Tuesday, June 9, 2026

I voted YES on HB 5755 (Rep. Aragona), which would require the Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB) to develop and operate a website where legislative reports are posted.

EXPLANATION: State agencies are already required to submit reports to the Legislature. Requiring state agencies to also post these reports on a public website enhances transparency, a trait typically lacking in unelected bureaucracies.

PASSED: 96-9

I voted YES on HBs 5574-5576 (Reps. St. Germaine, Harris and DeBoyer), which would create a new crime designed to protect first responders. These bills would make it a crime to approach a first responder engaged in official duties with the intent to harass after receiving a verbal warning not to approach.

EXPLANATION: People who specifically target first responders cause harm not only to the first responders attempting to do their duty, but also to anyone under the care or attention of a first responder. The penalties provided in this package offer needed flexibility when pressing charges based on the severity of the offense.

PASSED: 74-30, 71-33, 73-31

I voted YES on HBs 5815 and 5816 (Reps. Wozniak and Meerman), which would establish that the publication of a rule raises rebuttable presumptions and that courts must exercise independent judgment when determining whether agencies acted within their statutory authority. The bills would prohibit courts from deferring to an agency’s interpretation of the law and would require courts and presiding officers in contested case hearings to conduct reviews de novo.

EXPLANATION: Unelected bureaucrats should not be trusted with the authoritative interpretation of the same rules they promulgate. These rules should be subject to judicial review, and courts should review them independently rather than defer to agency interpretations. When an administrative rule is challenged during a contested case hearing, those hearings should be conducted anew (de novo). Reviewing cases de novo leads to outcomes that are not determined by deference to other authorities, strengthening legitimate challenges to bureaucratic rules.

PASSED: 58-46, 58-46

I voted YES on HBs 5817 and 5818 (Reps. Aragona and Schuette), which would allow the Legislature to approve proposed major rules by concurrent resolution and require rules to be rescinded five years after promulgation. The bills would repeal the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) and create the Joint Committee on Regulatory Oversight and Administrative Review (ROAR) to oversee agency rulemaking, review proposed nonmajor rules and determine major rules.

EXPLANATION: The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) was substantially weakened decades ago. State agencies have consequently grown in power because JCAR was intended to serve as a legislative check on the administrative state. Since JCAR cannot rein in state bureaucracy, it is appropriate to implement a new method of oversight. Differentiating between major and nonmajor rules will ensure that the new ROAR committee applies maximum scrutiny to the most impactful proposed rules.

PASSED: 57-47, 57-47

Wednesday, June 10, 2026

I voted YES on HBs 5510 and 5511 (Reps. St. Germaine and Edwards), which would make changes to court-ordered probation and delayed sentencing when a person is convicted of the four-year felony offense of failing to pay child support.

EXPLANATION: Under current law, failure to pay child support is a felony. However, if a parent is incarcerated, he or she cannot fulfill obligations to his or her family. Greater flexibility with probation reduces penalties on well-meaning parents who were simply unable to afford child support by giving them more time to get their finances in order.

PASSED: 102-3, 103-2

I voted YES on HB 5472 (Rep. Aragona), which would allow a label placed on a tobacco product shipped out of state to be affixed to the largest unit of packaging, such as a shrink-wrapped pallet.

EXPLANATION: The Treasury Department currently requires individual labeling for tobacco products shipped out of state. This is a tedious, redundant regulation that adds thousands of dollars to the cost of fulfilling orders. Streamlining this regulation by requiring the label only on the largest unit of packaging reduces government-imposed burdens on the tobacco industry.

PASSED: 70-35

I voted YES on HBs 5932-5935 (Reps. Robinson, DeBoer, Schmaltz and Schuette), which would establish a process for modifying building permits after issuance. The bills would provide a deadline for the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) to require changes to a permit application, provide permit fee reimbursement if a permit is not issued or denied within a specified timeframe and establish notice requirements for permits issued by LARA.

EXPLANATION: The permitting process can quickly become an extraordinary hassle for builders, as LARA currently requires permits for initial construction and significant modifications. Rather than burdening developers with cumbersome permitting processes, the state should streamline the process and make it easier to build in Michigan.

PASSED: 86-19, 79-26, 75-30, 81-24

I voted YES on SBs 240 and 241 (Sen. Moss), which would modify the terms of office for township, village and city officials to ensure elected officials are sworn in no earlier than noon Dec. 1. This change responds to Proposal 22-2, which created scenarios in which post-election canvasses cannot begin until at least seven days after an election.

EXPLANATION: Newly elected public officials should not take office before the official certification of election results. Establishing a uniform standard provides clarity and consistency in the post-election process, allowing for smoother transitions in office.

PASSED: 105-0, 105-0

I voted NO on HBs 5819-5821 (Reps. Schmaltz, Greene and Linting), which would move implementation dates forward to ensure reading instruction and curriculum materials in classrooms and teacher preparation programs are based on the science of reading beginning in the 2026-27 school year. The bills would also require schools to use only approved science-of-reading curricula and materials.

EXPLANATION: Expediting the implementation of a statewide mandate regarding reading curricula places a burden on local schools. Further, the Michigan Department of Education should not be trusted as the sole arbiter of quality reading curricula. Although the science of reading is a proven and successful model, preserving competition among curricula is imperative to maintaining a well-educated society.

PASSED: 56-50, 56-50, 61-45

Thursday, June 11, 2026

I voted YES on HBs 5570 and 5571 (Reps. Fairbairn and Wooden), which would permit a single interior exit stairway in certain buildings.

EXPLANATION: Currently, apartment buildings with six stories or fewer must have at least two exit stairways. Reducing this requirement to one exit stairway is a step toward cutting red tape for potential developers.

PASSED: 97-9, 81-25

I voted NO on SB 301 (Sen. Bellino), which would create a corporate income tax credit for employers that offer paid leave for organ donations to employees.

EXPLANATION: Government should neither incentivize nor prohibit the voluntary acts of charitable giving.

PASSED: 98-8

I voted YES on HB 5123 (Rep. Harris), which would amend the Uniform Video Services Local Franchise Act by updating the definition of video service to ensure satellite services and streaming providers, and by extension their customers, are not charged franchise fees.

EXPLANATION: Applying cable franchise fees to streaming service providers would increase costs for both providers and consumers. Franchise fees were originally established for cable providers, not streaming services. Clarifying this distinction ensures streaming services are not subject to unnecessary fees for infrastructure they do not use.

PASSED: 75-31

I voted NO on HB 5124 (Rep. Snyder), which would amend the Uniform Video Services Local Franchise Act by adding reporting requirements.

EXPLANATION: Video service providers are already subject to regulation by the Michigan Public Service Commission and cable franchise fees. Additional reporting requirements unnecessarily increase regulatory burdens.

PASSED: 83-23

I voted YES on HB 5995 (Rep. DeBoyer), which would specify that violations detected through certain camera-based traffic enforcement systems and automated speed enforcement zones do not result in points being added to a driver’s license.

EXPLANATION: The expansion of surveillance technologies raises legitimate concerns. Ensuring that violations captured by cameras and automated systems do not add points to a motorist’s record is one step toward limiting the impact of such surveillance.

PASSED: 106-0