Michigan elections will be more accountable to voters under legislation signed last Thursday by Gov. Rick Snyder.
“Fair and accurate elections are the cornerstone of our democracy and this legislation will ensure Michigan maintains the most up-to-date voting records,” Snyder said.
House Bill 5646, sponsored by state Rep. Julie Calley, requires the Secretary of State to check the statewide qualified voter file against the U.S. Social Security Administration’s death master file on a monthly basis. The bill also requires the Secretary to participate in a multi-state crosscheck system to potentially identify voters registered in more than one state. The bill is now PA 126 of 2018.
SBs 809-814, sponsored by state Sen. Dave Robertson, remove obsolete provisions and modernize current language in Michigan election laws. The bills are now Public Acts 120-125 of 2018.
HB 5644, sponsored by state Rep. Tom Barrett, requires electronic voting systems to utilize a paper ballot for tabulation purposes. The bill would also create the procedure for requesting that an absentee ballot that has already been submitted be canceled, so the voter can get a new ballot, and prohibit absent voter ballots from being counted before the polls open on election day. The bill is now PA 127 of 2018.
HB 5012, sponsored by state Rep. Jim Lilly, adds language to the recount section of the Election Law to expound on what constitutes an “aggrieved candidate.” The bill is now PA 128 of 2018.
HB 5669, sponsored by state Rep. Aaron Miller, eliminates conflicting statutory references related to accepted forms of ID for voting purposes in Michigan’s Election Law, and codifies current practices allowed by the Bureau of Elections. The bill is now PA 129 of 2018.
SB 290, sponsored by state Sen. Dave Robertson, increases the fee for a recount from $125 per precinct to $250 per precinct under certain circumstances. The bill is now PA 130 of 2018.
Snyder also signed three additional bills:
• SB 841, sponsored by state Sen. Jack Brandenburg, protects partners in an LLP from all debts, obligations, and liabilities of the LLP, rather than just protecting them from liabilities arising from negligence, wrongful acts, omissions, misconduct, or malpractice. The bill is now PA 131 of 2018.
• HB 5261, sponsored by state Rep. Jim Tedder, simplifies process for claiming the small business exemption. The bill is now PA 132 of 2018.
• HB 4905, sponsored by state Rep. Pete Lucido, allows an individual who moves into an assisted living facility or nursing home to retain the principal residence property tax exemption on his or her own residence, by removing a condition that the home must not be occupied. The bill is now PA 133 of 2018.
For additional information on this and other state legislation, visit www.legislature.mi.gov.
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