize--and the Department of Natural Resources to organize--wolf hunts, was returned from the Natural Resources committee favorably, and without amendment. On the Natural Resources Committee with McBroom are Senators Bumstead, Rick Outman(R), Wayne Schmidt(R) and Sean McCann(D).
Also referred to the Natural Resources committee is McBroom’s Senate Bill 178, which would allow for reimbursement from the Department of Treasury if drink distributors have redeemed more 10 cent bottle deposits than they charged. This is a bill reintroduced from an earlier legislative session.
He also reintroduced a bill from before, now Senate Bill 177, that would allow for the expungement of the first offense for operating while intoxicated, under certain conditions. It has been referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
Senate Bill 160, embedded below, would require that DNR officers would need a warrant in most cases to search or enter private property. McBroom introduced it this week and it has been referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety.
On Feb. 18, McBroom introduced Senate Resolution 16, which is in support of the mining industry. It’s been referred to the Senate Committee for Economic and Small Business Development.
A recent success for McBroom came in the unanimous passage of Senate Bill 119, which he introduced early in February. This week it passed the Senate and has now been sent to the House Committee on Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation. The bill, embedded below, would change the details of mine-inspector requirements, notably requiring one in any county with an abandoned mine.
McBroom has introduced several other bills this year, but none of them has received a vote yet.
Markkanen’s bills and resolutions
House Rep. Greg Markkanen this week introduced House Bill 4329 (included below), which would apply the same standards of legislative approval applied to the emergency health and safety orders in House Bill 4330 to the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The two bill are tie barred together, and neither has received a vote.
A bill Markkanen proposed, with support from other Republicans and three Democrats, would remove the caps on distributed generation of renewable energy in the state. House Bill 4236 hasn’t left the House Energy Committee, chaired by Rep. Joe Bellino.
Significant Votes
The House of Representatives voted on House Joint Resolution A, which passed with a comfortable margin, 102-7. The bill decides whether a two-thirds majority should be required to pass lame duck legislation. Upper Peninsula Reps. Sara Cambensy and Greg Markkanen supported the bill, and Rep. Beau LaFave voted against it.
The bill is now in the Senate Committee on Government Operations.
Sen. McBroom alone opposed Senate Bill 0049, which modifies the details for brewery tasting rooms. There was no protest logged in the day’s Senate Journal to explain his vote. The bill received otherwise unanimous support and now moves on to the House.
Senate Bills 29 and 114 are the controversial appropriations bills. They each eventually passed the Senate, 20-15, strictly along party lines, but not before at least ten amendments were proposed and voted against on Senate Bill 114.
Democratic senators widely condemned the dispensing of only a portion of federal relief funds as a political move made to hurt Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration, but at the expense of the Michigan public, in the Senate Journal (below).
The bill now moves to the House.
Republican Senators also passed Senate Bill 46 without support from any Democrats. This bill exempts some broadband equipment from property tax.
The House Fiscal Agency concluded, in their analysis of SB 46, that
“As written, the bills would reduce state and local tax revenue by an unknown amount. Because it is not possible to know how much equipment would be classified as exempt under the bills, what the taxable values would be, and the appropriate local millage rates, the loss of property tax revenue to local units of government, the School Aid Fund via the state education tax, and the general fund cannot be estimated.”
Senator Ed McBroom
P.O. Box 30036
Lansing, MI 48909-7536
By Phone: (517) 373-7840
By Fax: (517) 373-3932
Representative Greg Markkanen
S-1489 House Office Building
P.O. Box 30014
Lansing, MI 48909
Phone: (517) 373-0850
Email: GregMarkkanen@house.mi.gov
Representative Joe Bellino Jr
N-696 House Office Building
P.O. Box 30014
Lansing, MI 48909
Phone: (517) 373-1530
Email: JosephBellino@house.mi.gov