The State Capitol Building in Lansing, as seen March 6, 2016. (Photo by Scott Legato/Getty Images for MoveOn.org)
Scott LegatoHouse Bill 5570, Authorize gas tax 'holiday': Passed 24 to 14 in the Senate
To suspend collecting the state motor fuel tax levied on gasoline and diesel fuel purchases between April 1 and September 30, 2022. The current tax rate is 27.2 cents per gallon on both fuels, and revenue from it pays for state and local road repairs. The House Fiscal Agency projects this would reduce that revenue by $725 million in 2022, leaving an equivalent amount in motorists' pockets.
- Y Rick Outman (R) Six Lakes, Sen. Dist. 33
- Y Curt VanderWall (R) Ludington, Sen. Dist. 35
House Bill 4074, Encourage schools to teach free enterprise and entrepreneurship: Passed 21 to 17 in the Senate
To encourage (but not require) public schools to offer a program of instruction on free enterprise and entrepreneurship for high school students.
- Y Rick Outman (R) Six Lakes, Sen. Dist. 33
- Y Curt VanderWall (R) Ludington, Sen. Dist. 35
House Bill 5682, Authorize enhanced penalties for assaulting emergency room staff: Passed 85 to 17 in the House
To authorize enhanced penalties for assaulting a hospital "health professional" or volunteer by creating a new crime punishable by 93 days in jail and a $1,000 fine or more depending on specific circumstances.
- Y Jason Wentworth (R) Clare, Rep. Dist. 97
- Y Scott VanSingel (R) Grant, Rep. Dist. 100
- N Michele Hoitenga (R) Manton, Rep. Dist. 102
House Bill 4912, Authorize "alternative" veterinary practices and more: Passed 100 to 3 in the House
To revise various regulations in the law governing veterinary practices. Among other things the bill would prohibit veterinarians from practicing “unless it is within the context of a veterinarian-client-patient relationship” as defined in the bill; waive certain licensure mandates during a declared emergency or in response to a “to a large-scale animal cruelty case;” authorize the use of specified “therapeutic philosophy and practice that is not considered part of conventional, Western veterinary medicine;” and more.
- Y Jason Wentworth (R) Clare, Rep. Dist. 97
- Y Scott VanSingel (R) Grant, Rep. Dist. 100
- Y Michele Hoitenga (R) Manton, Rep. Dist. 102
House Bill 5804, Mandate 'veterinarian-client-patient relationships': Passed 71 to 31 in the House
To prohibit veterinarians from practicing “unless it is within the context of a veterinarian-client-patient relationship” as defined in the bill. See also House Bill 4912.
Y Jason Wentworth (R) Clare, Rep. Dist. 97
Y Scott VanSingel (R) Grant, Rep. Dist. 100
Y Michele Hoitenga (R) Manton, Rep. Dist. 102
House Bill 5612, Exempt diapers and incontinence products from sales tax: Failed 50 to 53 in the House
To exempt diapers and adult incontinence products from sales tax. It is unusual for the House to complete and record a vote to defeat a particular bill, rather than suspending the vote and moving on to the next agenda item. In the background of this vote are ongoing negotiations on some very substantial proposals to cut the state income tax and suspend the state gas tax.
- Y Jason Wentworth (R) Clare, Rep. Dist. 97
- N Scott VanSingel (R) Grant, Rep. Dist. 100
- Y Michele Hoitenga (R) Manton, Rep. Dist. 102
SOURCE: MichiganVotes.org, a free, nonpartisan website created by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, providing concise, nonpartisan, plain-English descriptions of every bill and vote in the Michigan House and Senate. Permission to reprint this legislative summary in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided that www.MichiganVotes.org is properly cited.
Y = Yes, N = No, X = Not Voting
