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How They Voted

With no voting this past week, this edition of the Roll Call Report contains roll call votes on resolutions from the 2019-2020 legislature.

Members of the Michigan House and Senate introduce hundreds of mostly non-binding resolutions each year. Most are uncontroversial expressions of sentiment passed by a “voice vote” only with no roll call taken. This report describes some more substantive examples that were adopted with roll call votes.

Note: There will be no Weekly Roll Call Report during Thanksgiving week.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 18, Oppose mandating “labor peace agreements” to get marijuana business license: Passed 21 to 15 in the Senate on January 22, 2020

Introduced by Sen. Aric Nesbitt (R), to oppose a rule proposed by the state’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency that would impose a mandate on prospective marijuana business licensees to sign a “labor peace agreement” with a union. The resolution describes this mandate as forcing applicants to “accept the terms of labor unions without negotiation,” and asserts it would “set a dangerous precedent for similar requirements for anyone seeking a license or permit issued by the state.”

The House adopted the resolution in a voice vote on Jan. 23, 2020.

Sen. Ed McBroom, R – Vulcan, Yes

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

A confirmation vote, to disapprove the appointment by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of former Grand Rapids mayor George Heartwell as chairman of Michigan Natural Resources Commission. This was a substantive vote that actually did derail the nomination. This commission has “exclusive authority to regulate the taking of game and sportfish” and designating which species may or may not be hunted. 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 current Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg.

Sen. Ed McBroom, R – Vulcan, Yes

Senate Resolution 125, Oppose decision to put coronavirus cases in nursing homes: Passed 23 to 14 in the Senate on June 18, 2020

Introduced by Sen. Jim Runestad (R), to resolve that the Michigan Senate denounces the governor’s policy placing COVID-19 positive residents with uninfected residents in nursing homes.

Sen. Ed McBroom, R – Vulcan, Not Voting

House Resolution 276, Oppose decision to put coronavirus cases in nursing homes: Passed 71 to 33 in the House on June 18, 2020 Introduced by Rep. Ryan Berman (R), a House version of the coronavirus nursing home resolution.

Rep. Beau LaFave, R – Iron Mountain, Yes

House Resolution 115, Urge indicted Rep. Larry Inman to resign, passed 98 to 8 in the House on August 29, 2019

Introduced by Rep. Lee Chatfield (R), to urge Republican Rep. Larry Inman of Grand Traverse County to resign from the House. Inman was under federal indictment for allegedly “selling” his vote against labor law changes before the House to union interests in return for campaign contributions. Among other things the resolution holds that Inman has “drawn ridicule and disgrace to the state and the House of Representatives…”

Rep. Beau LaFave, R – Iron Mountain, 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

House Resolution 277, Discourage local police defunding: Passed 80 to 28 in the House on June 24, 2020

Introduced by Ryan Berman (R), to discourage local units of government from defunding or abolishing their local police departments.

Rep. Beau LaFave, R – Iron Mountain, Yes

House Resolution 323, Oppose “packing” the U.S. Supreme Court: Passed 98 to 8 in the House on August 29, 2019

Introduced by Rep. Steven Johnson (R), to discourage Congress from expanding the size of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Rep. Beau LaFave, R – Iron Mountain, 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. Please visit www.MichiganVotes.org.

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