This bill requires data center operators in Michigan to submit a decommissioning plan to the Public Service Commission before receiving approval for rates or contracts with electric utilities. The plan must include financial assurance, such as a performance bond or escrow account, to cover the estimated costs of dismantling the facility and restoring the land to its pre-construction condition. The commission will review these financial guarantees every three years to ensure sufficient funds are available for cleanup when the data center is eventually closed. This legislation directly affects businesses operating data centers and the utility companies that serve them. The bill is part of a larger package of related measures that must all be enacted to take effect.
This Michigan bill establishes the Data Center Water Regulation Act, which requires new and existing data centers to either use a closed-loop cooling system that recirculates water or source all water exclusively from municipal systems. Facilities that currently rely on groundwater or surface water must immediately stop operations once the law takes effect, while those violating the rules face civil fines of up to $1 million per day. The legislation also grants the Michigan Public Service Commission the authority to create specific rules for implementation and mandates that collected fines be deposited into the state's general fund.
This bill directs the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to expand managed care options for Medicaid recipients, giving them a choice among contracted health plans while ensuring access to primary care and preventive services. It requires new enrollees to schedule an initial appointment with a primary care provider within 60 days and mandates that the department track plan compliance with this requirement. The legislation also establishes financial incentives for providers and enrollees to encourage the use of high-value services, promote generic prescriptions, and detect fraud, while allowing telemedicine from out-of-state providers. Additionally, the bill outlines a performance bonus system for health plans based on specific health equity and outcome targets, and sets rules for automatically moving individuals out of skilled nursing facilities after 45 days of care.
This bill directs the Michigan Public Service Commission to create a specific rate structure for data centers that requires a 15-year contract with the utility provider. Under the new rules, data centers would face a minimum monthly charge based on 60% of their contracted power demand, regardless of how much electricity they actually use, and must pay a penalty fee if they break their contract early. The legislation also mandates that data centers provide collateral equal to 24 months of billing charges and ensures they cover all costs associated with generating, transmitting, or distributing their power without passing those expenses to other customers. This proposal applies only to facilities in Michigan designed to store and process data and is part of a larger package of related bills that must all pass together to take effect.
SB 1075 amends Michigan's food law to allow licensed retail food establishments to sell shell eggs through a consignment arrangement, provided the eggs come from producers with fewer than 3,000 hens and are sold directly to the store. Under this new provision, the eggs must be kept separate from other inventory, labeled with the specific farm name and contact details, and sold only in clean containers that do not feature third-party brand names. The bill also clarifies that these consignment eggs cannot be sold online or by mail order and must be packaged with a label stating they were not inspected by the state department. This legislation primarily affects small-scale egg producers and licensed grocery stores or markets that wish to offer farm-fresh eggs without going through a traditional distributor.
SB 913 amends Michigan law to remove the expiration date for a specific requirement to deposit tobacco settlement revenue into the 21st Century Jobs Trust Fund. This change ensures that $75 million of annual tobacco settlement funds must continue to be transferred to the trust through fiscal year 2026, rather than reverting to the state's general fund. The bill directly affects the state treasurer and the department of treasury by clarifying the long-term handling of these funds, which are used for investments and economic development projects. By eliminating the sunset provision, the legislation maintains the flow of money into the trust without altering the existing rules for how the funds are invested or disbursed.
Senate Bill 78 revises the procedures and eligibility requirements for setting aside, or expunging, certain criminal convictions in Michigan. The bill defines how multiple, contemporaneous offenses can be treated as a single conviction for expungement, with exclusions for specific serious crimes. It also adjusts which types of convictions are ineligible for expungement, creating an exception for first-time operating while intoxicated offenses under certain conditions. Additionally, the bill modifies the required waiting periods for applying to set aside convictions, ranging from 3 to 7 years, and requires applicants to have no pending charges or new convictions during these periods.
SENATE CO-SPONSOR(S) NAMED: STEPHANIE CHANG
SB 702, the "Medical Debt Protection Act," limits how medical debt can be collected in Michigan. It prohibits interest or late fees for 90 days after a bill is due and caps annual interest at 3%. The bill bans wage garnishment, foreclosure, and other aggressive collection tactics for patients eligible for financial assistance under a healthcare facility’s policy. It also restricts selling medical debt to third parties without strict safeguards, requiring debt buyers to follow specific rules and return debt if a patient qualifies for financial help. The law directly affects patients with medical debt, large healthcare facilities, and medical debt collectors.
This bill is a memorial resolution honoring the life and public service of R. Robert Geake, a former Michigan legislator who served in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The text details his extensive career, including his legislative work on committees focused on education, mental health, and children's welfare, as well as his later roles as an investigator and chair of the Office of the Children's Ombudsman and the Legislative Retirement System Board. The resolution formally expresses the Legislature's tribute to his dedication and instructs that copies of the document be sent to his family.
HB 6072 requires hospital boards in Michigan to follow the existing Hospital Financial Assistance Act when deciding how to provide financial help to patients. This change ensures that the rules for determining who qualifies for charity care and setting fees are consistent with state standards rather than being set solely by individual hospital boards. The bill only becomes active if a companion bill, HB 6071, is also passed into law. It directly affects public hospital trustees and the patients they serve by standardizing assistance policies.
This bill extends the state of energy emergency in Michigan by an additional 77 days, effective July 1, 2026. The measure allows the sale of E15 fuel in several counties where current regulations previously restricted it to lower vapor pressure gasoline. By suspending these fuel requirements, the extension aims to increase fuel supply options and help manage rising gas prices for consumers and businesses. The resolution requires approval from both the House and Senate before being sent to the Governor.
