Legislative Action Report Monday April 16, 2017

Legislative Action Report

Monday April 16, 2017

From Michigan Resistance:

Michigan Resistance has a weekly action report that is sent by email each Monday. You can sign up for the email at Michigan Resistance. This week they are recommending calls to legislators to oppose deleting financial support for Pathways to Potential (high schools students who need extra work to succeed in jobs), Homeless shelter and Senior Home services such as Meals on Wheels. Also, they support shutting down “Line 5” across the Straits of Mackinac.

On the Federal level, they want to encourage calls to Paul Ryan for an independent investigation into ties to Russia by the Trump campaign/presidency.

They oppose cuts to spending in Great Lakes Restoration Program and HR 610 which will decrease spending to public schools for special education and based on economic factors.

MI Resistance supplys scripts, phone numbers and talking points.

New Bills to Oppose – just being introduced and referred to committees

HB 4416, 4417, 4418 and 4418 that would permit law abiding citizens to carry a concealed weapon without a permit. They were introduced by Michele Hoetenga, Pamela Hornberger, Sue Allor and Tristin Cole respectively. It has been referred to the Judiciary Committee.

HB 4425 & HR 4426 have been introduced by Tom Barrett and Jeff Noble respectively to restrict regulatory vaccination mandates. They would prohibit the Department of Health and Human Services from imposing vaccination requirements that do not accommodate vaccination exemptions provided for by current law and prohibit persons from school attendance. They have been referred to the Education Reform Committee.

HB 4467 was introduced by Lana This and would mandate that doctors check for a fetal heart beat and inform a woman of the detectable fetal heart beat before an abortion. It was referred to the Health Policy Committee.

HB 4468 was introduced by Steven Johnson and repeals a law that prohibits an employer from hiring “strike breakers”. Therefore, it would be legal to hire such persons. It was referred to the Committee on Michigan Competitiveness.

Reported on last week:

HB 4436 & 4437 propose a graduated income tax with higher rates for higher incomes. They were introduced by Robert Wittenberg (D) and Jim Ellison (D). We are waiting for the fiscal analysis to see how this would affect the budget. It has been referred to the Tax Policy Committee. I will keep an eye out for any other information on its progress.

HB 4163 is having it second reading. It prevents teachers from bargaining the school schedule or calendar. It was introduced by Rep. Garcia and reported by the Committee on Education Reform. It is entirely unfair to teachers and who knows what a school needs better than they do.

Bill You Can Support:

HB 4428 would restrict the privatization of state services. It would require a cost benefit analysis before contracts are renewed and, if the savings are not realized, the service would return to government employees. This was introduced by Sherry Gay-Dagnogo (D) and was referred to the House Appropriations Committee

Michigan Action lists several bills that target polluters and protecting our Great Lakes. I have put their link below. You can subscribe to them directly at http://www.miactionlist.org