Rep. Kelly Breen

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the Michigan Land Bank Fast Track Act to clarify the powers and tax status of land bank authorities. It explicitly grants these authorities broad operational abilities, such as borrowing money, entering contracts, hiring staff, and managing or selling real property. The legislation also reinforces that land bank property and income are exempt from state and local taxes and special assessments, while adding new requirements for ethics codes and conflict of interest disclosures. Additionally, the bill prohibits land banks from assisting in casino development and confirms they cannot exercise eminent domain.

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.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes the expiration date from Michigan's Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, which allows qualified physicians to practice in multiple states with a single license. By eliminating the sunset provision, the law ensures that this streamlined licensing process remains in effect permanently rather than requiring renewal or reauthorization. The change directly impacts doctors who wish to work across state lines and the administrative bodies that oversee medical licensing in Michigan.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Uniform Public Expression Protection Act to shield individuals from strategic lawsuits aimed at discouraging them from participating in public discourse or exercising constitutional rights. It allows people who are sued over their speech, press, assembly, or petitioning activities to file a special motion that immediately pauses most court proceedings, including discovery, to determine if the lawsuit is valid. If the court finds the suit lacks merit, it will be dismissed quickly, and the plaintiff may face penalties for filing the frivolous case. However, the law excludes lawsuits brought by government entities regarding public safety threats and does not apply to claims involving employment discrimination, whistleblower protections, or other specific civil rights violations.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Michigan's sentencing guidelines to specifically address the illicit use of xylazine, a synthetic opioid often mixed with other drugs. It directs the state's Sentencing Guidelines Commission to create a new guideline that considers the presence of xylazine when determining appropriate prison sentences for related offenses. The change aims to ensure that judges have a standardized framework for sentencing individuals involved in cases where xylazine is a factor, without altering the underlying criminal laws themselves.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the composition of Michigan's Board of Psychology to include more licensed professionals by replacing public members with psychologists who hold limited licenses. It establishes a new limited license category for individuals with a master's degree in psychology, allowing them to practice under specific supervision and advertising restrictions. To qualify for this limited license, applicants must have a master's degree from an accredited program and complete one year of supervised postgraduate experience in a healthcare setting. The legislation also updates the board's membership requirements to ensure that at least five of its voting members hold a doctoral degree in psychology.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Michigan's public health code to formally include xylazine in the state's controlled substance regulations. It defines specific terms related to the handling of xylazine, such as "illicit use," which covers unauthorized buying, possession, or administration of the drug. The legislation clarifies what constitutes legal activities involving xylazine, including its approved use in veterinary medicine and pharmaceutical manufacturing. By updating these definitions, the bill provides a clearer legal framework for enforcing penalties against the unauthorized distribution and use of xylazine.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates December 19, 2024, as PANS and PANDAS Awareness Day in Michigan to highlight these conditions that cause sudden anxiety and behavioral changes in children. The bill defines PANS and PANDAS as disorders involving symptoms like tics, severe anxiety, and learning difficulties, noting that they may be treated with antibiotics or other medical interventions. By establishing this specific date, the measure aims to increase public understanding of these health issues and encourage further research into their causes and treatments.