Sen. Rosemary Bayer

Maddy summarySenate Bill 360 amends Michigan's existing Identity Theft Protection Act. The bill revises and expands several key definitions, including what constitutes a "breach of the security of a database" and various types of "personal information" and "personal identifying information." These updates clarify the scope of protected data and the circumstances under which a security breach occurs, directly affecting Michigan residents and entities that handle their personal information. Additionally, the bill introduces new sections and repeals others, indicating a comprehensive update to the act's provisions.

Maddy summarySB 477 sets a 10% annual cap on the portion of an electric utility's weather-adjusted retail sales that can be served by alternative energy suppliers, directly affecting Michigan utilities and their customers seeking to switch providers. The bill includes key exceptions: facilities already using alternative suppliers since 2008 (including expansions), iron ore mines/processing facilities in the Upper Peninsula under specific settlement agreements, and customers on a pre-2016 enrollment queue. It requires utilities to maintain a confidential queue for new customers and adjust the cap downward if usage remains below 10% for five years. The law aims to balance customer choice with grid stability for Michigan's electric utilities.

Maddy summarySB 479 modifies Michigan's environmental permit process to require state agencies to evaluate projects in environmentally overburdened communities - typically areas with historical pollution and health disparities - before denying permits or adding conditions. The bill creates a new Subpart 2 under the permit law, mandating that agencies consider whether a project would worsen environmental harm in these communities and potentially impose additional safeguards. It also repeals the Environmental Permit Review Commission, which previously handled certain permit appeals. This change directly affects developers seeking permits for projects in designated overburdened areas and shifts permit review authority to state agencies.

Maddy summarySB 453 requires Michigan public school districts, intermediate districts, and public school academies to include one unit of age- and grade-appropriate Black history instruction in their history curriculum starting in the 2027-2028 school year. This instruction must cover Black contributions to U.S. society, the history of Black communities in Michigan and the Midwest (including discriminatory policies), and civil rights advancements. The bill also mandates a similar unit of Indigenous People history instruction with identical content requirements. The superintendent of public instruction must develop guidelines with input from cultural centers and scholars, and all instruction must be inclusive and non-discriminatory for all students.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits campaign contributions to judges' committees from parties involved in pending court cases before that judge. It also blocks political committees primarily funded by limited liability companies (LLCs) if the LLC or its officers are involved in pending cases. Committees must disclose LLC funding sources and provide written statements with contributions, with violations carrying misdemeanor penalties. The law directly affects current judges, their committees, and political committees seeking to contribute to judicial campaigns.

Maddy summarySB 455 requires Michigan schools to provide cultural competency training for educators and school personnel who interact with students. Starting in the 2027-2028 school year, all educators must complete this training using resources developed by the state department by June 2027, covering topics like diversity, cultural identity, historical contributions of various groups (including Black, Indigenous, Latine, Hispanic, and others), and implicit bias. School personnel with student contact, but not educators, must also receive similar training - excluding the historical topics. The bill mandates that training materials align with state social studies standards and be developed with expert input.

Maddy summarySB 319 amends Michigan's public employee collective bargaining law to require that minimum staffing levels within a bargaining unit become a mandatory topic for negotiation between public employers and employee representatives. This applies specifically to public employees covered under 1969 PA 312 (which includes most state and local government workers like teachers, nurses, and first responders), making staffing levels a required subject of bargaining alongside wages and hours. The bill includes a limited exception: if a public employer faces reduced state funding or property tax revenue, it may choose whether to negotiate staffing levels, but must otherwise include them in bargaining. The change directly affects public sector workplaces where employee bargaining units exist, ensuring staffing levels cannot be unilaterally set by employers without negotiation.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Michigan law to prevent health insurers from denying or conditioning Medicare supplement insurance coverage based on an applicant's health status, pre-existing conditions, or medical history. It directly affects individuals aged 65+ during their initial Medicare Part B enrollment window, non-age-eligible applicants with specific Medicare enrollment timing, and those switching insurers while maintaining the same policy. Key provisions require insurers to offer these policies without health-based exclusions or higher pricing (capping rates at those for 65-year-olds), and to reduce pre-existing condition waiting periods based on prior continuous health coverage. The law ensures equal access to Medicare supplement plans during defined enrollment periods while clarifying what counts as qualifying prior coverage.

Maddy summarySB 464 allows licensed tobacco sellers to sell nicotine or tobacco products at events like fairs, festivals, or farmers' markets under specific conditions. It directly affects licensed tobacco businesses by permitting sales at unlicensed locations, provided they prominently display their license certificate and a required health warning sign within 6 feet of each sale point. The bill requires compliance with all existing tobacco laws and imposes fines for violations (up to $2,500 for missing the warning sign). This bill is contingent on the passage of SB 463, SB 465, and SB 466.

Maddy summarySB 447 requires Michigan health insurers to cover specific treatments for pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders (PANS/PANDAS), including antibiotics, behavioral therapies, immunomodulating medicines, and IVIG therapy. It mandates that coverage for these conditions cannot have higher copays, deductibles, or coinsurance than other treatments, must be authorized promptly for urgent cases, and cannot be denied based on prior treatments or different diagnoses. Insurers must follow evidence-based medical guidelines developed by a consortium of experts when reviewing coverage requests, and the bill specifies standardized ICD-10 coding for billing purposes. This law directly affects children diagnosed with these conditions and all health insurers operating in Michigan, ensuring consistent access to medically necessary care.