Maddy summaryHB 4099 amends Michigan's Open Meetings Act to expand when public bodies can hold electronic meetings. It permanently allows agricultural commodity groups (like the Michigan Bean Commission or potato industry commissions), municipal retirement systems, and energy joint agencies to meet electronically under any circumstances - no longer limited to emergencies. The bill requires public bodies to post 18-hour advance notice online with clear participation details, ensure two-way communication during meetings, and publish agendas 2 hours before. It applies to all affected public bodies and ensures transparency for public participation, including accessibility for people with disabilities. This law took effect after being signed by the Governor in December 2025.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHB 4401 removes the expiration date for Michigan's annual pheasant hunting license requirement, which was set to end on January 1, 2026. The bill maintains the current $25 fee for the license and keeps existing exemptions, such as for hunters on private land (outside hunting access programs), at licensed preserves, in the Upper Peninsula, or holding lifetime licenses. It also preserves the existing funding mechanism, directing license fees into a dedicated pheasant subaccount for purchasing and releasing pheasants on state land. The change ensures the licensing rule remains in effect indefinitely without altering other provisions of the law.
Maddy summaryHB 4122 amends Michigan's food code to clarify requirements for cottage food operations, which are small-scale home-based businesses making non-potentially hazardous foods like baked goods and jams. The bill specifically updates definitions in Section 1105 to clarify rules about nonnutritive substances in confectionery products (e.g., candy), ensuring such substances must serve a functional purpose and not deceive consumers. It modifies existing safety standards to specify that nonnutritive objects embedded in candy must not make the product unsafe or misleading. These changes directly affect Michigan cottage food businesses and their compliance with labeling and safety regulations.
Maddy summaryHB 4285 requires Michigan schools to offer firearm safety instruction for students in grades 6-12 by September 2025. The state must create a model program (based on existing hunter safety standards) covering safe handling, cleaning, firearm types, and hunting practices, taught by certified instructors - **without bringing firearms into school buildings**. Schools may offer this as an optional extracurricular class or integrate it into existing courses, and students or parents may opt out without penalty. Completing the program counts toward the hunter safety certification needed for a hunting license. The bill directly affects all Michigan public schools and students in grades 6-12.
Maddy summaryHB 4098 amends Michigan's Tax Tribunal Act to allow property tax dispute hearings to be held electronically via phone or video conference, with consent from all parties and tribunal approval. It directly affects property owners, businesses, and tax assessors involved in tax tribunal cases who previously could only attend in-person hearings. The key change expands existing provisions (Sections 26 and 34) to include virtual hearing options alongside in-person meetings, while maintaining requirements for public notice and open meetings compliance. This update modernizes the process for resolving property tax disputes without altering tax rates or assessment standards.
Maddy summaryHB 5375 prohibits charging interest on unpaid restitution of overpaid unemployment benefits when the overpayment resulted from specific errors, such as agency mistakes, employer errors, or system issues - not the claimant's fault. It requires the unemployment agency to waive existing interest charges and refund payments made for those errors, with refunds due within 180 days of the law's effective date. The bill also stops interest from accruing during pending appeals and applies retroactively to overpayments from February 2020 through December 2026. This directly affects claimants who received overpayments due to errors beyond their control.
Maddy summaryHB 5363 requires Michigan public schools to notify parents in advance if their child’s class covers topics like gender identity, sexual orientation, or relationships, and allows parents to opt their child out without penalty. It mandates that schools form parent-led advisory boards (with at least half non-school-employed parents) to review curriculum and report on program goals. The bill also requires public hearings before changing sex education materials and emphasizes abstinence as a primary method for preventing pregnancy and STDs. This directly affects public school students, parents/guardians, and school districts in Michigan.
Maddy summaryHB 5362 is a supplemental budget bill that allocates additional state funds to the University of Michigan for its operations during the 2024-2025 fiscal year. It modifies existing state appropriations by designating specific supplemental funding for the University of Michigan, without creating new programs or altering the university's structure. This bill directly affects the University of Michigan's budget, providing it with additional resources from the state's general fund for the upcoming fiscal year. The bill is procedural in nature, focusing solely on the allocation of existing state funds rather than establishing new policies.
Maddy summaryHouse Bill 4425 creates the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Incentive Program in Michigan. This program aims to encourage companies to produce or blend sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) within the state by offering corporate income tax credits. The Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) will administer the program, certifying SAF that meets specific criteria, including source materials, technical standards, and a minimum 50% reduction in life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional jet fuel. The bill sets an annual cap on the total amount of tax credits approved, starting at $4.5 million for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and increasing to $9 million annually thereafter.
Maddy summaryHouse Bill 4424 proposes a new corporate income tax credit for businesses that produce or blend sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) within Michigan. Qualified taxpayers can claim a credit of $1.50 per gallon for SAF produced or blended in the state and sold for use in aircraft departing from Michigan airports. This credit can increase up to $2.00 per gallon based on the SAF's life-cycle greenhouse gas emission reductions. If the credit amount exceeds a company's tax liability, the difference will be refunded.