Rep. Jennifer Conlin

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.

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 5170 would require landlords in Michigan to transfer water bills to tenants' names upon request for metered or sub-metered rental units. Landlords must approve such requests within 120 days, ensure water costs are not included in rent payments, and cannot retaliate against tenants for making this request (e.g., by raising rent or denying lease renewals). The bill applies only to new or renewed leases after its effective date and prohibits local laws conflicting with these provisions. It directly affects tenants in covered rental units and landlords managing those properties.

Maddy summaryHB 5173 modifies Michigan's public records law for non-medical human services assistance. It would allow county departments to share recipient names and assistance amounts with public utilities (like water, energy, or wastewater providers) to help eligible households pay utility bills, but only for specific programs authorized by law. Medical assistance records remain confidential under existing rules. The bill maintains current restrictions on public access to non-medical assistance records, requiring written requests with personal details and prohibiting misuse for political or commercial purposes. It also preserves penalties for unauthorized disclosure of recipient information.

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 5179 amends Michigan's worker's compensation law to expand the conclusive presumption of dependency to include certain individuals, meaning these people will automatically qualify for death benefits without needing to prove dependency. The bill modifies specific sections (321, 331, 335, 345, and 356) of the 1969 Worker's Disability Compensation Act (MCL 418.321 et seq.). This change directly affects families of workers who die from work-related injuries by broadening eligibility for death benefits to cover additional dependents. The bill does not alter benefit amounts but simplifies access to death benefits for the newly included groups.

Maddy summaryHB 5185 modifies Michigan's worker's compensation law to clarify job search requirements for injured workers. It presumes a good-faith job search effort if an injured worker is employed by their current employer (with accommodations), submits two or more job applications, or works full-time. The bill also exempts workers from seeking employment if a doctor states it risks health, interferes with treatment, or if they're already employed (with evidence of potential benefit loss), during public health emergencies, or for other valid reasons. A job is only considered "reasonably available" if the worker receives a genuine job offer. This change directly affects injured workers receiving compensation and aims to balance their job search obligations with medical and employment realities.

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.