Rep. Alicia St. Germaine

Maddy summaryHouse Resolution 67 declares April 18, 2025, as Champions Day in the state of Michigan. This resolution encourages the people of Michigan to commemorate the extraordinary accomplishments of Joe Louis, the Detroit Tigers, the Detroit Lions, and the Detroit Red Wings during the 1935 sports season.

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.

Maddy summaryHB 4147 creates a dedicated "school consolidation and infrastructure fund" within Michigan's state school aid budget to support feasibility studies for consolidating administrative and service functions across school districts. It allocates $5 million for grants (up to $250,000 per district) to analyze opportunities in shared services like payroll, IT systems, facility management, food services, and transportation. Districts receiving grants must publicly share study results within 60 days and demonstrate plans for potential consolidation. The fund’s money remains available year-to-year without lapsing, but the bill does not fund actual consolidation - only the preliminary studies.

Maddy summaryHB 4154 amends Michigan's Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act to explicitly include trade schools as eligible institutions for high school students to take college-level courses at reduced cost. This change directly affects Michigan high school students who want to enroll in career-focused programs at trade schools, allowing them to access the same tuition support previously available only at community colleges and universities. The bill updates the definition of "eligible postsecondary institution" to specifically list trade schools, without altering existing rules about course limits, fees, or student eligibility. This clarifies that trade schools can now participate in the program, expanding educational pathways for students seeking vocational training.

Maddy summaryHB 4149 requires Michigan public school districts, intermediate school districts, and public school academies to post a link to the MI School Data parent dashboard on their public websites by July 1, 2026. Starting July 1, 2027, these schools must annually send parents or guardians a notification including specific school performance data from the dashboard, such as state assessment results by subject. The state’s Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI) must expand the MI School Data website to include all parent dashboard data and add a school comparison feature. This bill directly affects all public schools in Michigan and their enrolled students’ families by increasing transparency around school performance metrics.

Maddy summaryHB 4116 increases the maximum allowable monthly interest rate for pawn loans in Michigan from 3% to 5%, directly affecting pawnbrokers (who may now charge up to 5% per month) and borrowers (who face higher potential costs). The bill amends the warning notice required on pawn contracts to reflect the new 5% rate limit, stating that loans exceeding this rate are void and borrowers can reclaim their items. It also maintains the $3 monthly storage fee for unencumbered items and prohibits charging interest in advance or compounding. The law updates existing regulations without changing other provisions like the minimum 50-cent interest requirement.

Maddy summaryHB 4185 changes how Michigan's general sales tax revenue is distributed. It directs 15% of the 4% sales tax to cities, villages, and townships through the Glenn Steil Revenue Sharing Act. Sixty percent goes to the state school aid fund (including all 2% tax from aviation fuel sales), while 27.9% of 25% from vehicle/fuel sales funds the transportation system. Additionally, it requires $9-12 million annually from computer software sales to the Michigan health initiative fund.

Maddy summaryHB 4184 increases Michigan's excise tax on aviation fuel from 3.10 cents to 4.00 cents per gallon. It directly affects fuel sellers, airlines, and airport operators by changing how this tax revenue is distributed. The bill modifies Section 203 of the Aeronautics Code to require 35% of the tax revenue to fund the state aeronautics fund and 65% to fund qualified airports. It also retains the 1.5-cent refund for airlines operating interstate flights and the exemption for fuel used in leaded racing fuel production.

Maddy summaryHB 4286 requires Michigan public schools to update health education curriculum standards by the 2026-2027 school year. It mandates specific content about human development, including an overview of pregnancy biology, fetal development inside the uterus, a 3-minute high-definition ultrasound video of early fetal organ development, and a computer-generated animation showing fertilization through birth. The bill directly affects Michigan public schools and the state Department of Education, which must revise curriculum standards to include these requirements. This is a concrete policy change to the health education curriculum, not a procedural or commemorative measure.