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How They Voted

Some key votes by the 2019-2020 Michigan Legislature.

Senate Bill 1, Reform auto insurance: Passed 34 to 4 in the Senate on May 24, 2019

To no longer mandate that auto insurance policies include unlimited personal injury protection (PIP) coverage. Among many other changes customers could still choose unlimited PIP coverage, or choose policies with PIP limits of $250,000, $500,000, and for individuals covered by Medicaid, $50,000. Seniors on Medicare and individuals covered by other health insurance with less than a $6,000 deductible could choose not to purchase any PIP coverage at all.

The bill would mandate that insurers reduce charges for the PIP component of a customer’s policy by a proportional amount. Medical service providers and hospitals could not charge more for medical care given to crash victims than twice the amount prescribed for federal Medicare reimbursements (subject to some adjustments). Limits would also be applied for long term care costs, including a cap on “attendant care” hours provided by friends and relatives.

Insurers could not set rates on the basis of home ownership, educational level attained, occupation or credit score (but could use “credit information”). Zip codes would also be barred as a rate-setting factor, but insurers may still group ratings by ‘territory.’

Sen. Ed McBroom, R – Vulcan, Yes

Senate Bill 1, Reform auto insurance: Passed 94 to 15 in the House on May 24, 2019

The House vote on the insurance bill described above.

Rep. Beau LaFave, R – Iron Mountain, Yes

Senate Bill 2, Require conviction for seized property forfeiture: Passed 36 to 2 in the Senate on February 13, 2019

To establish that property seized from a person because it may be associated with a suspected drug-related crime is not subject to “civil asset forfeiture” unless the individual is actually convicted or accepts a plea bargain. This would not apply to police seizures of property worth $50,000 or more.

Sen. Ed McBroom, R – Vulcan, Yes

Senate Bill 2, Require conviction for seized property forfeiture: Passed 107 to 3 in the House on April 24, 2019

The House vote on the forfeiture bill described above.

Rep. Beau LaFave, R – Iron Mountain , Yes

House Bill 4311, Permit, regulate and tax internet gambling: Passed 34 to 4 in the Senate on May 24, 2019

To establish a comprehensive regulatory and licensure regime that allows the Detroit and Michigan Indian casinos to enter the internet gambling business. Operators would have to pay license fees of $50,000 to $100,000, and would be subject to a complex state and local tax regime with rates ranging from 4% to 23% on the gross internet gambling revenue. Other bills in the package legalize online sports betting.

Sen. Ed McBroom, R – Vulcan, No

House Bill 4311, Permit, regulate and tax internet gambling: Passed 96 to 12 in the House on December 11, 2019

The House vote on the gambling bill described above.

Rep. Beau LaFave , R – Iron Mountain, Yes

Senate Resolution B, Deny Heartwell nomination to chair Natural Resources Commission: Passed 20 to 17 in the Senate on February 27, 2020

To disapprove the appointment by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of former Grand Rapids mayor George Heartwell as chairman of Michigan Natural Resources Commission. Heartwell’s nomination is opposed by the National Rifle Association because of his role as a “state membership coordinator” of antigun groups organized by former New York City mayor and Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg.

Sen. Ed McBroom, R – Vulcan, Yes

House Resolution 282, Affirm House support of Mackinac pipeline tunnel: Passed 80 to 28 in the House on June 24, 2020

To express the support of the House for “the timely issuing of permits for the construction of the Great Lakes Tunnel Project,” meaning the Line-5 gas pipeline tunnel under the Straits of Mackinac.

Rep. Beau LaFave, R – Iron Mountain, Yes

Senate Bill 455, Give more tax breaks to particular “data center”: Passed 25 to 12 in the Senate on February 11, 2020

To exempt equipment owned by the Nevada company that occupied the former Steelcase “Pyramid” building in Grand Rapids as a “data center” and is already benefitting from state “renaissance zone” subsidies and tax breaks from additional school and local personal property taxes.

Sen. Ed McBroom, R – Vulcan, No

Senate Bill 455, Give more tax breaks to particular “data center”: Passed 77 to 26 in the House on September 24, 2020

The House vote on the selective tax break bill described above.

Rep. Beau LaFave, R – Iron Mountain, Yes

Senate Bill 977, Make fraudulent absentee ballot requests a felony: Passed 32 to 6 in the Senate on September 29, 2020

To make it felony to turn in an absent voter ballot application using another person’s name and personal information, and also create a new felony crime for submitting an absent voter ballot application with the intent to obtain multiple absent voter ballots on behalf of an organization.

Sen. Ed McBroom, R – Vulcan, Yes

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Source: MichiganVotes.org

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