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Michigan's
Secretary of State Seeking Voting System for Disabled
Gongwer News Service, November 21, 2005
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With the state
nearly done updating its voting systems, Secretary of State
Terri Land announced Monday she was preparing for the next phase
of implementing the federal Help America Vote Act:
handicapper-accessible voting.
Ms. Land has issued a request for bids on a voting system that
would be usable by those with disabilities and still allow them
privacy while voting.
"We're committed to ensuring that all voices are heard at the
ballot box," Ms. Land said.
"This equipment will enable members of the disability community
to cast a secret, independent ballot like everyone else," said
Tom Masseau, director of government and media relations for
Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service Incorporated.
The state is expecting to spend $20 million on the new system,
which must allow access to those with a variety of disabilities
and must interact with the optical scan voting system that is
the current state standard. At least a portion of the cost of
the new system will be covered by federal funds.
Cox Bars California Charity from Soliciting
Donations in Michigan
MIRS, November 18, 2005
Today Attorney General Mike COX announced that he has denied a
California organization's application to solicit charitable
contributions in Michigan because it allegedly misused donations
by advancing its president nearly $250,000 to fund his defense
of criminal charges unrelated to the organization.
“I will not allow any organization with such a questionable
history to solicit funds from Michigan Citizens, especially
during this time of need for many reputable charities,” said
Cox. “Using donations for purposes other than those represented
by the organization is a violation of Michigan's licensing law.”
AAAA Abilities Car Donation Foundation (AAAA) President Kent Ray
STRYKER, 61, was convicted by a federal jury on 12 counts of
mail fraud in 2004 and began serving a 51-month sentence in
March 2005. The convictions arose from Stryker's solicitations
of cash and cars on behalf of bogus charities with names closely
resembling well-known, legitimate charities.
Cox's Administrator of Charitable Trusts testified at Stryker's
trial regarding materials the Attorney General's Office received
from the organization in its attempt to obtain a license in
Michigan. The testimony also addressed Stryker's solicitation of
contributions using names very similar to a number of
established charities, even though the organization could not
document activities that actually carried out the claimed
charitable purposes.
In the application refused by Cox's office, the Van Nuys-based
California charity claims its purpose is to provide vocational
apprenticeships to disadvantaged kids and other people making
the transition to and skilled employment. AAAA has solicited
vehicles under its former name, California Non-Profit Center for
Living and Learning, as well as Allstate Car Donation Charity.
AAAA solicits contributions, including vehicle donations,
through its Web sites, and claims donors can deliver vehicles to
any one of its 113 auction sites located in 42 states -
excluding Alaska, Hawaii, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota,
Vermont and Wyoming.
Michigan law requires most charities that solicit from Michigan
residents to apply for and receive a solicitation license from
the AG's office, with churches and certain other organizations
exempt from the licensing requirement.
Dunnings Likes Acupuncturing Bill
MIRS, November 18, 2005
So what interest could the Ingham County prosecutor possibly
have in pending legislation to regulate those who practice
acupuncture? Maybe he doesn't have enough crime to fight and is
eager to go after unscrupulous acupuncturists?
Well, it turns out Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III
is overseeing an alcohol rehabilitation program in the county
that uses acupuncture to address drinking problems. And it is
working.
Dunnings reported that six months into the experimental project,
"60 percent of the people are still abstinent when the national
average is 40 percent."
Because he wants to continue the program, he supports
legislation to make sure acupuncturists are trained. He does not
want anyone in the rehab program to be injured by an untrained
person.
Michigan is one of only a handful of states that does not
regulate acupuncture, a centuries-old method that Chinese have
used to prevent or treat disease, injury or pain. The concern is
that poorly trained acupuncturists could puncture a lung or
transmit blood-borne diseases, such as HIV and Hepatitis B.
The bill is virtually the same bill as HB 5205 of 2004, which
the governor pocket vetoed.
The bill would have created a Michigan Board of Acupuncture
within the Department of Community Health, which would have been
kept afloat financially by an annual $150 registration fee.
Also, a $75 application processing fee would have been added to
the cost of being a registered acupuncturist.
Granholm Press Secretary Liz BOYD said on Jan. 6 that the
governor saw no compelling reason to sign the bill. The governor
had signed three other licensing bills earlier in the
legislative session and wanted to evaluate how those new
procedures work before enlarging the role of state government
further.
The board would have set minimum standards that all
acupuncturists would have to follow in order to be registered.
According to the Michigan Association of Acupuncture and
Oriental Medicine, around 200 people in Michigan offer these
types of services.
Sen. Bev HAMMERSTROM (R-Temperance) is sponsoring the bill, SB
0351. It passed the Senate unanimously, 35-0, this month and was
referred to the House is still pending in the House.
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