Rep. Tim Kelly

Maddy summaryHB 5210 allows commercial fishing license holders to list multiple vessels on a single license instead of requiring separate licenses for each boat. Licensees can add or remove vessels anytime by providing written notice to the department. The bill also clarifies rules for transferring licenses when boats are sold, damaged, or lost, including fee adjustments for larger vessels or non-resident transfers. All vessels listed under one license must operate within 50 miles of the originally designated port.

Maddy summaryHB 5219 would allow direct farm-to-consumer sales of raw milk and raw milk products in Michigan by amending the Food Law. It defines "direct farm-to-consumer product" to explicitly include raw milk meeting requirements under the 2001 Manufacturing Milk Law, enabling farmers to sell these products directly to consumers on their property. The bill adds new sections (4102a and 4102b) to establish this sales pathway while maintaining existing pasteurization requirements for other sales. This change directly affects farmers producing raw milk and consumers purchasing it directly from farms, without altering commercial milk sales rules.

Maddy summaryHB 5217 would allow direct farm-to-consumer sales of raw (unpasteurized) milk and milk products by dairy producers who comply with specific safety standards under Michigan's Food Law (2000). It amends existing milk regulations to explicitly permit this sale method, provided producers meet requirements in Section 4102a of the Food Law and adhere to the definition of "direct farm-to-consumer producer" from the Food Law. This change affects small dairy farms selling directly to consumers, not restaurants or grocery stores, and maintains existing pasteurization requirements for all other milk sales. The bill requires compliance with state safety protocols but does not alter pasteurization rules for commercial distribution.

Maddy summaryHB 5535 would allow plumbing inspectors to provide plumbing services without violating state law. Currently, plumbing inspectors (registered under Article 10) are prohibited from engaging in the plumbing business, such as installing pipes or selling materials, due to potential conflicts with their inspection duties. The bill amends Section 1123 of Michigan's Skilled Trades Regulation Act to remove this prohibition, permitting inspectors to work for or own plumbing businesses. This change directly affects local plumbing inspectors who wish to operate in both roles simultaneously.

Maddy summaryHB 5553 amends Michigan's pipeline law to remove the right to use eminent domain (government property seizure) for carbon dioxide pipelines. It specifically eliminates the provision that previously allowed pipeline companies to condemn private property for transporting carbon dioxide, which currently applies to crude oil and petroleum pipelines. This change directly affects companies planning to build carbon dioxide pipelines, requiring them to negotiate land access with property owners instead of using condemnation. The bill modifies Section 2 of the 1929 pipeline statute (MCL 483.2), limiting condemnation rights to only crude oil and petroleum pipelines. This is a concrete policy change to the property rights mechanism for pipeline development.

Maddy summaryHB 5317 amends Michigan's law governing county parks and recreation commissions by changing their membership requirements. It allows counties with fewer than 100,000 residents (starting January 1, 2027) to reduce appointed members from seven to four, while still requiring at least one county commissioner on the commission. For counties with populations between 750,000 and 1,000,000, it adds a requirement to appoint a neighborhood representative living near the most frequently used county park. The bill directly affects county governments managing parks and recreation commissions, modifying how these advisory bodies are structured and composed.

Maddy summaryHB 5519 lowers Michigan's individual income tax rate to 3.9% for tax years beginning January 1, 2026, replacing the current 4.25% rate. This change applies to all Michigan residents who pay state income tax on their earnings. The bill amends Section 51 of the Income Tax Act to implement this rate reduction, which follows a temporary 4.25% rate period through 2025. This policy directly reduces the tax burden for individual taxpayers starting in 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 4576 is the fiscal year 2025-2026 appropriations bill for the Michigan Department of Education. It authorizes specific funding levels for the department's operations and programs during the upcoming state fiscal year. The bill passed the House on June 11, 2025, with 56 ayes, 53 noes, and 1 excused. As a procedural appropriations act, it establishes the legal funding framework but does not detail specific programs or spending items beyond the authorized amounts.

Maddy summaryHB 4855 would amend Michigan law to permit bow hunters to carry a pistol while hunting. This directly affects licensed bow hunters who currently cannot possess a firearm during hunting activities under existing law (MCL 324.43510). The bill changes the prohibition in the 1994 Michigan Penal Code to allow pistol possession specifically for bow hunters during hunting. The amendment would remove the current restriction, enabling bow hunters to carry a pistol for lawful use while hunting.

Maddy summaryHB 5516, the "Foreign Law Limitation Act," prohibits Michigan courts, arbitrators, and administrative bodies from applying or enforcing foreign or religious laws in contracts or legal agreements if doing so would violate a resident's constitutional rights under U.S. or Michigan law. It requires these entities to block, modify, or void offending provisions when they conflict with constitutional rights, and to consider whether parties knowingly agreed to foreign law without duress. The law specifically excludes enforcement of federal or U.S. state laws and does not affect agreements made before the law's effective date. It directly affects courts handling disputes involving foreign legal provisions and protects Michigan residents from potential rights violations under external legal systems.