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Samuel B. Thomas, III (D)
State Senator, District 4
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Missed Votes
- Did not vote on an amendment for 2009 House Bill 4311 (Appropriations: Supplemental budget ). The amendment failed in the Senate (14 to 20) on November 5, 2009, to appropriate some $800 million for various spending items that were proposed but not included in the final FY 2009-2010 state budget, including $375 million more for Medicaid, $140 million for college scholarships, $159 million for schools, $55 million for revenue sharing to local governments, and more. [Vote Details and Comments]
- Did not vote on 2009 Senate Bill 957 (Transfer Racing Commissioner duties to Department of Agriculture ). Passed in the Senate (25 to 9) on November 5, 2009, to revise references in the Compulsive Gaming Prevention Act to reflect the state racing commissioner changes proposed by Senate Bill 955. [Vote Details and Comments]
- Did not vote on 2009 Senate Bill 956 (Transfer Racing Commissioner duties to Department of Agriculture ). Passed in the Senate (25 to 9) on November 5, 2009, to revise references in the state law that regulates horse racing to reflect the state racing commissioner changes proposed by Senate Bill 955. [Vote Details and Comments]
- Did not vote on 2009 Senate Bill 955 (Transfer Racing Commissioner duties to Department of Agriculture ). Passed in the Senate (25 to 9) on November 5, 2009, to eliminate the office of the Racing Commissioner and transfer the Commissioner's duties to the Department of Agriculture. [Vote Details and Comments]
- Did not vote on an amendment for 2009 Senate Bill 884 (Authorize tax amnesty window ). The amendment failed in the Senate (15 to 21) on October 13, 2009, to eliminate the tie-bars in this bill to Senate Bills 1, 69, 838 and 4514. With the te-bar, this bill cannot become law unless those ones do also. Those bills would phase-out the Michigan Business Tax surcharge, raise maximum earnings caps that limits eligibility for a lower small business MBT rate, and suspend an increase in the Earned Income Tax Credit. [Vote Details and Comments]
- Did not vote on 2009 Senate Bill 884 (Authorize tax amnesty window ). Passed in the Senate (24 to 12) on October 13, 2009, to authorize a delinquent tax payment amnesty period of up to 60 days and ending Dec. 31, 2009, during which all criminal and civil penalties would be waived for having in the past failed to file or pay income or other state tax, or for making an excessive claim for a refund. To get the waiver a taxpayer would have to make full payment of the tax and interest due, either in a lump sum or through an installment plan. If back taxes are not paid during this period, a 25 percent penalty would be tacked on to the balance. [Vote Details and Comments]
- Did not vote on 2009 Senate Concurrent Resolution 21 (Require disclosure of tax hikes needed for spending beyond revenue ). Passed in the Senate (28 to 6) on September 16, 2009, to require the House and Senate to each adopt budget "targets" by June 1 based on revenue projections from the most recent revenue estimating conference, and if either body proposes spending more than can be paid for with expected revenues, to require it to specify details of the tax or fee hikes that would be needed to pay for the extra spending. [Vote Details and Comments]
- Did not vote on 2009 House Bill 5246 (Impose additional funeral home unclaimed remains regulations ). Passed in the Senate (34 to 0) on November 5, 2009, to establish that a funeral director who maintains a registry of names of unclaimed cremated remains for purposes of notifying veterans groups that these may include veterans, and who follows certain procedures for the disposition of such remains, is immune from potential civil and criminal liability for failure to follow the specified procedures. [Vote Details and Comments]
- Did not vote on 2009 House Bill 5245 (Impose additional funeral home unclaimed remains regulations ). Passed in the Senate (34 to 0) on November 5, 2009, to establish that a funeral director who maintains a registry of names of unclaimed cremated remains for purposes of notifying veterans groups that these may include veterans, and who follows certain procedures for the disposition of such remains, is immune from potential civil and criminal liability for failure to follow the specified procedures. [Vote Details and Comments]
- Did not vote on 2009 House Bill 4311 (Appropriations: Supplemental budget ). Passed in the Senate (32 to 2) on November 5, 2009, to appropriate $6.9 million to replace horse race industry subsidies that Gov. Jennifer Granholm line-item vetoed from the Fiscal Year 2010 budget; and $3.85 million for state wetlands regulation that the Governor had proposed turning over to the federal government. Also, to appropriate $14.8 million in additional Corrections spending; use some federal "stimulus" money in the State Police budget; and to spend an extra $3.8 million on Michigan State Housing Development Authority computer systems and management of federal rental subsidies. [Vote Details and Comments]
