Rep. Joe Aragona

Maddy summaryHB 5207 updates licensing requirements for barber and cosmetology instructors in Michigan. It increases the required instructor training hours from 500 to 600 for cosmetology instructors (effective July 1, 2024) and from 600 to 900 hours for barber instructors. The bill also clarifies that prior experience cannot waive requirements like high school diplomas or exams. These changes directly affect individuals seeking to become licensed instructors in these fields.

Maddy summaryHB 4774 amends Michigan's procurement rules for state contracts involving architects, engineers, and land surveyors. It requires state agencies to use a competitive, qualifications-based selection process - evaluating firms on expertise, experience, and past performance - rather than lowest-cost bidding for these services. The bill mandates publishing project details, ranking qualified firms, and negotiating contracts with the top-ranked firm, with limited waivers allowed for emergencies or projects under $250,000. This directly affects state agencies and qualified professional firms when procuring these services for public projects.

Maddy summaryHB 5446 modifies Michigan's Public Health Code to clarify how naturopathic doctors may use professional titles and expand their practice authority. It requires naturopathic doctors to specify "of naturopathic medicine" when using "doctor" titles (e.g., "Dr. Jane Smith, of naturopathic medicine"). The bill also adds a provision requiring the state to set annual fees for naturopathic licensure to cover administrative costs. Additionally, it explicitly includes "licensed doctor of naturopathic medicine" in the definition of "prescriber," allowing them to prescribe medications under the same framework as other licensed health professionals. These changes directly affect naturopathic doctors seeking licensure or practicing in Michigan.

Maddy summaryHB 4285 requires Michigan schools to offer firearm safety instruction for students in grades 6-12 by September 2025. The state must create a model program (based on existing hunter safety standards) covering safe handling, cleaning, firearm types, and hunting practices, taught by certified instructors - **without bringing firearms into school buildings**. Schools may offer this as an optional extracurricular class or integrate it into existing courses, and students or parents may opt out without penalty. Completing the program counts toward the hunter safety certification needed for a hunting license. The bill directly affects all Michigan public schools and students in grades 6-12.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Macomb Community College to obtain a special license for selling alcohol at its Sports and Expo Center Complex during regularly scheduled events. The college's governing board would receive this license from the Liquor Control Commission, bypassing standard quota limits. Alcohol sales would be restricted to scheduled conference activities only, prohibiting sales to unscheduled patrons or at unplanned events. This expands alcohol service options for college-hosted events at Macomb's venue under specific, controlled conditions.

Maddy summaryHB 4595 amends liquor licensing rules to allow specially designated merchant and distributor licenses in locations previously restricted, such as certain convenience stores or restaurants. This directly affects businesses seeking to sell liquor in new areas under the current law. The key change removes location barriers for these specific license types, expanding where such operations can occur. The bill passed the House in September 2025 with strong support (90-7).

Maddy summaryHB 5400 extends the expiration date for existing exemptions under Michigan's Residential Housing Facilities Act from December 31, 2027, to December 31, 2037. This bill directly affects residential housing facilities that currently hold exemptions under the act, allowing them to maintain their status until their specific certificate expires. The key change is amending Section 16 of the law to prevent new exemptions after 2037 while ensuring current exemptions remain valid until their individual expiration dates. The bill makes no changes to new exemption applications but provides additional time for facilities already operating under existing exemptions.

Maddy summaryHB 5401 extends the deadline for granting new exemptions under Michigan's Attainable Housing Facilities Act from December 31, 2027, to December 31, 2037. This directly affects developers and property owners seeking new exemptions for affordable housing projects under the Act. Existing exemptions granted before the new deadline will continue until their certificate expires, ensuring no disruption to ongoing projects. The bill amends Section 16 of the 2022 Attainable Housing Facilities Act (MCL 207.916) to update the sunset provision.

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.