Rep. Betsy Coffia

Maddy summaryHB 4605 updates Michigan's Regulatory Loan Act to replace gendered terms like "husband and wife" with gender-neutral language such as "spouses" in Section 17 (MCL 493.17). This change affects married borrowers who must sign liens on household goods, ensuring the requirement applies equally regardless of gender. The bill revises the law's wording to remove outdated references while maintaining the existing requirement for both spouses' signatures. The amendment is contingent on a related constitutional change being adopted, as specified in the enacting section.

Maddy summaryHB 4614 updates Michigan law to replace gender-specific terms in property deed rules. It revises Section 2 of 1861 PA 21 (MCL 565.602) to change "husband and wife" to "spouses," ensuring deeds executed jointly by couples through a joint power of attorney are valid regardless of gender. This directly affects married or domestic partners using joint power of attorney to transfer property, making the law inclusive for all couples. The bill requires approval of a constitutional amendment (via HJR F'25 or S00781'25) before taking effect.

Maddy summaryHB 4610 amends Michigan’s insurance code (sections 2207, 2209, 3110, and 3402) to replace gendered terms like "husband," "wife," and "children" with gender-neutral language (e.g., "spouse" or "partner"). It directly affects life insurance policies where beneficiaries are named as spouses, descendants, or trustees for their benefit, ensuring the code uses inclusive terminology. The bill updates the legal language but does not change beneficiary rights, exemption rules for insurance proceeds, or creditor protections. This is a procedural language update, not a policy change.

Maddy summaryHB 4617 amends Michigan's property tax deferment law (MCL 211.764) to update gendered language, replacing references like "husband and wife" with neutral terms such as "spouses" for joint ownership. This change directly affects homeowners applying for deferment of special assessments on their homestead properties, particularly those owning property jointly. The bill modifies only the language in Section 4 of the 1976 law, leaving all existing eligibility rules, affidavit requirements, lien warnings, and mortgage consent procedures unchanged. It does not alter the financial mechanisms or eligibility criteria for the deferment program itself.

Maddy summaryHB 4618 updates Michigan's Limited Liability Company Act to replace gender-specific terms like "husband and wife" with gender-neutral language like "spouses" in Section 504. This change directly affects married couples who own LLC membership interests jointly, aligning the law with modern language standards. The bill modifies the provision governing how spouses can hold LLC interests in joint tenancy, removing outdated phrasing while maintaining the same legal rights and survivorship rules. The amendment does not alter any substantive rights or create new obligations for LLC owners.

Maddy summaryHB 4607 amends Michigan’s farmland tax credit statute (MCL 324.36109) to replace gendered language like "he" or "his" with gender-neutral terms. The bill does not change eligibility rules or credit amounts - it only updates the statutory language to be inclusive for all landowners, including farmers, partnerships, corporations, trusts, and life estate holders who qualify for the property tax credit under existing farmland preservation programs. This change affects anyone claiming the credit for farmland subject to development rights agreements or conservation easements, ensuring the law applies equally regardless of gender. The bill is purely procedural and does not alter the policy or financial provisions of the tax credit.

Maddy summaryHB 4624 amends Michigan's City Income Tax Act (MCL 141.641) to replace gendered terms like "husband and wife" with the gender-neutral term "spouses" in provisions about joint tax filings. This change directly affects individuals filing joint income tax returns with their partners in cities that impose local income taxes. The bill updates existing language without altering tax rates, filing requirements, or obligations. It is a technical correction to modernize legal terminology in the ordinance. The amendment applies to all cities using this tax structure and does not change how taxes are calculated or collected.

Maddy summaryHB 4620 updates Michigan's real estate transfer tax law to replace gendered terms like "husband or wife" with gender-neutral language such as "spouse" in the exemption for property transfers between spouses. This specifically affects the exemption covering transfers without payment, such as when one spouse gives property to the other to establish or end a shared ownership arrangement. The bill modernizes the legal text to be inclusive but does not change the substance of the tax exemption or who qualifies for it. It is a straightforward language amendment to align with contemporary standards.

Maddy summaryHB 4621 updates Michigan property law to replace gender-specific terms like "husband and wife" with "spouses" in rules about survivorship for property held as a tenancy by the entirety. It ensures that when a married couple owns land under this ownership structure and accepts a mortgage or land contract as part of the purchase price, the surviving spouse automatically inherits the mortgage or contract rights without court involvement. The bill directly affects married couples who jointly own property this way, clarifying that the same rules apply to land contracts as to mortgages. This is a technical language update with no change to existing survivorship procedures, solely modernizing the law's wording. (Bill number: HB 4621; amends MCL 557.81)

Maddy summaryHB 4633 amends Michigan's probate code to strengthen rights and information for individuals alleged to be incapacitated during guardianship proceedings. It requires court-appointed guardians ad litem to explain key rights, including the right to contest the petition, request limits on a guardian's powers (especially regarding do-not-resuscitate orders or physician treatment orders), and the right to legal counsel. The bill mandates that if an individual requests legal representation or the guardian ad litem determines it's necessary, the court must appoint counsel at state expense if the individual is indigent. This directly affects people facing guardianship hearings, ensuring they receive clear information about their medical directives and legal options before a guardian is appointed.