This bill, known as the Energy Pricing Protection Act, prohibits businesses from charging excessively high prices for gasoline, propane, and home heating oil during market disruptions. It defines a market disruption as events like natural disasters, strikes, or emergencies and sets a 20% price increase threshold as the limit for what is considered unjustified, unless sellers can prove higher costs or prior discounts caused the rise. The law applies to anyone selling these essential energy products but excludes utilities regulated by state or federal commissions. Enforcement is handled by state and local prosecutors, who can issue written demands for documents and testimony and file court actions against violators, with investigative details kept confidential until a formal charge is made.
This bill creates the Hotel and Lodging Pricing Protection Act to stop businesses from raising room rates by more than 20% during a declared state of emergency unless they can prove the increase is due to higher costs or pre-existing contracts. The law applies to hotels, bed and breakfasts, campgrounds, and short-term rentals like Airbnb, but excludes large resort-managed units. It allows prosecutors to investigate violations by issuing legal demands for documents and testimony, with courts empowered to enforce compliance if the investigation is deemed proper.
This House resolution honors the memory of Fred Durhal Jr., a former Michigan state representative who passed away, by formally recognizing his life and public service. The document details his career as a legislator, community leader, and advocate for Detroit residents, noting his various leadership roles and legislative contributions. It expresses the House's condolences to his family and directs copies of the tribute to be sent to them as a final mark of respect.
This bill establishes the Commodities and Emergency Services and Supplies Pricing Protection Act to stop businesses from raising prices unfairly during a declared state of emergency. It specifically targets sales of building materials, food, emergency supplies, medical items, and general goods, defining an illegal price hike as an increase of more than 20% compared to pre-emergency rates unless the seller can prove higher costs. The law prohibits charging or offering these items at excessively high prices and grants prosecutors the power to investigate violations by demanding documents and testimony from suspected violators.
This bill, known as the Medical Debt Act, prohibits consumer reporting agencies from including medical debt in credit reports and bars creditors from reporting such debts to these agencies. It also prevents lenders from using unpaid medical bills as a negative factor when making credit decisions, with the exception of large mortgage loans exceeding federal limits. Additionally, the law restricts collection agencies from falsely claiming that medical debt will be reported on a consumer's credit file. These measures aim to protect individuals from having their medical financial obligations negatively impact their creditworthiness and future borrowing opportunities.
This bill requires Michigan's health department to refer children under three years old with elevated blood lead levels to the Early On program, which supports early childhood development. The law mandates that when a child's blood lead level exceeds 10 micrograms per deciliter, the department must notify local health officials or the child's doctor to facilitate this referral. Additionally, the bill maintains existing requirements for the state to run a lead poisoning prevention program, including educational outreach and technical assistance for healthcare providers. The health department must also submit annual reports to the legislature detailing the number of children screened, those with confirmed high lead levels, and how program funds were spent.
SB 1011 creates a new state-regulated program called a small business health pool to offer health coverage to Michigan employers with fewer than 500 employees and eligible self-employed individuals. This initiative requires these businesses to join a nonprofit sponsoring association that meets specific financial and operational standards, ensuring the group is stable and has a legitimate business purpose beyond just providing insurance. The bill establishes rules for how these pools operate, allowing them to be fully insured, level-funded, or self-funded while mandating that they cover essential health benefits and cannot discriminate based on health status or claims history. Additionally, the legislation creates a state-funded reinsurance program to reimburse 60% of catastrophic claims between $75,000 and $250,000 per person to help stabilize premiums. The Department of Insurance will oversee the program by reviewing financial solvency and compliance, but it will not approve insurance rates except for fully insured products.
This bill allows nurse practitioners to determine disability status for individuals applying for Michigan disability parking placards, expanding the list of qualified medical professionals beyond physicians and physician assistants. The legislation amends existing vehicle code sections to include nurse practitioners alongside doctors, physician assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and optometrists who can certify a person's disability. The bill does not change the specific medical criteria for qualifying disabilities or the process for obtaining parking placards, but it broadens who can officially verify that a person meets those criteria. This change affects disabled individuals seeking parking privileges and the healthcare providers who evaluate their eligibility.
This bill establishes a formal process for the state of Michigan to issue certificates of acceptability for premanufactured building units, such as modular homes, at their place of manufacture. It requires manufacturers to submit detailed plans and specifications for review and approval, with the state department required to respond within 30 days, after which the application is automatically approved if no decision is made. The bill also sets up inspection procedures to verify that manufactured units comply with submitted plans, allows local agencies to inspect units at the manufacturing site, and creates a hearing process to resolve disputes when local enforcing agencies object to the use of a premanufactured unit.
HB 5518 amends Michigan's liquor control code to clarify that airport licensees (with approval from the airport's governing body) may sell alcohol 24 hours a day, removing the current 2 a.m. to 7 a.m. sales restriction that applies to most other licensees. This change directly affects airports and their licensed vendors, allowing continuous alcohol sales within airport premises. The bill does not alter general alcohol sales rules for other locations or the Sunday sales restrictions handled under separate sections. It maintains existing requirements for airport licensees to obtain governing body approval but updates the specific time allowance in Section 1114.
SB 535 requires businesses selling goods or services with automatic renewal contracts to clearly disclose key terms to consumers in 14-point type. This includes the contract length, pricing (including promotional periods), renewal terms, and simple cancellation procedures - both at sign-up and before each renewal. Businesses must send electronic renewal notices 30-60 days in advance, allow at least 30 days to cancel, and provide easy cancellation methods (like a website link or phone number). The law applies to most subscription services but excludes regulated utilities, insurance, and contracts cancelable for pro-rata refunds. Consumers can void contracts that violate these rules.
SB 536 amends Michigan's Consumer Protection Act to require clear, conspicuous disclosure of conditions when businesses advertise goods or services as "free" or without charge. This specifically targets deceptive marketing practices by mandating that any terms, prerequisites, or conditions for receiving free offers must be disclosed prominently alongside the "free" claim (as added under subdivision (r) of Section 3). The bill directly affects businesses - such as subscription services, trials, or promotional offers - that use "free" language without clarifying requirements like payment, sign-up fees, or automatic renewal terms. It strengthens existing protections by making it unlawful to mislead consumers about the true cost or conditions of "free" offers.
