2022 MI Legislative Scorecard 2021-
The following scorecard lists several key votes in the Michigan Legislature in 2021 and 2022 and ranks state representatives and senators based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.
This is our first state-level Scorecard; the selected votes may not be reflective of legislators' overall records. Their cumulative scores will change as we add more votes. Please check regularly for updates.
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SB0845 is the state’s education omnibus appropriation bill for FY 2022-23. It includes the public K-12 “School Aid” budget, which provides $19.6 billion to 537 local school districts, 293 public school academies, and 56 intermediate school districts.
The Senate passed SB0845 on July 1, 2022, by a vote of 35 to 2. We have assigned pluses to the nays because education is not the legitimate object of government, but rather the responsibility of--and a fundamental right of choice retained by--a child’s parents or legal guardians. Forcing American citizens to furnish taxpayer money for a compulsory, government-run K-12 school system violates their individual freedom guaranteed by the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment.
HJRR would amend the Michigan Constitution to reduce current term limits for state legislators to a combined total of no more than 12 years (including service in the House or Senate). Additionally, state elected officials would be required to file an annual public financial disclosure report specifying income, assets, liabilities, positions held, future employment agreements, gifts, travel reimbursements, and other payments.
The Senate passed HJRR on May 10, 2022, by a two-thirds vote of 26 to 6. We have assigned pluses to the nays because mandatory term limits conflict with the right of the American people to choose their representatives. Moreover, this resolution would subject individual citizens to another involuntary and sweeping layer of government-sanctioned financial surveillance, which amounts to a direct and continual violation of the personal privacy protections under the 4th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
SB0303 would require that a voter without his or her identification for election purposes vote with a provisional ballot to be processed after the election. In addition, it would require a voter to vote with a provisional ballot if the digitized signature in the electronic poll book does not match the signature on the voter’s application to vote.
The Senate passed SB0303 on October 6, 2021, by a vote of 20 to 15, prior to it being vetoed by the Governor. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because states should exercise their authority, under Article 1, Section 4, of the U.S. Constitution, to implement free, fair, and secure elections, guaranteeing equal protection of the right of citizens of the United States to vote.
SB0011 would amend the state’s handgun licensing law to provide that an executive emergency order does not affect the issuance or renewal of a concealed pistol license (CPL).
The Senate passed SB0011 on March 4, 2021, by a vote of 20 to 15, prior to it being vetoed by the Governor. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because the fundamental right of the American people to keep and bear arms should not be infringed, as guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
HB4047 appropriated $1.3 billion in federal COVID-19 funding for FY 2020-21, including $600 million to support Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
The Senate passed HB4047 on March 2, 2021, by a vote of 34 to 1. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this spending bill was made possible through unconstitutional funds from the federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act. States should oppose the use of federal taxpayer money for purposes not authorized under Article 1, Section 8, of the U.S. Constitution.
SB0001 would limit the effectiveness of an emergency public health order to control an epidemic to 28 days unless an extension is approved by the Legislature. It would also prohibit the issuance of a new emergency order for the same epidemic without approval by the Legislature.
The Senate passed SB0001 on March 2, 2021, by a vote of 20 to 15, prior to it being vetoed by the Governor. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because the exercise of executive emergency powers ought to be strictly time-limited, not indefinite, and the abuse thereof checked against by periodic legislative oversight. Article IV, Section 4, of the U.S. Constitution guarantees each state a republican form of government, which requires a limitation and separation of powers.
