HB 4408 revises Michigan's "Powers of appointment act of 1967," primarily affecting how trustees manage irrevocable trusts. It allows a trustee with discretionary power to distribute assets from an existing irrevocable trust to transfer those assets into a newly created second trust. This "decanting" is permitted only if specific conditions are met, such as ensuring beneficiaries remain largely the same and protecting certain financial interests like marital or charitable deductions. Additionally, the bill clarifies when the time period for future interests in a trust begins when a power of appointment is exercised.
HB 4523 updates Michigan's trust law by clarifying which trust terms must follow state requirements, regardless of the trust document. It specifies that trust agreements cannot override court powers to modify trusts, spendthrift clauses, duration limits for animal care trusts, or beneficiary rights protections. This affects trustees managing trusts, beneficiaries (including charitable organizations and animal care enforcers), and entities like the Attorney General overseeing charitable trusts. The bill ensures core legal safeguards remain enforceable even if trust documents attempt to bypass them.
HB 4540 amends Michigan's Housing and Community Development Fund to expand eligible uses of the funds. It allows the state housing authority to provide grants, loans, or assistance for housing projects targeting low-, very low-, and middle-income households, including new construction, rehabilitation, foreclosure prevention, and predatory lending relief. The bill specifically adds support for "individual development accounts" (for savings programs) and community development projects like blight elimination. It affects housing providers, nonprofits, and residents in targeted income groups by clarifying how existing state funds can be allocated to address housing needs.
HB 4539 amends Michigan's housing law to clarify definitions and strengthen funding rules for affordable housing projects. It defines key terms like "extremely low-income" (≤30% of area median income) and "downtown area" (50+ years of commercial use with mixed buildings), directly affecting low- and middle-income households in these zones. The bill requires 30% of funds to support projects for extremely low-income households (including homeless and supportive housing) and mandates that 20% of units in all funded projects serve households earning ≤60% of area median income. It also requires the housing authority to create a public input process for its biennial funding plan, prioritizing areas with high poverty, disability needs, and housing distress.
HB 4905 amends Michigan's licensing requirements for marriage and family therapists to explicitly allow virtual supervision via secure technology during training. It directly affects individuals seeking licensure who must complete supervised clinical hours, permitting them to meet the 300-hour practicum and 1,000-hour post-degree experience requirements through real-time video sessions instead of requiring in-person sessions only. The bill modifies specific sections of the Public Health Code (MCL 333.16909) to clarify that supervision via secure video technology qualifies, as long as it enables direct, contemporaneous interaction. This change aligns licensing standards with modern telehealth practices while maintaining the same hour requirements and supervision ratios. The bill does not alter the total hours needed or the qualifications of supervisors.
HB 4086 proposes creating the "Michcoin" digital currency, backed by physical gold and silver held in a state-managed bullion depository. It establishes the Michigan Bullion Depository within the Treasury Department to manage reserves, issue Michcoin (representing fractions of gold/silver), and allow users to redeem digital units for physical bullion or specie. The bill requires the state to maintain sufficient gold/silver reserves in a "pooled depository account" to back all issued Michcoin, with fees covering operational costs. It directly affects state government (through Treasury), financial institutions acting as depository agents, and residents or businesses using Michcoin for transactions or storage. The bill is currently pending in the House Committee on Government Operations.
HB 5046 modifies Michigan's foreclosure law to clarify the process for recording deeds after a property sale and streamline how homeowners can redeem their property. It requires that deeds from foreclosure sales be recorded with the county register of deeds within 20 days, and if not recorded on time, the redemption period begins when the deed is filed. The bill specifies the exact redemption amount homeowners must pay (including the bid price, interest, and fees) and mandates that purchasers provide an affidavit detailing this amount and the redemption deadline. This affects homeowners seeking to reclaim their property, buyers at foreclosure sales, and county offices responsible for property records.
HB 5045 amends Michigan's Housing Development Authority Act to clarify procedures for redeeming foreclosed properties. It requires sellers to record deeds within 20 days of a sale, specifying redemption timelines and interest accrual starting from the recording date (not the sale date). Property owners or their heirs can redeem land within six months by paying the bid amount plus interest, with the register of deeds handling redemption documentation and fees. The bill directly affects property owners seeking redemption, purchasers of foreclosed properties, and county registers of deeds managing these transactions. These changes aim to streamline redemption processes and reduce confusion in housing foreclosure cases.
HB 5082 amends Michigan's wetland regulations to streamline how property owners determine if their land contains wetlands. It allows landowners to formally request a wetland assessment from the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) by submitting a completed form, legal description, map, and permission to access the property. EGLE must provide a written report within 60 days, detailing wetland locations, required permits, and clarifying that the assessment does not override federal or local regulations. The bill also eliminates fees for these assessments, specifies that agricultural drains or temporary water obstructions don't count as wetlands, and establishes a 3-year binding determination period if EGLE concludes an area is not wetland.
HB 4703 requires health insurers in Michigan to cover group prenatal care services for policyholders. This directly affects health insurers offering coverage in the state and pregnant individuals seeking prenatal care. The bill defines "group prenatal care services" as evidence-based, group-based visits that include health assessments, social support, education, and peer interaction in a family-centered setting. Insurers must now provide this coverage for group prenatal care under their health insurance policies.
HB 5116 amends Michigan's bingo law to update rules for "millionaire parties" (high-stakes fundraising events using game tokens). It doubles the daily cash limit from $20,000 to $40,000 for token exchanges, with higher limits ($160,000 total) for licensees owning their venue and hosting fewer than 4 days of events. The bill also requires clear license display, controlled access to gaming areas, bans on under-18s during gaming, and specific age verification for 18-21 year olds consuming alcohol. These changes directly affect licensed event operators, venue owners, and staff managing access and age compliance.
HB 4085 allows cryptocurrency mining businesses to operate in industrial zones without needing special land use approvals. It directly affects digital asset mining businesses (defined as groups using over 1 megawatt of energy) operating in areas zoned for industry. The bill prohibits local governments from imposing noise limits beyond general industrial standards or creating unique restrictions for mining businesses compared to data centers in the same zone. This makes mining a "permitted use" under Michigan's zoning law, removing barriers to operation in designated industrial areas.
