Gov. Rick Snyder has signed legislation that will allow drivers on Michigan roads to present proof of auto insurance using their cell phone or other mobile device if asked by a law enforcement officer.
"Modernizing government and making everyday life easier for residents is a primary goal," Snyder said. "Being able to access crucial information on the go is a great resource, and now citizens can use their technology to greater advantage."
House Bill 4193, sponsored by state Rep. Aric Nesbitt, directs law enforcement officers to accept electronic proof of auto insurance in the same manner as a paper proof of insurance document. It also prohibits officers from searching or manipulating the electronic device on which proof of insurance is presented. Nesbitt's bill is now Public Act 135 of 2015.
The governor also signed four additional bills:
-HB 4389, sponsored by state Rep. Dave Pagel, designates a portion of Highway US-12 in Berrien County as the Trooper Steven B. DeVries Memorial Highway. Tpr. DeVries was shot and killed in the line of duty near Niles while apprehending a bank robber in 1972. He was the 28th Michigan State Police officer to lose his life in the line of duty and was 32 years old at the time. Pagel's bill is now PA 136.
-HB 4463, sponsored by Rep. Kurt Heise, strengthens sentencing requirements for crimes involving aggravated physical abuse, defined as being similarly egregious to sadism, torture or excessive brutality. Heise's bill is now PA 137.
-HB 4166, sponsored by Rep. Rick Outman, requires a county-wide vote for any counties that wish to use appropriated funds from a tax levy or levy a new tax for the purposes of promoting agricultural or industrial advantages of their region. Outman's bill is now PA 138.
-Senate Bill 134, sponsored by Sen. Dave Hildenbrand, provides supplemental appropriations for the current fiscal year in order to increase the number of available half-day slots for the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP). The new law provides an additional $4.3 million to eligible intermediate school districts to increase the number of available half-day slots for the pre-school program. The additional funding expands the number of slots by nearly 1,200, bringing the total number of half-day preschool opportunities to over 64,800. Hildenbrand's bill is now PA 139 of 2015.
All five bills were approved with bipartisan support in both the House and Senate.
For additional information on this and other legislation, visit www.legislature.mi.gov.
Published: Fri, Oct 09, 2015
