Rep. Penelope Tsernoglou

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Michigan's governmental immunity laws to clarify when public employees and agencies are protected from lawsuits for injuries or property damage. It maintains broad immunity for officials acting within their authority unless their conduct involves gross negligence, while explicitly preserving existing protections for judges, legislators, and high-level executives. The legislation also defines specific exceptions, such as removing immunity for medical care provided in certain hospitals and ensuring liability remains for underground facility damage. Additionally, it establishes that public universities and school districts cannot claim immunity for criminal sexual conduct committed by their employees or agents.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies the rules for filing civil lawsuits against the state of Michigan specifically for cases involving criminal sexual conduct. It creates an exception to the standard requirement that plaintiffs must file a notice of their claim within one year of the incident. By linking this change to a companion bill, the legislation allows victims of criminal sexual conduct to bypass the usual strict filing deadlines that apply to other types of property damage or injury claims. The measure is designed to ensure that these specific cases can proceed in court without being dismissed due to missed procedural time limits.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Michigan 4-H Foundation fund within the state treasury to hold money and assets contributed from various sources. It authorizes the state treasurer to manage investments for the fund, ensure earnings stay within the account, and distribute the money to the Michigan 4-H Foundation on a quarterly basis. The legislation includes a provision stating that it will not take effect unless a related bill, HB 5058, is also passed into law.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Michigan Strategic Fund to submit an annual report detailing its economic development activities to state officials and the public by April 10 each year. The report must include specific data such as lists of recipients, project types, financial amounts, job creation and retention statistics, salary information, and the status of loans and bankruptcies. Additionally, the legislation mandates that the fund's annual audit be made available online and specifies that bankruptcy notices for major recipients must be shared with specific legislative committees. These changes aim to increase transparency and accountability for the fund's use of taxpayer money in supporting businesses and investments across Michigan.

Maddy summaryThis bill officially designates a specific stretch of M-53 in Macomb County as the "Officer Leroy Imus Memorial Highway" to honor a fallen law enforcement officer. The legislation affects the Michigan State Transportation Department by amending state laws to recognize this new name for the road segment running from 17 Mile Road to Hall Road. Once signed into law, the change immediately updates official records and signage to reflect the memorial title.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Michigan cities with specific population thresholds to create administrative hearings bureaus to handle violations related to blight, such as property maintenance issues, illegal dumping, and zoning problems. These local bureaus can issue violation notices, accept admissions of guilt, and impose civil fines up to $10,000, with the operating costs covered by the city itself. The law includes protections for landlords by requiring them to receive correction notices and a chance to fix issues before facing penalties during inspections, unless there is an immediate safety emergency. Additionally, the new bureaus are limited to civil matters and cannot impose jail time or handle criminal offenses.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Michigan's law regarding how much money insurance companies must set aside from fire and storm damage claims for residential homes. It increases the maximum amount of withheld funds that local governments can hold in escrow to ensure repairs are made, raising the cap from $12,000 to $24,000 starting July 1, 2024. The legislation also clarifies the notification process, requiring insurers to inform homeowners, lenders, and local officials about these withheld funds and the option for municipalities to secure the money for public safety repairs.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Michigan's election laws to add a review process for recall petitions before they can be circulated to voters. It requires the Board of State Canvassers for state officials and county election commissioners for local officials to meet and determine if the reasons listed on a petition are factual and clear. During this review, the targeted official and petition sponsors can present arguments, and either party may appeal the board's decision to a court. If the review finds reasons unclear or false, the entire petition is rejected; if the board fails to meet the deadline, the petition is automatically considered valid. The bill also sets a 180-day window for circulating a valid petition and allows individuals to resubmit rejected petitions for a new review.

Maddy summaryThis Michigan bill, known as the Drug Manufacturer Data Reporting Act, requires pharmaceutical companies to submit specific cost and development data to the Department of Insurance and Financial Services. Manufacturers must report within 30 days if they increase the price of a high-cost drug by 15% in a year or 40% over three years, providing details on research expenses, patent status, and drug types. Additionally, companies must notify the department within three days when launching a new specialty-priced drug, including information on FDA designations and acquisition costs if applicable. The department will compile this data into an annual report for legislative committees and the public while keeping individual company information confidential. Failure to comply with these reporting requirements could result in civil fines of up to $100,000 per month.

Maddy summaryThis Michigan bill prohibits veterinarians and others from performing surgical procedures that remove a cat's claws or prevent them from functioning, such as declawing, unless it is medically necessary to treat an illness or injury. The law defines a cat broadly to include various breeds and specifies that the procedure is only allowed for therapeutic reasons, explicitly excluding cosmetic purposes or convenience for the owner. Individuals who violate this rule face civil fines of up to $2,500 for a first offense and up to $5,000 for subsequent violations, which can be enforced by county prosecutors or the state attorney general.