Rep. Noah Arbit

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Michigan's Crime Victim's Rights Act to ensure that victims of crime receive specific notices regarding their rights during the resentencing of prisoners. It requires prosecutors to inform victims about their ability to submit impact statements detailing physical, emotional, and economic harm, as well as their views on restitution and sentencing. The legislation also mandates that victims be notified about the availability of pre-sentence reports and the details of upcoming sentencing hearings. Additionally, these notification requirements apply to cases involving juveniles, ensuring consistent treatment of victims across different types of criminal proceedings.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the Revised Judicature Act to clarify how existing personal protection orders apply to animal abuse cases. It directly affects individuals seeking legal protection from domestic violence or stalking by explicitly adding provisions that allow courts to restrain a respondent from injuring, killing, or neglecting an animal owned by the petitioner. The key mechanism involves expanding the list of prohibited behaviors to include specific acts against pets intended to cause mental distress or exert control over the victim. Additionally, the bill ensures that courts cannot refuse to issue an order solely because there is no police or medical report, while prohibiting mutual orders unless both parties independently petition for them. These changes aim to strengthen legal recourse for victims by formally recognizing animal cruelty as a relevant factor in domestic safety restraining orders.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits judges from sentencing individuals under the age of 19 to life in prison without the possibility of parole. It achieves this by amending existing criminal procedure laws to remove the authority for courts to impose such extreme sentences on juveniles. The legislation directly affects the sentencing options available for minors convicted of serious crimes, ensuring they cannot receive a life sentence with no chance of release. By eliminating this specific penalty, the bill restricts the maximum punishment for young offenders while leaving other sentencing structures for adults and older juveniles unchanged.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Judicial Protection Act, establishes new safety and privacy measures for judges in Michigan and their immediate family members. It allows judges to request that government agencies and private entities stop sharing specific personal details, such as home addresses, phone numbers, and financial information, with the public. To enforce this, the law creates a formal process where judges can submit written requests to remove or prevent the posting of this sensitive data. The protections apply to state, federal, and tribal court judges within the state, as well as their spouses, children, parents, and other relatives living at the same address.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires insurance companies in Michigan to provide clear written notices to customers when making significant changes to their automobile or homeowners policies, such as cancellations, non-renewals, or premium increases of more than 10%. If a policyholder requests details, the insurer must explain the specific principal factors behind the decision rather than using vague terms like "poor loss history" or simply citing internal models. The law also mandates that these notices and explanations be sent directly to the insured and, when applicable, to independent insurance agents who represent the customer. These transparency requirements will apply to policies issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, and do not replace existing rules regarding policy cancellations.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a temporary commission to develop age-appropriate instruction on African-American history for Michigan K-12 schools. The commission will be appointed by the governor and include representatives from major universities, the NAACP, and historical museums. Within one year of its first meeting, the commission must submit recommendations to the state board of education on how to integrate this history into the core curriculum. Following the submission of these recommendations, the state board is required to update academic standards within two school years, and school districts must begin providing this instruction starting in the 2025-2026 school year. Additionally, the bill mandates that state social studies assessments include questions related to the new learning objectives beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the Michigan Campaign Finance Act by clarifying definitions for political terms and expanding reporting requirements for specific nonprofit groups. It formally defines "501(c)(4) organizations" and "527 organizations" as entities that are controlled, directed, or staffed by candidates, elected officials, their appointees, or their family members. Additionally, the legislation provides new definitions for concepts like "election cycle," "honorarium," and "fund raising event" to ensure consistent application of campaign finance rules. These changes directly affect political candidates, public officials, and the nonprofit organizations that interact with them by establishing clearer boundaries for what must be disclosed to the public.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance companies in Michigan to cover hearing-related services and devices for individuals under 19 who have been evaluated by an audiologist for hearing loss. The coverage includes audiologist exams, hearing aid fittings, maintenance, repairs, remote microphones, and speech therapy, though insurers may still apply standard cost-sharing rules like deductibles and co-pays. The law specifically excludes plans tied to health savings accounts to ensure compliance with federal tax regulations and will only take effect on January 1, 2026, if a related bill is also passed.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires certain political nonprofits, specifically 527 and 501(c)(4) organizations, to electronically register with the Michigan Secretary of State within 10 days of forming. The registration must include the organization's name, the names of its key leaders, and the elected officials or candidates they support. The Secretary of State will make this information publicly available on their website, while political party committees are exempt from these requirements. Organizations that fail to register face civil fines ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 depending on their financial balance, and individual officials associated with non-compliant groups may also be fined up to $1,000.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires health insurance providers in Michigan to cover hearing aids for children under 19 who have been medically evaluated and referred by a specialist. Under the new rules, insurers must pay up to $3,000 for every pair of hearing aids purchased every three years, with the amount adjusted annually based on inflation. The coverage applies only to devices selected by an audiologist after a specific evaluation process, and patients may choose more expensive models if they are willing to pay the difference out of pocket. The law takes effect on January 1, 2026, but it will not become active unless a separate related bill is also passed.