January 8, 2003

LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today signed bills to aid Michigan’s vital tool and die industry and to promote new venture capital investment in the state’s high-tech industries.

"To create jobs in Michigan, we have to be a magnet state for new investment," said Granholm. "Today, we are making Michigan more attractive by helping our manufacturing base stay competitive in the global marketplace. Creating incentives for venture capitalists to invest in these groundbreaking advancements helps spur new business opportunities and provides high-tech and manufacturing jobs for Michigan workers."

One of Granholm’s key themes in last year’s State of the State address was the importance of leveraging Michigan’s financial power to bring investment capital to the state. The venture capital bills signed today, SB 834 and SB 835, sponsored by Sen. Mike Bishop (R-Rochester) and Sen. Tom George (R-Kalamazoo), respectively, and HB 5322, sponsored by Rep. Fran Amos (R-Waterford), create the Michigan Early Stage Venture Capital Investment Fund and provide tax credits for investors in the fund. Money in the fund could be invested in venture capital companies to promote investment in qualified businesses.

The Governor also signed Senate Bill 811, sponsored by Sen. Nancy Cassis (R-Novi), to amend the General Property Tax Act by expanding the definition of ‘special tools’ for the purpose of a personal property tax exemption.

"The tool and die industry in Michigan has been hit particularly hard by the downturn in the national economy," said Granholm. "Providing a tax exemption for special tools was something suggested at our manufacturing summit last month to help this industry remain competitive and keep their shops open. Tool and die businesses are the backbone of manufacturing in our state. They not only create jobs in their own businesses, but they also create opportunities throughout the manufacturing sector."

A number of other bills were also signed today. The Governor signed a bipartisan package of election consolidation bills, establishing four regular election dates each year and generally requiring all elections to be held on those days, except for a special election called by the Governor or the Legislature.

In addition, the bills amend the Michigan Election Law as follows:

• require that school elections be conducted by local units of government under the Election Law;

• require city and village regular elections to be held at the even-year November general election and school district regular elections to he held at the odd-year November election;

• allow a city, village, or school district to choose an alternate date for its regular election, under certain conditions;

• require community college elections to be administered and conducted under the Election Law;

• place in the Election Law provisions for calling, administering, and canvassing school elections, and require a "school district election coordinator" for a school district to conduct all regular and special elections.

Governor Granholm also signed a bill allowing minors to volunteer on construction sites for charitable organizations such as Habitat for Humanity. House Bill 4786, sponsored by Rep. Jerry Kooiman (R-Grand Rapids), lowers the minimum age from 18 to 14 for volunteers wishing to participate on work sites with Habitat and other organizations.

In addition, the Governor also signed the following bills:

• HB 5172 (Rep. John Stakoe, R-Highland Twp.) allows cemeteries in receivership prior to July 26, 2002, to take advantage of a law allowing a court-appointed receiver or conservator to sell, assign, transfer, or convey a cemetery to a municipal corporation or to a person other than a funeral home owner, operator, or supervisor or a person licensed in mortuary science.

• HB 5221 (Rep. Lorence Wenke, R-Kalamazoo) imposes an equity assessment of 17.5 mills per cigarette (35 cents) on all cigarettes sold in Michigan by a nonparticipating manufacturer (NPM).

• HB 5265 (Rep. Clark Bisbee, R-Jackson) allows the state to distribute up to 20 percent of the $1 billion Great Lakes Quality bond that voters approved to finance sewage treatment and storm water projects.

• HB 4299 (Rep. Scott Shakleton, R-Sault Ste. Marie) increases the asset limit of a veteran’s estate from $25,000 to $40,000, in order to receive the $300 burial allowance that counties must provide to veterans or their widows.

• HB 5022 (Rep. Neal Nitz, R-Baroda) allows township police and fire administrative board members where the population is under 15,000 residents to receive per diem compensation as well as actual and necessary expenses.

• SB 881 (Sen. Mike Bishop, R-Rochester) provides for a county chief deputy to perform the duties of the county executive if the office of the elected county executive becomes vacant due to death or resignation.

• SB 535 (Sen. Patty Birkholz, R-Saugatuck) and SB 536 (Sen. Jason Allen, R-Traverse City) create the Great Lakes Protection Fund and a new watercraft decal to provide funding to help eliminate aquatic nuisance species from the Great Lakes.

• SB 258 (Sen. Alan Cropsey, R-Dewitt) amends the Michigan Penal Code to clarify application of penalties for juror intimidation.

• SB 508 (Sen. Alan Sanborn, R-Richmond) and SB 511 (Sen. Jud Gilbert, R-Algonac) create misdemeanor and felony penalties for failure to properly provide for final disposition of a human body.

• SB 485 (Sen. Valde Garcia, R-Howell) ties child support arrearage surcharge to the adjusted prime rate.

• SB 718 (Sen. Nancy Cassis, R-Novi) makes municipalities eligible for access to brownfield cleanup funds through the Brownfield Redevelopment Financing Act.

• SB 667 (Sen. Jason Allen, R-Traverse City) allows mental health boards consisting of five or more counties to expand the size of the board to ensure that each county is allowed at least two members.

• SB 849 (Sen. Patty Birkholz, R-Saugatuck) amends the Brownfield Redevelopment Act by revising the definition of "initial taxable value."

• SB 771 (Sen. Bob Emerson, D-Flint) expands the powers of emergency financial managers.

• SB 476 (Sen. Bob Emerson, D-Flint) repeals the statutory provision that allows counties to jointly establish a consolidated district library with one or more municipality.

• SB 845 (Sen. Jason Allen, R-Traverse City) requires state central committee of a political party to send state convention results to the Secretary of State within one business day of the party convention.

• SB 781 (Sen. Buzz Thomas, D-Detroit) amends the model master tobacco settlement agreement.

• SB 814 (Sen. Laura Toy, R-Livonia) doubles the apprenticeship training SBT credit for certain tool and die companies.

• SB 787 (Sen. Bill Hardiman, R-Kentwood) prevents schools and students from being penalized if their MEAP answer sheets are lost.

• SBs 226 – 229 (Sen. Bev Hammerstrom, R-Temperance, Sen. Allen Sanborn, R-Richmond, Sen. Patty Birkholz, R-Saugatuck) prohibit the possession and release of nonnative and genetically engineered fish without a permit, establishes penalties for violations, and regulates the importation of live game fish into Michigan.