Rep. Emily Dievendorf

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the Michigan Secure Retirement Savings Program to help private-sector employees save for retirement through automatic payroll deductions. It creates a new oversight board and a separate trust fund to manage individual retirement accounts for enrolled workers, ensuring the money remains distinct from state funds. Employers that do not currently offer qualified retirement plans are required to participate by allowing employees to make automatic contributions from their paychecks. The legislation also sets up a separate administrative fund to cover the program's operational costs and defines the specific duties of the state officials who will run the system.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new law requiring employers in Michigan to provide severance pay to eligible employees when they close a facility, relocate operations at least 100 miles away, or conduct a mass layoff of 20 or more workers. To qualify for this pay, an employee must have worked at the location for at least one year and not have been fired for cause, while the facility itself must have employed 20 or more people and paid out $2 million or more in the previous year. The severance amount is calculated as one week's pay for each year of employment, and employers must also notify the state labor department at least 90 days before these events occur. If an employer fails to make these payments, they face civil fines and are liable for the unpaid amount plus an additional four weeks' pay, which employees can recover through court action.

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 directs the state department of education, working with the department of labor and economic opportunity, to develop educational materials on digital literacy and cybersafety. These resources, which include model curricula and lesson plans, must be made available for free on the department of labor and economic opportunity's website. The primary goal is to provide accessible tools to help individuals improve their online safety and digital skills without cost.

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 establishes supervision requirements for individuals holding temporary licenses as emergency medical technicians, emergency medical technician specialists, or paramedics in Michigan. Under the new rules, these temporary license holders must practice only under the direct supervision of a similarly licensed professional who holds a permanent license rather than a temporary one. The legislation applies to all temporary license holders in these health occupations and does not alter the licensing standards for permanent practitioners. The act takes effect immediately upon approval and is tied to the passage of a companion bill, HB 4613.

Maddy summaryThis law prohibits using a victim's actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity as a legal defense in criminal cases. Specifically, it bars evidence of such information from being used to claim reasonable provocation, heat of passion, or reduced mental capacity. Additionally, the bill states that discovering or knowing about a person's gender identity or sexual orientation does not justify using force against them. These rules apply to all criminal proceedings in Michigan to prevent bias from influencing the outcome of a trial.

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 modifies the Michigan Motor Vehicle Sales Finance Act to update definitions and regulations regarding retail installment sales of motor vehicles. It directly affects sellers, buyers, and financial institutions involved in financing car purchases by clarifying terms such as "cash price," "down payment," and "collateral security." The key provision redefines what constitutes a "motor vehicle" to explicitly include recreational vehicles with their own motive power while excluding certain equipment like tractors and road machinery. Additionally, the bill adjusts the legal description of various contract types, including loans and leases, to ensure they align with current market practices. These changes aim to provide clearer guidelines for enforcing payment obligations under vehicle installment contracts.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows Michigan school districts to use a design-build method for constructing or remodeling certain school buildings, where a single entity handles both design and construction services. It defines specific requirements for this process, such as the need for an independent licensed architect or engineer to help select the design-build team and ensure the project scope is clear. Additionally, the law mandates that rules be created to regulate the inspection and reuse of modular classrooms when they are relocated. The bill also establishes penalties for individuals who violate these new construction and supervision standards.