2015 RATINGS of MICHIGAN

Transcription

1 2015 RATINGS of MICHIGAN Conservative.org TABLE OF CONTENTS Letter from the Chairman 2 MI Senate Vote Descriptions 5 ACU & ACUF Board Members 3 MI Senate Scores 7 Selecting the 3 MI House Vote Descriptions Winners & Losers 4 MI House Scores 11

2 LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN Dear Fellow Conservatives, I am pleased to present the American Conservative Union Foundation s ratings for the 2015 meeting of the Michigan Legislature. Like our Congressional Ratings, our State Ratings reflect how elected officials view the role of government in an individual's life. The Michigan legislators with the strongest scores voted most consistently with the ideals articulated in the US Constitution: limited and transparent government, individual rights, personal responsibility, and a healthy culture. The 2014 election completed a political transformation that began in 2010 and resulted in voters of almost half the states, 23 in all, entrusting Republicans with the governorships as well as control of both chambers in the respective state, the biggest sweep since the first half of the 20th Century. By examining all our State Ratings (which cover a wide variety of issues) we can see which states have best used their Republican majorities to apply conservative principles, how others have struggled, and in yet other states, how conservatives have stood up against liberal majorities. I know that this guide will provide you with the most comprehensive evaluative tool to learn how your legislators measure up. Sincerely, Matt Schlapp Chairman American Conservative Union 2

3 ACU BOARD MEMBERS Matt Schlapp Chairman Thomas Winter First Vice Chairman Carolyn Meadows Second Vice Chairman Jameson Campaigne, Jr. Secretary Larry Beasley Bob Beauprez Kimberly Bellissimo Morton Blackwell Ambassador John Bolton Al Cardenas Jose Cardenas Ron Christie Muriel Coleman ACU FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERS Matt Schlapp Chairman Millie Hallow Vice Chairman Van Hipp, Jr. Treasurer Tim Goeglein Secretary Kimberly Bellissimo Jose Cardenas Amy Frederick Jonathan Garthwaite Charlie Gerow Colin Hanna Willes Lee Kellyanne Conway Tom DeLay John Eddy Luis Fortuno Amy Frederick Charlie Gerow Alan Gottlieb Van Hipp, Jr. James Lacy Carolyn Meadows Thomas Winter Michael Long Grover Norquist Becky Norton Dunlop Ron Robinson Ned Ryun Fred Smith, Jr. Matt Smith Lewis Uhler Ed Yevoli SELECTING THE VOTES ACU researched and selected a range of bills before the Michigan Legislature that determine a member s adherence to conservative principles. We selected bills that focus on Ronald Reagan s philosophy of the three-legged stool : 1) fiscal and economic: taxes, budgets, regulation, spending, healthcare, and property; 2) social and cultural: 2nd amendment, religion, life, welfare, and education; and 3) government integrity: voting, individual liberty, privacy, and transparency. This wide range of issues are designed to give citizens an accurate assessment that conveys which of Michigan s elected leaders best defend the principles of a free society: Life, Liberty and Property. To contact ACU, please call H Street NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC (202)

4 2015 WINNERS & LOSERS AWARD FOR CONSERVATIVE EXCELLENCE <10 COALITION OF THE RADICAL LEFT SENATE SENATE HOUSE SENATE HOUSE HOUSE BRANDENBURG HUNE GLENN Gregory Banks Moss EMMONS KNOLLENBERG RUNESTAD Hertel Byrd Plawecki GREEN PAVLOV THEIS Johnson Durhal Schor HILDENBRAND PROOS Warren Garrett Talabi Greig Zemke AWARD FOR CONSERVATIVE ACHIEVEMENT Hovey-Wright SENATE HOUSE HOUSE HOUSE BOOHER AFENDOULIS JENKINS PETTALIA COLBECK BUMSTEAD JOHNSON POLESKI HANSEN CANFIELD KELLY ROBERTS, B. HORN CHATFIELD KESTO SOMERVILLE KOWALL COLE LAUWERS TEDDER MacGREGOR COX LEONARD VAUPEL MARLEAU FARRINGTON LUCIDO VerHEULEN MEEKHOF GOIKE McCREADY WEBBER ROBERTSON GRAVES MILLER, A. SCHMIDT HOOKER NEITT SCHUITMAKER SHIRKEY STAMAS 4

5 MICHIGAN SENATE VOTE DESCRIPTIONS Handgun Regulation Reform. This bill streamlines the bureaucracy set up to issue concealed carry licenses and gives the licensing authority a 45 day limit on processing a request, otherwise a temporary license is issued. ACU supports the founder s belief in the Second Amendment and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on February 26, 2015 by a vote of Transfer of School Surplus Funds. This bill will utilize surpluses in the School Aid Fund to help cover a budget shortfall. ACU supports this fiscally sound approach to balance the budget, which prevents needless tax increases, and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on February 26, 2015 by a vote of Spending Reduction. This bill makes spending reductions in a variety of departments totaling $93 million to help reduce a budget shortfall. This bill, combined with others, reduces state spending by $530 million. ACU supports this program as a model for balancing the budget through spending priorities rather than tax increases, and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on February 26, 2015 by a vote of Regulation of Air Guns. This bill changes the definition of firearms to conform to the federal definition so that air guns will no longer be under the same set of heavy regulations as firearms. It also allows for reasonable regulations of air guns at the local level. ACU supports the founder s belief in the Second Amendment and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on March 25, 2015 by a vote of Warren Amendment Embryonic Stem Cell Research. The Warren Amendment to the Omnibus Education Bill eliminates the requirement that public universities report on their use of embryonic stem cells for research. ACU supports the public s right to know how their money is being spent and opposed this amendment. The Senate defeated the amendment on May 5, 2015 by a vote of Licensing Regulations. This bill allows those who are not licensed elevator contractors to install residential chair lifts and platform lifts under certain circumstances. ACU opposes the proliferation of licensing requirements primarily designed to reduce competition and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on May 13, 2015 by a vote of Repealing State Prevailing Wage Law. This bill repeals Michigan s prevailing wage law that is similar to the federal Davis-Bacon Act. The law forced contractors to pay wages and fringe benefits at the prevailing wage, which is usually above the market price, in an area. ACU opposes prevailing wage laws that add millions of dollars to project costs and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on May 14, 2015 by a vote of Bake Sale Regulations. This bill allows the sale of baked goods at school bake sales even if the food begin sold doesn t meet new federal nutrition standards. ACU opposes these absurd federal regulations and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on May 19, 2015 by a vote of Powdered Alcohol. This bill bans the sale or possession of powdered alcohol. ACU opposes bans on legal products that are primarily designed to restrict competition and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on May 20, 2015 by a vote of Welfare Regulations. This bill puts into the law a rule currently enforced by the state Department of Health and Human Services that requires children of welfare recipients meet school attendance requirements or else lose eligibility for cash assistance. Once the child attends school for 21 consecutive days, the eligibility is restored. ACU supports reasonable requirements for welfare assistance and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on May 26, 2015 by a vote of Religious Liberty. This bill allows faith-based adoption agencies to refuse adoptions for same-sex or unmarried couples if it goes against their religious beliefs. The ACU believes the state should not force faith-based adoption agencies to violate their faith or be put out of business, as has happened in other states, for simply practicing their strongly held religious beliefs and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on June 10, 2015 by a vote of Limiting Local Government Labor Law. This bill prohibits local government bodies from requiring businesses to increase their wages, mandate leave and sick time, or mandate other benefits that exceed state or federal requirements. ACU opposes government interference when an employee negotiates his or her own benefits and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on June 17, 2015 by a vote of Public School Spending Reform. This bill allows the state Treasury Department to withhold state school aid payments to a school district that overspends its appropriation if the district does not submit a deficit reduction plan. This bill is one of several designed to set up an early warning system for school districts with financial problems. ACU supports this fiscally sound approach of taxpayer accountability and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on June 18, 2015 by a vote of

6 Competitive Bidding. This bill allows a township that contributes 50 percent or more to the cost of a road project to require the county road commission to use competitive bidding in contracting the work. ACU supports the use of competitive bidding wherever possible and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on July 1, 2015 by a vote of Balanced Budget Amendment. This bill allows Michigan to join the Compact for a Balanced Budget, which seeks to gain the approval of 38 states to call a constitutional convention to pass a balanced budget amendment. ACU supports a balanced budget amendment and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on September 17, 2015 by a vote of Gas Tax Increase. This bill substantially increases the gas tax from between 4 and 15 cents a gallon to pay for transportation programs that include rail and non-highway related programs. ACU opposes using gas tax revenues to pay for programs unrelated to the highway and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on November 3, 2015 by a vote of Teacher Hiring Flexibility. This bill expands the number of subjects in which school districts can hire non-certified teachers to any subject in which there is a shortage. ACU supports the ability of schools to fill critical shortages to keep schools fully staffed and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on November 5, 2015 by a vote of Taxpayer Funding of Union Activities. This bill prohibits the practice known as official time, where government employees are paid to conduct union business. ACU believes that taxpayers should not have to pay for these employees and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on November 10, 2015 by a vote of Franchise Labor Law. This bill addresses the National Labor Relations Board s joint owner rule that says all franchise employees should be lumped together under one employer. The bill says that for the purposes of worker s compensation, the franchise owner will be considered the sole employer. ACU opposes the NLRB rule, which harms small business owners, and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on November 10, 2015 by a vote of Mining Regulatory Reform. This bill makes it easier to mine minerals, such as native copper, that are less harmful to the environment by streamlining permitting requirements. ACU supports common-sense regulatory reform and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on December 15, 2015 by a vote of Corporate Subsidies. This bill exempts from the sales tax specific building equipment to be used for data centers. The bill originally gave this exemption to a specific data center to be housed in the Pyramid building in Grand Rapids, Michigan, but was expanded to include all data centers. ACU supports tax rates that encompass all actors in a market so that rates can be lowered as much as possible and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on December 15, 2015 by a vote of Paycheck Protection. This bill repeals the requirement that employees who opt-out of having their contributions to a union or corporate PAC automatically deducted from their paychecks must do so on an annual basis, among other provisions. ACU supports these reforms and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on December 16, 2015 by a vote of

7 MICHIGAN SENATE SCORES MICHIGAN SENATE STATISTICS OVERALL AVERAGE 63 REPUBLICAN AVERAGE 83 LOWEST REPUBLICAN ROCCA 45 DEMOCRAT AVERAGE 14 HIGHEST DEMOCRAT SMITH 28 MICHIGAN SENATE VOTE DETAIL Party District Warren Amd Ananich D E E Bieda D BOOHER R BRANDENBURG R CASPERSON R X COLBECK R EMMONS R GREEN R E Gregory D HANSEN R Hertel D n/a 9 HILDENBRAND R Hood D Hopgood D 6 E HORN R n/a 82 HUNE R Johnson D ACU Cast LIFETIME AVG 7

8 MICHIGAN SENATE VOTE DETAIL Party District Warren Amd JONES R Knezek D KNOLLENBERG R n/a 92 KOWALL R MacGREGOR R MARLEAU R MEEKHOF R NOFS R E E - + E E O'BRIEN R PAVLOV R PROOS R ROBERTSON R ROCCA R SCHMIDT R SCHUITMAKER R SHIRKEY R Smith D E E E E STAMAS R Warren D Young D 1 - E E ZORN R ACU Cast LIFETIME AVG 8

9 MICHIGAN HOUSE VOTE DESCRIPTIONS Transfer of School Surplus Funds. This bill utilizes surpluses in the School Aid Fund to help cover a budget shortfall. ACU supports this fiscally sound approach to balance the budget, which prevents needless tax increases, and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on February 18, 2015 by a vote of Spending Reduction. This bill makes spending reductions in a variety of departments totaling $93 million to help reduce a budget shortfall. This bill, combined with others, reduced state spending by $530 million. ACU supports this program as a model for balancing the budget through spending priorities rather than tax increases, and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on February 18, 2015 by a vote of Handgun Regulation Reform. This bill streamlines the bureaucracy set up to issue concealed carry licenses and gives the licensing authority a 45 day limit on processing a request, otherwise a temporary license is issued. ACU supports the founder s belief in the Second Amendment and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on February 25, 2015 by a vote of Licensing Regulations. This bill allows those who are not licensed elevator contractors to install residential chair lifts and platform lifts under certain circumstances. ACU opposes the proliferation of licensing requirements primarily designed to reduce competition and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on March 11, 2015 by a vote of Religious Liberty. This bill allows faith-based adoption agencies to refuse adoptions for same-sex or unmarried couples if it goes against their religious beliefs. The ACU believes the state should not force faith-based adoption agencies to violate their faith or be put out of business, as has happened in other states, for simply practicing their strongly held religious beliefs and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on March 18, 2015 by a vote of Regulation of Air Guns. This bill changes the definition of firearms to conform to the federal definition so that air guns will no longer be under the same set of heavy regulations as firearms. It also allows for reasonable regulations of air guns at the local level. ACU supports the founder s belief in the Second Amendment and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on April 29, 2015 by a vote of Bake Sale Regulations. This bill allows the sale of baked goods at school bake sales even if the food being sold doesn t meet new federal nutrition standards. ACU opposes these absurd federal regulations and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on May 13, 2015 by a vote of Welfare Regulations. This bill puts into law a rule currently enforced by the state Department of Health and Human Services that requires children of welfare recipients to meet school attendance requirements or else lose eligibility for cash assistance. Once the child attends school for 21 consecutive days, the eligibility is restored. ACU supports reasonable requirements for welfare assistance and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on June 2, 2015 by a vote of Limiting Local Government Labor Law. This bill prohibits local government bodies from requiring businesses to increase their wages, mandate leave and sick time, or mandate other benefits that exceed state or federal requirements. ACU opposes government interference when an employee negotiates his or her own benefits and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on June 16, 2015 by a vote of Public School Spending Reform. This bill allows the state Treasury Department to withhold state school aid payments to a school district that overspends its appropriation if the district does not submit a deficit reduction plan. This bill is one of several designed to set up an early warning system for school districts with financial problems. ACU supports this fiscally sound approach of taxpayer accountability and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on June 18, 2015 by a vote of Powdered Alcohol. This bill bans the sale or possession of powdered alcohol. ACU opposes bills primarily designed to restrict competition and that ban legal products from entering the marketplace and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on October 13, 2015 by a vote of Competitive Bidding. This bill allows a township that contributes 50 percent or more to the cost of a road project to require the county road commission to use competitive bidding in contracting the work. ACU supports the use of competitive bidding wherever possible and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on October 21, 2015 by a vote of Gas Tax Increase. This bill substantially increases the gas tax from between 4 and 15 cents a gallon to pay for transportation programs that include rail and non-highway related programs. ACU opposes using gas tax revenues to pay for programs unrelated to the highway and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on November 3, 2015 by a vote of

10 Licensing for Midwives. This bill establishes a licensing regime for midwives, including criteria and fees. ACU opposes the proliferation of licensing requirements that are primarily designed to restrict competition and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on December 3, 2015 by a vote of Corporate Subsidies. This bill exempts from the sales tax specific building equipment to be used for data centers. The bill originally gave this carve out to a single data center to be housed in the Pyramid building in Grand Rapids, Michigan, but it was expanded to include all data centers. ACU supports tax rates that encompass all actors in a market so that rates can be lowered as much as possible and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on December 15, 2015 by a vote of Franchise Labor Law. This bill addresses the National Labor Relations Board s joint owner rule that says all franchise employees should be lumped together under one employer. The bill says that for the purposes of worker s compensation, the franchise owner will be considered the sole employer. ACU opposes the NLRB rule, which harms small business owners, and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on December 16, 2015 by a vote of Paycheck Protection. This bill repeals the requirement that employees who opt-out of having their contributions to a union or corporate PAC automatically deducted from their paychecks must do so on an annual basis, among other provisions. ACU supports these reforms and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on December 16, 2015 by a vote of

11 MICHIGAN HOUSE SCORES MICHIGAN HOUSE STATISTICS OVERALL AVERAGE 52 REPUBLICAN AVERAGE 80 LOWEST REPUBLICAN BIZON 53 DEMOCRAT AVERAGE 17 HIGHEST DEMOCRATS KIVELA, SANTANA 38 MICHIGAN HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District AFENDOULIS R n/a 82 Banks D BARRETT R n/a 76 BIZON R n/a 53 Brinks D Brunner D X BUMSTEAD R Byrd D n/a 6 CALLTON R CANFIELD R n/a 82 Chang D n/a 12 CHATFIELD R n/a 88 Chirkun D n/a 18 Clemente D Cochran D COLE R n/a 82 COTTER R ACU Cast LIFETIME AVG 11

12 MICHIGAN HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District COURSER R X X X X X X X 9 10 n/a n/a n/a COX R n/a 88 CRAWFORD R Darany D Dianda D Dillon D X X X X X X X X 4 9 n/a 42 n/a Driskell D X Durhal D Faris D FARRINGTON R FORLINI R FRANZ R GAMRAT R X X X X X X X 9 10 n/a n/a n/a GARCIA R n/a 76 Garrett D n/a 6 Gay-Dagnogo D n/a 12 Geiss D GLARDON R GLENN R n/a 94 GOIKE R GRAVES R Greig D n/a 6 Greimel D Guerra D n/a 12 HEISE R Hoadley D n/a 12 HOOKER R Hovey-Wright D HOWRYLAK R HUGHES R n/a 74 IDEN R n/a 76 INMAN R X n/a 75 ACU Cast LIFETIME AVG 12

13 MICHIGAN HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District Irwin D JACOBSEN R JENKINS R JOHNSON R KELLY R KESTO R Kivela D X Kosowski D LaFONTAINE R Lane D X LAUWERS R LaVoy D LEONARD R LEUTHEUSER R n/a 76 Liberati D n/a 29 Love D n/a 12 LUCIDO R n/a 88 LYONS R MATUREN R n/a 76 McBROOM R McCREADY R MILLER, A. R n/a 82 Miller, D. D n/a 29 Moss D n/a 6 MUXLOW R X X + - X X X X n/a 67 n/a Neeley D n/a 18 NEITT R OUTMAN R Pagan D n/a 12 PAGEL R PETTALIA R Phelps D X ACU Cast LIFETIME AVG 13

14 MICHIGAN HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District Plawecki D n/a 6 POLESKI R POTVIN R PRICE R PSCHOLKA R RENDON R ROBERTS, B. R n/a 82 Roberts, S. D Robinson D RUNESTAD R n/a 94 Rutledge D X - - X Santana D X Schor D SHEPPARD R n/a 76 Singh D Smiley D SOMERVILLE R Talabi D TEDDER R n/a 88 THEIS R n/a 94 Townsend D X VAUPEL R n/a 82 VerHEULEN R VICTORY R WEBBER R n/a 82 Wittenberg D n/a 12 Yanez D YONKER R Zemke D Legislator did not vote on enough of the selected bills and as a result the 2015 percentage and lifetime average was not rated. ACU Cast LIFETIME AVG 14