Public Policy: Advocacy Report on 2009–2010 Legislative Session

Pro-Life Policy

Bill No. Description Committee MCC Position Outcome
HB 4212 SB 147 “Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act” would ban in the State of Michigan the procedure known as “partial-birth abortion.” House Judiciary Senate Judiciary Support Died in committee
HJR II Constitutional amendment to establish the right to life of all human beings from the beginning of their biological development House Judiciary Neutral Died in committee
SBs 1561–1563 Require aborted children to be medically cremated, or buried if the parents request it Senate Judiciary Support Passed Senate. Died in House committee
SBs 647–652 Embryo Research Transparency Act. Prohibit creation of “chimeric” embryos; prohibit trafficking of human embryos cloned in other states; require annual reporting of embryos in storage and how many have been destroyed Senate Health Policy Support Passed Senate. Died in House Health Policy committee
SBs 1293–1295 HB 6075 Prohibit abortion coverage in all state health plans, including the state exchanged established by the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Senate Health Policy House Health Policy Support Died in committee
HB 4327 Prohibit an employer from treating a pregnant individual for employment related purposes differently than a non-pregnant person, provided the medical condition was not related to abortion House Labor Committee Support Signed into Law. Public Act 190 of 2009.

Education Policy

Bill No. Description Committee MCC Position Outcome
HBs 4787–4788 Require state superintendent of education to appoint a school reform officer to “turnaround” chronically failing schools. Subject collective bargaining agreements to provisions of “turnaround schools.” House Education Support Signed into law. Public Acts 204 and 201 of 2009.
HB 4771 SB 56 Replace the Michigan Educational Assessment Program with a nationally recognized, commercially available assessment instrument House Education Senate Education Support Died in committee
SB 636 SB 925 SBs 981–983 Allow for the creation of a neighborhood public school Allow for the creation of chartered “schools of excellence.” Allow for the creation of up to 10 new charter schools in the state to be known as “Schools of Excellence” Senate Education Support Died in committee Passed Senate. Died in House Committee. SB 981 signed into law. Public Act 205 of 2009.
SB 38 Allow a taxpayer to receive a tax credit for contributing to an endowment fund of an education foundation or to a project organized by a foundation Senate Finance Support Passed Senate. Died in House committee.
HB 4030 Increase the school drop-out age from 16 to 18 House Education Neutral Passed House. Died in Senate Committee.
SB 1163 Included in the state’s School Aid budget, the legislation expanded shared time services to include charter schools Senate Approps Support Enacted

Religious Freedom Policy

Bill No. Description Committee MCC Position Outcome
SB 64 HBs 5156–5157 Require Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan to provide coverage for any prescribed drug or device approved by the U.S. FDA for use as a contraceptive in any health plan that provides prescription coverage Senate Health Policy House Judiciary Oppose Died in committee
SB 499 HB 4850 Create the Employee Accommodation Act. Provide right of conscience to health care providers and individuals. Senate Health Policy House Health Policy Support Died in committee
HB 5155 Require health facilities to prescribe emergency contraception to assault victims House Judiciary Opposed as introduced Passed House. No Senate action.
HB 5164 Prohibit a pharmacist from refusing to dispense or transfer a prescription based solely on his or her ethical, moral or religious beliefs House Judiciary Oppose Passed committee. Died in House.
HB 5165 Create the “Emergency Contraceptive Education Act” and lists legislative findings about contraception. Require Dept of Community Health to develop and disseminate information on emergency contraceptives House Judiciary Oppose Passed House. No Senate action.

Restorative Justice Policy

Bill No. Description Committee MCC Position Outcome
HB 4518 HB 4596 Amend the state statute that sentences those who committed a capital crime before the age of 18 to life in prison without the chance for parole. Allow parole hearing after 15 years for those who committed the crime before age 18. House Judiciary Support Died in committee
HB 5676 Implement several measures that would reform Michigan’s county-based public defender system into a statewide system House Judiciary Support Died in committee
HB 4918–4921 Legislation to “clean up” the 2002 mandatory minimum sentencing laws to place “pipeline” prisoners on the same level as others House Judiciary Support Signed into law. Public Acts 351–353 of 2009.

Children and Families Policies

Bill No. Description Committee MCC Position Outcome
HB 4131 Amend the Michigan adoption code to allow two unmarried individuals to adopt jointly House Judiciary Oppose Passed committee. Died in full House.
HR NN HB 5587–5588 Repeal of constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between one man and one woman Amend the state’s marriage act by stating marriage is between two individuals, rather than a man and a woman, and allow the state to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states House Judiciary Oppose Died in committee
HB 4015 Addresses the release of identifying information of former parents to adopted children House Family’s and Children’s Services Oppose Died in committee

Economic Justice & Regulatory Policies

Bill No. Description Committee MCC Position Outcome
HB 4377 Enact a smoking ban in public workplaces, including bars and restaurants House Regulatory Reform Support Enacted. Public Act 188 of 2009.
HB 4514 Delay full implementation of the Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit for one year to address shortfalls in the state budget House Tax Policy Oppose Passed House. Died in Senate.
HB 5699 SB 1321 Extend tolling of statute of limitations for sexual abuse against a minor by 30 years. Open one year “look back” window for civil litigation. Extend tolling of statute of limitations for sexual abuse against a minor by 20 years. House Judiciary Senate Judiciary Oppose as introduced Died in committee
19-bill House package Provide for low-income and seniors additional consumer protections and state oversight of utility shut-offs House Energy and Technology Support Enacted
HB 4893 SB 800 Allow a county medical examiner to retain any portion of the body considered necessary to establish the cause of death, the conditions contributing to death, or the manner of death, or as evidence of any crime House Health Policy Support as amended Enacted. Public Act 108 of 2010.