How They Voted
Senate Bill 599, Revise, increase register of deeds fees: Passed 31 to 7 in the Senate
To authorize a flat $30 fee for recording a document with a register of deeds regardless of how many pages, instead of the current charge of $8 plus $3 for each additional page. The bill also increases related fees, and would index the fees to inflation.
Sen. Tom Casperson, R – Escanaba, Yes
Senate Bill 56, Raise and index judges’ pay: Passed 97 to 6 in the House
To increase judges’ salaries by to increases in the salaries paid to executive level state civil service employees going forward. After the change, salaries would range from around $150,000 to $163,000, depending on the level of court.
Sen. Tom Casperson, R – Escanaba, Yes
Senate Bill 680, Rename a state facility: Passed 79 to 27 in the House
To rename a state building in Lansing after a former state government department director.
Rep. Edward McBroom, R – Vulcan, Yes
House Bill 4651, Increase penalty for operating a motorcycle without license: Passed 87 to 19 in the House
To increase the fine for operating a motorcycle without a motorcycle endorsement on the operator’s drivers license from a $100 to a $500 fine. The bill would retain the current misdemeanor penalty of up to 90 days in jail for a first offense, and add a new penalty of up to a year for subsequent offenses.
Rep. Edward McBroom, R – Vulcan, Yes
House Bill 4634, Create vehicle registration late fee exception: Passed 88 to 17 in the House
To not impose an extra fee on vehicle registration renewals after the previous registration had expired if within 120 days the owner brings evidence to a Secretary of State branch office that the vehicle had been in storage.
Rep. Edward McBroom, R – Vulcan, Yes
House Bill 4418, Authorize load limit exceptions for maple sap haulers: Passed 76 to 29 in the House
To allow an exception to seasonal road weight limit restrictions for trucks hauling tree sap used to make maple sugar.
Rep. Edward McBroom, R – Vulcan, Yes
Senate Bill 136, Rebate Flint water bills: Passed 106 to 0 in the House
To appropriate $30 million from state revenue (not federal) to provide water bill refunds to Flint households that were paying for contaminated water.
Rep. Edward McBroom, R – Vulcan, Yes
Source: MichiganVotes.org
How They Voted
Senate Bill 302, Impose ban on nude entertainment in bars: Passed 27 to 10 in the Senate
To ban fully nude performers at topless bars, or bars showing videos that depict this. This relates to a 2007 federal appeals court ruling that struck down Michigan’s previous law banning fully nude performers in bars, holding it was a violation of the First Amendment. The bill would specifically ban a performance that “exposes to public view the pubic region, anus, or genitals.”
Sen. Tom Casperson, R – Escanaba, Yes
House Bill 5070, “Push back” against Obama NLRB franchise unionization rule: Passed 26 to 11 in the Senate
To establish that under state occupational safety and health regulations, the actual owner of a business franchise rather than the franchisor is considered the sole employer of the local company’s workers. This is part of a package of bills responding to a 2015 action by National Labor Relations Board appointees to make it easier to unionize fast-food franchises by declaring the franchisor is the employer.
Sen. Tom Casperson, R – Escanaba, Yes
House Bill 4353, Mandate pet adoption criminal background check: Passed 88 to 17 in the House
To mandate that animal shelters must check a government criminal records database before letting person adopt an animal, and prohibit adoptions if the records show a person committed an animal cruelty offense in the past five years.
Rep. Edward McBroom, R – Vulcan, No
House Bill 4344, Codify into law auto repair shop regulatory regime: Passed 84 to 22 in the House
To codify into law a comprehensive regulatory regime that is currently imposed on vehicle repair facilities through administrative regulations, including a state registration mandate.
Rep. Edward McBroom, R – Vulcan, Yes
Senate Bill 292, Disclose cost of unfunded pension liabilities in state budget: Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate
To require the executive budget the governor must submit each year to include an accounting by department of how much is needed pay the annual “catch up” costs on unfunded liabilities incurred to pay future pension and post-retirement health benefits promised to retired state employees.
Sen. Tom Casperson, R – Escanaba, Yes
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Source: MichiganVotes.org, a free, non-partisan website created by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.
How They Voted
Senate Bill 302, Impose ban on nude entertainment in bars: Passed 27 to 10 in the Senate
To ban fully nude performers at topless bars, or bars showing videos that depict this. This relates to a 2007 federal appeals court ruling that struck down Michigan’s previous law banning fully nude performers in bars, holding it was a violation of the First Amendment. The bill would specifically ban a performance that “exposes to public view the pubic region, anus, or genitals.”
Sen. Tom Casperson, R – Escanaba, Yes
House Bill 5070, “Push back” against Obama NLRB franchise unionization rule: Passed 26 to 11 in the Senate
To establish that under state occupational safety and health regulations, the actual owner of a business franchise rather than the franchisor is considered the sole employer of the local company’s workers. This is part of a package of bills responding to a 2015 action by National Labor Relations Board appointees to make it easier to unionize fast-food franchises by declaring the franchisor is the employer.
Sen. Tom Casperson, R – Escanaba, Yes
House Bill 4353, Mandate pet adoption criminal background check: Passed 88 to 17 in the House
To mandate that animal shelters must check a government criminal records database before letting person adopt an animal, and prohibit adoptions if the records show a person committed an animal cruelty offense in the past five years.
Rep. Edward McBroom, R – Vulcan, No
House Bill 4344, Codify into law auto repair shop regulatory regime: Passed 84 to 22 in the House
To codify into law a comprehensive regulatory regime that is currently imposed on vehicle repair facilities through administrative regulations, including a state registration mandate.
Rep. Edward McBroom, R – Vulcan, Yes
Senate Bill 292, Disclose cost of unfunded pension liabilities in state budget: Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate
To require the executive budget the governor must submit each year to include an accounting by department of how much is needed pay the annual “catch up” costs on unfunded liabilities incurred to pay future pension and post-retirement health benefits promised to retired state employees.
Sen. Tom Casperson, R – Escanaba, Yes
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Source: MichiganVotes.org, a free, non-partisan website created by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.
How They Voted
Senate Bill 136, Flint water contamination response – rebate water bills
To appropriate $30 million from state revenue (not federal) to provide water bill refunds to Flint households that were paying for contaminated water.
Sen. Tom Casperson, R – Escanaba, Yes
Senate Bill 673, Extend tax breaks for local developers program: Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate
To extend through 2026 the authority of local governments to grant “Obsolete Property Rehabilitation” property tax breaks to particular developers they select. Under current law this expires at the end of 2016.
Sen. Tom Casperson, R – Escanaba, Yes
Senate Bill 501, Require alien drivers have visa or passport while driving: Passed 37 to 0 in the Senate
To require resident aliens who drive a vehicle in Michigan to have both a valid drivers license issued by their native land and a passport or valid visa. Current law only requires a valid drivers license. (A legal alien can also get a Michigan drivers license.)
Sen. Tom Casperson, R – Escanaba, Yes
House Bill 4583, Authorize interstate medical licensure compact: Passed 103 to 3 in the House
To authorize Michigan’s participation in an interstate medical licensure compact that would establish “a streamlined process that allows physicians to become licensed in multiple states.” Among other things this would make it easier for residents to access innovative “telemedicine” health care delivery services.
Rep. Edward McBroom, R – Vulcan, Yes
House Bill 5023, Establish more “dark sky preserves”: Passed 88 to 18 in the House
To designate the Rockport State Recreation Area, Negwegon State Park, and Thompson’s Harbor State Park as “dark sky preserves,” which means state authorities must restrict outdoor lighting to only that needed for safety, security or reasonable use and enjoyment.
Rep. Edward McBroom, R – Vulcan, Yes
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Source: MichiganVotes.org, a free, non-partisan website created by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, providing concise, non-partisan, plain-English descriptions of every bill and vote in the Michigan House and Senate. Visit www.MichiganVotes.org.
How They Voted
House Bill 5220, Appropriate money for Flint water contamination response: Passed 38 to 0 in the Senate
To appropriate $28 million to pay for response activities related to the contamination of the Flint water supply, of which $2.8 million is federal money. The Senate revised details of the House-passed spending plan after consulting with on-the-ground experts in the city.
Sen. Tom Casperson, R – Escanaba, Yes
Senate Bill 328, Authorize more State Police officer grades: Passed 35 to 0 in the Senate
To create two new grades of State Police officer, called “inspector” and “recruit.” The current grades are colonel, lieutenant colonel, major, captain, lieutenant, sergeant and trooper.
Sen. Tom Casperson, R – Escanaba, Yes
Senate Bill 539, Add more “promise zone” transparency: Passed 98 to 9 in the House
To impose additional reporting requirements on “promise zone” tax increment financing authorities located in low income areas, and provide a means for dissolving them. These entities “capture” a portion school property tax revenue to partially subsidize college tuition for local students.
Rep. Edward McBroom, R – Vulcan, Yes
Senate Bill 220, Waive fee for animal abuse background check: Passed 37 to 1 in the Senate
To allow animal shelters to access a government database called the Internet Criminal History Access Tool” (ICHAT) at no charge for purposes of checking whether an individual who wants to adopt an animal has been convicted of an animal abuse offense.
Sen. Tom Casperson, R – Escanaba, Yes
Senate Bill 394, Streamline rental housing inspection regulations: Passed 73 to 34 in the House
To revise local government rental housing registration and inspection details. Among other things the bill would allow rather than require communities of a certain size to mandate that landlords must register themselves and their rental units. Also, a local government would not be required to inspect a multiple dwelling or rooming house unless it received a complaint from an occupant.
Rep. Edward McBroom, R – Vulcan, Yes
House Bill 4783, Increase landfill permit violation penalties: Passed 77 to 29 in the House
To increase the fines a state agency can impose on landfill operators for not meeting state environmental law standards or permits requirements to $75,000 per day for second or subsequent violations, and $25,000 per day the first time. These are civil not criminal penalties, which means the procedural safeguards available to a criminal defendant do not apply.
Rep. Edward McBroom, R – Vulcan, Not Voting
House Bill 4868, Ban using drones to interfere with public safety, or for surveillance: Passed 89 to 17 in the House
To make it a crime to fly a drone in a way that interferes with public safety or public utility activities. The bill would define flying a drone over private property without authority as trespassing, and prohibit using a drone for eavesdropping or surveillance.
Rep. Edward McBroom, R – Vulcan, Not Voting
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Source: MichiganVotes.org