LEGISLATIVE DASHBOARD

Trans4M is the place in Michigan to find all the latest transportation legislation and updates from the Capitol. Trans4M staff tracks important transportation legislation from our Lansing office and attends transportation committee meetings in the House and Senate. Our members have access to additional analysis as well as opportunities to organize around key transportation bills. For more detailed analysis and updates, become a member and receive our bi-weekly Direct Line.

Bill #	What it means	Status
HB 4614 (S-5) & HB 4616 (S-6) & HB 4738 (S-5)	Part of the final Transportation Funding Package. Creates $400 million in new revenue for the Michigan Transportation Fund (MTF) through changes in motor fuel and diesel fuel tax. Increases would be  phased in beginning in 2017 with full implementation by 2021. These funds (minus the $100 million that would be deposited into the Roads Innovation Fund annually) would go through the full PA51 formula. The Comprehensive Transportation Fund (CTF) would receive approximately $30 million once fully implemented. HB 4614: Establishes new sales tax formula for alternative fuels. Nominal fiscal impact. HB 4616:  Amends the Motor Carrier Fuel Tax Act to apply fuel tax rates under HB 4738 to motor carrier fuel purchases of gasoline, diesel, and alternative fuels. HB 4738: Changes the tax rate of gasoline and diesel fuel in the following ways: Increases gas tax from 19 cents to 26.3 cents per gallon. Begins Jan 1, 2017. Increases diesel tax from 15 cents to 26.3 cents per gallon. Begins Jan 1, 2017. Ties gas and diesel tax to inflation using the U.S. Consumer Price Index at a maximum rate of .05 percent. Begins Jan 1, 2022. Puts $100 million/year beginning fiscal year 2016-2017 into newly created Roads Innovation Fund (est. under HB 4737).	Passed out of the Senate and House on 11/3/2015.
SB 414 (S-4)	Part of the final Transportation Funding Package. Amends the Income Tax Act in the following ways: Triggers an automatic income tax rollback if the percentage increase in General Fund (GF) revenue from the prior fiscal year exceeded a positive inflation rate for the same period. Begins after Jan 1, 2023. Would reduce the GF revenue dependent on economic factors such as the inflation rate and underlying economic growth, Federal and State tax policy, State spending policy, and taxpayer behavior.	Passed out of the Senate and House on 11/3/2015.
HB 4370 (S-3)	Part of the final Transportation Funding Package. Earmarks General Fund ($600 million annually) revenue to MTF and provides Homestead exemption modifications beginning in fiscal year 2018-2019. This money would not go though the full PA 51 formula and the CTF will not be impacted. Once fully implemented in 2021, the money would be distributed as follows: $234.6 million for the MDOT State Trunkline Fund $234.6 million for Country Road Agencies $130.8 million for Cities/Villages The Homestead Property Tax Credit adjustments will result in an estimated reduction from the GF of $214 million annually once fully implemented in 2021. This is a possible total GF reduction of over $800 million annually.	Passed out of the Senate and House on 11/3/2015.
HB 4736 (S-4)	Part of the final Transportation Funding Package. Increase registration fees for all vehicles by 20% beginning Oct 1, 2017 and also creates a new registration tax surcharge for electric and hybrid vehicles. Together, this would raise an estimated $200 million in new revenue which would go through the full PA 51 formula. The CTF could receive an estimated $20 million annually by 2021. Hybrid and Electric vehicle registrations will be increased in the following way: $30 for hybrid electric vehicles weighing 8,000 pounds or less, and $100 for vehicles weighing more than 8,000 pounds. $100 for nonhybrid electric vehicles for vehicles weighing 8,000 pounds or less, and $200 for vehicles weighing more than 8,000 pounds. Beginning January 1, 2017, increase additional registration taxes on hybrid electric vehicles by $2.50 per each one cent the motor fuel tax is above $0.19 per gallon, and on nonhybrid electric vehicles by $5 per each one cent the motor fuel tax is above $0.19 per gallon.	Passed out of the Senate and House on 11/3/2015.
HB 4737 (S-4)	Part of the final Transportation Funding Package. Amends PA Act 51 in the following ways: Establishes the Road Innovation Task Force that will evaluate MDOT’s construction methods and materials used. Intention is to allow MDOT to build longer-lasting roads and reduce costs. Establishes the Road Innovation Fund beginning in fiscal year 2016-2017. Each year the first $100 million of fuel tax revenue will be deposited into the Fund until the Legislature approves spending. Money will then go through the full PA 51 formula. Requires warranties by MDOT, Country Road Commissions, Cities and Villages for construction projects and pavement projects exceeding $2 million. Increases earmark for debt services from $43 million to $50 million. Establishes the Grade Crossing Surface Account and deposits $3 million annually from the MTF. Reduces annual maximum of MDOT administrative costs from 10% to 8%. Allows the MTF to receive funds from any source, not just fuel tax and registration fees. Allows a city with more than 10 million public transit passengers to flex up to 20% of its MTF distributions towards public transit, with approval of MDOT Director.	Passed out of the Senate and House on 11/3/2015.
SB 739	In 2012, Public Act 387 created the Regional Transit Authority (RTA), an authority that sought the creation of a regional transit system throughout Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Washtenaw County.  The RTA was also authorized to levy a tax assessment with voter approval.  SB 739 would amend the Regional Transit Authority Act of 2012 in two ways: The amount of property taxes that can be levied would cap out at 2 mills on each dollar of taxable value of the property within a public transit region (a region being defined as a county). Also included in this bill is an article that would allow each community to exceed the cap of 18 mills set by Michigan’s Constitution. Any taxes thus so levied would go solely to the RTA and not to any other governmental entity for any other purpose (this is particularly aimed at preventing seizure of revenue by a Tax Increment Financing Authority).	Passed out of the Senate on 5/10/2016. Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, which heard testimony on 5/17/16.
HB 4637 & HB 4638	Together these bills would exempt Transportation Network Companies, such as Uber and Lyft, from regulation under the Limousine Act, and would create a new Transportation Network Act. Transportation Network Companies, defined as those operating through a digital network to provide prearranged rides, must apply for yearly permits and meet certain insurance, driver, and safety regulations.	Passed out of the House on 6/17/2015. Referred to the Senate Committee on Regulatory Reform.
HB 4640 & HB 4641	Under HB 4640, passengers or drivers of TNC vehicles would not be covered by personal protection benefits under the insurer of the motor vehicle, unless their personal insurance will not cover it. This treats TNC passengers like taxi passengers. HB 4641 amends the vehicle code to exclude Transportation Network Drivers from the definition of Chauffeur, and require certain types of insurance both while drivers are logged into the digital system and while they are providing a ride.	Passed by the House on 6/17/2015. Referred to the Senate Committee on Regulatory Reform.
HB 4422	Would authorize a business improvement zone to develop and finance transit-oriented development and transit-oriented facilities within ½ mile of a street railway, passenger rail, or rolling rapid transit station, line or facility.	Referred to Committee on Commerce and Trade on 4/14/15.
SB 184	Rideshare companies, such as Uber and Lyft, would be regulated by the same enforcements as the limousine act. MDOT recommends this bill.	Referred to Senate Committee of the Whole with a substitute on 6/11/2015.
SB 188	New regulations would be imposed on rideshare companies operating in the State of Michigan, such as Uber and Lyft, under a new section of the limousine act. This includes imposing a licensing fee on all vehicles and drivers. It requires minimum safety, insurance, and driver’s license requirements.	Referred to Senate Committee of the Whole with a substitute on 6/11/2015.
HB 4032	This bill would create a new act to regulate transportation technology companies like Uber and Lyft. Requirements include safety inspections, background checks, signage/emblem display on vehicles when providing rides, and an annual application to MDOT showing proof of insurance which must cover drivers while they are logged in to the technology company’s digital interface and accepting ride requests.	Introduced January 15. Referred to the Committee on Communications and Technology.
HB 4423, HB 4424 &  HB 4425	Part of the Speed Limit Package. HB 4423 would increase and set more distinctions for speed limits for various kinds of highways. Increases the speed limits for buses, school buses and heavy trucks on freeways from 60 to 70 mph. Additionally, the bill limits the decrease of speed limits in construction zones. HB 4424 would limit the time that reduced speed limits in school zones can be enforced and limits the speed reduction in school zones. HB 4425 would set the speed limit set by the eighty-fifth percentile speed of free-flowing traffic under ideal conditions on the fastest portion of the highway segment.	Received testimony in House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on October, 2015.
HB 4426	Part of the Speed Limit Package. Bill would reduce penalties for speed violation.	Received testimony in House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on October, 2015.