Rep. Mike Harris

Maddy summaryHB 5415 prevents Michigan's Strategic Fund from providing financial support (like loans or grants) for projects that would violate the "corporate welfare prohibition compact act" starting October 1, 2027. This bill directly affects the Strategic Fund's ability to fund economic development projects, requiring it to comply with an existing agreement between states that restricts certain business subsidies. The bill adds Section 15 to the Michigan Strategic Fund Act and depends on another bill (HB 5413) being enacted first. It does not change existing state funding rules but adds a new compliance requirement tied to an interstate agreement.

Maddy summaryHB 5416 amends the Michigan Strategic Fund Act to restructure the fund's governing board. It adds two new private-sector board members appointed by the governor (with input from minority leaders) who must have expertise in venture capital, commercial lending, or technology commercialization. The bill also updates membership requirements to ensure diversity representation (including minority, female, and small business perspectives) and specifies detailed qualifications for private-sector appointees. This change affects how the Michigan Strategic Fund, which administers economic development grants and incentives, is governed and managed.

Maddy summaryHB 5418 requires the Michigan Strategic Fund to post on its website details about businesses that received state economic assistance (grants, loans, or other aid) and later ceased operations in Michigan. Specifically, the notice must include the business name, assistance type and amount, and whether repayment is likely if the business breached its agreement. This amendment to Section 88b(10) of the Michigan Strategic Fund Act focuses on transparency, not changing how funds are distributed. It directly affects businesses receiving state economic assistance that shut down, requiring the fund to publicly report their status.

Maddy summaryHB 5391 changes Michigan's unemployment benefits recovery rules by limiting the time the state can seek repayment of improperly paid benefits. It prohibits the unemployment agency from recovering benefits more than one year after the claimant receives the payment, affecting most unemployed Michiganders who received benefits by mistake. Exceptions include cases involving suspected identity fraud (where recovery may still be pursued) or intentional fraud (where no time limit applies). The bill also maintains existing hardship waiver options for repayment if recovery would be unfair due to financial hardship or administrative errors.

Maddy summaryHB 5206 creates a new "limited cosmetologist license" under Michigan's cosmetology law, allowing individuals to perform specific services like natural hair cultivation, manicuring, or skin care without needing a full cosmetologist license. This change streamlines licensing for professionals who specialize in these areas, eliminating the need for separate licenses (e.g., for manicuring or esthetics) while requiring them to limit their practice to the licensed services. The bill updates definitions to clarify terms like "natural hair cultivation" (techniques such as braiding or twisting without chemicals) and ensures license holders cannot perform unlicensed services like electrology. It directly affects cosmetology practitioners seeking to offer these focused services more efficiently.

Maddy summaryHB 5375 prohibits charging interest on unpaid restitution of overpaid unemployment benefits when the overpayment resulted from specific errors, such as agency mistakes, employer errors, or system issues - not the claimant's fault. It requires the unemployment agency to waive existing interest charges and refund payments made for those errors, with refunds due within 180 days of the law's effective date. The bill also stops interest from accruing during pending appeals and applies retroactively to overpayments from February 2020 through December 2026. This directly affects claimants who received overpayments due to errors beyond their control.

Maddy summaryHB 4314 amends Michigan's environmental law to allow property owners and communities to remove free-floating debris and uprooted vegetation from shorelines without a permit. Specifically, it permits mechanical or manual removal between the ordinary high-water mark and the water's edge, as long as the activity doesn't impact the lakebed. This change directly affects residents, shoreline property managers, and local groups maintaining areas along Great Lakes and Lake St. Clair shorelines. The exemption does not apply to the St. Clair River delta area in Clay Township, St. Clair County, as defined in 1899 PA 175.

Maddy summaryHB 5304 requires applicants for dredging permits under Michigan's environmental law to either use dredged material for beach nourishment (if suitable) or pay a $25 per cubic yard fee. The fee funds a new Beach Nourishment Fund administered by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy. This applies to projects under Parts 301, 303, and 325 of Michigan's Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act. The bill amends sections 30106b, 30311b, and 32515a and adds sections 1306 (fee requirements) and 33709 (fund creation).

Maddy summaryHB 4301 expands Michigan's definition of "authorized emergency vehicle" in the Vehicle Code (MCL 257.2 and 257.698) to include specific new categories. It adds vehicles owned by the Michigan Mutual Aid Box Alarm System during emergencies, clarifies that road service vehicles (like tow trucks) may use flashing amber lights while assisting disabled vehicles, and allows federally recognized nonprofits to use emergency lights during disaster response. The bill also clarifies when certain colored lights (red, blue, amber, green) may be used on emergency vehicles, including for snow removal, spill response, and funeral processions. This directly affects emergency responders, road service providers, and nonprofit organizations during crisis operations.