By Tim Martin
LANSING, MI – Michigan lawmakers voted on proposals related to welfare benefits, wolf hunting and other topics last week. Here’s a look at a few of the interesting vote breakdowns, including some that did not strictly follow party lines.
Wildlife management/wolf hunting: The Michigan Houseapproved a bill last weekthat could allow a wolf hunt in parts of the Upper Peninsula regardless of a how a pending statewide referendum on the issue turns out. Senate Bill 288 would allow the Natural Resources Commission to by itself designate a game species. That power now rests with the Legislature. Supporters say the bill is needed to potentially allow a wolf hunt in areas of the U.P. threatened by the wolf population, and to make sure future game species decisions are based on scientific management principles. Critics of the bill say it would take away the people’s right to vote on certain wildlife issues.
Senate Bill 288 passed the House by a 72-38 vote last week. The bill will soon be headed to Gov. Rick Snyder, who intends to sign it pending final review. The House vote:
Theresa Abed, D-Grand Ledge – No
Jim Ananich, D-Flint – Yes
Brian Banks, D-Harper Woods – No
Vicki Barnett, D-Farmington Hills – No
Jase Bolger, R-Marshall – Yes
Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids – No
Terry Brown, D-Pigeon – Yes
Charles Brunner, D-Bay City – Yes
Jon Bumstead, R-Newaygo – Yes
Mike Callton, R-Nashville – Yes
Phil Cavanagh, D-Redford Township – No
Paul Clemente, D-Lincoln Park – No
Tom Cochran, D-Mason – Yes
Kevin Cotter, R-Mt. Pleasant – Yes
Hugh Crawford, R-Novi – Yes
Kevin Daley, R-Lum – Yes
George Darany, D-Dearborn – No
Cindy Denby, R-Handy Township – Yes
Scott Dianda, D-Calumet – Yes
Brandon Dillon, D-Grand Rapids – No
Gretchen Driskell, D-Saline – No
Fred Durhal Jr., D-Detroit – Yes
Pam Faris, D-Clio – Yes
Jeff Farrington, R-Utica – No
Anthony Forlini, R-Harrison Township -Yes
Frank Foster, R-Petoskey – Yes
Ray Franz, R-Onekama – Yes
Doug Geiss, D-Taylor – No
Bob Genetski, R-Saugatuck – Yes
Ben Glardon, R-Owosso – Yes
Ken Goike, R- Ray – Yes
Joseph Graves, R-Argentine Township – Yes
Tim Greimel, D-Auburn Hills – No
Gail Haines, R-Waterford – Yes
Harold Haugh, D-Roseville – No
Joe Haveman, R-Holland – Yes
Kurt Heise, R-Plymouth – Yes
Rudy Hobbs, D-Lathrup Village – No
Thomas Hooker, R-Byron Center – Yes
Marcia Hovey-Wright, D-Muskegon – No
Martin Howrylak , R-Troy – No
Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor – No
Brad Jacobsen, R-Oxford – Yes
Nancy Jenkins, R-Clayton – Yes
Joel Johnson, R-Clare – Yes
Andrew Kandrevas, D-Southgate – No
Tim Kelly, R-Saginaw – Yes
Klint Kesto, R-Commerce Township – Yes
John Kivela, D-Marquette – Yes
David Knezek, D-Dearborn Heights – No
Robert Kosowski, D-Westland – No
Eileen Kowall, R-White Lake – Yes
Kenneth Kurtz, R-Coldwater – Yes
Andrea LaFontaine, R-Columbus Township – Yes
Collene Lamonte, D-Montague – No
Marilyn Lane, D-Fraser – No
Dan Lauwers, R-Brockway – Yes
Bill LaVoy, D-Monroe – Yes
Tom Leonard, R-DeWitt Township – Yes
Ellen Cogen Lipton, D-Huntington Woods – No
Matt Lori , R- Constantine – Yes
Pete Lund, R-Shelby Township – Yes
Lisa Posthumus Lyons, R-Alto – Yes
Peter MacGregor, R-Cannon Township – Yes
Greg MacMaster, R-Kewadin – Yes
Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan – Yes
Sean McCann, D-Kalamazoo – No
Mike McCready , R-Bloomfield Hills – No
Tom McMillin, R-Rochester Hills – Yes
Paul Muxlow, R-Brown City – Yes
David Nathan, D-Detroit – Yes
Aric Nesbitt, R-Lawton – Yes
Stacy Erwin Oakes, D-Saginaw – Yes
Margaret O’Brien, R-Portage – Yes
John Olumba, I-Detroit – Yes
Rick Outman, R-Six Lakes – Yes
David Pagel, R-Oronoko Township – Yes
Peter Pettalia, R-Presque Isle – Yes
Earl Poleski, R-Jackson – Yes
Phil Potvin, R-Cadillac – Yes
Amanda Price, R-Park Township – Yes
Al Pscholka, R-Stevensville – Yes
Bruce Rendon, R-Lake City – Yes
Sarah Roberts, D-St. Clair Shores – No
Rose Mary Robinson, D-Detroit – No
Bill Rogers, R-Brighton – Yes
David Rutledge, D-Ypsilanti – No
Harvey Santana, D-Detroit – Yes
Wayne Schmidt, R-Traverse City – Yes
Andy Schor, D-Lansing – No
Kate Segal, D-Battle Creek – No
Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake – Yes
Sam Singh, D-East Lansing – No
Dian Slavens, D-Canton – No
Charles Smiley, D-Burton – Yes
Patrick Somerville, R-New Boston – Yes
Thomas Stallworth III, D-Detroit – Yes
Jim Stamas, R-Midland – Yes
Woodrow Stanley, D-Flint – Yes
Jon Switalski, D-Warren – No
Alberta Tinsley-Talabi, D-Detroit – No
Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit – No
Jim Townsend, D-Royal Oak – No
Rob VerHeulen, R-Walker – Yes
Roger Victory, R-Hudsonville – Yes
John Walsh, R-Livonia – Yes
Henry Yanez, D-Sterling Heights – No
Ken Yonker, R-Caledonia – Yes
Adam Zemke, D-Ann Arbor – No
Dale Zorn, R-Ida – Yes
Welfare recipients and drug testing: The Michigan House last week approved a bill that calls for suspicion-based drug screening and testing for a welfare cash assistance program. Supporters say the measure is designed to make sure tax dollars aren’t spent on illegal drugs and that welfare assistance goes to those who truly need it. Critics say the measure would unfairly punish children in families where a parent may have used drugs.
House Bill 4118 was approved by a 77-33 vote and advances to the Senate. The House vote:
Theresa Abed, D-Grand Ledge – Yes
Jim Ananich, D-Flint – No
Brian Banks, D-Harper Woods – No
Vicki Barnett, D-Farmington Hills – No
Jase Bolger, R-Marshall – Yes
Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids – Yes
Terry Brown, D-Pigeon – Yes
Charles Brunner, D-Bay City – Yes
Jon Bumstead, R-Newaygo – Yes
Mike Callton, R-Nashville – Yes
Phil Cavanagh, D-Redford Township – No
Paul Clemente, D-Lincoln Park – Yes
Tom Cochran, D-Mason – Yes
Kevin Cotter, R-Mt. Pleasant – Yes
Hugh Crawford, R-Novi – Yes
Kevin Daley, R-Lum – Yes
George Darany, D-Dearborn – No
Cindy Denby, R-Handy Township – Yes
Scott Dianda, D-Calumet – Yes
Brandon Dillon, D-Grand Rapids – Yes
Gretchen Driskell, D-Saline – Yes
Fred Durhal Jr., D-Detroit – No
Pam Faris, D-Clio – No
Jeff Farrington, R-Utica – Yes
Anthony Forlini, R-Harrison Township -Yes
Frank Foster, R-Petoskey – Yes
Ray Franz, R-Onekama – Yes
Doug Geiss, D-Taylor – No
Bob Genetski, R-Saugatuck – Yes
Ben Glardon, R-Owosso – Yes
Ken Goike, R- Ray – Yes
Joseph Graves, R-Argentine Township – Yes
Tim Greimel, D-Auburn Hills – Yes
Gail Haines, R-Waterford – Yes
Harold Haugh, D-Roseville – Yes
Joe Haveman, R-Holland – Yes
Kurt Heise, R-Plymouth – Yes
Rudy Hobbs, D-Lathrup Village – No
Thomas Hooker, R-Byron Center – Yes
Marcia Hovey-Wright, D-Muskegon – No
Martin Howrylak , R-Troy – No
Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor – No
Brad Jacobsen, R-Oxford – Yes
Nancy Jenkins, R-Clayton – Yes
Joel Johnson, R-Clare – Yes
Andrew Kandrevas, D-Southgate – No
Tim Kelly, R-Saginaw – Yes
Klint Kesto, R-Commerce Township – Yes
John Kivela, D-Marquette – No
David Knezek, D-Dearborn Heights – No
Robert Kosowski, D-Westland – No
Eileen Kowall, R-White Lake – Yes
Kenneth Kurtz, R-Coldwater – Yes
Andrea LaFontaine, R-Columbus Township – Yes
Collene Lamonte, D-Montague – Yes
Marilyn Lane, D-Fraser – Yes
Dan Lauwers, R-Brockway – Yes
Bill LaVoy, D-Monroe – Yes
Tom Leonard, R-DeWitt Township – Yes
Ellen Cogen Lipton, D-Huntington Woods – No
Matt Lori , R- Constantine – Yes
Pete Lund, R-Shelby Township – Yes
Lisa Posthumus Lyons, R-Alto – Yes
Peter MacGregor, R-Cannon Township – Yes
Greg MacMaster, R-Kewadin – Yes
Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan – Yes
Sean McCann, D-Kalamazoo – Yes
Mike McCready , R-Bloomfield Hills – Yes
Tom McMillin, R-Rochester Hills – No
Paul Muxlow, R-Brown City – Yes
David Nathan, D-Detroit – No
Aric Nesbitt, R-Lawton – Yes
Stacy Erwin Oakes, D-Saginaw – Yes
Margaret O’Brien, R-Portage – Yes
John Olumba, I-Detroit – No
Rick Outman, R-Six Lakes – Yes
David Pagel, R-Oronoko Township – Yes
Peter Pettalia, R-Presque Isle – Yes
Earl Poleski, R-Jackson – Yes
Phil Potvin, R-Cadillac – Yes
Amanda Price, R-Park Township – Yes
Al Pscholka, R-Stevensville – Yes
Bruce Rendon, R-Lake City – Yes
Sarah Roberts, D-St. Clair Shores – No
Rose Mary Robinson, D-Detroit – No
Bill Rogers, R-Brighton – Yes
David Rutledge, D-Ypsilanti – No
Harvey Santana, D-Detroit – No
Wayne Schmidt, R-Traverse City – Yes
Andy Schor, D-Lansing – No
Kate Segal, D-Battle Creek – Yes
Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake – Yes
Sam Singh, D-East Lansing – No
Dian Slavens, D-Canton – Yes
Charles Smiley, D-Burton – Yes
Patrick Somerville, R-New Boston – Yes
Thomas Stallworth III, D-Detroit – No
Jim Stamas, R-Midland – Yes
Woodrow Stanley, D-Flint – No
Jon Switalski, D-Warren – No
Alberta Tinsley-Talabi, D-Detroit – No
Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit – No
Jim Townsend, D-Royal Oak – No
Rob VerHeulen, R-Walker – Yes
Roger Victory, R-Hudsonville – Yes
John Walsh, R-Livonia – Yes
Henry Yanez, D-Sterling Heights – Yes
Ken Yonker, R-Caledonia – Yes
Adam Zemke, D-Ann Arbor – No
Dale Zorn, R-Ida – Yes
Sex offender registry: The Michigan Senate last week approved a bill that would require people listed on Michigan’s sex offender registry to pay a $50 annual fee, rather than a one-time $50 fee.
Senate Bill 221 passed by a 33-2 vote, with Rebekah Warren (D-Ann Arbor) and Bruce Caswell (R-Hillsdale) voting against it. Darwin Booher (R-Evart) and Tupac Hunter (D-Detroit) were excused and didn’t vote. The measure advances to the House.
The Senate also approved more of its version of a state budget plan for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1. Final votes on those plans won’t come until Senate and House leaders resolve differences in their budget proposals.
For more information on tracking budget-related bills, visit this Senate Fiscal Agency website.