Tuesday, June 18th, 2024

I voted NO on HB 5649 (Rep. Glanville) would amend the Revised School Code to add Sec. 1166c. The new section requires public high schools to offer at least one computer science course beginning with the 2027-28 school year. EXPLANATION: There is currently a teacher and staff shortage, and requiring schools to implement a new course offering could exacerbate that shortage. If there is a demand for a certain course, the high school is already allowed to create a course offering.

PASSED: 87-22

I voted NO on SB 328 (Sen. Hertel) would establish a new state mandate to require that any smoke alarm device that is distributed, sold, offered for sale, or imported must be powered for at least 10 years by a nonremovable and nonreplaceable battery or another power source that utilizes new technology. EXPLANATION: Michigan residents should be allowed to choose whatever smoke alarm system that they want for their residence. If the national trend is for manufacturers to make this type of smoke alarm already, Michigan does not need a mandate.

PASSED: 60-49

Thursday, June 20th, 2024:

I voted NO on HB 5276, 5277, 5279, 5280, 5720 (Reps. Conlin, Morse, Brabec, Bruck, Bezotte) would establish the Protecting Veterans Mental Health Act and creates the office of mental health and suicide prevention within the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency; Provides for an interagency cooperative agreement between DHHS and MDVA; Charges the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency to create and operate a buddy-to-buddy program offering personal 1 on 1 mentorship and support to individuals serving in the Michigan National Guard or military reserves; Establishes a transition bridge program for servicemembers and veterans focused on mental health and suicide prevention; creates the Michigan National Guards access to resources act. EXPLANATION:  This new office would be too focused on data collection instead of treatment options that would be better provided locally without a statewide office created.

PASSED: 89-20, PASSED: 91-18, PASSED: 97-12, PASSED: 98-11, PASSED: 106-3

I voted NO on SB 789 (Sen. Irwin) would modify which conference centers and buildings on the campuses of Ferris State University and Eastern Michigan University can be issued a liquor license. EXPLANATION: Alcohol should be purchased from the private sector, not select locations at select public universities.

PASSED: 99-10

I voted YES on SB 706 & 799 (Sen. Klinefelt) would remove requirements and references regarding driver responsibility fees (DRFs) from current law and allow the Secretary of State to reinstate the license of an individual who has a suspended license for failure to pay a DRF without requiring them to pay the license reinstatement fee. EXPLANATION: People should not be held liable for outstanding license reinstatement fees when the state has stopped assessing them. DRFs were eliminated to help more people reinstate their license, and this legislation fits that intent.

PASSED: 108-0, PASSED: 109-0

I voted NO on SB 388 & 389 (Sen. Klinefelt) would amend the Credit Union Act to extend to five years from three the dormancy reference so those accounts would be handled differently than others in the Uniform Unclaimed Property Act for active duty and active reserves military members, and amend the Uniform Unclaimed Property Act (UUPA) to establish the dormancy period at five years for property owners who are on active duty military service or in the reserves on active orders. EXPLANATION: Everyone should get the same treatment when it comes to reclaiming their “unclaimed” property.

PASSED: 105-4, PASSED: 105-4

I voted NO on HB 4927 (Rep. Arbit) would establish May as “Chaldean American Month” in the State of Michigan. EXPLANATION: Continuing to add holidays that are given official state recognition raises the question of where to draw the line. The legislature ought to be focused on fixing the broken economy.

PASSED: 106-3

I voted NO on HB 4408 (Rep. Aiyash) would establish April as “Arab-American Heritage Month in the State of Michigan. EXPLANATION: Continuing to add holidays that are given official state recognition raises the question of where to draw the line. The legislature ought to be focused on fixing the broken economy.

PASSED: 105-4

I voted NO on HB 5779 (Rep. Churches) would allow a township with a population between 10,000 and 15,000, located in a county with a population greater than 1,500,000, to own or operate a public service facility. EXPLANATION: Townships should not be allowed to toll drivers and the state should not be giving special carve outs to specific municipalities.

PASSED: 56-25

I voted NO on HB 5587-5593 (Reps. Young, Paiz, Aragona, Tsernoglou, McFall, Carter, Outman) would amend the criminal sentencing Offense Variables (OV) that trial-court judges score, to include harm to companion animals during the commission of a crime. This would increase an offender’s OV score if they harm or endanger a companion animal during the commission of a crime, and would likely lead to a longer sentence of incarceration. EXPLANATION: While doing harm to animals is wrong, an animal should not be treated the same as half a person for purposes of scoring offense variables which directs severity of sentencing.

PASSED: 101-8, PASSED: 101-8, PASSED: 101-8, PASSED: 100-9, PASSED: 100-9, PASSED: 100-9, PASSED: 102-7

I voted NO on HB 4177 (Rep. Carter) would create the History Museum Authorities Act. EXPLANATION: Residents are already taxed enough on their property. We should not allow even more property taxes to be levied.

PASSED: 56-53

I voted NO on SB 555 (Sen. Anthony) would amend the Michigan Promise Zone Act to make various technical updates. EXPLANATION: Governor Whitmer and the Democrats love to push “free” stuff, including “free” community college for all. Nothing is free.

PASSED: 57-52

I voted NO on SB 501 (Sen. Camileri) would allow electric trucks weighing up to 82,000 pounds to exceed axle loading and weight load maximums by a total of 2,000 pounds. It also raises the maximum gross weight of a natural gas-powered vehicle from 80,000 pounds to 82,000 pounds. EXPLANATION: Electric vehicles are being pushed on society. Affording electric trucks privileged weight limits would only allow further development of the democrat’s green new scams, further manipulating markets and socialist central planning.

PASSED: 60-49

I voted YES on SB 716 (Sen. Klinefelt) would authorize historic vehicles to have a personalized license plate for a fee of $150 dollars. EXPLANATION: This provides greater freedom for individuals to customize their historic vehicles with a 10 year period of eligibility.

PASSED: 109-0

I voted NO on HB 5188, 5189, 5190 (Reps. O’Neil, Bezotte, Hill) would amend the drain code of 1956 to raise the monetary limits placed on drain funds and maintenance dollars spent in a year; would modify various aspects of the Michigan drain code and compensation for those serving on a board of determination or drainage board. EXPLANATION: If commissioners or boards want to do maintenance in excess of $5,000 per mile or fraction of a mile they should have to petition for more funding and present their plans to the district.

PASSED: 76-33, PASSED: 76-33, PASSED: 76-33

I voted NO on HB 5557 (Rep. Grant) would amend the Michigan Planning Enabling Act by requiring master plans to include certain housing considerations. EXPLANATION: There is nothing that prevents a local government from considering these items already. This legislation is unnecessary and provides no real solutions. Though it will do nothing to address the housing crisis, it will provide points for democrat campaign messaging.

PASSED: 68-41

I voted NO on SB 747 (Sen. Anthony) FY 2024-25 Senate Omnibus Shell Bill. EXPLANATION: The priorities of the Democrat Party are antithetical to those that would allow our state to flourish.

PASSED: 56-52

I voted YES on SB 878 (Sen.) would allow the Secretary of State to issue temporary civic license plates for cars that are donated or loaned for use in a charity event. EXPLANATION: If a dealer wants to loan their vehicle for use by an event/charity/organization, they should be allowed to.

PASSED:  109-0