Sen. Ruth Johnson

Maddy summarySCR 6 is a memorial resolution passed by the Michigan Legislature to honor Virgil Clark Smith, a former member of the Michigan Senate (1988-2000) and House of Representatives (1977-1988). The resolution commemorates his 40+ years of public service, including his historic role as the first African American Senate Democratic Floor Leader. It expresses the Legislature's tribute to his dedication, leadership, and legacy as a trailblazing legislator and later Wayne County Circuit Court judge. The resolution was adopted unanimously by both chambers in October 2025 and will be transmitted to Smith's family.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution (SR 77) honors the late Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, following his 2025 assassination at Utah Valley University. It formally condemns political violence, commends law enforcement, and extends condolences to his family. The resolution does not create new laws or policies - it is a symbolic tribute expressing the Senate’s condemnation of violence targeting individuals for their political views. It calls on all Americans to reject political violence and uphold civil discourse. (Note: As a memorial resolution, it does not directly affect any individuals or policies beyond this expression of sentiment.)

Maddy summarySB 273 extends the expiration date of a fee imposed on agricultural operations to fund water quality protection programs. This bill amends Michigan's 1994 law (MCL 324.8715) to remove the sunset provision, ensuring the fee remains in effect indefinitely. It directly affects agricultural businesses that pay this fee, which supports local water quality initiatives. The bill was enacted with immediate effect after governor approval on October 7, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment requiring Michigan's state budget bills to be passed into law by a specific annual deadline. If the budget isn't enacted by that date, both state legislators and the governor would lose their pay until the budget is approved. The amendment modifies three sections of the state constitution to establish this deadline and link compensation to budget passage. It specifically targets the general appropriation bills that fund state operations, not other legislation. The deadline is defined by existing law (MCL 18.1365) as the date set for budget enactment each year.

Maddy summarySB 482 creates the "Michigan Medical Treatment Decisions Act," establishing a clear process for who can make medical decisions for adults (18+) unable to do so themselves. It sets a priority order for decision-makers: spouse, adult children, parents, siblings, grandparents, or a designated "surrogate" (a concerned relative/friend), with physicians as a last resort if no one else is available. The law requires decision-makers to follow the patient’s known wishes or best interests, but explicitly prohibits authorizing life-sustaining treatment withdrawal, sterilization, pregnancy termination, or specific facility admissions. This directly affects patients in medical crises and the family/friends designated to act on their behalf.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Michigan health insurers to cover group prenatal care services for all policyholders. It defines these services as evidence-based, group-based prenatal visits in a family-centered setting that include health assessments, social support, education, and peer interaction. The law applies to all health insurance policies issued in Michigan, directly affecting pregnant individuals and their insurers by mandating coverage for this specific care model.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to require all public university governing boards in Michigan to hold open meetings accessible to the public. It directly affects the governing boards of Michigan's public universities, including institutions like the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Wayne State University. The key provision mandates that these board meetings be open to the public as required by law, increasing transparency. The amendment also updates the constitutional list of public universities to include current institutional names. (Note: The bill's title and text contain minor inconsistencies in university names, but the core requirement is clear.)

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 468 prohibits Michigan jurisdictions from acquiring or using electronic voting systems after January 1, 2026, if those systems contain parts or equipment from entities providing "covered communications equipment" listed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under federal law. This directly affects local election officials and voting system vendors purchasing new equipment for state elections. The key mechanism requires voting systems to avoid components from vendors designated by the FCC as security risks, referencing the FCC’s official list. Existing systems and voting requirements (like paper ballots and accessibility features) remain unchanged under this bill.

Maddy summarySB 445 requires Michigan's Department of Corrections to publish aggregate data every 90 days on its website about non-U.S. citizen prisoners. The report must include each prisoner's immigration status, their specific convictions, and their home country (defined as birthplace). This applies only to prisoners under the department's jurisdiction who are not U.S. citizens. The bill mandates this reporting starting six months after it takes effect, focusing on transparency around this specific population's data.