Core Principles

The Cost of Getting Good Pro-life Legislation

2008-05-13T16:04:00.004-04:00

Senate Bill 776, read here: http://michiganvotes.org/Legislation.aspx?ID=54423 has been languishing in the House since January 22, when it passed the Senate. We have waited through broken promise after broken promise by the Speaker to run this bill.

Finally, in an apparent breakthrough on Right-to-Life Legislative Day, the Speaker agreed to allow a discharge motion to put the bill on the House floor. They did that, but they did not vote on it. Instead, to the disappointment of three hundred RLM members in town for the day, the vote never took place. The Speaker sent Planned Parenthood-endorsed State Rep. Rebekah Warren (http://www-personal.umich.edu/~ebjorn/images/pa/endorse/12ppam.htm)
out to negotiate a compromise with Right to Life.

Moments ago, the House Judiciary committee, chaired by Pro-choice legislator Paul Condino, posted their agenda for Thursday. They will be running three bills: HB 6048, 6049 and 6050. These bills would respectively, require emergency rooms to offer emergency contraceptives, require pharmacists to fill prescriptions for contraceptives whether they want to or not, and create the Emergency Contraceptive Education Act. These bills are brand new; I haven't read them yet, not sure what that last one would do.

So, is this the price to be paid for a bill that is supported by 80% of the general public and 69 of 110 State Reps?

Are politicians in Lansing circling the wagons?

2008-05-10T08:59:00.002-04:00

State reps and senators are partisans. They run as Democrats and Republicans, each with an agenda. Those two agendas are quite different and it often results in partisan battles over policy. But it now appears that legislators in Lansing, or at least some of them, are trying to protect one of their own. In an apparent show of arrogant self-preservation, a House Resolution has been offered to condemn the acts of voters to place a member of the legislature, namely Speaker Andy Dillon, on the ballot for recall. While this resolution seems to be supported by virtually all Democrats, it was offered by a Republican! Here is an edited essay from Michigan Taxpayer Alliance Chairman, Leon Drolet about the issue:

The Michigan House of Representatives concluded this week of session in a most unusual manner. While House Speaker Andy Dillon was vacationing in Mexico, the Secretary of State concluded the first phase of the process that certifies petitions forcing Dillon to face a recall election on August 5th. House Democrats, along with some Republicans, scrambled to try to help Dillon avoid being the first Speaker in U.S. history to be recalled. They offered an official resolution of the House, which is a vote by the House which expresses their 'official' opinion. According to HR358, introduced by a Republican, it is that the Michigan Constitution is unfair because it gives citizens too much power. These politicians also believe, according to HR 358, that elections are bad for our democracy and having the right to fire politicians who they believe no longer represent them is "chilling" to politicians.

Lets take a look at HR358. It starts with:

"A resolution to express the sense of the House that recalls should be based on specific misconduct, criminal activity, or abuse of office and should not be based on a single vote and to denounce the effort to recall Speaker Andy Dillon."

The problem with the first sentence of the resolution is that it contradicts the Constitution, which states very clearly that:"The sufficiency of any statement of reasons or grounds procedurally required (for a recall election) shall be a political rather than a judicial question." Article II, Section 8. In other words, criminal acts go to courts, recalls are for challenging the policy (political) decisions of politicians. But House leaders don't like the Constitution giving citizens so much power over politicians.

HR 358 further states:"The threat of recall for reasons other than some measure of misconduct undermines the foundation of our democratic republic." What? Recall elections undermine democracy? A recall involves citizens collecting the highest percentage of registered voters' signatures of any petition process allowed under law, and then requires a vote of the people in a scheduled election. How is that damaging to democracy?

What happened to the vote on HR 358? I'm told that some legislators were actually concerned about challenging the Constitution. The other rumor is that Democrats freaked out after hearing that a Republican legislator was planning to offer an amendment to the resolution addressing removal of another politician from office - someone named Kwame Kilpatrick. Democrats quickly removed HR 358 from the agenda.

HB 5575, a second bill to further regulate another segment of the economy in this state.

2008-04-30T15:49:00.000-04:00

Introduced by Rep. Fred Miller on December 13, 2007, to impose new regulations on medical waste disposal procedures, and require new medical waste treatment technology to be reviewed and approved by the state. Manufacturers or providers would have to pay $500 for each review. The bill also increases the fees and regulations on health care providers and other entities that generate medical waste, and it adds to the Public Health Code the same registration and regulation of “trauma scene waste management practitioners” that is proposed by House Bill 5574.

Regulation of trauma scene waste management practitioners

2008-04-30T15:34:00.004-04:00

I bet you never heard of "trauma scene waste management practitioners."

HB 5574 amends the Public Health Code to require all trauma scene waste management practitioners to register with the Department of Environmental Quality. They must submit a written trauma scene waste management plan and pass a background check before receiving approval to begin or continue their existing operations.

There would be a $150 registration fee, and the person would have to meet certain requirements and undertake certain actions specified in the bill. The state would then periodically distribute current list of registered trauma scene waste management practitioners to local health agencies, environmental health administrators, and county sheriffs.

There are billboards along the Indiana/Michigan border. They say "Come on IN...to Indiana for lower taxes, business and housing costs."

Trial Lawyers win, Insurance companies and their customers lose

2008-04-29T14:48:00.002-04:00

It is startling how many ways the Democrats can find to add more regulations to job providers in this state. Here is yet another example:

HB4998 would allow any insured to file a lawsuit against insurers if they do not act in "good faith" for compensatory, consequential, economic, non-economic and exemplary damages. That's right, if you feel that your insurance company acted in bad faith, you may sue them.

We have an agency of government called the Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation. It is their job to make sure insurance companies are treating customers fairly. They have the power to assess 12% interest penalties on overdue claims payments, impose penalties of up to $25,000 for violators and suspend or revoke an insurance company's license to operate. Further, reasonable attorney fees are already allowed in claims involving unreasonably delayed or denied benefit payments.

But state regulation is not enough for this administration. Now we need to open the Pandora's box of unbridled litigation by the trial lawyers. All the claimant needs to do is make the accusation that the insurance company "did not act in good faith".

1-800-CALL-SAM will have to open a new division. Well, at least we are creating new jobs in the legal profession.

Porta-potty proliferation bill

2008-04-29T14:38:00.002-04:00

The Dems are working hard to keep you from messing your pants on the job site.

I know we have many difficult challenges to face in Michigan; unemployment, high taxes, struggling schools, lack of funding for important state services, but these issue will just have to wait.

HB5064 would require contractors to provide a minimum of 1 portable bathroom facility for every 10 employees on the job site. Current regulations require a ratio of 1:20.

I have no further comment on this bill.

No Child Left Behind: $25 billion just isn't enough

2008-04-29T11:52:00.003-04:00

We are debating HR268 in Education Committee this morning. I assume it will be on the floor today for passage. It is a non-binding resolution calling on Congress to reform the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Why? Well, because they aren't spending enough!

We created the Federal Department of Education in 1979 as a cabinet level function. Today, we spend over $56 billion in federal tax dollars on public education. The NCLB act uses about $25 billion of that. Anyone who gives it a fair hearing would be hard pressed to justify the dollars spent at the federal level. Where is the return on the investment?

Now, Dem leaders in the state House are pushing a resolution which includes this language:
Whereas, NCLB needs to be amended in a number of areas to fulfill its admirable goal. First, while schools are being identified for failing to meet standards, Congress has not met its promises for funding levels to allow schools to correct identified inadequacies. Further, a whole range of initiatives that expand early education, before- and after-school programs, summer school options, and family support, would enhance the ability of our schools to educate all of our children to their full potential...

I support the development of quality public education. The education lobby always brands me as anti-education because I demand more quality and accountability with the tax dollars we spend on public education. There are many in government who talk little about accountability, but ALWAYS push for more funding. It is high time we as taxpayers demand more for our money in the public education realm.

More info on that big Capital Outlay bill (HB5221)

2008-04-23T17:00:00.002-04:00

Here are some key points on the Capital Outlay Budget just given to me by a colleague in the House:

The bond cap (how much we can borrow) is being raised from $2.7 billion to $3.8 billion. It will cost the general fund budget about $100 million every year, money that would otherwise be used to pay for needed services.
This bill authorizes spending this year and every year through 2012.
Because the bond cap is a statutory measure, it can be increased every year.
This bill spends $400 million more than even the Governor recommended.
The actual cost of this bill is $1.8 billion in new spending.

One must ask...how many credit cards are we going to max out before the people are broke?

Governor wants to max out the credit card.

2008-04-23T14:33:00.006-04:00

Who says we cannot deficit spend? There are creative ways to spend money we don't have. It is called debt service. The House wants to pass HB 5221, a capital outlay bill for new building projects on the campuses of our state funded universities and community colleges. This bill, which she is pushing for is loaded with a few extra goodies that have nothing to do with capital outlay for universities and colleges, things like a new warehouse for the Dept. of History, Arts and Libraries, and $14 million for a new energy efficiency initiative...

Meanwhile, she is blowing another hole in the budget which will require debt service payments for the next four or five years. What she is effectively saying is, "I am not borrowing money, I am making my payments on the credit card every month!" But what she's doing is raising the credit limit and just making the minimum payments on the card. But guess who has to pay the extra finance costs?

How does she get this bad legislation it through? By putting money into every campus...who can vote against his own district?

Here is language from the bill analysis:
The Governor is recommending a $ 1.4 billion capital outlay budget of which the state will be responsible for $ 562 million in GF/GP debt service into future budget years. Parts of this budget along with portions of her FY 2008-09 Capital Outlay budget as well as $ 150 million in proposed road construction comprises her "nearly a billion dollars" Economic Stimulus Package she proposed in her State of the State address. The Governor appears to have increased the size of her stimulus plan to nearly two billion dollars since her advisers now claim that the two Capital Outlay budgets comprise $1.65 billion of her Economic Stimulus Package.

The House has added another $ 500 million in construction projects for our community colleges and universities (an additional 15 projects) that will cost the state over $ 200 million in additional General Fund commitments over the life of the bonds that will be taken out to pay for these building projects. This will not necessitate raising the bond cap (currently at $ 2.7 billion) because these projects will not be counted towards the cap until construction has been authorized, not planning. However, in order to maintain spending below the bond cap there will be no ability to approve new capital outlay projects until FY 2012.

Re-regulation of electric utilities: bad for consumers

2008-04-17T15:55:00.005-04:00

This is a complex issue. The opinions expressed here, although shared by many, are mine.

House Bills 5524, 5525, 5548 and 5549 are bad bills. The intent of this package is to bring stability to the delivery of electricity to consumers. There is much that could be said here, but let me just say a couple of key things.

1. In an attempt to increase the amount of electricity generated by "renewable" sources like wind, waves, solar, etc. the package will mandate that by 2015, 10% of all electricity will come from these renewable sources. Today, that is economically unfeasible. So, to make it happen the generation of electricity from renewable sources has to be subsidized. Guess who is going to subsidize it? YOU are. You will have to pay an extra $3 per month on your electric bill. This money will help cover the cost of providing you with electricity from wind, solar, etc. Some will say you are "investing in new jobs". I will tell you that you are being taxed and that the $6 billion in new taxes you will help pay (through the $3 per meter increase) will be redistributed to "create" new jobs.

2. Currently, we have under statute, something called electric choice. Residents and businesses can purchase electricity from "alternative energy suppliers". It is, although somewhat flawed, a free-market approach to providing electricity. It helps keep rates lower. This package of bills essentially wipes out choice. It says that no more than 10% of all the electricity used in this state can come from alternative energy suppliers. Basically, we are making it difficult, if not impossible for alternative energy suppliers in Michigan to compete. How will it affect you? Well, less choice means higher prices...

Feel free to read the bills and the spin from each side of this issue, but in my opinion, this legislation is anti-free market and anti-consumer choice.

Yet another creative burden on business

2008-04-16T14:50:00.004-04:00

The William Van Regenmorter Victim's Rights Act provides crime victims with many rights, including restitution and notices of various kinds during and following disposition of the criminal case.

Oh, but that just isn't good enough for our Democrat colleagues. Once again, they have found a way to demagogue an issue in the name of "the little guy" which will only result in more burdens on businesses, especially the smaller business owners. House Bills 5900, 5901 and 5902 would provide unpaid time off from work, up to 12 WEEKS to attend court proceedings where they have been a victim. This would include felonies, misdemeanors and juvenile offenses. Companies with fewer than 25 employees and civil service employees are excluded.

Once again, we have a situation where government is sticking their nose uneccessarily into the private sector. What might the impact of this legislation be? Think about it; there are thousands of crimes or misdemeanors committed each year where there is a victim who may want time off to attend court proceedings. Sounds like a great way to get an unpaid break from the hum-drum work scene. (Granted, the bill includes a requirement that the victim get a note from the court clerk that they have been in attendance.)

And what will this mean for employers? Well, for one thing, employers will have one more thing to factor in when deciding whether to expand or locate in this state.

Oh, by the way, 93% of all employers already are compassionate enough to do this for their employees already.

More government oversight of auto insurace companies

2008-04-16T14:29:00.003-04:00

Do you think your auto insurance rates are too high? Shop around! It seems that every day we hear ads on the radio and TV where insurance companies are offering lower rates on insurance. It is called the free market.

But no. Our Democratic colleagues want to further regulate the auto insurance business by passing HB4993. This bill allows the Office of Financial and Insurance Services or any consumer to challenge their insurance rates, setting up a hearing process where bureaucrats in Lansing can arbitrarily decide whether a private insurance company can raise rates or not.

We can try to bring "equity" to the process, but all we will end up doing is providing enough of a negative incentive to the insurance companies that they will simply decide not to do business in the state. As the number of auto insurance companies decline, the price for auto insurance will, of course, go up.

The New Michigan Business Tax...there goes the family business

2008-04-16T14:21:00.002-04:00

Under the new Michigan Business Tax, you have to pay a 22% surcharge unless you are below a certain threshold in total revenue, total net income and total "personal income". That third number is $180,000. So, if your small business pays you a salary of $180,000 or more, you pay the surcharge.

I talked to a small business owner the other day. He has 5 employees. Unfortunately for him, two of his employees are his married daughters. They are part of the family business. The MBT includes a clause for what is called "attribution". Anyone who works for the business who is part of the family is attributed as the same person for total personal income purposes.

So, this poor guy, who paid $10,000 in Single Tax liability last year, has to pay $55,000 this year. Why? Because his personal income from the business, combined with his daughters' personal incomes, amounts to more than $180,000!

Like I said, there goes the family business.

Transparency Update

2008-04-10T13:36:00.002-04:00

HB5137 was introduced last August. It requires the state to put all expenditures on a searchable database. It has been sitting in the House Oversight Committee ever since. Yesterday, I moved to discharge the bill from the committee to the House floor. The motion passed. The floor leader immediately moved to send the bill to the Appropriations Committee.

The only reason (excuse) we have heard from House "leadership" and the Governor are that it costs too much to implement. In fact, the State Department of Information Technology, a department with a $37 million budget and over 1500 employees, sent a letter that says it could cost up to $150 million to implement this for Michigan Government! While DIT makes that outrageous claim:

Kansas and Missouri (www.mapyourtaxes.mo.gov) have done it within existing budget. No additional expense.
Google has written to each state informing them that they are willing to partner with governmental agencies to implement searchable database technology.
The Texas state comptroller has written in a letter to Americans for Tax Reform that her state has saved millions of dollars as a result of transparency implementation. They have found duplicate contracts and have consolidated functions or purchasing practices.
The federal government has offered their software, which was used to create a website for the $3 trillion budget, to the states as open source software, FREE OF CHARGE!

There can only be one explanation for the Governor and Dem leadership's refusal to move this bill, they are hiding millions of dollars in waste and mismanagement.

Hey homeschool parents, the state wants your kids!

2008-04-10T12:37:00.003-04:00

The last day of session in March, a bill was introduced, HB5912, that simply requires parents of children being educated at home to REGISTER their children by name, age and address, with the superintendent of the school district they live in.

The sponsor of the bill told me this was about accountability. ACCOUNTABILITY? Home school children score significantly above traditional public school children in any area you want to look at. Meanwhile, Detroit public high schools have a dropout rate of 75%.

And they want to hold the home schoolers accountable? Who is more accountable than Mom and Dad? Did the Democrats who sponsored this forget that the Michigan School code gives the right to educate to the parents?

"380 Sec. 10. It is the natural, fundamental right of parents and legal guardians to determine and direct the care, teaching, and education of their children. The public schools of this state serve the needs of the pupils by cooperating with the pupil's parents and legal guardians to develop the pupil's intellectual capabilities and vocational skills in a safe and positive environment."

I cannot think of a reason why the state needs to know who is educating their children at home. The bill gives no rationale for this legislation. One cannot help but wonder whether the public education lobby might have had something to do with this...hmmm, come to think of it, every home school child that ends up attending a government school means at least $7,200 for that school.

Back in Circulation

2008-04-10T12:33:00.001-04:00

We have been kind of quiet over the last couple of weeks. The House was not in session from March 21 until April 8th. Get ready for some blog-mania.

Environmentalists choose solar panels over redwood trees

2008-03-22T11:04:00.003-04:00

I know this has nothing to do with Michigan government, but it is such a funny story, I thought I would pass it along.

The Heartland Institute has a great story in their April "Environment and Climate News." It is about a landowner who is forced to cut down his redwood trees because they block the sun from a neighbor's solar panels.

"We are the first citizens in the state of California to be convicted of a crime for growing Redwood trees," said Carolyn Bissett.

Kurt Newick, chairman of the global warming committee of the Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club, says Treanor and Bissett should be forced to cut down their redwoods.
"It's actually better for the environment to put solar on your roof than to plant a tree," Newick told the Mercury News. Newick is a solar panel salesman.

Read the full story here: http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=22931

The Republcans Win in the Arena of Ideas...and words

2008-03-20T20:40:00.002-04:00

Today, the Republicans won. As the bloated budgets were trudging through the House, we wanted to send one message, strong and clear: Government is wasting the taxpayers money and it is time that waste (and mismanagement and abuse) is exposed. We demanded, and briefly achieved Transparency...Sunshine on government spending.

As the sun was literally streaming through the windows on the Democrat's side of the House, we introduced transparency amendments to the spending bills. The Democratic leaders fought valiantly to hold their members in with passionate speeches about how this was unnecessary, expensive and really just nothing more than "grandstanding". But the arguments by those on the left side of the aisle, the ones with the most waste and mismanagement to hide, fell out of their mouths, rolled off their lecterns and landed silently on the floor. The Transparency Amendment passed with a veto-proof majority of 74 members!

So, in a prodigious panoply of procedural pusillanimity, the Dems resorted to the same tactic that a six year-old resorts to when he knows he has been beaten. They figuratively covered their ears and yelled "We can't hear you!" They abandoned the bill with the Transparency amendment attached to it and quickly substituted it with a new bill (exactly like the old one, except with no amendments attached) and then pushed it through allowing NO floor debate.

And thus followed the remaining spending bills, measures which were far above available revenues, and they all passed. But we conservative spenders who wish for the bright sunshine to flood through the windows of state government will not be discouraged or deterred. We are winning this fight for the taxpayers of Michigan!

By the way, I found it rather ironic that as we were arguing for more transparency, the Dems on the sunny side of the room closed the shutters, blocking out the sunshine.

A little factoid for you all

2008-03-20T18:45:00.002-04:00

State Shared Revenue is money that comes to the state from various taxing sources and is then returned to townships and cities. On a statewide average, Michigan residents see $24 in revenue sharing dollars returned to them. In Detroit, on the other hand, the average resident receives $241 per resident. Some might argue that our largest city needs a little additional help. But a tenfold increase? And what, pray tell, have they done with the money?

Dems blowing holes in the budget

2008-03-20T18:35:00.002-04:00

The DLEG budget (HB5809), Department of Labor and Economic Growth is increasing by almost 6%, but in discretionary general fund dollars, it is going up by more than double (106%)! Republicans offered amendments for transparency and denial of housing to illegal immigrants. These amendments passed overwhelmingly. But Dem leadership did not want transparency, so they turned the entire bill down and introduced a substitute bill at the last minute that stripped out the common sense amendments...and passed the bill.

There is no money to pay for the increases the Dems are calling for.

Hey, let's hire more civil servants!

2008-03-19T15:58:00.003-04:00

One of the more inefficient departments of state government, the Department of Management and Budget has been proposed to receive a whopping 44% increase in personnel. Yes, that's right, 438 NEW civil servants, whose wages and benefits probably average around $60,000 per employee. OK, let's be fair, other departments are reducing personnel, but the net increase for the overall General Government budget is 178 full-timers.

Reminder: this is the department that when asked why a $5 million technology contract that ballooned to $200 million had a $10 million "change order," sent a letter back saying, "we can't find the documentation."

I bet all those new employees will really help the situation.

Another way to TAX you.

2008-03-19T15:53:00.002-04:00

SB 1135 allows for the establishment of zoo authorities to levy new millages on some communities that have zoos. Bill passes 92-17

This is how state government does business

2008-03-11T14:29:00.003-04:00

HB5221 - Introduced on September 15, 2007, to provide the “template” or “place holder” for a Fiscal Year 2007-2008 capital outlay budget. This bill contains no appropriations, but may be amended to include them. It was introduced two weeks before the Oct. 1, 2007 deadline for adopting a 2007-2008 budget, with no agreement in sight regarding how to close a $1.7 billion gap between desired spending and expected revenue in this and preceding year’s budgets. The bill could be a “vehicle” for an eventual solution, or could become a short term “continuation budget” if a deal is not reached by Oct. 1.

The Detroit News did a story on this capital outlay project. It is all for public university buildings. Read the story below.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080303/SCHOOLS/803030377
YPSILANTI -- After a funding dry spell, the state is gearing up for the largest higher education building boom ever in an effort to kick-start the economy and replace some deteriorating campus buildings.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm has recommended nearly $1 billion in construction projects at 10 universities and 15 community colleges, including a biology building at University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, a biomedical research building at Wayne State University and expansion of the engineering and plant sciences buildings at Michigan State University.

I also not the following from the University of Michigan endowment website:
ANN ARBOR, Mich.—The University of Michigan's endowment grew from $5.7 billion to $7.1 billion in the 2007 fiscal year, benefiting from a 25.6 percent investment return and strong contributions from alumni and other donors, according to the annual Report on Investments presented by Regent Rebecca McGowan, chair of the Finance, Audit and Investment Committee, to the Regents at its meeting today (Oct. 25, 2007).

Letter from an Alert Reader

2008-03-05T23:23:00.002-05:00

What brought me to write you was the renewal of my sailboat registration. I don't want to pay more in fees (taxes) than I have to, but the renewal for 3 years comes to a total of $9.00 (three dollars a year for three years!) I figure it costs a good portion of that nine bucks just to get the form to me, process the form, send out the competed paperwork and the stickers. Come to think of it, I remember reading that the average business letter cost over $10.00 to send out, when you consider the personnel and overhead.

So here we have a state in financial trouble, charging nine bucks/three years for a sticker on a sailboat. Maybe they should consolidate the billing for a ten year sticker, or something that at least covers the cost, and make something for the till. Or maybe we should consider that there is little gained by registering a sailboat: no safety inspection, no safety course requirement, nothing at all and therefore, maybe we should do away with the requirement completely, unless it’s just a revenue stream for the state instead.

When assault is REALLY assault

2008-03-05T14:22:00.003-05:00

Assault and battery is a bad thing. It is against the law. Anyone who assaults or batters someone should be properly charged and tried. That is where the judge (and possibly the jury) steps in to deliberate and decide the guilt or innocence and apply the appropriate sentence depending on the circumstances. For instance, if you assault one person standing on the street, should that be handled differently than an assault of a bus driver who is driving a bus load of fare paying customers? Perhaps so. That is why we have judges, to make "judgements". They are entrusted with the responsibility to review the facts of the case and upon a guilty verdict apply the appropriate sentence.

Ah, but here comes the House of Representatives to save the day! Judges just don't seem to have the ability to make wise judgements anymore. But they don't have to. We now have HB 5560, 5561 and 5562.

HB 5560 would:
- Create a new crime if an individual assaults and batters an employee of a public transit authority who is operating a public transit vehicle or performing duties associated with operation of such a vehicle and causes any physical injury.
- Also include an assault and battery, causing physical injury, upon an individual who is a passenger on a public transit vehicle or is entering into or existing from a public transit vehicle.
- Create a felony penalty punishable by imprisonment for up to 4 years and a fine up to $2,000.
HB 5561 would:
- Prescribe sentencing guidelines for assault or battery of a public transit employee or passenger causing injury. The felony is categorized as a "person" felony and classified as a level "F" felony.
HB 5562 would:
- Create a new crime if an individual, causing physical injury, assault and batters another who is in a location designated for use by public transit vehicles in picking up or discharging passengers. - Also include an assault and battery, causing physical injury, if the victim is in a facility or area owned or operated by a public transit authority and that is used for in providing public transportation to the general public, including a parking lot for visitors.
- Create a felony penalty punishable by imprisonment for up to 4 years and a fine up to $2,000.

It's too bad the Legislature has to micromanage criminal law and procedure. Warning to prison wardens across the state: make room in your crowded penitentiaries. The bus-driver beaters are coming.