Rep. Joe Aragona

Maddy summaryHB 4034 amends Michigan's probate law to adjust rules governing trusts that could last indefinitely ("rule against perpetuities"). It specifically revises the time limit for certain trust interests from 90 years to 360 years when a second power of appointment is exercised, as defined in the 2008 Personal Property Trust Perpetuities Act. The bill affects trust creators, beneficiaries, and estate planners by clarifying when trust interests are considered created and modifying time limits for perpetuity violations. It does not change existing rules for most marital agreements, fiduciary powers, or trusts created before 1988.

Maddy summaryHB 4033 allows fiduciaries (like executors or trustees) managing certain trusts to convert between income trusts (where payments aren't tied to asset value) and unitrusts (where payments are a fixed percentage of trust value). It also permits changing how unitrust payments are calculated. Fiduciaries must obtain approval from an independent person before making these changes to prevent conflicts of interest. This bill directly affects trust beneficiaries and fiduciaries managing trusts governed by Michigan's probate laws.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 4366 proposes to amend Michigan's Code of Criminal Procedure. Specifically, it modifies section 13c of chapter XVII (MCL 777.13c), which outlines sentencing guidelines. The bill aims to adjust the sentencing guidelines for certain offenses related to excess discharges into the waters of the state. This change would directly affect individuals or entities convicted of such environmental violations, impacting how their sentences are determined by the courts.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 4364 modifies the requirements for obtaining permits to discharge waste into Michigan's waters. Beginning January 1, 2026, any person applying for a new or increased discharge permit must provide documentation of permission from any contiguous county that would be impacted by the discharge. This permission must be in the form of a resolution adopted by the contiguous county's board of commissioners. If an applicant fails to secure this permission, the state department will deny the permit application.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 4365 amends Michigan's Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act concerning discharges of untreated or partially treated sewage. It expands the list of parties that sewer system operators must notify immediately (within 24 hours) after a discharge begins, including additional county officials and local newspapers in potentially affected counties. The bill also clarifies requirements for testing affected waters for E. coli to assess public health risks. Violations of these updated notification and testing requirements are subject to existing civil fines ranging from $2,500 to $25,000 per day.

Maddy summaryHB 4336 amends Michigan's penal code to create new state crimes related to individuals who are not authorized to be in the United States. The bill establishes felony and misdemeanor offenses for knowingly bringing, transporting, harboring, or encouraging such persons to enter or remain in the U.S. It also creates a felony offense for knowingly hiring ten or more undocumented individuals for employment within a 12-month period. Penalties include fines and imprisonment, with higher penalties for offenses involving commercial gain, serious injury, or death. An exception is provided for religious organizations bringing in volunteer ministers or missionaries.

Maddy summaryThis bill, HB 4313, proposes an amendment to Michigan's Income Tax Act of 1967. Its stated purpose is to provide a new individual income tax deduction for residents who live in a legislative district with a vacant seat. The provided bill text outlines the existing structure for calculating taxable income and various current deductions, but it does not include the specific language or mechanisms for the proposed deduction related to vacant legislative seats. Therefore, the details of how this deduction would be implemented are not available in this truncated text.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 4179 modifies the Michigan insurance code regarding gifts from life insurance producers. It increases the maximum value of merchandise that a life insurer or life insurance producer can give to an applicant or insured under a life insurance policy. The bill raises this limit from $5.00 to $50.00 per person per calendar year. This change directly affects life insurers, life insurance producers, and individuals applying for or holding life insurance policies.

Maddy summaryHouse Resolution 64 declares April 19, 2025, as Patriots' Day in the state of Michigan. This resolution commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which marked the beginning of the American War for Independence.

Maddy summaryHB 4115 amends Michigan law to impose a civil penalty of up to $5,000 on pawnbrokers who charge interest rates exceeding the legally allowed limit on loans. This directly affects pawnbrokers who violate the interest rate cap specified in the existing pawnbroker licensing law (MCL 446.218). The bill establishes that county prosecutors or the Attorney General may enforce this penalty through legal action, replacing the previous criminal misdemeanor penalties for such violations. It does not change the interest rate limit itself but adds a specific civil enforcement mechanism for overcharging.