Rep. Noah Arbit

Maddy summaryThis law requires hospitals in Michigan to give parents or guardians a specific guide on how to enroll their newborns in health insurance if the baby is not already covered by a plan. The state's insurance and health departments will create this informational document to help families navigate the enrollment process. This rule applies only to live children born in hospitals and does not change the underlying insurance laws or create new penalties for hospitals.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new legal framework for history museum authorities in Michigan, specifically allowing counties to create these public corporate bodies to support historical museums located in cities with populations over 500,000. The legislation outlines the procedures for forming an authority, including the requirement for a majority vote by county commissioners and public notice, while defining the board's composition and powers to enter into contracts and manage operations. A key provision grants these authorities the ability to levy a property tax of up to 0.4 mill for a maximum of 20 years, but only if approved by a majority of voters in the county. The funds raised through this tax must be used exclusively to support nonprofit entities that provide services to the designated history museums, and the bill also mandates that board meetings be open to the public and records be accessible.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Michigan's sentencing guidelines to establish specific sentencing recommendations for hate crimes. It directly affects judges and prosecutors by providing a framework to determine appropriate prison terms when a crime is motivated by bias. The key provision requires courts to consider the hate crime aspect when applying existing sentencing rules to ensure consistent and fair punishment. This change aims to standardize how hate-motivated offenses are penalized within the state's criminal justice system.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Michigan State Police to create a standardized set of response terms and a color-coding system for schools by July 1, 2026. The new rules will guide how public and nonpublic schools, along with local law enforcement, communicate during specific incidents occurring on school property. By establishing a uniform language and visual code, the legislation aims to improve coordination between schools and police when handling emergencies.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Michigan school districts to allow Native American students to wear traditional clothing and bring culturally significant items during school ceremonies. It defines these ceremonies to include events like graduations and honor society meetings, while ensuring that any prohibited weapons or dangerous items remain banned. The law specifically protects the right of Indigenous individuals to express their cultural and ancestral traditions within the educational setting.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance companies operating in Michigan to cover mental health screenings for new mothers during the postpartum period. The law directly affects health insurers and the women who receive their coverage, ensuring these specific screenings are included in their policies. It achieves this by amending the state's insurance code to mandate compliance with existing public health guidelines regarding postpartum care. The measure becomes effective on April 2, 2025, provided a related companion bill is also enacted.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a state-level Perinatal Quality Collaborative to improve maternal and infant health outcomes across Michigan. The program will create ten regional groups, each led by a designated agency, to bring together healthcare providers, community organizations, and families to review data and develop local action plans. These regional teams will focus on advancing equity, supporting families affected by substance use, and ensuring respectful care throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period. The state department will provide resources to these collaboratives, subject to available funding, to help implement proven strategies for better birth outcomes.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Public Safety and Violence Prevention Fund in Michigan to manage money from specific sources, including sales tax revenues and donations. The fund will distribute money to cities, villages, and townships to support public safety initiatives, with a portion of the funds going to a grant program for community violence intervention and another part to a crime victim's rights fund. A key provision ties future funding to crime reduction goals, where local governments that fail to meet specific violent crime decrease targets will see their distributions reduced. The state treasurer is responsible for managing the fund and ensuring that unspent money at the end of each fiscal year remains available for future distribution rather than being returned to the general fund.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the "Protection from Intimate Deep Fakes Act" to provide legal remedies for individuals harmed by nonconsensual deep fake images depicting sexual conduct. It allows victims to file civil lawsuits against anyone who creates or shares these realistic but fake videos, provided the creator knew or should have known the content would cause harm and was made using artificial technology rather than physical impersonation. The law defines specific protections for identifiable individuals and clarifies that consent is not a valid defense unless it is documented in a clear, signed agreement describing exactly what the fake image entails. Additionally, the legislation sets rules for where lawsuits can be filed and ensures that plaintiffs can use pseudonyms to protect their privacy during legal proceedings.

Maddy summaryHB 5570 updates Michigan's sentencing guidelines to include specific rules for cases involving the creation or distribution of deepfake sexual images. The bill modifies an existing section of the state's criminal procedure code to ensure that judges and prosecutors have clear standards when determining penalties for these offenses. By adding these provisions to the official sentencing framework, the legislation aims to provide consistency in how courts handle new types of digital sexual exploitation. This change directly affects judges, prosecutors, and defendants involved in cases related to non-consensual deepfake imagery.