Rep. Emily Dievendorf

Maddy summaryHB 4133, the "Access to Health Facilities Act," prohibits physical obstruction, intimidation, or violence targeting individuals accessing or providing reproductive health services at licensed health facilities, including abortion care. It criminalizes actions like blocking entrances, threatening patients, or damaging property at these facilities, with penalties ranging from misdemeanors (up to 1 year jail, $10,000 fine) to felonies (up to life in prison for causing death). The law also allows civil lawsuits for $5,000 per violation and civil fines up to $25,000 for violators. It explicitly protects First Amendment-protected protests but does not affect local abortion regulations or existing protest laws.

Maddy summaryHB 4131 updates Michigan's animal care laws by clarifying definitions and requirements for dog shelter and tethering. It directly affects dog owners, breeders, pet shops, and animal shelters by specifying that dog shelters must include properly insulated doghouses with dry bedding (like straw or cedar shavings) during freezing temperatures, excluding items like blankets, cardboard, or crawl spaces. The bill also requires tethers for dogs to be at least three times the dog's length (nose-to-tail) unless used for grooming, training, transport, or hunting. These changes aim to ensure dogs have adequate protection from weather and prevent harmful tethering practices. The bill is currently in committee after its February 2025 introduction.

Maddy summaryHB 4132 amends Michigan's personal protection order law to explicitly include animal-related abuse as a prohibited act in domestic violence cases. The bill adds new language (subsection 1(k)) making it illegal for a respondent to injure, kill, threaten, or remove an animal in which the petitioner has ownership interest, or to retain an animal taken from the petitioner. This directly affects domestic violence victims who rely on pets for emotional support, expanding court orders to protect both people and their companion animals. The provision specifies it does not override lawful animal use (e.g., hunting under state law) and aligns with existing protections for victims.

Maddy summaryHB 4130 amends Section 2 of Michigan's Animal Welfare Fund Act (MCL 287.992) by updating the definition of "State animal anticruelty laws" to explicitly include specific sections of the Michigan Penal Code (MCL 750.49-750.70, 750.70a, and MCL 750.50(8) and (12)). This technical update ensures the fund act correctly references existing animal cruelty laws without creating new policies or funding. The bill affects how the Animal Welfare Fund Act applies to enforcement of current animal protection laws. It is a procedural clarification, not a substantive policy change.

Maddy summaryHB 4053 creates the "nondisclosure agreement definitions act" by defining a "nondisclosure agreement" as a contract that prohibits a party from disclosing, discussing, describing, or commenting on the agreement or its terms. This bill does not directly prohibit such agreements but establishes definitions for a future law that would address them. It requires the enactment of another bill (HB 4052 or SB 558) to take effect and passed the Michigan House of Representatives on February 25, 2025, with 91 votes in favor.

Maddy summaryHB 4052 prohibits Michigan legislators and their legislative staff from signing confidentiality agreements related to their official legislative work. Any such agreement entered into after the law takes effect would be void. The bill applies to all agreements made, amended, extended, or renewed on or after the effective date, specifically covering work performed in a legislative capacity. It does not affect personal or non-legislative matters.

Maddy summaryHB 4109 clarifies that health club staff (including owners and employees) have no legal obligation to provide emergency medical assistance using on-site AEDs during health club incidents. It explicitly states this does not override Michigan's existing Good Samaritan law (1963 PA 17), which protects people who assist in emergencies. The bill requires companion bill HB 4108 to pass first before taking effect. This directly affects health club operations regarding medical emergency response protocols.

Maddy summaryHB 4075 amends Michigan's minimum wage law to gradually increase the hourly wage for most workers. It sets specific rates starting at $10.00 in 2019, rising to $20.00 by 2030, with annual adjustments for inflation beginning in 2022. The inflation adjustment uses the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) and takes effect January 1 each year, unless unemployment exceeds 8.5% in the prior year. This bill directly affects low-wage workers and employers across Michigan who must comply with the updated wage schedule.

Maddy summaryHB 4036 removes an expiration date (sunset provision) from Michigan's distance education reciprocal exchange program, which allows colleges and universities to share courses across state lines. The bill repeals Section 7 of the 2015 Higher Education Authorization and Distance Education Reciprocal Exchange Act (MCL 390.1697), making the program permanent. This directly affects Michigan colleges and out-of-state institutions participating in the reciprocal course-sharing agreement, ensuring the program continues without needing annual renewal.

Maddy summaryThis resolution declares January 2025 as National Stalking Awareness Month in Michigan. It does not create new laws or change existing policies; instead, it symbolically recognizes stalking as a serious crime and acknowledges efforts by victim services and law enforcement. The resolution highlights Michigan's legal definition of stalking and relevant statistics (like 18,000 stalking reports in 2022) to underscore the importance of public awareness. It was introduced and adopted by the Michigan House of Representatives on January 28, 2025.