Rep. Tom Kunse

Maddy summaryHB 4226 requires Michigan K-12 schools to conduct specific safety drills annually, including a minimum of 7 fire drills (with 3 by December 1), 2 tornado safety drills (one in March), and 4 secure building drills (with one by December 1 and one after January 1). Schools must document each drill with details like date, type, and attendance, then post this information online within 30 days for at least 3 years. The bill also mandates schools to coordinate drill schedules with local emergency management and allows rescheduling for unavoidable disruptions like severe weather. These requirements apply to all public schools operating grades K-12 and aim to standardize safety preparedness.

Maddy summaryHB 4201 amends Michigan's income tax law to exempt certain retirement benefits from state taxation. It specifically adds a deduction for retirement or pension benefits received from Michigan's public retirement systems (like state employee pensions) or federal public retirement systems. This directly affects Michigan residents who receive these types of public-sector retirement benefits by reducing their taxable income. The change modifies Section 30 of Michigan's Income Tax Act (MCL 206.30) to exclude these benefits from taxable income calculations.

Maddy summaryHB 4259 amends the Student Safety Act by updating key definitions to clarify the law's scope. It specifies that "school" includes all public, private, denominational, and parochial schools serving kindergarten through 12th grade, and "school property" covers buildings, fields, and school buses. The bill also defines the "hotline" as a statewide system for reporting safety concerns via phone, text, or online. These changes ensure consistent application of the Student Safety Act for all schools and safety reports. The bill requires concurrent passage of HB 4258 to take effect.

Maddy summaryHB 4222 requires Michigan public school districts, intermediate school districts, public school academies, and nonpublic schools to develop and update emergency operations plans every three years (starting July 1, 2026) in collaboration with local law enforcement. These plans must address specific safety scenarios like violence, fire, intruders, weather emergencies, mental health training, building security, and crisis response protocols. Schools must adopt plans with public input and notify the state education department within 30 days of adoption or updates, with all plan details kept confidential under state law. The department will track compliance and notify non-compliant schools, ensuring consistent safety planning across all school buildings.

Maddy summaryHB 4118 amends Michigan's Drain Code to require that lands owned by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) be assessed for drainage project costs based on the benefits they receive, similar to how townships, cities, counties, and state highways are assessed. The bill clarifies that drainage costs must be apportioned among these entities according to specific benefit-based formulas, including DNR lands as a distinct category. It also updates public notice requirements for bidding on drainage projects and reviews of cost allocations to ensure transparency. This change directly affects DNR lands and the entities responsible for funding drainage improvements, including local governments and state transportation authorities.

Maddy summaryHB 4076 prohibits labeling lab-grown meat substitutes as "meat" and requires sellers to use specific terms like "cell-cultured," "lab-grown," or "cultivated" on product labels. It directly affects manufacturers and retailers selling lab-grown meat alternatives, mandating clear labeling that distinguishes these products from traditional meat. The bill amends Michigan's Food Law to require these terms on sealed packages or bulk displays, ensuring consumers can accurately identify the product type. This policy change focuses on transparent labeling without altering existing requirements for traditional meat products.

Maddy summaryHB 4491 revises the application process for Michigan's critical industry program and other economic development initiatives managed by the Michigan Strategic Fund. It requires businesses seeking state funding to complete a form attesting, under penalty of perjury, that their hiring and promotion practices are based solely on merit, defined by objective criteria like experience and education. False attestations carry a $5,000 civil fine and potential perjury charges. Additionally, the bill outlines specific criteria the fund must consider when awarding investments and mandates detailed terms for agreements with businesses, including job creation targets, performance benchmarks, and clawback provisions for non-compliance.

Maddy summaryHB 4489 modifies the rules for expenditures from the Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve (SOAR) fund. The bill adds new conditions for recipients of these funds, requiring them to use hiring practices and internal promotion schemes based on employee merit. "Merit" is defined as a reasonable expectation, based on objective criteria like experience and education, that an individual can perform job duties. These changes directly affect businesses and entities receiving SOAR fund expenditures by requiring them to adopt these merit-based employment practices.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 4490 amends Michigan's Management and Budget Act to prohibit state agencies from awarding contracts to companies that do not use hiring practices based solely on merit. The bill defines "merit" as a reasonable expectation of job performance based on objective criteria such as experience, education, and training. For construction contracts, companies seeking state business must attest under penalty of perjury that they use only merit-based hiring. The state department is then prohibited from awarding these contracts to firms that use other hiring practices or fail to submit the required attestation.

Maddy summaryHB 4227 requires every intermediate school district in Michigan to hire at least one emergency and safety manager and one mental health coordinator. The emergency manager coordinates with state and local agencies to prevent safety incidents, conduct risk assessments, and handle safety concerns across schools. The mental health coordinator manages state funding for student mental health services, integrates community resources, and oversees programs like Medicaid billing and behavioral health support. These roles aim to strengthen safety planning and mental health access for all public and nonpublic schools within each district's boundaries.