Here is an update of matters before the Michigan Legislature impacting Christian people. We hope you find in helpful.
State of Michigan – Legislative Branch
Bills or Resolutions House:
(House actions in lowercase, Senate actions in UPPERCASE)
HR 0072 (Rep. Wittenberg)
A resolution to declare May 2, 2019, as Holocaust Remembrance Day
Last Action: 5/2/2019 – HJ 42 Pg. 488 – adopted
Crimes; internet; penalties for coercing vulnerable adult into providing sexually explicit visual material; provide for. Amends 1931 PA 328 (MCL 750.1 – 750.568) by adding sec. 145g.
Last Action:
1/23/2019 – HJ 7 Pg. 64 referred to Committee on Families, Children, and Seniors
6/19/2019 – HJ 63 Pg. 817 referred to Committee on Judiciary, with subs H-2
Liquor; licenses; posting to warn of the potential problems of drinking alcohol during pregnancy; require on premises of retail liquor licensees. Amends 1998 PA 58 (MCL 436.1101 – 436.2303) by adding sec. 905a.
Last Action:3/12/2019 – HJ 25 Pg. 240 passed; given immediate effect Roll Call # 14 Yeas 100 Nays 10 – transmitted
3/13/2019 – SJ 26 REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON REGULATORY REFORM
Labor; youth employment; parent or legal guardian of a minor being educated at the minor’s home; allow to issue a work permit for the minor (Allows parents of homeschool students to sign work permit). Amends sec. 2 of 1978 PA 90 (MCL 409.102).
Last Action:
2/26/2019 – HJ 19 Pg. 184 referred to Committee on Education
6/4/2019 – HJ 56 Pg. 664 referred to Committee on Ways and Means, with H-1
Gambling; Gaming; lawful internet gaming act; create. Creates new act. TIE BAR WITH: HB 4308’19
Last Action:
3/7/2019 – HJ 24 Pg. 234 referred to Committee on Regulatory Reform
3/19/2019 – HJ 28 Pg. 286 referred to Committee on Ways and Means
Criminal procedure; sentencing guidelines; sentencing guidelines for the crime of disclosing confidential information regarding abortion; eliminate. Amends sec. 13k, ch. XVII of 1927 PA 175 (MCL 777.13k). TIE BAR WITH: HB 4417’19
Last Action:3/21/2019 – HJ 30 Pg. 331 referred to Committee on Health Policy
Health; abortion; additional abortion complication reporting; require. Amends secs. 2835 & 2837 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.2835 & 333.2837) & adds sec. 2839.
Last Action:3/21/2019 – HJ 30 Pg. 331 referred to Committee on Health Policy
Health; funding; prohibition for state to contract with providers that offer abortion services; provide for. Amends title & sec. 1 of 2002 PA 360 (MCL 333.1091).
Last Action:3/12/2019 – HJ 25 Pg. 255 referred to Committee on Families, Children, and Seniors
Civil rights; speech and assembly; campus free speech act; create. Creates new act.
Last Action:4/9/2019 – HJ 31 Pg. 336 referred to Committee on Oversight
Civil rights; speech and assembly; safeguards for exercise of free speech rights on community college and university campuses; provide for. Creates new act.
Last Action:4/9/2019 – HJ 31 Pg. 336 referred to Committee on Oversight
8/29/2019- Expected in HJ 79 referred to Committee on Judiciary, with substitute (H-2)
Children; protection; allow for surrender of newborn to a newborn safety device (baby dropbox); Amends secs. 5, 7, 10, 17 & 20, ch. XII of 1939 PA 288 (MCL 712.5 et seq.) & adds sec. 3a. TIE BAR WITH: HB 4524’19
Last Action:
4/30/2019 – HJ 40 Pg. 470 referred to Families, Children, & Seniors
Health; abortion; Creates new law protecting unborn life when fetal heartbeat detected with various exceptions; Current law protects all unborn life from point of conception except to save life of mother.
Last Action:5/23/2019 – HJ 51 Pg. 621 referred to Committee on Families, Children, and Seniors
Criminal procedure; sentencing guidelines; sentencing guidelines for crime of performing an abortion without testing for a fetal heartbeat, performing an abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected, and performing an abortion without obtaining informed consent after a fetal heartbeat is detected; create. Amends sec. 13k, ch. XVII of 1927 PA 175 (MCL 777.13k). TIE BAR WITH: HB 4664’19
Last Action:
5/23/2019-HJ 51 Pg. 620 referred to Committee on Families, Children, and Seniors
Civil rights; general discrimination; sexual orientation and gender identity or expression; include as categories protected under the Elliott-Larsen civil rights act. Amends title & secs. 102, 103, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 209, 302, 302a, 402, 502, 504, 505 & 506 of 1976 PA 453 (MCL 37.2102 et seq.).
Last Action:
6/4/2019 HJ 56 Pg. 670 referred to Committee on Government Operations
Bills or Resolutions Senate:
Repeals Michigan’s law banning all abortions from conception except to save life of mother. Crimes; abortion; penalty for administering with intent to procure miscarriage; repeal. Repeals sec. 14 of 1931 PA 328 (MCL 750.14).
Last Action:
1/23/2019 – SJ 7 Pg. 72 REFERRED TO JUDICIARY AND PUBLIC SAFETY
1/29/2019 – HJ 9 Pg. 77 referred to Committee on Health Policy
Civil rights; general discrimination; sexual orientation and gender identity or expression; include as categories protected under the Elliott-Larsen civil rights act. Amends title & secs. 102, 103, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 209, 302, 302a, 402, 502, 504, 505 & 506 of 1976 PA 453 (MCL 37.2102 et seq.).
Last Action:6/5/2019 REFERRED TO GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
Health; abortion; pain-capable unborn child protection act; enact. Amends 1931 PA 328 (MCL 750.1 – 750.568) by adding sec. 325.
Last Action:3/5/2019 REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH POLICY AND HUMAN SERVICES\
Health; suicide; provides for suicide prevention commission; Creates new act.
Last Action:
5/7/2019 – SJ 43 Pg. 426 PASSED ROLL CALL # 57 YEAS 38 NAYS 0
5/7/2019 – HJ 43 Pg. 511 read a first time; referred to Committee on Health Policy
Health; abortion; partial-birth abortion provision; modify to include dismemberment abortion; (bans dismemberment abortion). Amends sec. 90h of 1931 PA 328 (MCL 750.90h).
Last Action:5/14/2019 – SJ 46 Pg. 466 – PASSED ROLL CALL # 63 YEAS 22 NAYS 16
5/14/2019 HJ 46 Pg. 549 referred to Committee on Judiciary
5/14/2019 HJ 46 Pg. 539 passed; given immediate effect Roll Call # 85 Yeas 58 Nays 51 Excused 0 Not Voting 1
5/16/2019 SJ 48 Pg. 548 REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY AND PUBLIC SAFETY
Criminal procedure; sentencing guidelines; sentencing guidelines for the crime of dismemberment abortion; enact. Amends sec. 16d, ch. XVII of 1927 PA 175 (MCL 777.16d). TIE BAR WITH: SB 0229’19
Last Action:
5/14/2019 – SJ 46 Pg. 467 – PASSED ROLL CALL # 64 YEAS 22 NAYS 16
5/14/2019 – HJ 46 Pg. 549 – referred to Committee on Judiciary
Prohibits placements and adoptions by a child placing agency based on religious or moral convictions. (Repeals religious liberty protections for adoption and foster care agencies) Repeals secs. 14e & 14f of 1973 PA 116 (MCL 722.124e & 722.124f). TIE BAR WITH: SB 0273’19, SB 0274’19
Last Action
4/17/2019 – SJ 35 Pg. 316 REFERRED TO FAMILIES, SENIORS, AND VETERANS
4/17/2019 – HJ 35 Pg. 395 referred to Committee on Government Operations
Children; adoption; Provide for second parent adoption (Permits unmarried, second parent adoption) Amends secs. 24, 41 & 51, ch. X of 1939 PA 288 (MCL 710.24 et seq.).
Last Action:
4/17/2019 – SJ 35 Pg. 316 REFERRED TO FAMILIES, SENIORS, & VETERANS
4/17/2019 – HJ 35 Pg. 396 referred to Committee on Families, Children, and Seniors
Mental health; children; Prohibits conversion therapy; (Prohibits conversion therapy for minors) Amends 1974 PA 258 (MCL 330.1001 – 330.2106) by adding sec. 901a.
Last Action:
4/24/2019 – SJ 38 Pg. 360 REFERRED TO HEALTH POLICY & HUMAN SERVICES
4/25/2019 – HJ 39 Pg. 458 referred to Committee on Health Policy
Civil rights; privacy; parental eavesdropping; allow under certain circumstances. Amends sec. 539g of 1931 PA 328 (MCL 750.539g).
Last Action:8/28/2019 REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY AND PUBLIC SAFETY
Children; other; consideration of best interests of the child in all parental termination cases, child custody cases, and out-of-home placement cases; require. Amends sec. 28, art. I of the state constitution.
Last Action:8/20/2019 REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON FAMILIES, SENIORS, AND VETERANS
Courts; judges; gubernatorial appointment of supreme court justice; amend constitution to require advice and consent of the senate. Amends sec. 23, art. VI of the state constitution.
Last Action:8/20/2019 REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON ADVICE AND CONSENT
Special FEDERAL Update
SLG OPPOSES H.R.5.
HR 5, a bill before Congress, targets Christian people and our sincerely held Christian values. It compels Christian people to endorse, accept, and embrace anti-Biblical sinful sexual conduct. Now before the House of Representative, HR 5 forces churches to wed same-sex couples and hire cross-dressing teachers. It permits men to use women’s restrooms and dressing rooms, If your church refuses, it loses its tax-exempt status. Under the bill Churches also face expensive litigation, fines and financially crippling court judgments. Most troubling, under the provisions of HR 5, your free exercise of religion is no longer a defense.
Under HR 5 Churches must host same-sex ceremonies. Nonconforming Churches lose tax-exempt status. Nonconforming Colleges lose accreditation. The bill prohibits nonconforming educational institutions at all level rom receiving students loans. Inevitably, Christian institutions will either cease to exist or bow to a secular god by compromising their core Christian mission.
The implications are real. If Christians schedule a mission trip, the proposed law prohibits the Christian organization from separating rooms by biological sex. Thus, men must have access to the women’s showers and bathrooms. Additionally the proposed law prohibits churches from following Biblical precepts on sexuality when hiring church ministry and staff. Thus, it violates the proposed law to consider whether a candidate openly engages in sinful sexual conduct. The bill allows lawsuits by someone who believes a church did not hire or select them due to their sexual lifestyle. Thus, even if the church denied the job for other reasons, it could face costly “damages” in a court judgment.
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