Sen. Jim Runestad

Maddy summarySenate Bill 296 prohibits hospitals from requiring registered professional nurses to work beyond their regularly scheduled, on-call, or voluntarily agreed-upon hours. It mandates that nurses working 12 or more consecutive hours receive 8 consecutive hours of off-duty time immediately afterward. Exceptions to this prohibition include declared states of emergency, mass casualty incidents, certain patient-care procedures, and situations where an oncoming nurse is unexpectedly absent. The bill also protects nurses from retaliation if they refuse work assignments that exceed these limits and requires hospitals to post notices informing nurses of these provisions.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution honors the memory of Joel Gougeon, a former Michigan State Senator who passed away, by formally recognizing his life and public service. The bill does not change any laws or policies but serves as an official tribute to Gougeon's career, military service, and community contributions. It directs copies of the resolution to the Gougeon family as a formal acknowledgment of his legacy. The measure was introduced by Senator Brinks and adopted by the full Senate membership.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a concurrent resolution that formally honors Bruce Patterson, a former Michigan state legislator who served in both the House of Representatives and Senate. It recognizes his public service career, which included leadership roles in committees on energy policy, environmental protection, and consumer rights, as well as his advocacy for nursing home care and water pollution control. The resolution expresses the Legislature's tribute to his memory and directs that copies be sent to his family.

Maddy summarySB 832 prohibits state legislators from chairing a legislative committee if an immediate family member leads a principal state department that falls under that committee's jurisdiction. This rule applies to legislators in both the House and Senate and defines immediate family members as parents, siblings, children, spouses, and in-laws. The bill aims to prevent conflicts of interest by ensuring legislators do not oversee committees that could directly impact their relatives' departments. It amends existing state law to add this new restriction without changing other provisions related to conflict of interest.

Maddy summarySB 810 is a procedural bill that repeals 2025 PA 23, the "Comprehensive road funding tax act" (MCL 205.901-205.913). It directly affects the tax provisions previously established under that law, which would have imposed specific taxes to fund road maintenance. The bill does not create new taxes or policies but formally removes the existing tax framework. This repeal would eliminate the legal basis for those taxes if enacted. (2 sentences, as it is a procedural repeal bill.)

Maddy summarySB 798 amends Michigan's school immunization law to restrict exemptions from required vaccines. It eliminates the option for parents to claim exemptions based on "other objections" (like personal or philosophical beliefs), allowing exemptions only for religious reasons. This directly affects parents of children entering kindergarten or grade 7 who previously could cite non-religious objections. The bill maintains existing requirements for vision screenings and reporting immunization status to health authorities, but narrows the acceptable exemption categories under school enrollment rules.

Maddy summarySB 797 prevents Michigan's health department from creating stricter rules or requiring specific forms for school immunization exemptions. It protects the existing exemption categories: medical exemptions certified by a physician and religious/philosophical exemptions documented via a written statement. The bill ensures no additional requirements can be imposed beyond what's currently allowed under Michigan law (MCL 333.9215), directly affecting children seeking exemption from school immunization mandates. This is a procedural clarification, not a new policy change.

Maddy summarySB 774 amends Michigan's Money Transmission Services Act to prohibit certain foreign remittance transfers under specific circumstances. The bill directly affects money transmitters (like Western Union or digital remittance services) operating in Michigan that handle payments to recipients outside the United States. Key provisions include adding new sections (21a and 35) that establish restrictions on foreign remittance transfers and updating licensing requirements for these businesses. The changes aim to regulate how money transmitters handle cross-border payments, focusing on specific transaction types rather than broadly banning all international transfers.

Maddy summaryThis is a memorial resolution honoring Donald Koivisto, a former Michigan State Senator (1990-2002) and House Representative (1981-1986). The resolution expresses the legislature's tribute to his service, highlighting his dedication to the Upper Peninsula, farming community, and bipartisan collaboration. It was unanimously adopted by both chambers as a formal expression of respect for his legacy. The resolution has no policy impact - it solely commemorates his public service.

Maddy summarySB 128 establishes the Michigan-Ireland Trade Commission to promote economic partnerships between Michigan businesses and Ireland. The bill creates a new state commission tasked with coordinating trade promotion activities, facilitating business connections, and supporting export opportunities for Michigan companies targeting the Irish market. This commission will operate under state agency oversight and directly affect Michigan businesses engaged in international trade with Ireland. The bill does not impose new taxes or regulations but creates a dedicated entity to advance bilateral trade relations.