Rep. Carrie Rheingans

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to strengthen protections against employment discrimination and unequal pay. It allows individuals who win a case to receive triple the amount of damages they would normally get and clarifies that these damages include reasonable attorney fees. Additionally, the bill changes the rule for when a legal claim starts, setting the date to when the employee actually learns about the violation rather than when it happened. The law also specifies that lawsuits can be filed in the county where the incident occurred or where the employer is based. These changes take effect 90 days after the bill becomes official law.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits state agencies from awarding construction contracts to companies that do not hold a Fair Paycheck Workplace Certificate, aiming to ensure fair labor practices in state-funded projects. It also mandates that construction contracts be awarded to the responsive and responsible best value bidder, a determination based on price, technical design, personnel quality, and other qualitative factors. Additionally, the legislation requires a preference of up to 10% of the contract amount to be given to qualified disabled veterans who are the lowest bidders. While maintaining a preference for Michigan-based firms and clean corporate citizens in general state purchases, the primary new restriction specifically targets the construction sector by barring vendors without the required labor certification from receiving state contracts.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits Michigan employers from paying different wages to employees performing equal work based on protected attributes such as race, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, height, weight, or marital status. It establishes that wage differences are only permissible if they result from a seniority system, a merit-based system, a production measurement system, or other factors unrelated to these protected characteristics. Additionally, the legislation ensures that an employer cannot lower an employee's current wage rate simply to comply with the new equal pay requirements. By repealing a conflicting provision in a previous workforce act, this law strengthens protections against wage discrimination for workers across various industries.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases disposal fees for nonhazardous solid waste and coal ash in Michigan landfills, with higher rates for general waste and lower rates for specific industrial byproducts. Landfill owners and operators must collect these new surcharges from waste generators and pay them quarterly to the state, while captive facilities face fixed annual fees based on their waste volume. The collected funds are distributed among several state accounts, including a new host communities grant fund that provides direct financial support to the cities and townships where these landfills are located. Additionally, the bill establishes a mechanism to adjust these fees every five years based on inflation to maintain their real value over time.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Michigan election law to expand the list of documents that qualify as valid identification for voting and voter registration. It directly affects voters and election officials by clarifying which specific IDs, such as driver's licenses, passports, military cards, and student IDs, are acceptable. The legislation explicitly excludes mobile versions of certain licenses and state ID cards from this list while also defining other key terms like "absent voter" and "educational institution." The bill does not take effect until three other related Senate bills are also passed into law.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the requirement for paying prevailing wages and fringe benefits to workers on specific broadband and energy facility projects in Michigan. It directly affects broadband developers, private and public contracting agents, and construction workers involved in building or maintaining high-speed internet infrastructure and large-scale solar, wind, or energy storage systems. The legislation defines these projects by their technical specifications, such as requiring broadband speeds over 200 kilobits per second and energy facilities with a capacity of at least 2 megawatts, while excluding projects funded by certain federal acts. By amending existing state law, the bill ensures that laborers on these designated projects receive wages comparable to those in the local construction industry.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Michigan's Lobbyist Act to clarify which items and services do not count as "gifts" that public employees must report. It explicitly excludes standard campaign contributions, routine business loans, meals, and contributions to registered legal defense funds from the definition of a reportable gift. Additionally, the legislation sets specific monetary limits for small, de minimis items, allowing public officials to accept single items under $20 or a total of $80 worth of items within a three-month period without triggering reporting requirements. These changes aim to reduce administrative burdens for public officials while maintaining transparency around larger or more significant transfers of value.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Michigan's financial disclosure requirements for state representatives, senators, and other high-ranking public officials. It clarifies definitions for terms like "gift," "lobbyist," and "earned income" while expanding the specific details officers must report on their financial forms. Key changes include requiring the disclosure of a spouse's employment and lobbyist registration, adjusting asset and debt reporting thresholds to account for inflation, and specifying which types of investments and business positions must be listed. The legislation directly affects the transparency of financial interests for elected officials and their immediate families by standardizing how this information is collected and reported.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Michigan's public health code to strengthen the regulation of onsite wastewater treatment systems, such as septic tanks, for properties not connected to public sewer lines. It establishes new definitions for various waste systems and grants local health departments expanded authority to inspect, evaluate, and enforce compliance with these regulations. The legislation also clarifies that connecting to an available public sewer system is a priority for public health and safety.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the state's medical assistance program to cover prescribed pediatric extended care services for children. It achieves this by amending the Social Welfare Act to explicitly mandate coverage under the existing public health code rules governing these treatments. The legislation does not take effect unless a separate companion bill, House Bill 5974, is also passed into law.