Sen. John Damoose

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 summarySB 48 allows corrections officers hired after a specific date to join the state police retirement system and purchase service credit for their prior corrections work. It amends Michigan's retirement law to create a new process (via added sections 14b and 24c) enabling these officers to buy back years of service from their corrections employment to count toward their retirement benefits. This directly affects corrections officers first hired after the date specified in the bill, providing them with more retirement credit options. The bill changes how service credit is calculated and transferred between systems, making it easier for eligible officers to consolidate their retirement contributions. It does not change retirement benefits or costs for existing members.

Maddy summarySB 47 allows corrections officers in specific "covered positions" (defined in Section 45) who became state retirement system participants after March 31, 1997, to elect to switch from the State Employees' Retirement System to the Michigan State Police Retirement System. The bill creates a 75-day window for eligible employees to make this irrevocable election - beginning 75 days after the bill's effective date for those hired before February 1, 2026, or 75 days after their first payroll for newer hires. If elected, participants may transfer their Tier 2 retirement contributions to purchase service credit under the State Police Retirement System (per Section 64a). This change directly affects corrections officers meeting the eligibility criteria, providing a pathway to a different retirement system.

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 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.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Michigan's criminal procedure code to allow hearsay testimony in specific human trafficking and prostitution cases. It permits the admission of statements made to law enforcement that describe threats of physical injury, provided the statement was made recently and under circumstances indicating its trustworthiness. Prosecutors must disclose these statements to the defense at least 15 days before trial to ensure fair access to evidence. The changes apply only to cases involving domestic violence, sexual assault, or the specified sex crimes, leaving other legal proceedings unaffected.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a Strategic Advisory Board to create and update a ten-year economic development plan for Michigan, covering rural, suburban, and urban areas. The plan must include specific goals such as promoting natural resource industries, ensuring affordable housing, protecting the environment, and improving education and infrastructure. Additionally, the bill requires the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to update this strategic plan annually by September 30.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Strategic Advisory Board within the Michigan Strategic Fund to help develop and update strategic and operational plans for economic development. The board will consist of numerous voting members representing various state departments, business organizations, regional alliances, and universities, along with nonvoting experts in economics and site selection. Appointed by the governor, these members will work together to create a comprehensive plan that guides the fund's activities. The legislation establishes the board's composition, appointment procedures, term lengths, and the authority to remove members for cause.

Maddy summaryThis bill, known as the hospital price transparency act, prohibits Michigan hospitals from attempting to collect debts if the hospital was not in compliance with price transparency laws at the time the services were provided. The legislation specifically bans hospitals from referring such debts to third-party collectors, suing patients, or reporting these unpaid bills to credit agencies. By defining what constitutes a prohibited collection action, the law aims to prevent hospitals from pursuing financial penalties for patients when the hospital itself has failed to meet its own reporting requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Michigan Department of Education to create and distribute a model firearm safety program for students in grades 6 through 12 by June 1, 2025. The curriculum must cover topics such as proper handling, maintenance, storage, and hunting practices, totaling at least 10 hours of instruction led by certified hunter education instructors. While schools can offer this as an optional class or integrate it into existing courses, firearms and ammunition are strictly prohibited from being brought onto school property during these sessions. Additionally, the bill ensures that any student or their parent can request an exemption from the course without penalty or loss of academic credit. Finally, completing this instruction satisfies the state's hunter safety course requirement for obtaining a hunting license.