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Legislation we are tracking

Updated March 9, 2010

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This page contains a list of the legislation that Michigan Press Association is following. MPA has not taken a position on each of these bills; they are being tracked because they may have some impact on the newspaper industry in Michigan.

Clicking the bill number will take you to the details of the legislation on the Michigan Legislature site, and will open a new window. Newest bills are listed first.

Bills highlighted in pink denote FOIA or OMA relevance.
Bills highlighted in red denote a potential FOIA or OMA exemption.
Bills highlighted in orange denote public notice legislation.
Bills highlighted in gold denote very important bills for newspapers to watch closely.
Bills highlighted in green denote environmental/ recycling issues.
Bills highlighted in blue denote very important tax issues for newspapers to watch closely.
Bills highlighted in lavender denote very important bills for newspapers to watch closely.

If you have any questions about upcoming legislation please contact Public Affairs Manager Lisa McGraw at (517) 372-2424 or lisa@michiganpress.org.


SENATE BILLS



House Bill

Sponsor

Why it impacts newspapers.

SB 715 VanWoerkom Amends part of the Drain Code regarding notice of review of apportionment of benefits. Maintains newspaper notice requirements.
SB 716 Jacobs Establishes a procedures to allow for demolition of certain seized properties and donation to charity. Maintains newspaper notice requirements.
SB 731 Allen Creates the Michigan quality community care council. The council would be subject to OMA and FOIA.
SB 750 Pappageorge Establishes a procedures to allow for demolition of certain seized properties and donation to charity. Maintains newspaper notice requirements.
SB 791 VanWoerkom Creates the "Uniform Real Property Electronic Recording Act" to allow for the recording of electronic documents by a county register of deeds. The commission dealing with this act would be subject to OMA/FOIA. Could pose a threat to newspaper publication eventually.
SB 796 Cassis Eliminates the confidentiality provision in the Michigan Film Productions Tax Credit.
SB 925 Thomas Establishes a "schools of excellence category in the public school academies law. Maintains current OMA/FOIA language.
SB 993 Brown Revises the procedures for redeeming property from estate tax lien foreclosure. Maintains current newspaper language.
SB 1013 Allen Creates a moose hunting season and advisory council. The council would be subject to OMA and FOIA
SB 1017 George Require transfer of tax reverted properties held by a local unit of government to revert to a redevelopment authority upon request.Newspaper notice is required.
SB 1031 Thomas Establish a regional transportation authority.The authority would be subject to OMA, FOIA and newspaper posting requirements.
SB 1050 Whitmer This would expand retention of child abuse records in certain cases in child fatality cases and other violations of the MCL to 50 years. The records would still be exempt from FOIA.
SB 1064 Scott Creates a Make Insurance Affordable and Accessible task force. The task force would be subject to OMA and FOIA
SB 1075 Bishop Provides for the reorganization of state departments.� Would require the departments post their finances online.
     
HB 5190 Meadows Creates the Senior Medical Alert Program.� This program is similar to the Amber Alert program for children and would allow for law enforcement agencies to send information to all news outlets including� newspapers.
HB 5213 Donigan Establishes a procedures to allow for demolition of certain seized properties and donation to charity.� Maintains newspaper notice requirements.
HB 5214 Geiss Specifically require the public pension system boards to comply with FOIA.
HB 5244 Spade Require criminal history checks for day care aides and relative care providers.� Information from checks would be exempt from FOIA
HB 5346 Geiss Create the next Michigan development act.� Would be subject to OMA and FOIA.
HB 5257 Leland Revise the poverty tax exemption for property taxes.� Maintains current newspaper notice language.
HB 5261 Hansen Would revise second notice of forfeiture for delinquent property taxes.� Opportunity to change may to shall regarding treasurers notice.
HB 5264 Ball Would revise second notice of forfeiture for delinquent property taxes.� Opportunity to change may to shall regarding treasurers notice.
HB 5286 Knollenberg Establishes a procedures to allow for demolition of certain seized properties and donation to charity.� Maintains newspaper notice requirements.
HB 5347 Byrnes Expand eligibility for next Michigan Development areas.� Maintains current newspaper notice language.
HB 5374 Spade Would require the Dept of Human Services to publish a notice that they are issuing a child care license in a newspaper of record.
HB 5383 Gonzales Provide for low carbon fuel standards.� Requires information to be subject to OMA and FOIA.
HB 5465 Opsommer Prohibits certain meetings of Department of Management and Budget employees with lobbyists.� If the meetings do take place they need to be posted via OMA rules.
HB 5561 Miller Creates a school district modernization advisory commission. The commission would be subject to OMA and FOIA.
HB 5566 Jones Changes the definition of eligible activites for a Brownfield redevelopement area.� Required newspaper language remains the same.
HB 5703 Slavens Creates a central repositlory pertaining to the death of a child.� Exempts information from� FOIA.
HB 5704 Valentine Requires the sharing of information related to child deaths.� A report is to be issued to the Governor and to the Legislature.� This bill does not say if the report is subject to FOIA.
HB 5705 Scripps Allows access� for certain people to documents referencing the death of a child who was a ward of the state. Still exempt from FOIA.�
HB 5718 Sheltrown Permit levy of millage assessed for police and fire districts on a per-parcel basis or ad valorem basis.� Maintain's current newspaper language.
HB 5731 Johnson Establish a regional transportation authority.� The authority would be subject to OMA, FOIA and newspaper posting requirements.
HB 5724 Leland Revises the requirements for purchansing property at auction.� Maintains current newspaper notice.
HB 5776 Lindberg Permit establish single member county road commisison districts. Maintains current newspaper notice.

HOUSE BILLS


House Bill

Sponsor

Why it impacts newspapers.

HB 4218

Spade

Clarifies the eligibility for property tax deferment on agricultural lands. Maintains current newspaper posting language.









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Telephone: (517) 372-2424   |   Fax: (517) 372-2429
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