LANSING – State Representative Fred Miller (D-Mount Clemens) today announced three separate bills that will strengthen protections for our residents and help get Michigan back on track were signed into law by Governor Jennifer M. Granholm.
"Michigan's working families are facing increasingly difficult times and many are struggling to make ends meet," Miller said. "As a lawmaker it is my job to create good public policy that will help ease the burden on our hard-working families. I know that the people of Michigan will truly benefit from these three plans being signed into law."
Signed into law as Public Act 460 of 2008 on Friday was House Bill 6455 which would make driver responsibility fees more fair by providing a new provision for motorists to have their licenses reinstated. Currently, many individuals lose their license because they are unable to pay the entire fee up-front. They then encounter further difficulty making money due to the inability to drive. Miller's plan provides help by reinstating licenses for motorists that simply enter a payment plan.
A second bill introduced by Miller, House Bill 6427, which will allow the spouse of active military personnel to qualify for unemployment if the military spouse is reassigned, was signed into law by the Governor today as Public Act 480 of 2008. Miller worked with State Representative Gino H. Polidori (D-Dearborn) on this plan which has been a high priority for the U.S. Department of Defense throughout all 50 states.
A third bill, House Bill 6627, introduced by Miller was part of a package of bills that removed ambiguities in Michigan law pertaining to negligent homicide and felonious driving by establishing a common definition for a moving violation that seriously injures or kills someone and establishes penalties that reflect the severity of the crime. It also was signed into law on Friday as Public Act 444 of 2008.
In addition, Miller was the sponsor of three other bills signed into law during the past legislative session, including a plan to clarify the terms and conditions of gift cards, a plan to establish guidelines to promote the recycling of household electronic waste and a plan to allow cost free use of local government property for film industry productions.
"I've worked hard over the past two years for the residents in our communities and across Michigan to create common sense policies that will help move our great state forward," Miller said. "I plan to work just as hard these next two years to help turn our economy around and get Michigan back on track."