Maddy summaryHB 5180 expands worker's compensation benefits for certain first responders by creating a presumption that specific cancers arise from job duties during emergencies. It applies to firefighters, police, and emergency medical personnel with 60+ months of active service who developed covered cancers (like lung, bladder, or breast cancer) due to exposure while on duty. The bill establishes the "Christopher R. Slezak first responder presumed coverage fund" as the primary source for benefits, requiring claimants to first seek pension benefits or prove ineligibility. It also allows rebuttal of the presumption only through scientific evidence showing tobacco use was a significant factor in the cancer. The law affects current and former essential emergency service workers directly, not general employees.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHB 5190 amends Michigan's Worker's Disability Compensation Act (MCL 418.319) to improve vocational rehabilitation services for injured workers. It requires face-to-face evaluations by approved providers, mandates detailed individualized rehabilitation plans based on a six-step return-to-work hierarchy (including same job, modified work, or new employment), and limits vocational training to 52 weeks (with possible 52-week extension). The bill ensures services are tailored to an employee's qualifications and includes provisions for transportation costs during rehabilitation. Refusal to accept approved vocational rehab may result in reduced compensation, while workers can appeal director decisions to the Michigan Workers' Disability Compensation Appellate Commission.
Maddy summaryHB 5186 amends Michigan's Worker's Disability Compensation Act to increase weekly wage replacement benefits for totally disabled workers from 80% to 90% of their after-tax average weekly wage, subject to the maximum rate in Section 355. It clarifies that mental disabilities are compensable if work significantly contributes to or aggravates them, and defines "wage earning capacity" to include jobs within an injured worker's transferable skills. The bill shifts the burden to employers to refute an employee's initial disability claim after the employee demonstrates eligibility through evidence of job qualifications and work limitations. This directly affects injured workers seeking compensation and Michigan employers who pay these benefits.
Maddy summaryHB 5166 creates a new tax credit program to improve food security by allowing certain food businesses (like farms, processors, or distributors) to claim a 65% credit against their state income tax for donating food to certified organizations. Qualified organizations - such as food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, or regional food banks - must apply for certification annually and provide donors with written acknowledgments detailing the donation. The credit is capped at 50% of the business’s tax liability or $10,000 per year, whichever is lower, and must be claimed with annual tax returns. This directly affects food businesses making donations and certified food providers serving communities facing hunger.
Maddy summaryHB 5196 requires Michigan correctional facilities to create mandatory mental health discharge plans for incarcerated individuals receiving mental health services or medication before release. These plans must include specific assessments (using tools like the PHQ-9 and GAD-7), identify housing/transportation risks, schedule post-release mental health appointments, ensure medication continuity, and assess Medicaid eligibility. The bill directly affects incarcerated individuals transitioning from correctional facilities to community settings, aiming to support their mental health needs during reentry. It amends existing law (MCL 791.267) and adds new sections (34e, 67c, 67d) focused on structured discharge planning. The bill is currently in committee referral after its October 2025 introduction.
Maddy summaryHB 5194 is a supplemental appropriations bill for Michigan's fiscal year 2026, providing additional state funding to various departments and agencies. It specifically allocates funds for food pantries, ensuring state resources support organizations distributing food assistance. The bill creates a new budget allocation to supplement existing funds, with conditions on how the money can be spent. This directly affects state agencies managing food assistance programs and community food pantries serving residents in need.
Maddy summaryHB 5178 modifies Michigan's worker's compensation law to clarify when injured workers can sue their employers beyond standard benefits. It specifies that an employer's intentional harm (e.g., deliberately causing injury or ignoring known safety risks) or serious violations of safety laws (under the Michigan OSHA Act) allow workers to seek additional compensation. If safety violations cause injury, weekly compensation payments must increase by 100%. This directly affects injured workers and employers who fail to comply with safety regulations, while maintaining worker's compensation as the primary remedy for most workplace injuries.
Maddy summaryHB 5195 is a supplemental appropriations bill that allocates additional state funds for food banks in Michigan for the 2026 fiscal year. It directly affects food banks by providing them with state funding to support their operations. The bill creates a formal funding mechanism through the state budget process, ensuring these funds are available for food bank services.
Maddy summaryHB 5182 amends Michigan's worker compensation law to clarify injured workers' access to medical care. It requires employers to provide payment for treatment from a worker's chosen doctor within 10 days of notice, or face a $100 daily penalty (capped at $25,000). The bill also establishes a preauthorization process for medical treatments, requiring employers to respond to requests within 10 business days or risk delays in care. These changes directly affect injured workers seeking medical treatment and employers/carriers responsible for covering costs under the law.
Maddy summaryHB 5177 expands Michigan's workers' compensation coverage to include specific volunteer roles by amending the definition of "employee" in the Worker's Disability Compensation Act. It directly affects on-call members of volunteer underwater diving teams, safety patrol officers (including school volunteers), volunteer civil defense workers, and on-call members of life support agencies who are injured while performing duties - whether paid or unpaid. The bill ensures these volunteers receive full workers' compensation benefits, including wage replacement calculated using the state average weekly wage at the time of injury. This change extends existing protections to these volunteer groups without altering their status as non-employees under other laws.