LANSING, Mich. - With the new year approaching and a new Corporate Income Tax scheduled to replace the unpopular and confusing Michigan Business Tax on Jan. 1, 2012, Lt. Gov. Brian Calley today signed 20 bills into law, including several pieces of cleanup legislation needed to clarify and properly implement the new, dramatically simplified tax. 

The bills are mostly technical in nature. They are:

• Senate Bills 368 and 369, sponsored by state Sen. Jack Brandenburg, now Public Acts 304 and 305 of 2011;
• S.B. 653, also sponsored by Brandenburg, is now P.A. 306;
• S.B. 666, sponsored by state Sen. John Pappageorge, is now P.A. 307;
• S.B. 673, sponsored by state Sen. Dave Robertson, is now P.A. 308;
• S.B. 678, sponsored by state Sen. John Proos, is now P.A. 309;
• S.B. 807, sponsored by state Sen. Dave Hildenbrand, is now P.A. 310;
• House Bill 4940, sponsored by state Rep. Jud Gilbert, is now P.A. 311;
• H.B. 4949, also sponsored by Gilbert, is now P.A. 312; and
• H.B. 4950, sponsored by state Rep. Lisa Lyons, is now P.A. 313.

Calley also signed legislation protecting income tax credits for residents currently living in Renaissance Zones through the length of each zone's existing designation. S.B. 748, sponsored by state Sen. Dave Hildenbrand, and H.B. 5157, sponsored by state Rep. Holly Hughes, are now P.A.s 314 and 315.

"State Sen. Dave Hildenbrand and state Rep. Holly Hughes made a convincing argument about the need to retain this feature for residents who had made the commitment to help revitalize their communities by living and investing in established Renaissance Zones, and I am proud we were able to work together to make this happen," Calley said.

Calley also signed H.B.s 5066, 5067, 5068 and 5069, sponsored by state Rep. Jim Stamas. This package changes the exemption for turbines powered by gas, steam, nuclear energy, coal or oil to maintain the intent of the industrial personal property exemptions and will save the School Aid Fund approximately $75 million annually. H.B.s 5066-69 are now P.A.s 316-319.

Lt. Gov. Calley also signed the following bills:

S.B. 725, sponsored by state Sen. John Moolenaar, ensures that livestock producers who are implementing a wildlife risk mitigation plan are not being penalized for taking prudent steps and can maintain their agricultural property exemptions. The bill is now P.A. 320.

S.B. 453, sponsored by state Sen. Bert Johnson, allows county treasurers to file a statement with the State Treasurer setting forth all rejected taxes, the reasons the taxes were rejected and by whom, and a description of the property upon which the taxes were assessed. This will increase accuracy for local tax rolls. The bill is now P.A. 321.

S.B. 691, sponsored by state Sen. Dave Hildenbrand, revises school aid payments for strict discipline academies (SDAs) and requires SDAs to report enrollment changes to the Michigan Department of Education to clear inequities and allow SDAs to receive proper funding for students expelled after the count date. The bill is now P.A. 322.

Article V Section 26 of the Michigan Constitution gives authority to the lieutenant governor when the governor is outside the state. Gov. Snyder is traveling out of state today. 

A full description of the bills may be found online at www.legislature.mi.gov.

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