Rep. Jason Woolford

Maddy summaryHB 4001 updates Michigan's minimum wage schedule, setting new rates that increase to $12.00 per hour starting February 21, 2025, and reaching $15.00 by 2029. It replaces the previous 2018 law (PA 337) and adds an annual adjustment mechanism: starting in 2019, the wage will rise each January based on Midwest-region inflation data, capped at 3.5% per year. The bill also modifies youth wage rules, allowing employers to pay new workers under 20 a training rate of 75% of the minimum wage for their first 90 days, while prohibiting displacement of existing workers to hire at this lower rate. This directly affects all hourly workers in Michigan covered by state minimum wage laws, including young workers and employers subject to wage requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 4031, the "Female Athletics Integrity of Records (FAIR) Act," requires publicly funded individual sports programs in Michigan to categorize awards, rankings, and records based on competitors' biological sex - not the gender category they compete in. It applies specifically to publicly funded sports events with separate male and female competitions where athletes compete individually. The bill mandates that official records must reflect each athlete's biological sex (defined as innate at conception) regardless of which competition they entered. This policy change affects publicly funded athletic programs organizing separate male/female events, ensuring records align with biological sex as the standard for official outcomes.

Maddy summaryHB 4030 amends Michigan's Youth Employment Standards Act to allow parents or legal guardians of homeschooled minors to issue work permits for their children. The bill changes the definition of "issuing officer" to explicitly include a minor's parent or guardian when the child is educated under Michigan's homeschooling law (MCL 380.1561). This directly affects homeschooled minors under 18 who seek employment, removing the prior requirement for school district authorization. The key mechanism updates the permit process to accommodate homeschooling families, streamlining access to work permits without school district involvement.

Maddy summaryHB 4019 requires Michigan's Department of Treasury to mail individual income tax filers a single-page annual report starting in 2025. The report will show how tax revenue is collected (from wages, quarterly payments, business taxes, and annual payments) and distributed to specific state funds like the general fund, school aid, transportation, and campaign funds. It directly affects all Michigan residents who file individual income tax returns. The bill mandates this transparency without changing tax rates or filing requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 4015, the "Cash for Tolls Act," requires state and local governments to accept cash payments for tolls on public infrastructure like bridges, highways, and tunnels they own or operate. It mandates that cash must be accepted as a payment option and prohibits requiring electronic payments (like credit cards) instead. The bill applies only to tolls on publicly managed infrastructure, excluding privately owned toll roads. This change directly affects drivers who pay tolls with cash and public toll operators who must adjust their payment systems. The bill is currently in committee after being introduced on January 14, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis resolution creates a 15-member Select Committee on Protecting Michigan Employees and Small Businesses, appointed by the House Speaker (9 Republicans, 6 Democrats). The committee's sole purpose is to study and recommend legislation regarding Michigan's minimum wage (including for service workers) and earned sick time policies. It does not change current laws but will review potential future bills on these topics. The resolution was introduced and adopted on January 9, 2025.