SB 513 amends Michigan's liquor law by changing the legal definition of "brand" under Section 105 of the 1998 Liquor Code (MCL 436.1105) and adds a new Section 604. This directly affects liquor businesses, distributors, and regulators by clarifying how "brand" is legally defined in licensing and regulatory contexts. The bill does not create new taxes or restrictions but adjusts terminology to align with current industry practices. It passed unanimously in the legislature on December 2, 2025, with no opposing votes. (Note: The bill is procedural, focusing solely on statutory definition, not new policy.)
SB 95 (the "hospital price transparency act") prohibits hospitals from attempting to collect debts for services provided when they were not complying with state price transparency laws. It specifically bans hospitals from using debt collectors, suing patients, or reporting debts to credit bureaus for care received during non-compliance periods. The bill directly affects hospitals that fail to publicly list prices for services (like "chargemaster" rates) and patients who received care during those violations. Key provisions define "collection actions" and clarify that hospitals cannot pursue payment for non-compliant billing periods, offering patients remedies if hospitals attempt collection anyway.
SB 512 amends multiple sections of Michigan's liquor distribution laws (1998 PA 58), including provisions related to licensing, distribution channels, and retailer operations. It directly affects liquor distributors, retailers, and potentially consumers by modifying existing regulatory rules. The bill adds a new section (412) and updates specific sections (105, 303, 526, 607, 609b, 1025), though the context does not detail the exact policy changes. The bill passed the legislature on December 2, 2025, with 37 votes in favor.
SB 595 authorizes the survey of specific sections of the Michigan-Indiana boundary and provides grants to Michigan counties for remonumentation programs. It directly affects counties along the Michigan-Indiana border that need to update or verify boundary markers. The bill amends existing law to establish procedures for conducting these surveys and distributing grant funds to counties for boundary marker maintenance. This is a procedural land survey and grant program bill with no direct impact on residents or businesses beyond boundary management.
SB 700 sets a strict 3-year limit for Michigan's unemployment agency to recover improperly paid benefits, barring recovery actions after this period except for identity fraud or intentional fraud cases. It directly affects individuals who received overpaid unemployment benefits, requiring the agency to issue recovery determinations within 3 years of the benefit payment date. The bill also establishes new waiver rules: recovery must be waived if overpayment resulted from agency errors, or if the claimant faces financial hardship (income below 150% of federal poverty guidelines). These changes aim to prevent prolonged debt collection for most overpayments while maintaining enforcement for intentional misconduct.
HB 5395 modifies Michigan's Brownfield Redevelopment Financing Act to update tax credit rules for cleaning and redeveloping contaminated properties. The bill revises definitions of "blighted" property (including previously developed land and land bank properties) and clarifies how tax revenue captured during redevelopment - specifically construction-phase income taxes on wages - will be calculated and reinvested. Local authorities, developers, and municipalities working on brownfield sites will directly use these revised rules for tax increment financing. The changes aim to streamline financing for projects that clean up environmental hazards while redeveloping underutilized land.
HB 5397 eliminates a tax exemption for data center equipment under Michigan's Use Tax Act. It repeals Section 4cc, which previously allowed data center businesses to claim an exemption from use tax on equipment purchases. This change means data center operators will now pay the standard use tax on qualifying equipment instead of claiming the exemption. The bill directly affects data center businesses that previously utilized this tax exemption.
HB 5396 eliminates a sales tax exemption for data center equipment in Michigan. The bill repeals Section 4ee of the General Sales Tax Act (MCL 205.54ee), which previously allowed data centers to avoid paying the standard 4% sales tax on equipment purchases. This change directly affects data center businesses operating in Michigan, requiring them to pay sales tax on qualifying equipment starting when the bill takes effect. The policy change removes a specific tax break, aligning data center equipment purchases with standard sales tax rules.
HB 5398 amends Michigan's General Property Tax Act to remove a tax exemption for data centers located in Renaissance Zones. Specifically, it eliminates the exemption previously available for "eligible data center property" in zones approved by the Michigan Strategic Fund in 2016 with at least $100 million in investment. This change directly affects data center operators in designated Renaissance Zones who previously qualified for reduced property taxes. The bill updates Section 7ff of the tax act to reflect this repeal, ensuring data centers no longer receive the tax break.
HB 5389 modifies how Michigan manages state funds for specific projects (called "work projects"). It requires that such projects must have a clear purpose, specific plan, estimated cost, and completion date to qualify. The bill also changes the timeframe for unused funds to expire (48 months after the fiscal year ends) and gives the director authority to propose lapsing project accounts, but requires both legislative committees to disapprove such proposals within 30 days. Additionally, it mandates annual reports to committees detailing all active work project accounts, their balances, and any funds that lapsed.
HB 5390 modifies Michigan's budget law to clarify rules for "work project" appropriations, which are funds designated for specific, time-bound projects. It requires all work projects to meet four criteria: a specific purpose, a clear plan, an estimated cost, and a completion date. The bill strengthens legislative oversight by allowing appropriations committees to disapprove the director's decisions to lapse funds or designate new work projects, requiring a two-thirds vote and committee hearings within 30 days. This affects state agencies managing project funds and legislative committees responsible for budget review.
HB 5394 requires Michigan's unemployment insurance agency to automatically waive repayment of benefits improperly paid due to the agency's own administrative or clerical errors, rather than requiring claimants to seek a waiver through a separate process. This applies specifically when overpayments result from the agency's mistakes (e.g., data entry errors), excluding cases involving fraud, identity theft, or intentional misrepresentation by claimants. The bill ensures claimants affected by such agency errors do not face repayment demands or interest, streamlining relief for those who received benefits due to the state's administrative errors. It does not change eligibility rules or apply to overpayments caused by claimant error or fraud.
