Sen. John Cherry

Maddy summarySB 74 amends Michigan's Worker's Disability Compensation Act to clarify how workplace injuries and disabilities are defined and compensated. It specifically modifies rules for mental health conditions (requiring a link to actual work events, not perceptions), refines the definition of "disability" as a limitation in wage-earning capacity, and requires employees to demonstrate good-faith job searches when claiming partial disability. The bill shifts the burden of proof to employers after an employee establishes initial disability, requiring employers to provide evidence to refute claims. These changes directly affect Michigan workers injured on the job and their employers in determining compensation eligibility and benefit amounts.

Maddy summarySB 75 amends Michigan's worker's compensation law to modify death benefit payments for dependents of workers who die from work-related injuries. The current law provides weekly payments equal to 80% of the deceased worker's after-tax average weekly wage for up to 500 weeks, with additional rules for dependents under age 21 or for partially dependent family members. The bill specifically targets sections 321, 331, 335, 345, and 356 of the 1969 Worker's Disability Compensation Act (MCL 418.321 et seq.). The exact changes proposed by the bill are not detailed in the provided text.

Maddy summarySB 72 modifies Michigan's electrical licensing rules to clarify supervision responsibilities. It requires electrical contractors to have a master electrician actively overseeing all electrical work, and both the contractor and master electrician share joint responsibility for ensuring compliance with electrical codes. If a master electrician leaves, contractors must hire a replacement within 30 days and notify the licensing department. This directly affects electrical contractors and master electricians who manage jobsites, ensuring consistent on-site supervision of electrical installations. The bill does not change licensing requirements for apprentices or journeyman electricians.

Maddy summarySB 58 requires Michigan's Department of Education, with input from the Department of Natural Resources, to create a model firearm safety program for students in grades 6-12 by June 2025. The program must be at least 10 hours long, taught by certified hunter education instructors, and cover safe handling, storage, types of firearms, and hunting practices - without bringing firearms into school buildings. Schools may offer the instruction as an optional extracurricular activity or integrate it into existing courses, and students or parents can request excusal without academic penalty. Completing the program fulfills the hunter safety requirement for obtaining a hunting license under state law. The bill directly affects public schools, students in grades 6-12, and the state departments overseeing education and natural resources.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SR 3) authorizes the Senate Majority Leader to take legal action against the House of Representatives to compel it to present nine specific bills to the Governor. The bills - passed by both chambers during the 2023-2024 legislative session - were returned to the House on December 20, 2024, but the House has refused to present them to the Governor despite a constitutional requirement under Michigan’s Article IV, Section 33. The Senate seeks to enforce this duty through court action, targeting House Bills 4177 and 4665-4667 (2023) and 4900-4901, 5817-5818, and 6058 (2024). The resolution focuses solely on procedural compliance, not policy content.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act to explicitly prohibit housing discrimination based on a person's source of income. It directly affects landlords, real estate brokers, and anyone involved in property transactions by banning them from refusing to rent or sell homes to individuals using government assistance, veterans benefits, Social Security, or other legal income sources. The law clarifies that these protections apply to all forms of discrimination, including refusing to negotiate, making false claims about property availability, or publishing advertisements that exclude people based on how they pay rent. By adding "source of income" to the list of protected categories, the legislation ensures that housing opportunities cannot be denied solely because a tenant relies on subsidies or retirement funds.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Michigan's penal code to strengthen protections for victims of human trafficking during legal proceedings. It allows courts to admit expert testimony explaining how trafficking victims may behave differently than expected and clarifies that a victim's testimony does not require corroboration. Additionally, the law ensures that victims cannot be forced to testify or produce documents if doing so might incriminate them, with the strict rule that any truthful information they provide cannot be used against them in a criminal case except to challenge their credibility or prove they lied.

Maddy summarySB 976 amends the Michigan Employment Security Act to update how the state unemployment insurance agency shares information with federal partners and manages data privacy. The bill clarifies rules for disclosing confidential records, specifically allowing certain workers' disability claims and employer experience account data to be released to interested parties under strict conditions. It outlines specific requirements for attorneys, elected officials, and third parties who request this information, including rules about written authorizations and fees for processing requests. By modifying multiple sections of existing law, the legislation aims to streamline administrative cooperation while maintaining protections for individual and employer identities.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Michigan's Code of Criminal Procedure to allow prosecutors to introduce evidence of a defendant's prior acts of domestic violence or sexual assault in current trials for those same crimes. To ensure fairness, the law requires prosecutors to disclose this prior evidence to the defense at least 15 days before the trial begins. The bill also sets a general rule that evidence of acts older than 10 years is inadmissible unless specific conditions are met, such as the prior act being reported to police within five years or resulting in a DNA match. These changes apply to cases where the defendant is accused of offenses involving domestic violence, sexual assault, or specific violations of the Michigan penal code.