LANSING — Gov. Rick Snyder recently signed legislation ensuring the safety of school bus passengers.

Senate Bill 1030, sponsored by state Sen. Bruce Caswell, requires motorists to come to a complete stop at least 20 feet from a school bus whenever a bus is stopped and employing the use of its two red flashing signals. The driver may proceed once the bus resumes motion.

“The safety of our students always comes first and this will eliminate any confusion as to when it is and is not okay to pass a parked school bus,” Snyder said.

The bill is now P.A. 263 of 2012.

The governor also signed six other bills.

S.B. 570, sponsored by state Sen. Mike Green, simplifies the standards required for a log wall home to comply with the 2009 Michigan Uniform Energy Code. The code governs energy proficient designs for the construction of residential buildings. A log wall home must be constructed using logs with a minimum diameter of 5 inches to qualify as energy efficient. The bill is now P.A. 264.
S.B.s 698-700, sponsored by state Sen. Goeff Hansen, expand the rights of judges who perform court marriages. District court judges, district court magistrates and probate court judges can perform marriages anywhere in the state. A $10 marriage fee is required in all circumstances and must go to the district where the judge or magistrate serves. The bills are now P.A.s. 265-267.
S.B. 783, sponsored by state Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker, clarifies the lawsuit process in regarding suits against an accountant. Non-clients cannot bring malpractice suits against an accountant based on an accountant’s limited professional liability. The bill is now P.A. 268.
S.B. 995, sponsored by state Sen. Howard Walker, increases the opportunities for emergency transport services to and from Beaver Island. Under current law, air taxis servicing the Island are not allowed to transport passengers for medical emergencies unless they have $10 million in liability coverage, which is cost prohibitive. Licensed air ambulatory services can take as long as 50 minutes to get to the Island from the main land. Under the bill, any properly licensed air taxi that also functions as an air ambulance less than an average of 45 times a year can now be billed no more than $2 million for insurance liability coverage. The bill is now P.A. 269.
Visit www.legislature.mi.gov for more information on the bills.