Sen. Dayna Polehanki

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 68 designates September 11-17, 2025, as "Patriot Week" to honor American history and founding principles. It encourages citizens, schools, government agencies, and organizations to recognize this period by studying key historical documents (like the Declaration of Independence and Constitution), figures (such as George Washington and Frederick Douglass), and symbols (including the American flag). The resolution urges participation in activities that "renew the American spirit" based on the nation's foundational values. As a symbolic resolution, it does not create new laws or obligations but serves as a formal invitation for voluntary observance.

Maddy summarySB 204 requires Michigan school districts to establish written policies and procedures for closing school buildings. It directly affects all public school districts in the state by mandating specific steps before a closure decision is made. Key provisions include requiring districts to provide community input, detail student transportation plans, and outline how staff will be handled during the closure process. The bill adds these requirements to Michigan's education law (MCL 380.1 et seq.) as Section 1258.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates September 2025 as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. It does not create new laws or allocate funding but symbolically recognizes childhood cancer as the leading cause of death by disease for children under 14 in the U.S. The resolution aims to raise public awareness, honor affected children and families, and support ongoing research efforts. It directly affects the general public, healthcare advocates, and childhood cancer organizations through a formal legislative acknowledgment.

Maddy summaryThis resolution symbolically designates September 2025 as Suicide Prevention Month to raise awareness about suicide prevention efforts. It cites CDC data showing suicide is the second leading cause of death among people aged 10-34 and emphasizes the importance of mental health resources and reducing stigma. The resolution encourages public engagement with suicide prevention and references the 988 suicide hotline as a key resource. As a ceremonial resolution, it does not create new laws or funding but aims to promote community awareness during that month.

Maddy summarySR 65 is a symbolic Senate resolution designating September 2025 as "Hunger Action Month" in Michigan. It recognizes the annual nationwide effort led by Feeding America to raise awareness about food insecurity and support local food banks. The resolution highlights Michigan's ongoing challenges, including 1.5 million residents facing food insecurity and 19% childhood food insecurity rates, without creating new policies or funding. This procedural resolution serves to acknowledge community efforts and the need for food assistance, rather than implementing concrete changes.

Maddy summarySB 522 amends Michigan law to explicitly include human trafficking violations as a grounds for terminating parental rights. The bill adds human trafficking to the list of abusive conduct under existing subsection (k), which allows courts to terminate rights when a parent's actions (including abuse) create a reasonable likelihood of future harm to the child. This change directly affects parents who commit human trafficking against their children, providing courts with a specific legal basis to pursue termination in such cases. The amendment does not alter other existing grounds for termination but clarifies that human trafficking violations qualify as grounds under the same standard as other forms of abuse.

Maddy summarySB 523 amends Michigan's Child Protection Law to explicitly include human trafficking violations as a qualifying form of abuse that allows the state Department of Health and Human Services to seek court intervention for children. The bill adds human trafficking (as defined in Michigan law) to the list of serious harms - alongside physical abuse, sexual assault, and neglect - that trigger the department's duty to petition a court for authority over a juvenile. This change directly affects parents, guardians, or adults living in a child's home who commit human trafficking or place a child at risk through such activity. The key mechanism expands the grounds for state action, ensuring human trafficking is treated with the same seriousness as other severe child abuse under existing legal standards.

Maddy summarySB 524 amends Michigan's prostitution-related laws to increase penalties for repeat offenses and create a new diversion program for first-time offenders. It adds a mandatory human trafficking awareness program for first-time offenders instead of immediate conviction, and establishes a legal presumption that minors under 18 involved in prostitution were coerced by traffickers. The bill directly affects individuals accused of solicitation, operating brothels, or aiding prostitution, with enhanced penalties for those with prior convictions. Key provisions include stricter sentencing tiers based on prior offenses and mandatory reporting of minors to human services for trafficking investigations.

Maddy summarySB 519 requires Michigan's Public Service Commission to create rules enabling community solar programs. It mandates that at least 30% of electricity from each facility must serve low-income households or organizations, ensures subscribers can transfer their solar credits when moving within the same utility area, and prevents utilities from changing a customer's rate class for joining solar programs. The bill also establishes bill credit rates based on utility rates (excluding distribution costs) to ensure all customer groups can access community solar. These rules directly affect electric providers, low-income households, and all Michigan residents who may subscribe to community solar facilities.

Maddy summarySB 518 establishes a framework for community solar facilities in Michigan, allowing multiple subscribers to share electricity generated from a single solar installation. The bill requires facilities to have at least 3 subscribers, limit capacity to 5 megawatts, and ensure 60% of capacity is subscribed by small users (40 kW or less). It defines "bill credits" that subscribers receive to offset their electricity bills based on their proportional share of the solar facility’s output. This directly affects residential and small business subscribers - particularly low-income households meeting HUD or poverty line criteria - and electric providers managing these programs.