Unique Website Gives Complete, Concise Michigan Legislative Information

Michigan Votes gives users instant access to concise, plain language and objective descriptions of every single bill, amendment, and vote that takes place in the Michigan legislature. Unlike any other bill tracking utility, Michigan Votes, is unique because all legislative actions are described - not just those selected by a particular interest group. It is searchable by legislator, keyword, and 50 subject categories, so users can create their own custom "voting record guide."

Michigan Votes has all these features:

• Concise, plain-language, objective and accurate descriptions of every bill, amendment, roll call vote and voice vote.
• Ability to track all the votes of a particular legislator, or search by bill number, category or keyword.
• Ability to view all the bills and amendments introduced by a particular legislator.
• Ability to post a public comment, view others' comments, and participate in citizen surveys on each bill.
• Automatically e-mail legislators or others about a bill.
• Ability to follow action in any one or more of 50 different categories of legislation (such as Education or Land Use or Taxes).
• Ability to sign up for e-mail notifications of action on any bill or subject area of interest, including new bill introductions.

Michigan Votes is a free public service of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit research and educational institution. Its purpose is to inform citizens, community leaders, business people, media, and public officials about legislation that affects their families, schools, jobs and communities. The site empowers citizens to take a more active part in the democratic process, and hold their elected representatives accountable.

MichiganVotes does not release (nor has it ever released) to third parties any personal identifying information of past or current website visitors, including registered users, without express permission, except as required by law.

About MichiganVotes.org descriptions: The descriptions on this site are assembled by the editor from a variety of sources. Bill sponsors, legislative analysts, and policy specialists from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy and from many other organizations are often consulted to provide background and context for particular bills or votes. Many descriptions contain verbatim passages from bill analyses created by the House Legislative Analysis Section, House Fiscal Agency, Senate Fiscal Agency, and other non-copyrighted public sources.

Attention Organizations and Newsletters: Permission is hereby granted to reprint the above as an informative article in your own newsletter or other means of distribution. For additional information about MichiganVotes.org please call description editor Jack McHugh at (517) 749-1129.