Rep. Julie Rogers

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Michigan's governmental immunity laws to clarify when public employees and agencies are protected from lawsuits for injuries or property damage. It maintains broad immunity for officials acting within their authority unless their conduct involves gross negligence, while explicitly preserving existing protections for judges, legislators, and high-level executives. The legislation also defines specific exceptions, such as removing immunity for medical care provided in certain hospitals and ensuring liability remains for underground facility damage. Additionally, it establishes that public universities and school districts cannot claim immunity for criminal sexual conduct committed by their employees or agents.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the state department of education, working with the department of labor and economic opportunity, to develop educational materials on digital literacy and cybersafety. These resources, which include model curricula and lesson plans, must be made available for free on the department of labor and economic opportunity's website. The primary goal is to provide accessible tools to help individuals improve their online safety and digital skills without cost.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the rules for filing civil lawsuits against the state of Michigan specifically for cases involving criminal sexual conduct. It creates an exception to the standard requirement that plaintiffs must file a notice of their claim within one year of the incident. By linking this change to a companion bill, the legislation allows victims of criminal sexual conduct to bypass the usual strict filing deadlines that apply to other types of property damage or injury claims. The measure is designed to ensure that these specific cases can proceed in court without being dismissed due to missed procedural time limits.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Michigan Strategic Fund to submit an annual report detailing its economic development activities to state officials and the public by April 10 each year. The report must include specific data such as lists of recipients, project types, financial amounts, job creation and retention statistics, salary information, and the status of loans and bankruptcies. Additionally, the legislation mandates that the fund's annual audit be made available online and specifies that bankruptcy notices for major recipients must be shared with specific legislative committees. These changes aim to increase transparency and accountability for the fund's use of taxpayer money in supporting businesses and investments across Michigan.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Homeowners' Energy Policy Act, makes it illegal for homeowners' associations in Michigan to ban owners from installing, maintaining, or operating specific energy-saving upgrades like solar panels, heat pumps, and rain barrels. It also prevents local governments from forcing homeowners to get HOA approval for these improvements, though local rules can still impose other reasonable limits. To ensure compliance, the law requires every homeowners' association to adopt a written solar energy policy statement within one year of the bill taking effect.

Maddy summaryHB 5867 amends Michigan's tax tribunal act to clarify how property tax appeals are handled and how refunds are calculated when assessments are found unlawful. The bill outlines specific rules for determining a property's taxable value and state equalized valuation, while also detailing the burden of proof for both the taxpayer and the assessing agency. It further establishes procedures for taxpayers to amend their appeals to include claims for refunds from subsequent years if they paid extra taxes due to errors, along with specific interest rates for those refunds. This legislation directly affects property owners and tax assessors by standardizing the process for resolving valuation disputes and seeking monetary corrections.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Michigan's property tax laws to prevent assessors from using certain sales as benchmarks for calculating property values. It specifically instructs tax officials to exclude transactions involving properties with deed restrictions that limit their sale or transfer from being used in sales studies. Additionally, the legislation clarifies that normal home repairs and maintenance, such as roof replacement or furnace installation, should not increase a home's assessed value until it is actually sold. The bill also requires buyers to inform assessors if they paid extra for items like financing costs or personal property included in the purchase price, ensuring these amounts are not counted toward the property's taxable value.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Michigan's property tax tribunal to issue detailed, independent written explanations when deciding disputes over property valuations. Under the new rules, the tribunal must separately analyze market conditions, the property's highest and best use, construction costs, and comparable sales data before determining a value. The legislation also mandates that the tribunal explain its reasoning for accepting or rejecting specific valuation methods and stipulations from the parties involved. By enforcing these transparency measures, the bill aims to ensure that property tax assessments are based on verified evidence and clearly articulated legal findings.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to create a buddy-to-buddy mentorship program for active-duty service members and veterans living in the state. The initiative pairs individuals with volunteer mentors who provide guidance on practical matters like education, employment, and healthcare, as well as connect them with advocates for mental health and substance use support. While non-veterans can serve as mentors, the program prioritizes recruiting veterans to lead these efforts. Additionally, the bill establishes that private information shared within the program remains confidential and is exempt from public disclosure under the state's freedom of information laws. This legislation will only take effect if several other related bills are also passed into law.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention within the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to better support service members and veterans. The office will be led by a manager appointed based on experience in veteran mental health and will have the authority to collect data on mental health conditions, administer grants to local and nonprofit groups, and publish a free wellness resource guide with treatment listings and a self-assessment tool. Additionally, the legislation ensures that any personal data collected remains confidential and is exempt from public disclosure under state freedom of information laws.