Sen. Michele Hoitenga

Maddy summarySenate Bill 327 proposes to prohibit the use of protected farmland for commercial solar facilities. It amends existing law to prevent the amendment of development rights agreements, which are typically used to preserve farmland and open space, to allow for the installation and operation of solar facilities. This means that, after the bill's effective date, land enrolled in these agreements can no longer be converted for solar energy generation, regardless of conditions for environmental protection or eventual return to agricultural use.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 323 proposes to amend the Michigan Zoning Enabling Act. It removes the provision that requires local zoning ordinances to be subject to Part 8 of the Clean and Renewable Energy and Energy Waste Reduction Act. This change would mean local governments' zoning authority would no longer be tied to the requirements of that specific energy act. The bill is tied to Senate Bill 322, meaning it will only take effect if SB 322 also becomes law.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 320 establishes the "Student Opportunity Scholarship Act," creating a program to provide scholarships for eligible K-12 students in Michigan. The program targets students from lower-income households, those with disabilities, or children in foster care. Nonprofit Scholarship-Granting Organizations (SGOs) would administer individual Student Opportunity Scholarship (SOS) accounts, funded by tax-creditable contributions. These funds can be used for a variety of approved educational expenses, including public or nonpublic school tuition, online learning, tutoring, textbooks, and educational technology. The scholarship amounts vary based on factors like the student's current enrollment and disability status.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 322 amends Michigan's "Clean and Renewable Energy and Energy Waste Reduction Act," specifically reversing changes made by three 2023 public acts. The bill requires electric and natural gas providers to implement renewable energy, clean energy, and energy waste reduction programs, aiming to return cost savings to customers. It establishes a goal for 35% of the state's electricity to be met through a combination of energy waste reduction and renewable energy by 2025. A key provision authorizes state certification for wind, solar, and energy storage facilities, which can preempt local zoning ordinances.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 321 proposes changes to Michigan's Income Tax Act for individuals. The bill aims to create an income tax credit for contributions made to scholarship-granting organizations. It also seeks to establish a tax deduction for funds distributed to student opportunity scholarship accounts. These provisions are intended to incentivize financial support for educational scholarships. However, the specific details regarding the eligibility, amounts, and operational mechanisms of these new credits and deductions are not present in the provided truncated bill text.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 49 is a tribute offered as a memorial for George Alvin McManus Jr., a former member of the Senate. The resolution honors his memory, acknowledges his service from 1991 to 2002, and directs copies to be sent to his family.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 45 commemorates May 11-17, 2025, as Police Week. This resolution honors law enforcement officers serving communities across the United States and Michigan, and specifically recognizes those who have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 292 proposes a new property tax exemption for certain senior citizens in Michigan, effective for taxes levied after December 31, 2025. It would exempt the principal residence of individuals aged 70 or older from property taxes. To qualify, an individual must own and occupy the property as their primary home and file a claim with their local assessing unit. Once granted, the exemption remains in effect as long as the individual continuously owns and occupies the property. The bill also states the legislature's intent to annually appropriate state funds to compensate local governments for any resulting lost revenue.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 300 amends the Public Employee Retirement System Investment Act, modifying the duties of investment fiduciaries for public employee retirement plans. It mandates that fiduciaries must consider only "pecuniary factors" when evaluating investments, defining these as factors with a material effect on risk or return, and explicitly excluding social, political, or ideological objectives. The bill also expands the required content of annual reports published by these fiduciaries, including comprehensive financial, performance, and actuarial data. These changes directly impact the management and transparency of public employee retirement funds in the state.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 289, titled the "protecting minors from chemical and surgical mutilation act," prohibits healthcare professionals from performing certain medical procedures on individuals under 18 years of age in Michigan. Specifically, the bill bans prescribing puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones, and performing surgeries that sterilize or construct genitalia differing from a minor's biological sex, when done to alter or affirm a minor's perceived sex. Exceptions are made for minors with medically verifiable disorders of sex development, or for procedures necessary to treat a physical illness posing imminent danger. The bill allows individuals who allege a violation to seek legal remedies, including damages, and permits the Attorney General to enforce its provisions.