Gov. Rick Snyder Signs Bill Ensuring Michigan Children Have Access to Career and Technical Education
Press Release
Gov. Rick Snyder today signed legislation ensuring that Michigan students have access to information regarding career and technical education programs.
"Skilled trades jobs are constantly in demand in our state," Snyder said. "Ensuring Michigan students have all the information on how to incorporate these programs into their education will help prepare them for the jobs of the future."
Senate Bill 66, sponsored by state Sen. John Proos, ensures that students will be provided information about how career and technical education courses fit into their merit curriculum requirements. Under the legislation, the Michigan Department of Education will provide local districts with information including the role of career tech in a personal curriculum, examples of career opportunities coming out of these programs and available career tech programs throughout the state. School districts are also encouraged to establish programs that credit students with a professional certificate for training upon completion.
It is now Public Act 288of 2014.
The governor also signed 10 other bills:
SBs 915-918, sponsored by state Sens. Tom Casperson, Mike Nofs, Steve Bieda, and Jack Brandenburg respectively, establish an electronic titling system where an electronic title will be held by the state until all liens on a vehicle have been satisfied. This legislation will allow the Secretary of State's Office to better identify title fraud and allow financial institutions to electronically record lien information on titles with the state. Michigan is the 19th state to implement this system to combat automobile title fraud. They are now PAs 289-292.
House Bill 5793, sponsored by state Rep. Lisa Posthumus Lyons, is a technical fix clarifying requirements within the Michigan high school Merit Curriculum regarding use of career and technical education as an alternative option to fulfill foreign language requirements. The legislation clarifies PA 208 of 2014, to put this path in place for students who began third grade in 2006 (graduating in 2016), as students graduating this school year were not given ample time to fulfill this requirement. It is now PA 293.
SB 277, sponsored by state Sen. Joe Hune, removes the current requirement for intrastate non-commercial vehicles over 5,000 pounds to display the vehicle owner's information on the outside of the vehicle. This information will still be required for all towing or platform bed wreckers or road service vehicles. Removing this requirement will relieve unnecessary costs and burdens on intrastate non-CDL commercial vehicle owners. It is now PA 294.
SB 473, sponsored by state Sen. Jack Brandenburg, simplifies and aligns the Income Tax Act with federal standards. The bill exempts flow through tax entities from withholding requirements for companies involved in certain government housing assistance programs. It is now PA 295.
SB 616, sponsored by state Sen. Roger Kahn, adjusts the Michigan Department of Community Health budget to reflect recently enacted changes to the Health Insurance Claims Assessment (HICA) law and the HMO use tax law. The budget supplemental adjusts appropriations for the Medicaid program to reflect revenue projections due to these laws. It is now PA 296.
SB 922, sponsored by state Sen. Jack Brandenburg, provides incentives for local units of government to convert their pension systems to defined contribution plans by extending a sunset law by one year allowing governments to borrow funds to cover unfunded pension liabilities to Dec. 31, 2015. It is now PA 297.
SB 1017, sponsored by state Sen. Roger Kahn, expands reimbursements for stamping agents to include related equipment in addition to the initial stamping machine. The bill allows for compensation of direct costs. It is now PA 298.
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