Rep. Jennifer Wortz

Maddy summaryHB 5371 clarifies that Michigan's 1915 tobacco law (MCL 722.641-722.645) remains unaffected by changes to the Age of Majority Act (1971 PA 79). It specifically states that the tobacco law is excluded from provisions in the Age of Majority Act that would otherwise supersede other age-related legal standards. This bill does not change tobacco regulations or voting rules - it only ensures the 1915 tobacco law continues to apply separately. The bill directly affects the legal framework governing tobacco sales and regulations in Michigan. It is a technical clarification, not a new policy change.

Maddy summaryHB 5363 requires Michigan public schools to notify parents in advance if their child’s class covers topics like gender identity, sexual orientation, or relationships, and allows parents to opt their child out without penalty. It mandates that schools form parent-led advisory boards (with at least half non-school-employed parents) to review curriculum and report on program goals. The bill also requires public hearings before changing sex education materials and emphasizes abstinence as a primary method for preventing pregnancy and STDs. This directly affects public school students, parents/guardians, and school districts in Michigan.

Maddy summaryHB 5372 changes penalties for minors who purchase, possess, or use tobacco, vapor, or alternative nicotine products. It replaces criminal misdemeanor penalties for first and second violations with civil penalties (fines up to $50 and community service up to 32 hours), while third or subsequent violations remain misdemeanors. The bill also adds exemptions for minors in approved undercover operations or compliance checks. It requires four related bills to pass before taking effect.

Maddy summaryHB 5369 creates a temporary exemption for existing tobacco and nicotine product retailers in Michigan who have pending license applications. It allows these businesses to continue selling products while their applications are being reviewed by the state department, provided they submit an affidavit confirming they were lawfully selling before the law changed, have applied for a license, and haven't yet received one. The exemption ends once the application is no longer pending. This bill amends the Youth Tobacco Act (MCL 722.641-722.645) and is tied to the passage of four related bills (HB 5370, 5372, 5368, 5371).

Maddy summaryHB 5368 would allow licensed tobacco businesses to sell nicotine or tobacco products at temporary events like fairs, festivals, or farmers' markets, provided they meet specific conditions. Sellers must visibly display their license certificate and required warning signs (within 6 feet of each sale point) while complying with all other laws. Violations of the signage or license display rules could result in fines of up to $2,500 per day. This bill directly affects licensed tobacco retailers seeking to expand sales opportunities at public events.

Maddy summaryHB 4822 requires the Natural Resources Commission to live stream all its meetings publicly online. This bill amends Michigan's natural resources law (MCL 324.501) to mandate real-time video streaming of Commission sessions. The change directly affects the Commission's operations and ensures public access to its proceedings without requiring physical attendance. The bill is currently pending in committee review after being referred for second reading.

Maddy summaryHB 5201 requires healthcare professionals performing abortions in Michigan to submit detailed, anonymized reports to the state health department within 7 days. The reports must include specific data points like patient age, gestation period, reason for the abortion (e.g., health risks, rape, economic factors), facility details, and medical method, but exclude all personal identifiers. Strict confidentiality rules prohibit disclosing any information that could identify individuals or facilities, with reports destroyed after 5 years and only aggregated statistical data published annually. This policy applies directly to abortion providers and the state health department, focusing solely on data collection for public health monitoring, not individual records or enforcement.

Maddy summaryHB 5203 amends Michigan's sentencing guidelines (MCL 777.13k) to establish specific penalties for disclosing private medical information related to abortions. It directly affects healthcare providers, clinics, or others who share confidential abortion-related details without authorization. The bill creates new sentencing parameters for such disclosures within the criminal code, requiring judges to consider these guidelines when determining penalties. The legislation is currently under review by the Health Policy Committee after its November 2025 introduction.

Maddy summaryHB 5202 requires healthcare professionals to submit written reports to Michigan's Department of Health for any patient experiencing a physical complication or death directly linked to an abortion. The reports must be anonymized (removing patient identifiers), aggregated into the state's annual abortion statistics, and destroyed after five years. The bill mandates the department to create a standardized reporting form for urgent care facilities and emergency departments, which must be distributed and posted online. This bill, tied to companion legislation HB 5201, focuses solely on data collection requirements without changing abortion access or medical standards.

Maddy summaryHB 5312 amends Michigan's School Code to set new tuition limits for nonresident students attending public schools. It limits K-6 tuition to 25% above the district's average daily operation cost per student (excluding building costs), and grades 7-12 tuition to 12.5% above 115% of that same cost. The bill requires districts to use the previous fiscal year's operation costs and membership data for calculations. It also specifies that these rules expire after July 1, 2026, when schools must follow different rules under another law, and notes the bill only takes effect if two companion bills (HB 5310 and HB 5311) also pass. This directly affects school districts setting tuition rates and nonresident families paying those rates.