No. 79

STATE OF MICHIGAN

JOURNAL

OF THE

House of Representatives

99th Legislature

REGULAR SESSION OF 2017

House Chamber, Lansing, Wednesday, October 18, 2017.

1:30 p.m.

The House was called to order by the Speaker.

The roll was called by the Clerk of the House of Representatives, who announced that a quorum was present.

Afendoulis—present Frederick—present Kelly—present Reilly—present

Albert—present Garcia—present Kesto—present Rendon—present

Alexander—present Garrett—present Kosowski—present Roberts—present

Allor—present Gay-Dagnogo—present LaFave—present Robinson—present

Barrett—present Geiss—present LaGrand—present Runestad—present

Bellino—present Glenn—present LaSata—present Sabo—present

Bizon—present Graves—present Lasinski—present Santana—present

Brann—present Green—present Lauwers—present Schor—present

Brinks—present Greig—present Leonard—present Scott—present

Byrd—present Greimel—present Leutheuser—present Sheppard—present

Calley—present Griffin—present Liberati—present Singh—present

Camilleri—present Guerra—present Lilly—present Sneller—present

Canfield—present Hammoud—present Love—present Sowerby—present

Chang—present Hauck—present Lower—present Tedder—present

Chatfield—present Hernandez—present Lucido—present Theis—present

Chirkun—present Hertel—present Marino—present VanderWall—present

Clemente—present Hoadley—present Maturen—present VanSingel—present

Cochran—present Hoitenga—present McCready—present Vaupel—present

Cole—present Hornberger—present Miller—present VerHeulen—present

Cox—present Howell—present Moss—present Victory—present

Crawford—present Howrylak—present Neeley—present Webber—present

Dianda—present Hughes—present Noble—present Wentworth—present

Durhal—present Iden—present Pagan—present Whiteford—present

Elder—present Inman—present Pagel—present Wittenberg—present

Ellison—present Johnson—present Peterson—present Yanez—present

Faris—present Jones—present Phelps—present Yaroch—present

Farrington—present Kahle—present Rabhi—present Zemke—present

e/d/s = entered during session

Fr. Edward Hanna, Priest of Sts. Peter and Paul Syriac Orthodox Church in Southfield and Fr. Mina Essak, Archpriest of St. Mark Coptic Orthodox Church in Troy, offered the following invocation:

“Abun d-ba-shmayya Our Father Who is in Heaven

nethqaddash shmakh May Your name be sanctified

Tethe Malkuthakh May Your Kingdom come

Neweh sebyanakh May Your will be done

Aykana d’ba’shmayya As in Heaven

aph ‘al ar’a Also on earth

Hab lan lahma Our bread for this day

d-sunqanan yawmana Give us this day

wa-shboq lan hawbayn And forgive us our debts

aykana d-aph hnan As we too

shbaqnan l-hayyabayn Have forgiven our debtors

w-la ta’lan l-nesyona and do not let us enter temptation

ella passan men bisha But deliver us from the evil one.”

______

The Speaker called the Speaker Pro Tempore to the Chair.

Motions and Resolutions

Reps. Runestad, Kesto, Graves, Chirkun, Lucido, LaFave, Hoitenga, VanSingel, Hornberger, Vaupel, Farrington, Webber, Neeley, Yanez, Green, Byrd, Durhal, Gay-Dagnogo, Lasinski, Hertel, Dianda, Rendon, Afendoulis, Sheppard, McCready, Brann, Greimel, Victory, Hernandez, Yaroch, Crawford, Jones, Allor, Kosowski, Clemente, Cochran, Elder, Ellison, Greig, Hoadley, Kahle, Kelly, Lauwers, Maturen, Sabo, Sneller, Sowerby and Zemke offered the following resolution:

House Resolution No. 182.

A resolution to declare October 18, 2017, as American Middle East Christian Day in the state of Michigan.

Whereas, There are over six million Middle East Christians across the United States including Arab Christians, Armenians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Coptics, Maronites, Phoenicians, Syriacs, and others; and

Whereas, In Michigan, there are approximately half a million Middle East Christians spanning over eight generations; and

Whereas, American Middle East Christians are a culturally rich community representing American Christians descending from all Middle East nations; and

Whereas, The American Middle East Christians are descendants of the cradle of civilization and hail from the ancient regions of the world. The ancestors of Middle East Christians have contributed significantly to the world’s greatest achievements, including the Hammurabi Code—the world’s first known written set of laws. Their monuments are considered wonders of the world, including the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the Pyramids; and

Whereas, Many American Middle East Christians continue to speak the ancient language, Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus Christ. Today, the families of American Middle East Christians face religious and civil persecution, forced conversion, expulsion, and near extinction in their homelands. Nevertheless, they have not wavered from their faith and culture; and

Whereas, American Middle East Christians contribute today to American society and culture in all areas, including government, politics, science, and the arts; and

Whereas, Many of the American Middle East Christians’ family members overseas continue to seek refuge in Michigan for economic, political and religious freedom. American Middle East Christians in Michigan own thriving businesses with a solid contribution and investment in Michigan’s growing economy. American Middle East Christians in Michigan are a testament to the strength of their Christian faith and a culture of forgiveness and sacrifice as they strive to make a positive impact on their communities. The state of Michigan is proud of its cultural diversity and welcomes the opportunity to honor and recognize its American Middle East Christian citizens; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body declare October 18, 2017, as American Middle East Christian Day in the state of Michigan; and be it further

Resolved That we encourage all citizens to commemorate and honor the many accomplishments and contributions that the American Middle East community has made to our state, nation and world; and be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the American Middle East Christians Congress in Michigan, as honorary evidence of the highest esteem of the members of the Michigan Legislature.

The question being on the adoption of the resolution,

Rep. Runestad moved to substitute (H-1) the resolution as follows:

Substitute for House Resolution No. 182.

A resolution to declare October 18, 2017, as American Middle East Christian Day in the state of Michigan.

Whereas, In Michigan, there are approximately half a million Middle East Christians spanning over eight generations; and

Whereas, American Middle East Christians are a culturally rich community representing American Christians descending from all Middle East nations; and

Whereas, Many American Middle East Christians continue to speak the ancient language, Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus Christ. Today, the families of American Middle East Christians face religious and civil persecution, forced conversion, expulsion, and near extinction in many of their homelands. Nevertheless, they have not wavered from their faith and culture; and

Whereas, American Middle East Christians contribute today to American society and culture in all areas, including government, politics, science, and the arts; and

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body declare October 18, 2017, as American Middle East Christian Day in the state of Michigan; and be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the American Middle East Christians Congress in Michigan, as honorary evidence of the highest esteem of the members of the Michigan Legislature.

The motion prevailed and the substitute (H-1) was adopted, a majority of the members serving voting therefor.

The question being on the adoption of the resolution,

The resolution was adopted.

Reps. Hammoud, LaGrand, Gay-Dagnogo, Wittenberg, Robinson, Elder, Rabhi, Greimel, Camilleri, Guerra, Greig, Hoadley, Geiss, Neeley, Santana, Moss, Jones, Kosowski, Chirkun, Clemente, Cochran, Ellison, Green, Lasinski, Maturen, Sabo, Sneller, Sowerby and Zemke offered the following resolution:

House Resolution No. 183.

A resolution to urge Congress to condemn the violence against the Rohingya people in Myanmar and pursue policies that will permanently ensure their safety and protect their human rights.

Whereas, The Rohingya people have long been one of the most persecuted groups on the planet. The Rohingya people are a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority from western Myanmar who have been subjected to unacceptable treatment by the government of Myanmar for more than a generation. They were stripped of their citizenship in 1982 and have faced restrictions on movement, education, religious practice, and labor, in addition to harassment and violence; and

Whereas, The Rohingya people currently face a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. In response to attacks carried out by Rohingya militants against the government of Myanmar in August 2017, the police and military began a campaign of disproportionate violence that has killed thousands and forced approximately 500,000 Rohingya people to flee their homes in Myanmar to Bangladesh. Roughly one-third of the entire Rohingya population are refugees as a result of this violence which reportedly has included executions, beatings, sexual assaults, and wholesale destructions of Rohingya villages; and

Whereas, The government of Myanmar has largely prevented international aid organizations from reaching the Rohingya people and has blocked outside observers and journalists from gaining access to areas impacted by these atrocities; and

Whereas, The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights announced that the situation in Myanmar “seems a textbook example of ethnic cleansing.” Other organizations have referred to the government’s actions as “crimes against humanity,” even leading some to consider whether the Rohingya people are facing genocide in Myanmar; and

Whereas, The United States has a moral obligation to work with the international community to prevent gross violations of human rights. The nations of the world must place consistent pressure on the government of Myanmar to stop the violence against the Rohingya people for good and allow aid to reach them; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we urge Congress to condemn the violence against the Rohingya people in Myanmar and pursue policies that will permanently ensure their safety and protect their human rights; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.

The resolution was referred to the Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs.

Reps. Greig, Singh, Guerra, Pagan, Camilleri, Hoadley, Brinks, Gay-Dagnogo, Byrd, Yanez, Green, Chang, Garrett, Wittenberg, Hammoud, Schor, Howrylak, Moss, Jones, Kosowski, Chirkun, Clemente, Cochran, Elder, Ellison, Faris, Geiss, Kelly, Lasinski, Maturen, Sabo, Sneller, Sowerby and Zemke offered the following resolution:

House Resolution No. 184.

A resolution to recognize the historic, cultural, and religious significance of the Diwali Festival.

Whereas, Diwali, a festival that holds great traditional significance and is celebrated annually by Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains, is celebrated throughout the United States and the state of Michigan. It will be observed on October 19, 2017; and

Whereas, Diwali is celebrated every autumn, around the new moon between the Hindu months of Asvina and Kartika; and

Whereas, The word ‘‘Diwali’’ is a shortened version of the Sanskrit term ‘‘Deepavali’’, meaning ‘‘a row of lamps’’; and

Whereas, Diwali is a festival of lights, during which celebrants light small oil lamps and place them around the home. The lighting of lamps is followed by prayers for attainment of health, wealth, knowledge, peace, and valor; and

Whereas, Celebrants of Diwali believe that the rows of lamps symbolize the light within the individual that rids the soul of darkness; and

Whereas, This festival also marks the victory of good over evil and signifies a time of peace, happiness, hope, and serenity; and

Whereas, Michigan remains resolute in its commitment to continue fostering diversity of experience and religious tolerance and Diwali is a time marked by qualities of togetherness and community, now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body recognize the historic, cultural, and religious significance of Diwali Festival. We recognize the Diwali Festival’s message of tolerance, compassion, and acceptance of others which resonates with the ideals of the American spirit; and be it further

Resolved, That we expresses deepest respect and admiration to all those who celebrate the Diwali Festival throughout the world and in our own communities.

The question being on the adoption of the resolution,

The resolution was adopted.

Reports of Standing Committees

The Speaker laid before the House

House Resolution No. 154.

A resolution to encourage the Natural Resources Commission to add Sandhill cranes to the game species list and seek U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approval to establish a Sandhill crane hunting season.

(For text of resolution, see House Journal No. 68, p. 1618.)

(The resolution was reported by the Committee on Natural Resources on October 11.)

The question being on the adoption of the resolution,

The resolution was adopted.

Second Reading of Bills

House Bill No. 4957, entitled

A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled “Natural resources and environmental protection act,” by amending sections 43502 and 43520 (MCL 324.43502 and 324.43520), as amended by 2013 PA 108.

Was read a second time, and the question being on the adoption of the proposed substitute (H-2) previously recommended by the Committee on Natural Resources,

The substitute (H-2) was adopted, a majority of the members serving voting therefor.

Rep. Howell moved that the bill be placed on the order of Third Reading of Bills.

The motion prevailed.

House Bill No. 5039, entitled

A bill to amend 2000 PA 403, entitled “Motor fuel tax act,” by amending section 30 (MCL 207.1030), as amended by 2008 PA 26.

Was read a second time, and the question being on the adoption of the proposed substitute (H-1) previously recommended by the Committee on Tax Policy,

The substitute (H-1) was adopted, a majority of the members serving voting therefor.

Rep. Wentworth moved that the bill be placed on the order of Third Reading of Bills.

The motion prevailed.

House Bill No. 4940, entitled

A bill to amend 1965 PA 114, entitled “An act relating to dry, edible beans; to create a bean commission and prescribe its functions; to levy and collect assessments on bean production; and to provide penalties for violation of this act,” by amending sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 (MCL 290.551, 290.552, 290.553, and 290.554), as amended by 2000 PA 484.

The bill was read a second time.

Rep. Canfield moved that the bill be placed on the order of Third Reading of Bills.

The motion prevailed.

______

Rep. Lauwers moved that House Committees be given leave to meet during the balance of today’s session.

The motion prevailed.

By unanimous consent the House returned to the order of

Announcement by the Clerk of Printing and Enrollment

The Clerk announced that the following bills had been reproduced and made available electronically on Tuesday, October 17:

House Bill Nos. 5115 5116 5117 5118 5119 5120 5121 5122 5123 5124 5125 5126 5127 5128

5129 5130 5131

The Clerk announced that the following bill had been reproduced and made available electronically on Wednesday, October 18:

Senate Bill No. 635

The Clerk announced that the following Senate bills had been received on Wednesday, October 18:

Senate Bill Nos. 492 542 574

Reports of Standing Committees

The Committee on Tax Policy, by Rep. Tedder, Chair, reported

House Bill No. 4047, entitled

A bill to amend 1893 PA 206, entitled “The general property tax act,” (MCL 211.1 to 211.155) by adding section 9p.

With the recommendation that the bill be referred to the Committee on Communications and Technology.

Favorable Roll Call

To Report Out:

Yeas: Reps. Tedder, Maturen, Kesto, Lucido, Vaupel, Johnson, Kahle, Lower, Byrd, Neeley, Ellison and Hammoud

Nays: None

The recommendation was concurred in and the bill was referred to the Committee on Communications and Technology.

The Committee on Tax Policy, by Rep. Tedder, Chair, reported

House Bill No. 4141, entitled

A bill to amend 1893 PA 206, entitled “The general property tax act,” (MCL 211.1 to 211.155) by adding section 9p.

With the recommendation that the bill be referred to the Committee on Communications and Technology.

Favorable Roll Call

To Report Out:

Yeas: Reps. Tedder, Maturen, Kesto, Lucido, Vaupel, Johnson, Kahle, Lower, Byrd, Neeley, Ellison and Hammoud

Nays: None

The recommendation was concurred in and the bill was referred to the Committee on Communications and Technology.

COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE REPORT

The following report, submitted by Rep. Tedder, Chair, of the Committee on Tax Policy, was received and read: