House Bill 4052, End daylight savings time; put whole state on Eastern time: Passed 87 to 22 in the House

To establish that if the U.S. Congress approves, it is the intent of the legislature to make daylight saving time the year-round standard time statewide. This would take effect only if Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania also make the change. Parts of the western Upper Peninsula along the Wisconsin border are currently on central time, and would change to eastern time under the bill.

Rep. Beau LaFave, R – Iron Mountain, Yes

House Bill 4530, Eliminate May and August election dates: Passed 63 to 46 in the House

To eliminate the statewide May and August election dates. Partisan primary votes that are currently held in August would instead take place in June. School elections that are currently held on the discontinued May date would mostly happen in June instead.

Rep. Beau LaFave, R – Iron Mountain, No

House Bill 4448, Prohibit limiting government open records disclosures during emergency: Passed 98 to 11 in the House

To establish that an executive order, proclamation, or directive issued under the law that authorizes the governor to declare an emergency may not lengthen the required government agency response times or otherwise limit the scope of a public body’s duties under the state Freedom of Information Act.

Rep. Beau LaFave, R – Iron Mountain, Yes

House Bill 4257, Revise state memorandum of understanding procedures: Passed 59 to 50 in the House

To establish that if the governor signs a memorandum of understanding with another party, defined as an informal agreement that does not impose contractual duties or obligations on this state, after that governor leaves its terms only apply until it is rejected by a subsequent governor. Also, to require that these agreements be signed by the governor and filed in the state office of the great seal, similar to the practice for new laws.

Rep. Beau LaFave, R – Iron Mountain, Yes

House Bill 4382, Ban replaceable-battery smoke alarms: Passed 89 to 20 in the House

To prohibit the sale of smoke alarms powered by a replaceable and removable battery starting on April 1, 2022, and instead mandate that all smoke alarms must be powered by a nonremovable and nonreplaceable battery that lasts at least 10 years, or by another power source utilizing new technology. This would not apply to alarms powered by a building electrical system and some other exceptions.

Rep. Beau LaFave, R – Iron Mountain, No

Senate Bill 371, Create new online child abuse offenders registry: Passed 33 to 2 in the Senate

To create an online public registry of individuals convicted of child abuse crimes, similar to an existing sex offenders registry. The bill prescribes registration requirements, procedures, fees, penalties and more.

Sen. Ed McBroom, R – Vulcan, No

Senate Bill 230, Waive liquor license fees in epidemic, cut wholesale price: Passed 19 to 15 in the Senate

To waive liquor license renewal fees for the 2021 renewal period, and extend a temporary increase in the usual 17% discount from the “uniform prices” on the hard liquors purchased from the state by liquor stores, bars and restaurants. Under Michigan’s “Liquor Control” law, the state is the sole “wholesaler” of hard liquor, which it manages through three entities contracted to do the work (until the 1990s the state actually operated liquor warehouses). An earlier epidemic response law set the discount at 23% through July 1, 2021, which the bill would extend to December 31, 2023. Opponents mainly expressed concerns about the extended state license fee revenue loss.

Sen. Ed McBroom, R – Vulcan, Yes

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Source: MichiganVotes.org