Rep. Erin Byrnes

Maddy summaryHB 6170 updates the definitions within Michigan's Wolf-Dog Cross Act to ensure consistency with other state laws regarding animal shelters and law enforcement. The bill clarifies terms such as "animal control officer," "animal control shelter," and "law enforcement officer" by referencing existing statutes from the Dog Law and the Animal Industry Act. It also provides specific criteria for who qualifies as an expert on wolf-dog cross identification and defines what constitutes a wolf, a dog, and a wolf-dog cross. This legislation does not create new regulations but rather aligns the terminology used in the Wolf-Dog Cross Act with current legal definitions.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes adding a new section to the Michigan state constitution to ban corporations and limited liability companies from spending money to support or oppose candidates, political parties, or ballot measures. It specifically targets both businesses formed within Michigan and those operating in the state from outside, while allowing exceptions for existing financial contracts and independent news organizations. If a business violates this rule, the state attorney general can sue to invalidate the spending, force the company to return the funds, or dissolve the domestic entity and revoke the foreign entity's right to do business in Michigan.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits federal immigration and border security employees from obtaining Michigan law enforcement licenses between September 1, 2025, and January 20, 2029. It also mandates that all individuals seeking or holding specific law enforcement licenses complete active violence response training focused on coordinated tactical responses to mass casualty incidents. The Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards is tasked with creating the rules to define these training requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes Michigan to join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, an agreement among states to award all their electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the most votes nationwide. The legislation declares that the one-person, one-vote principle requires the candidate with the highest national total to become President and outlines how Michigan's chief election official would count votes and designate the winner once the compact is active. The agreement only takes effect when states participating in it collectively hold a majority of the Electoral College votes, ensuring the current system remains in place until that threshold is met. If the compact becomes active, Michigan's laws regarding elector appointment will follow the compact's rules rather than conflicting state statutes.

Maddy summaryHB 6172 updates the Michigan Public Health Code to clarify how animal shelters and other Class B dealers can legally obtain and use sodium pentobarbital for euthanizing injured, sick, homeless, or unwanted domestic pets. The bill requires these facilities to secure a limited permit, maintain usage records, and ensure staff complete specific training programs approved by the state veterinarian that align with American Veterinary Medical Association guidelines. Additionally, it establishes a transition period for existing staff to meet new training requirements by January 1, 2022, while also reinforcing general rules for prescribing and dispensing controlled substances by practitioners and pharmacists.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits Michigan school districts, academies, and intermediate districts from hiring or retaining individuals who worked for specific federal immigration agencies between September 1, 2025, and January 20, 2029. The affected agencies include Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and Citizenship and Immigration Services. The law applies to any role within these educational institutions and targets people who were employed by these organizations during that specific future time frame.

Maddy summaryHB 6173 updates the Michigan penal code to clarify definitions and strengthen penalties related to animal fighting and baiting. The bill explicitly defines "animal control agencies" as shelters licensed under the Animal Protection Act and expands prohibitions to include renting or obtaining venues for these illegal activities. It also mandates that animal control agencies sterilize or secure a deposit for sterilization before adopting animals with fighting histories. Additionally, the legislation imposes stricter sentencing guidelines for owners whose trained fighting animals attack people and establishes specific misdemeanor charges for failing to restrain such animals on their property.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance plans in Michigan to count payments made by patients or on their behalf toward out-of-pocket maximums and cost-sharing requirements for prescription drugs. The rule applies to both standard plans and high-deductible plans, with a specific exception for high-deductible plans where counting such payments would disqualify a patient's health savings account. The legislation takes effect for policies delivered, issued, or renewed in the state after December 31, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires officials who issue dog licenses in Michigan to inform owners about the availability of microchipping services at veterinarians and animal shelters. It defines animal control and protection shelters according to existing state laws to ensure consistency in how these facilities are identified. The legislation does not take effect until a companion bill is passed, meaning it currently has no immediate impact on policy.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the certification or recertification of certain individuals as local corrections officers in Michigan if they have worked for specific federal immigration agencies between September 1, 2025, and January 20, 2029. The law directly affects people seeking to become local corrections officers on or after January 1, 2005, by adding a new requirement that they must not have been employed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services during that three-year window. While the bill maintains existing requirements for U.S. citizenship, age, and high school education, it introduces this specific employment restriction to prevent federal immigration workers from transitioning into local correction roles.