Rep. Erin Byrnes

Maddy summaryHB 4973 requires electric utilities in Michigan to automatically provide bill credits to customers experiencing power outages during a billing cycle. Residential customers receive credits ranging from $5 per hour for short outages up to $25 per hour for outages lasting 72+ hours, while nonresidential credits use a formula based on the customer's average hourly energy use. Credits apply to the next bill and carry forward if they exceed the current bill amount. The credits adjust every five years using the Consumer Price Index to account for inflation, as specified in the bill's Section 9g.

Maddy summaryHB 4978 amends Michigan's Public Utilities Act to change the process for utilities seeking rate increases. It requires electric utilities serving over 1 million customers to coordinate with the Public Service Commission (PSC) before filing rate cases to avoid overlapping filings, and the PSC may order a 21-day spacing between such filings. Gas utilities serving fewer than 1 million customers can now request partial, immediate rate relief, with the PSC required to decide within 180 days. If the PSC doesn't issue a final order within 180 days for a rate case, the utility may implement the proposed rate increase but must refund overpayments if the final order is lower.

Maddy summaryHB 4977 requires Michigan electric utilities to include standardized outage information on customer bills, directly affecting residential and business electricity users. The bill mandates disclosure of three specific metrics per billing cycle: the number of service interruptions lasting over 5 minutes, total interruption duration, and the number of momentary interruptions (under 5 minutes). Utilities must also annually report outage causes affecting over 1,000 customers, tree trimming efforts, grid reliability projects, and worst-performing circuits to the public service commission. Violations can result in fines up to $1,000 per incident, with customer reports or meter data used as evidence.

Maddy summaryHB 4976 prohibits electric utilities in Michigan from seeking to recover revenue they were required to pay as service outage credits to customers. This directly affects electric utilities serving Michigan residents and businesses, as it prevents them from later reclaiming refunds paid for power outages. The key provision states that once an electric utility issues outage credits (refunds for service interruptions), it cannot attempt to get that money back through future rate adjustments. This ensures customers who received outage credits retain the full benefit without utilities offsetting those payments against future bills.

Maddy summaryHB 4975 requires Michigan electric utilities to automatically provide residential customers with $100 credits on their bills if they experienced 4 or more power outages lasting over an hour in the past year, or $200 credits for more than 4 outages. The bill mandates these credits be applied without customer action, directly benefiting households with frequent service disruptions. Credits will adjust every five years based on inflation using the Detroit-area Consumer Price Index, with changes announced by June 1 each adjustment year. This policy change aims to compensate for unreliable service through automatic billing adjustments under Michigan's utility regulations.

Maddy summaryHB 4874 requires the Michigan legislature to appropriate at least $12.3 million annually starting fiscal year 2026 for supplemental payments to rural school districts meeting specific criteria defined in existing law (MCL 388.1622d). This bill directly affects eligible rural and isolated school districts by guaranteeing additional state funding beyond their regular school aid. The key provision mandates a fixed annual appropriation for these districts, ensuring consistent supplemental support beginning in 2026. The bill does not change how districts operate or define "rural districts," but rather establishes a dedicated funding stream for them. It is currently in the introduction phase, referred to the Appropriations Committee.

Maddy summaryHB 4875 mandates annual state funding of at least $125 million starting in fiscal year 2026 to cover school transportation costs for students. It directly affects Michigan public school districts by requiring dedicated state appropriations for pupil transportation, as defined under existing state school aid law. The bill creates a permanent funding mechanism ensuring consistent support for school bus services and related operational costs. This provision applies specifically to transportation services for students, not general school funding. The bill is currently under review in the Appropriations Committee after its introduction on September 11, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 4870 creates a state program to provide free breakfast and lunch to all public school students in grades pre-K through 12, as well as students up to age 26 in special education programs. Participating schools must already be in the federal National School Lunch Program and offer meals at no cost to every student, while maximizing federal funding through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). The bill requires schools to accommodate documented medical dietary needs on a case-by-case basis and encourages offering religiously appropriate meals that meet federal nutrition standards. It also mandates schools to simplify income forms for families to help determine eligibility for other federal benefits.

Maddy summaryHB 4872 requires Michigan public schools to receive at least $210 per student annually starting in fiscal year 2026 for mental health and safety programs. It directly affects all public schools in the state by mandating this minimum per-pupil funding level, defined using the standard "membership" calculation from Michigan's school aid law. The bill creates a new funding mechanism within the School Code to address school safety and student mental health needs. This is a concrete policy change that would allocate state funds specifically for these purposes, not a procedural or commemorative measure.

Maddy summaryHB 4876 requires Michigan's legislature to appropriate annual funding starting in fiscal year 2026 to support career and technical education (CTE) and vocational-technical programs in public schools. It mandates that this funding must equal or exceed the total amount allocated for these programs in fiscal year 2025 under existing law (sections 61a, 61b, 61d, and 62 of the State School Aid Act of 1979). The bill directly affects school districts offering CTE programs by guaranteeing stable, inflation-matched funding levels. This provision aims to maintain current program resources without specifying new educational requirements or eligibility changes.