Sen. Rosemary Bayer

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Michigan's General Sales Tax Act to modify how sales tax is calculated on vehicle trade-ins. It updates the rules for determining the tax credit allowed when a customer uses an old vehicle to pay for a new one, ensuring the credit is based on the agreed-upon value of the trade-in rather than a fixed dollar limit. The changes apply to dealers selling new or used motor vehicles and recreational vehicles, requiring them to separately state the trade-in value on invoices to qualify for the tax credit. By clarifying these provisions, the legislation aims to standardize the process for calculating sales tax on vehicle purchases involving trade-ins.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Michigan's Estates and Protected Individuals Code to require courts to inform families about alternatives to full guardianship before a petition is filed. These alternatives include limited guardianship, conservatorships, and supported decision-making, which is defined as a process where friends, family, and professionals help individuals understand their options so they can make their own choices. Additionally, the legislation mandates that a guardian ad litem must be appointed to represent the individual during incapacity hearings unless they already have their own legal counsel. The changes directly affect individuals facing incapacity proceedings and the family members or interested parties who petition for guardianship.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 991 amends Michigan's Consumer Protection Act to prohibit businesses from using certain algorithms and protected class data to set prices. This law directly affects companies that sell goods or services by banning the practice of adjusting prices based on factors like race, age, or other personal characteristics. The bill adds a new section to the statute to explicitly make this pricing behavior unlawful, ensuring that consumers are not charged different amounts for the same items based on their personal data.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 993 amends the Michigan Consumer Protection Act to explicitly classify certain violations of the Shopping Reform and Modernization Act as unfair trade practices. The bill directly affects businesses and consumers by clarifying that specific deceptive acts, such as false environmental claims about recyclability or misleading representations of product origin, are unlawful. It updates existing definitions to include new categories of consumer fraud, ensuring these specific violations are treated with the same legal weight as other deceptive business practices.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Michigan Department of Education to establish a list of approved elementary reading curriculum materials that schools must use. It mandates the department to approve specific screening and progress-monitoring assessments while also developing a literacy coach model to support teachers in implementing evidence-based reading instruction. The legislation outlines detailed duties for literacy coaches, such as modeling strategies and providing data-driven intervention, and sets a deadline for districts to report on individual reading improvement plans by the 2027-2028 school year. Additionally, the bill directs the department to create dyslexia expertise and regularly update a dyslexia resource guide to assist schools in addressing reading difficulties. These changes directly affect public school districts, academies, and the educators who work within them.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits retailers in Michigan from using dynamic pricing systems that change the total price of consumer items based on factors like time of day, weather, or customer demographics. It allows businesses to adjust prices only for spoilage, restocking, or limited promotions if an employee makes the change uniformly and clearly displays the new price. The legislation also permits digital price tags as long as the displayed price matches the final charge and remains static. Any violation of these rules would be treated as a breach of the state's consumer protection laws. The bill currently includes a provision that prevents it from taking effect until a companion bill, SB 0993, is also passed.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 311 (SB 311) requires annual adjustments for inflation to reimbursements paid to child care providers participating in the state's child development and care program. Starting from the act's effective date, these reimbursements will be updated each year. The adjustments will be calculated using the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn Consumer Price Index.

Maddy summarySB 538 designates the eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) as Michigan's official game bird. This ceremonial bill creates no new regulations or funding, solely changing a symbolic state designation. It directly affects Michigan residents by formally recognizing the eastern wild turkey as a state symbol, replacing no existing designation. The bill requires no implementation mechanisms and takes effect 90 days after enactment.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the Dark Store Prevention Act, allows Michigan cities, villages, and townships to legally remove private deed restrictions on vacant commercial properties. To proceed, a local government must prove the property is in a retail zone, has been empty for at least two years, and is considered blighted after holding a public hearing. If these conditions are met, the local government can file a lawsuit to have a court officially strike the restrictive clauses from the property's deed. The measure directly affects local officials seeking to clear abandoned retail spaces and property owners whose land is subject to such covenants.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Michigan's Mobile Home Commission Act to require park owners to notify residents and the state department before selling a mobile home park, giving residents 60 days to organize a purchase. If residents form a homeowners' association within that window, they can request the sale details and submit a formal offer, which the owner must then negotiate in good faith. The legislation also establishes a civil penalty of up to $250,000 for owners who fail to follow these notification and negotiation steps, while excluding sales resulting from bank foreclosures from these requirements.