Sen. Erika Geiss

Maddy summarySB 140 increases the fee for monitoring Michigan's oil and gas industry from up to 1% to up to 2% of the gross cash market value of oil and gas produced. This fee applies directly to oil and gas producers who pay it when selling their products, collected alongside existing taxes. The fee amount adjusts annually based on the fund balance: it remains at 2% if the fund has less than $7 million, or calculates as a ratio of the budget to estimated production value if the fund meets or exceeds $7 million. Proceeds fund the state's monitoring, surveillance, and enforcement activities for oil and gas operations.

Maddy summarySB 141 requires oil and gas well operators in Michigan to reduce fugitive methane and volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions by at least 95% through methods like capturing gas for sale, on-site fuel use, or reinjection. It directly affects operators of oil/gas wells (excluding simple wellheads), with specific exemptions for wells exceeding 40 tons/year of emissions if technical infeasibility is certified by an engineer. The bill mandates operators to implement capture systems, report compliance, and maintain equipment, with enforcement including $100,000 fines or permit revocation for violations (excluding prompt repairs of malfunctions). Rules to implement these requirements must be finalized within 180 days of the bill’s effective date.

Maddy summarySB 124 automatically extends Michigan individual income tax filing deadlines to match any federal extension provided by the IRS for the same tax year. It applies to taxpayers required to file annual returns, ensuring their state deadline aligns with the IRS extension date. The state tax department must publish any extended deadline and taxpayers cannot be charged interest or penalties during the extension period. This bill changes the process for deadline extensions but does not alter tax rates or benefits.

Maddy summarySB 127 prohibits public bodies (such as state agencies, schools, and universities) from using dogs in research or training activities that cause pain or distress. It defines prohibited actions as those requiring federal reporting (e.g., USDA regulations), causing injury/fear, or involving invasive procedures like surgery. Exceptions include veterinary training for treating existing conditions and routine procedures like spaying/neutering performed by veterinarians or students. Violations carry civil fines of $1,000-$5,000 per dog per day, enforceable by county prosecutors or the Attorney General.

Maddy summaryThis ceremonial resolution (SR 13) designates February 2025 as School-Based Health Care Awareness Month in Michigan. It formally recognizes the work of Michigan's over 300 school-based and school-linked health centers, which provide primary, mental health, and preventive services to students, without creating new policies or requirements.

Maddy summaryThis ceremonial resolution (SR 8) designates February 3-7, 2025, as School Counseling Week in Michigan. It recognizes the vital role school counselors play in supporting students' academic, social-emotional, and career development, while raising awareness about the critical need to improve student-to-counselor ratios (currently 598:1 in Michigan, far exceeding the recommended 250:1). The resolution has no policy or funding impact - it is purely symbolic recognition of counselors' contributions.

Maddy summarySB 35 amends Michigan's Child Protection Law to clarify mandatory reporting requirements for newborns exposed to substances. It requires healthcare providers and others who must report suspected abuse to notify the state department if a newborn has alcohol, drugs, or their metabolites in their system *and* the parent's substance abuse threatens the infant's health. The bill excludes cases where exposure results from medical treatment (e.g., pain management during birth) and specifies that reporting is not required based solely on detecting substances without evidence of abuse. The department must then develop a "plan of safe care" coordinating with the hospital to provide services for the infant and parents during and after pregnancy.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SR 3) authorizes the Senate Majority Leader to take legal action against the House of Representatives to compel it to present nine specific bills to the Governor. The bills - passed by both chambers during the 2023-2024 legislative session - were returned to the House on December 20, 2024, but the House has refused to present them to the Governor despite a constitutional requirement under Michigan’s Article IV, Section 33. The Senate seeks to enforce this duty through court action, targeting House Bills 4177 and 4665-4667 (2023) and 4900-4901, 5817-5818, and 6058 (2024). The resolution focuses solely on procedural compliance, not policy content.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to explicitly prohibit housing discrimination based on a person's source of income. It directly affects landlords, real estate brokers, and anyone involved in property transactions by banning them from refusing to rent or sell homes to individuals using government assistance, veterans benefits, Social Security, or other legal income sources. The law clarifies that these protections apply to all forms of discrimination, including refusing to negotiate, making false claims about property availability, or publishing advertisements that exclude people based on how they pay rent. By adding "source of income" to the list of protected categories, the legislation ensures that housing opportunities cannot be denied solely because a tenant relies on subsidies or retirement funds.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Michigan's penal code to strengthen protections for victims of human trafficking during legal proceedings. It allows courts to admit expert testimony explaining how trafficking victims may behave differently than expected and clarifies that a victim's testimony does not require corroboration. Additionally, the law ensures that victims cannot be forced to testify or produce documents if doing so might incriminate them, with the strict rule that any truthful information they provide cannot be used against them in a criminal case except to challenge their credibility or prove they lied.