SE Grand Rapids News

Michigan State Representative Rachelle M. Smit (R-Hastings) provided explanations for her votes on several bills considered in the Michigan House during the week of August 19, 2025.

On August 19, Rep. Smit voted in favor of HB 4047, which establishes a cause of action for individuals depicted in false sexual conduct by media. The bill passed with a vote of 97-5 and was enrolled. "With AI becoming increasingly more advanced and accessible, many people are worried that the production of deep fakes will become a worsening problem. Nonconsensual Deep fakes cause emotional and financial harm to individuals. It is essential that state law protects these victims by imposing penalties on offenders," said Smit.

She also supported HB 4415, which modifies requirements for competitive bidding by county road commissions on certain projects. The bill passed 83-19 with immediate effect. Smit explained her support: "This bill updates a decades-old statute to reflect the current market realities for road commissions across Michigan."

Another measure, HB 4543, changes certain income tax adjustments from using the Detroit Consumer Price Index (CPI) to the United States CPI. The legislation passed 88-14 with immediate effect. Smit stated, "Using the US CPI rather than the Detroit CPI will reflect broader energy price trends and provide more reliable data."

On August 20, Rep. Smit voted yes on HB 4707, which prohibits ranked choice voting in Michigan. The bill passed with a vote of 57-44 and takes immediate effect. According to Smit: "Ranked Choice Voting is a confusing and non-traditional form of voting that allows voters to rank candidates by preference rather than casting a ballot for a single candidate, thus violating the principle of one person, one vote."

She also voted in favor of SB 70, which designates part of M-34 as the “Deputy Sheriff William Butler, Jr. Memorial Highway.” The bill received unanimous support at 100-0 with immediate effect. Smit commented: "Our law enforcement personnel continually place themselves in danger on behalf of our citizens and state. This highway naming allows us to express our gratitude and appreciation for Deputy Sheriff William Butler Jr. and his service to our country and the State of Michigan."

On August 21, Rep. Smit supported HB 4303 to establish May as Chaldean American month; it passed with near-unanimous approval at 99-1 with immediate effect. She said: "This bill increases public awareness and honors the Chaldean community’s contributions to Michigan."

Lastly, she voted yes on HJR M—a proposed constitutional amendment to withhold pay from legislators and the governor if the state budget is not enacted by July 1 each year—but it failed to achieve the required two-thirds majority (vote: 70-30). Smit explained: "Legislators and the governor should absolutely be penalized for not doing the one thing required of them. This will help ensure a government shutdown does not impact services to residents."