Sen. John Damoose

Maddy summaryThis bill allows specific military veterans and their families to apply for special Michigan license plates that identify their service or sacrifice. Eligible individuals include former prisoners of war, World War I veterans, Pearl Harbor survivors, Purple Heart recipients, and family members of active-duty soldiers, fallen service members, or those who lost a loved one while serving. To qualify, applicants must submit proof of their status to the Secretary of State, and the plates will feature unique designs such as "EX-POW," "WWI," "Pearl Harbor survivor," or "Gold Star Family" along with the vehicle owner's birthday expiration. The legislation also waives standard service fees for these applications and grants tax exemptions for the first plate issued to a prisoner of war, while requiring taxes on additional plates.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a specific stretch of highway M-22 in Leelanau County as the "Company K Indian Veterans 1st Michigan Sharpshooters Civil War Memorial Highway." The designated section runs from North Stallman Road north to North Putnam Road, honoring the historical unit of Native American soldiers who served in the Civil War. By adding a new section to the Michigan Memorial Highway Act, the legislation officially assigns this commemorative name to the roadway. The change is purely symbolic and does not alter traffic rules, funding, or the physical infrastructure of the highway.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates the Michigan State Police retirement system to clarify definitions and rules for calculating retirement benefits. It specifically changes how "final average compensation" is calculated for officers who joined after June 10, 2012, by using the average salary from their last five years of service instead of the previous two-year period. The legislation also expands the list of eligible retirement plans that officers can use to roll over their pension funds and clarifies terms related to deferred retirement and leave time programs. These changes directly affect state law enforcement officers who are currently active, separating, or already retired under the state employees' retirement system.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows certain Michigan law enforcement officers hired after a specific date to purchase retirement credit for their prior service as state employees. To qualify, eligible officers must pay an amount calculated by the retirement system's actuary to cover the value of that previous work, provided they are not already receiving a pension for the same time period. The legislation permits officers to make these payments in installments using either tax-deferred contributions or additional payments, with a deadline of May 30, 2025, to start the process and a four-year window to finish paying. If an officer completes the purchase, the time worked as a state employee will count toward their retirement benefits under the new law.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows certain Michigan state employees in law enforcement roles to voluntarily switch their retirement plans from the general state system to the Michigan State Police retirement system. Eligible workers, including corrections officers and conservation officers, can make this change by submitting a written election between January 2, 2025, and June 6, 2025. If a participant chooses to switch, the change becomes permanent on June 7, 2025, and they will no longer be part of the original retirement plan. The law requires that married employees obtain their spouse's signature on the election form, though exceptions may be made for special circumstances.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new tax credit for Michigan taxpayers who donate money to endowment funds at certified community foundations starting in 2024. Individuals can claim a credit equal to 50% of their donation, up to a maximum of $100 for single filers or $200 for joint filers, while estates and trusts can claim up to 10% of their tax liability or $5,000, whichever is less. To qualify, the community foundation must be certified by the state department and have at least $1 million in assets, and donors must receive a gift acknowledgment confirming the contribution went to an endowment fund. The bill also requires the state department to report the total amount of these credits claimed each year to the legislature.

Maddy summaryThis bill modifies Michigan's Motor Vehicle Service and Repair Act to allow owners of registered repair facilities to operate an additional facility under the same registration. The legislation clarifies definitions for terms such as "auxiliary facility" and "BAIID service," which refers to work on breath alcohol ignition interlock devices. It also updates requirements for mechanics, specifying that certified specialty or master mechanics working at an auxiliary facility are not required to display their certificates at that specific location. These changes aim to streamline regulations for vehicle repair businesses while maintaining oversight over mechanic certifications and service descriptions.

Maddy summarySB 1185 modifies Michigan's highway signage laws to allow the Department of Transportation to issue permits for directional signs pointing to specific military facilities, nationally or regionally known attractions, and sites of outstanding interest. These permitted signs must be limited in size and content, displaying only the name of the destination and basic navigation details like route numbers without any pictures or descriptive phrases. The bill also establishes strict placement rules, such as keeping signs at least 2,000 feet from highway interchanges and limiting the total number of signs for a single attraction to three along any road. Additionally, the legislation clarifies that the number of annual visitors to a military facility will not be used as a factor when deciding whether to grant a sign permit.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Michigan Department of Education to establish a statewide behavioral threat assessment and management program for all public and nonpublic schools. The program requires the department to build a secure, cloud-based system that gathers data from various sources, such as law enforcement and mental health records, to identify and assess potential threats to school safety. Schools must use approved models to categorize student risk levels, create intervention plans, and manage case information while adhering to strict security protocols that limit access to authorized personnel only. Additionally, the legislation mandates regular training for staff, quarterly audits of system access, and annual reporting to state officials on the program's activities.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new fund within the state treasury to support Michigan's behavioral threat assessment and management program for schools. It appropriates $13 million from the general fund for the fiscal year ending in 2025 and allows the state treasurer to accept additional money, grants, or gifts for the fund. The designated department must use these resources to develop, implement, and maintain the program in accordance with existing safety laws, with any unused funds carried forward to the next year. The bill also establishes that these specific funds will not lapse at the end of the fiscal year and must be spent efficiently on the program's designated purposes.