In the Capitol
Committee meetings of interest for the week of 5/9
5/9 House Tax Policy, Joint Meeting with Senate Finance
Agenda: A general discussion with area businesses on the Governor’s single business tax restructuring proposal. Please note: the meeting will focus only on the parts of the proposal that deal with the single business tax.

5/10 House Appropriations: Corrections
Agenda: Michigan Youth Correctional Facility

5/10 Senate Judiciary
Agenda: SB 416 Prohibit and provide penalties for sale or rental of ultra-violent video games to individuals under 17 years of age; SB 249 Prohibit selling or renting of certain violent, sexually explicit video games to individuals under 18 years of age; SB 463 Include video games in crimes of disseminating sexually explicit matter to minor; SB 464 Provide for immunity from prosecution if rating system is followed in prohibition against sale or rental of certain video games to individual under 17 years of age;
PENDING REFERRAL:
SR 32 A resolution to urge the Video Software Dealers Association and the Entertainment Software Ratings Board to increase efforts to enforce compliance with ratings systems for violent video games;
SR 33 A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to review the sale of violent video games to children.

5/10 Senate Appropriations: Judiciary & Corrections
Agenda: SB 268 Department of corrections budget for fiscal year 2005-2006.
- Michigan Prisoner Re-entry Initiative
- Field Operations: Parole/Probation Supervision Methods
- Office of Community Corrections: Community Diversion Programs

5/11 House Judiciary
Agenda: HB 4727 Enact sentencing guidelines for crime of using a police, fire, or emergency medical communications system to commit a felony; HB 4597 Provide for penalties for indecent exposure while engaging in a lewd and lascivious act; HB 4598 Include crime of indecent exposure while engaging in a lewd and lascivious act under sex offender registration requirements; HB 4599 Include in sentencing guidelines indecent exposure while engaging in a lewd and lascivious act; HB 4721 Require sex offender registration notification by e-mail to certain individuals when a registered sex offender relocates into a zip code.

5/11 Local Government and Urban Policy
Agenda: HB 4133 Repeal prohibition of process service on Sunday and election day.
TESTIMONY ONLY:
HB 4729 Allow municipal employees to purchase land in cities inventory.

Complete Committee Meeting List

Legislation Recently Signed into Public Acts

Legislation Introduced 3/3 – 3/5
Of Interest to the Legal Community
HB 4721 Criminal procedure; sex offender registration; notification by e-mail to certain individuals when a registered sex offender relocates into a zip code; require. Amends sec. 10 of 1994 PA 295 (MCL 28.730).

HB 4728 Courts; judges; salary for judges; revise, establish concurrent jurisdiction for probate judge and district judge, and provide other amendments. Amends secs. 226, 303d, 410, 810, 859, 871, 1105, 1701, 8322, 8344, 8507 & 8611 of 1961 PA 236 (MCL 600.226 et seq.); adds secs. 411 & 8808 & repeals secs. 557, 557a, 557b, 8555 & 9947 of 1961 PA 236 (MCL 600.557 et seq.).

HB 4732 Civil procedure; evictions; property managers and other nonlawyers to represent businesses in certain eviction proceedings; allow. Amends 1961 PA 236 (MCL 600.101 - 600.9947) by adding sec. 5707.

HB 4738 Crimes; abuse; definitions of the various degrees of the crime of child abuse; revise. Amends sec. 136b of 1931 PA 328 (MCL 750.136b).

HB 4743 Health facilities; patient directives; withholding or withdrawal of nutrition or hydration; prohibit under certain circumstances. Amends 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.1101 - 333.25211) by adding pt. 56B.

SB 464 Crimes; other; prohibition against sale or rental of certain video games to individual under 17 years of age; provide for immunity from prosecution if rating system is followed. Amends 1978 PA 33 (MCL 722.671 - 722.684) by adding sec. 12a.

SB 465 Health; medical records; provision for the protection, retention, and maintenance of medical records; implement. Amends secs. 16177 & 20175 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.16177 & 333.20175) & adds secs. 16213 & 20175a.

SB 466 Human services; other; requirement to protect, maintain, retain, and dispose of patient medical records and other individually identifying information; establish. Amends sec. 111b of 1939 PA 280 (MCL 400.111b).

SB 470 Courts; funding; sunset on certain court fee increases; extend, and direct certain portion of court fees to drug treatment courts or substance abuse programs. Amends secs. 321, 5756, 8371 & 8420 of 1961 PA 236 (MCL 600.321 et seq.).

SB 471 Courts; other; state court information management commission; eliminate. Repeals sec. 1487 of 1961 PA 236 (MCL 600.1487[1]).

SB 473 Records; public; enhanced access to public records joint review committee; eliminate. Repeals sec. 5 of 1996 PA 462 (MCL 15.445).

Of General Interest
HB 4730 Insurance; no-fault; Michigan catastrophic claims association; require to comply with open meetings act. Amends sec. 3104 of 1956 PA 218 (MCL 500.3104). TIE BAR WITH: HB 4731

HB 4731 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 4730

HB 4733 Single business tax; credit; tax credits for projects of $200,000.00 or less; provide for criteria. Amends 1975 PA 228 (MCL 208.1 - 208.145) by adding sec. 35c. TIE BAR WITH: HB 4734

HB 4734 Single business tax; credit; qualification for projects of $200,000.00 or less; provide for. Amends sec. 38g of 1975 PA 228 (MCL 208.38g). TIE BAR WITH: HB 4733

SB 449 Taxation; administration; underpayment penalty for single business tax estimated payments; reduce. Amends sec. 24 of 1941 PA 122 (MCL 205.24).

SB 453 Income tax; credit; Michigan earned income tax credit; provide for. Amends 1967 PA 281 (MCL 206.1 - 206.532) by adding sec. 272.

SB 462 Elections; candidates; filing deadline for write-in candidates; revise to Tuesday before the election. Amends sec. 737a of 1954 PA 116 (MCL 168.737a).

SB 469 Income tax; credit; Michigan earned income tax credit; provide for. Amends 1967 PA 281 (MCL 206.1 - 206.532) by adding sec. 272.

In the Hall of Justice
Standard for Drunk Driving Death Convictions to be Argued Before Michigan Supreme Court Next Week

At the Bar
Judicial Vacancy - 53rd District Court
DEADLINE CHANGE
The Honorable Michael K. Hegarty is vacating his seat in the 53rd District Court, Livingston County.
The application submission deadline has been changed to May 26, 2005.

Federal News
Bill Aims To Reveal '527' Donors
(Washington Times, 5/5/05)

State News
Nonpartisan Method Needed To Handle Redistricting, Democratic Chairman Says
(Detroit News, 5/7/05)

Voter Turnout Up In First Election Under New State Rules
(Detroit News, 5/5/05)

Granholm Pushes Job Training
(Lansing State Journal, 5/3/05)

Links of Interest
Public Policy Resource Center | Michigan Supreme Court | Michigan Legislature | MCL Search Engines