Sen. Kevin Hertel

Maddy summarySB 1011 creates a new state-regulated program called a small business health pool to offer health coverage to Michigan employers with fewer than 500 employees and eligible self-employed individuals. This initiative requires these businesses to join a nonprofit sponsoring association that meets specific financial and operational standards, ensuring the group is stable and has a legitimate business purpose beyond just providing insurance. The bill establishes rules for how these pools operate, allowing them to be fully insured, level-funded, or self-funded while mandating that they cover essential health benefits and cannot discriminate based on health status or claims history. Additionally, the legislation creates a state-funded reinsurance program to reimburse 60% of catastrophic claims between $75,000 and $250,000 per person to help stabilize premiums. The Department of Insurance will oversee the program by reviewing financial solvency and compliance, but it will not approve insurance rates except for fully insured products.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Responsible Artificial Intelligence Security for Employees Act, restricts how employers in Michigan can use automated decision-making tools and electronic monitoring systems for their workforce. It generally prohibits using these technologies for employment decisions like hiring or firing, except when screening large volumes of applications based on specific job criteria. Employers are only allowed to monitor employees for specific purposes such as ensuring job function completion, monitoring production quality, or protecting health and safety, and they must obtain written consent from every employee before using such tools. The legislation also mandates that employers provide clear notice of monitoring, maintain accurate data, allow employees to correct their records, and conduct impact assessments to ensure these tools do not negatively affect individuals based on protected characteristics.

Maddy summarySB 1060 updates Michigan's funeral director licensing laws by establishing a new "courtesy license" for professionals currently licensed in Indiana, Ohio, or Wisconsin, allowing them to transport and register deceased individuals without operating a funeral home or performing embalming. The bill also introduces mandatory continuing education requirements for all licensed funeral directors and mortuary science practitioners, ensuring they complete at least four hours of relevant training annually on topics like ethics, safety, and consumer protection. Additionally, the legislation clarifies definitions for key terms and sets a future deadline for new licensees to have completed a specific amount of resident training and hold an accredited associate degree. These changes directly affect funeral service professionals in Michigan by modifying how out-of-state workers are treated and by raising ongoing training standards for those already practicing in the state.

Maddy summarySB 1066 amends the Prepaid Funeral and Cemetery Sales Act to update definitions and registration requirements for businesses selling prepaid funeral plans in Michigan. The bill clarifies terms such as "funeral services" to explicitly include mortuary science licensees and revises the definition of "merchandise" to specify which items are covered under the law. It also sets specific fees and renewal procedures for companies that must register with the state department to legally offer these contracts. By updating these sections, the legislation ensures that regulatory language remains current while maintaining oversight of funds held by escrow agents.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Michigan's insurance code to clarify rules about how life insurance companies can interact with funeral homes and cemeteries. It maintains a separation between insurers and funeral businesses by prohibiting insurance companies from owning funeral establishments and restricting how they can contract with funeral directors. The legislation also defines specific conditions under which funeral providers can be licensed to sell limited life insurance policies tied to funeral costs, while ensuring that policy proceeds can be assigned to pay for these services without creating a conflict of interest. Additionally, the bill requires clear disclosures when insurance benefits are insufficient to cover funeral expenses and allows for revocable pre-death assignments of insurance proceeds to pay for funeral services.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Michigan Cemetery Regulation Act to update the list of violations that allow the state commissioner to deny permits, revoke registrations, or take disciplinary action against cemetery operators. The key change involves clarifying and correcting references to existing laws, specifically ensuring that violations of Article 18 of the Occupational Code are properly listed as grounds for enforcement. It also retains provisions allowing the commissioner to impose fines of up to $5,000 for each violation and requires operators to fulfill existing contracts even if their permit is suspended or revoked. The legislation is tied to another bill, SB 1060, and will not take effect unless that companion bill is also passed into law.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes new licensing requirements for crematory facilities and operators in Michigan to regulate the practice of cremation. It creates a specific license for the facility itself, which requires a $100,000 surety bond, proof of environmental and fire safety approvals, and full disclosure of ownership details. Additionally, the bill mandates that individuals operating or managing a crematory must hold an operator license obtained through approved training and a character review. The legislation also grants the state department authority to inspect these facilities and revoke licenses if standards are not met or ownership changes occur.

Maddy summarySB 1068 updates the definitions within Michigan's Cemetery Regulation Act to clarify terms related to mortuary science and crematory ownership. The bill specifically redefines "cemetery" to explicitly include crematories and columbariums, while also refining descriptions for related concepts like "interment," "mausoleum," and "operator." These changes aim to ensure the law accurately covers various methods of handling human remains and the entities responsible for them. The legislation does not take effect until two other related bills, SB 1061 and SB 1063, are also passed by the legislature.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Michigan's medical examiner laws to clarify procedures for handling deceased individuals, particularly those who died violently or without medical care. It requires county medical examiners to take charge of bodies found in their counties and allows them to use designated investigators who must be independent of funeral homes to conduct inquiries and transport remains. The legislation also updates rules for identifying decedents when visual identification is impossible, mandates written records of autopsy details and notification efforts, and establishes a liability shield for examiners acting in good faith during these duties.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 1064 amends Michigan's occupational code to update requirements for funeral establishments, primarily affecting business owners and managers in the funeral industry. The bill mandates that managers must reside within 75 miles of their establishment and limits an individual to managing only one funeral home, though a state director may grant a waiver for managing two if the locations are in the same or neighboring counties with low population density. Additionally, the legislation requires all funeral homes to have on-site refrigeration units capable of storing bodies at temperatures not exceeding 40 degrees Fahrenheit, unless they have a contract with a nearby facility that provides such storage. The bill also clarifies rules regarding branch establishments, sets specific timelines for notifying the state of managerial changes, and outlines inspection rights for state officials. This measure is part of a package of related bills that must all be enacted together for the changes to take effect.