In
the Capitol
Committee
meetings of interest for the week of 4/30
5/1
House Tax Policy
5/2
House Tax Policy
Agenda: HB
4367 Create Michigan business tax act (proposed substitute); HB
4369 Provide for exemption for certain personal property from
certain school operating mills; HB
4370 Exempt certain industrial and commercial personal property
from state education tax; HB
4371 Revise calculation of tax levied for plant rehabilitation; HB
4372 Exempt commercial and industrial personal property from
certain taxes.
5/1
Senate Judiciary
Agenda: HB
4228 Allow drug analysis field test as admissible evidence in
preliminary hearings; SB
88 Provide immunity liability of a peace officer for injuries
caused while rendering assistance outside jurisdiction; SB
105 Allow authority for magistrates to oversee arraignments; SB
386 Expand provisions in criminal sexual conduct statutes relating
to teachers and other school employees to include volunteers, employees,
and contractual service providers.
SBM Position
on SB 105: Support in Principle. Granting magistrates the authority
to oversee some arraignments would assist in the timely handling
of cases that could result in defendants not spending unnecessary
time in prison. This may also help to reduce jail overcrowding.
5/1
Senate Local, Urban, and State Affairs
Agenda: SB
298 Require redaction of social security numbers in documents
submitted to register of deeds for recordation in certified copies
unless prohibited by law; SB
299 Require redaction of social security numbers by person submitting
document unless prohibited by law in documents submitted to register
of deeds for recordation; SB
300 Require redaction of social security numbers by register
of deeds in documents submitted to register of deeds for recordation
unless prohibited by law; SB
301 Require redaction of social security numbers in judgments
submitted to register of deeds for recordation unless prohibited
by law; SB
302 Require redaction of social security numbers in affidavits
submitted to register of deeds for recordation unless prohibited
by law; SB
303 Require redaction of social security numbers in recorded
documents made available for inspection by register of deeds unless
prohibited by law.
5/2
House Appropriations: Judiciary Subcommittee
Agenda: Presentations
on proposed FY 2007-08 judiciary budget: Hon. Clifford W. Taylor, chief
justice of the Michigan Supreme Court and Hon. William C. Whitbeck,
chief judge of the Michigan Court of Appeals
5/2
Senate Appropriations: Judiciary & Corrections Subcommittee
Agenda: The FY 2007-08
Budget for the Department of Corrections-Health Care
Complete
Committee Meeting List
New
Public Acts
Legislation
Introduced 4/24 – 4/26
Of Interest to the Legal Community
HB
4643 Drains;
districts; liability for certain legal expenses of a drainage district;
clarify. Amends sec. 247 of 1956
PA 40 (MCL 280.247).
HB
4646 Torts; malpractice; recovery for negligence of an emergency
room doctor; require showing of gross negligence. Amends 1961
PA 236 (MCL 600.101 - 600.9947)
by adding sec. 2912i.
HB
4650 Civil procedure; other; uniform foreign-country money judgments
recognition act; create. Creates new act & repeals 1967
PA 191 (MCL 691.1151 - 691.1159).
SB
435 Courts; district court; eighty-seventh judicial district;
reorganize into 3 separate districts. Amends sec. 8152 of 1961
PA 236 (MCL 600.8152).
SB
450 Occupations; residential builders; filing of complaints against
contractor; require courts to report convictions, allow forfeiture
and seizure of property for unlicensed contractors, and provide other
amendments. TIE BAR WITH: SB
0451'07, SB
0452'07, SB
0453'07
Of General Interest
HB
4649 Civil
rights; sex discrimination and harassment; sex harassment; clarify
in Elliott-Larsen civil rights act. Amends title & secs.
102, 103, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 209, 302, 402, 502 & 504
of 1976
PA 453 (MCL 37.2102 et
seq.).
HB
4675 Insurance; no-fault; Michigan catastrophic claims association;
require to comply with freedom of information act and open meetings
act. Amends secs. 134 & 3104 of 1956
PA 218 (MCL 500.134 & 500.3104).
TIE BAR WITH: HB
4676'07
HB
4676 Civil rights; open meetings; catastrophic claims association;
make subject to open meetings act. Amends secs. 2 & 3 of 1976
PA 267 (MCL 15.262 & 15.263).
TIE BAR WITH: HB
4675'07
HB
4677 Insurance; no-fault; annual audit of Michigan catastrophic
claims association; require. Amends sec. 3104 of 1956
PA 218 (MCL 500.3104).
HB
4678 Insurance; no-fault; membership on Michigan catastrophic
claims association board; increase. Amends sec. 3104 of 1956
PA 218 (MCL 500.3104).SB
445 Insurance; no-fault; serious impairment of body function; define,
and provide for general amendments. Amends sec. 3135 of 1956
PA 218 (MCL 500.3135). |
At
the Bar
The
Board of Commissioners will meet on Friday, May 4 during the Bar Leadership
Forum. The Public Policy, Image, and Identity Committee meeting will
meet on Monday, April 30.
Information on Bar Leadership
Forum
Sections
and Committees
The Appellate
Practice Section submitted a public policy report stating
its support for Proposal B in ADM
File No. 2006-44 - Proposed Amendment of Rule 7.306 of the Michigan
Court Rules. These proposed amendments would alter the
requirements for filing amicus briefs with the Michigan Supreme Court.
Proposal A and Proposal B are published for comment.
The Appellate
Practice Section also submitted a public policy report stating its
opposition to HB
4501 Civil
procedure; costs and fees; costs and fees in the court of appeals
and of court transcripts; increase. Amends secs. 321 & 2543 of 1961
PA 236 (MCL 600.321 & 600.2543).
The Criminal
Law Section submitted a public policy report stating that
it strongly
supports in principle, the creation of a diversionary treatment program
through Mental Health Courts for individuals who suffer from mental
illness, emotional disturbance, developmental disability, or mental
retardation who are charged with a criminal act. The position is
on SB
199 Criminal
procedure; other; diversion from jail for certain individuals under
certain circumstances; amend code of criminal procedure to allow.
Amends 1927
PA 175 (MCL 760.1 - 777.69)
by adding sec. 85 to ch. VII. TIE BAR WITH: SB
0200'07 and SB
200 Mental health; other; priority for providing mental health
services to individuals diverted from jail; require under certain
circumstances. Amends sec. 208 of 1974
PA 258 (MCL 330.1208).
TIE BAR WITH: SB
0199'07.
For a copy of the
reports, please contact elyon@mail.michbar.org.
Federal
News
U.S.
Wants to Limit Guantanamo Detainees' Access to Lawyers
(Washington Post, 4/27/07)
State
News
State
Justice Asks Granholm to Hold Off on Filling Some Judgeships
(Detroit
Free Press, 4/26/07)
Democrat
Says GOP will Vote for Tax Increase
(Lansing State Journal,
4/26/07)
Business
Groups Get Behind Dems' Tax Plan
(Detroit Free Press,
4/26/07)
Appeals
Judges Give up their State Vehicles
(Mlive, Com, 4/25/07)
Drug
Courts Get Reviewed
(Traverse City Record
Eagle, 4/26/07)
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