Michigan Bills

in committee · Michigan · House May 13, 2026

HB 5942: Public utilities: rates; requirements for rate increases; provide for. Amends sec. 6a of 1939 PA 3 (MCL 460.6a).

HB 5942 amends state law to establish stricter rules for public utilities in Michigan when they seek to raise rates or change their pricing schedules. The bill requires gas, electric, and steam utilities to obtain approval from the Public Service Commission before implementing any rate increases that would cost customers more money. It mandates that utilities provide advance notice to all affected customers and hold public hearings to allow for input, while also setting specific deadlines for the commission to review and decide on these applications. Additionally, the legislation outlines a process for utilities to request temporary relief from rate hikes and specifies how refunds and interest must be handled if proposed rates are later rejected or reduced. These changes directly impact utility companies and their customers by creating a more transparent and regulated framework for rate adjustments.

in committee · Michigan · House May 13, 2026

HB 5946: Health occupations: massage therapists; continuing education requirements for massage therapists; modify. Amends secs. 16148 & 17965 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.16148 & 333.17965). TIE BAR WITH: HB 5947'26

This bill modifies Michigan's Public Health Code to require massage therapists to complete specific continuing education on identifying victims of human trafficking as a condition for renewing their licenses. It mandates that the state board establish rules for these training standards, which must be included in the required 18 hours of continuing education every three years. The legislation also clarifies the board's authority over training program accreditation and voting procedures for health profession subfields. Additionally, it includes a provision that prevents certain long-serving nursing faculty members from needing a baccalaureate degree in nursing science to meet faculty requirements. The bill is tied to a companion measure and will not take effect unless both are enacted into law.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Michigan · House May 13, 2026

HB 5954: Labor: hours and wages; scheduling standards for certain employers; provide for. Creates new act.

This Michigan bill, known as the Employee Fair Scheduling Act, establishes new rules for larger employers in retail, hospitality, and food service industries to provide more predictable work schedules. It requires companies with at least 20 employees to give new hires a written estimate of their expected hours and to post detailed work schedules at least 14 days in advance. The legislation also mandates compensation for certain last-minute schedule changes, allows employees to request schedule adjustments, and prohibits retaliation against workers who exercise these rights.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Michigan · House May 13, 2026

HB 5952: Worker's compensation: benefits; post-traumatic stress disorder injury fund; create. Amends 1969 PA 317 (MCL 418.101 - 418.941) by adding sec. 409.

This bill creates a new Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Fund within the state treasury to provide financial support for workers' compensation claims related to PTSD. The legislation establishes the fund's management structure, allowing the state treasurer to invest assets and the director to oversee audits and expenditures for approved claims and administrative costs. It mandates that any unpaid claims be prioritized for payment if the fund runs low and requires the director to notify the legislature if the money is projected to be insufficient within 60 days. Additionally, the bill mandates annual and quarterly reports to the legislature detailing claim statistics, payment amounts, and future cost estimates.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

Mike Mueller (R) · 32 co-sponsors

in committee · Michigan · House May 13, 2026

HB 5950: Traffic control: driver license; communication impediment decal for vehicles; provide for. Amends sec. 5 of 2008 PA 23 (MCL 28.305). TIE BAR WITH: HB 5949'26

This bill amends Michigan's enhanced driver license and identification card laws to allow individuals to voluntarily include a "communication impediment" designation on their ID. The designation is intended for people with conditions like deafness or autism that may hinder communication with police officers. Under the new rules, law enforcement personnel with authorized access to a specific state network would be able to view this designation. The bill also clarifies privacy protections, ensuring that Social Security numbers and other personal data are not printed on the front of the card. Additionally, it establishes procedures for the Secretary of State to cancel or revoke this designation if the underlying health condition no longer exists, following a notice and hearing process for the cardholder.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Technology

in committee · Michigan · House May 13, 2026

HB 5949: Vehicles: other; communication impediment decal for vehicles; provide for. Amends secs. 221 & 310 of 1949 PA 300 (MCL 257.221 & 257.310) & adds sec. 221a. TIE BAR WITH: HB 5950'26

HB 5949 creates a new program allowing vehicle owners in Michigan to request a free 'communication impediment' decal for their windshield or license plate. This decal signals that the driver or a household member has a condition, such as deafness or autism, that might make communicating with police during a traffic stop difficult. To qualify, owners must submit a certification from a licensed medical professional confirming the communication barrier. The bill also updates existing vehicle registration laws to include a digital designation in state records for these individuals, while establishing penalties for fraud and procedures for revoking the designation if abuse is suspected.

Topics ✓ Transportation

in committee · Michigan · House May 13, 2026

HB 5941: Health: pharmaceuticals; reports on certain costs and other information associated with prescription drugs; require manufacturers of prescription drugs to file with the department. Creates new act.

This bill requires prescription drug manufacturers in Michigan to submit detailed reports to the state Department of Insurance and Financial Services before raising drug prices by significant amounts. The reports must include data on research and development costs, government funding received, advertising and lobbying expenditures, and patent information for drugs costing more than $40 per treatment course. Additionally, companies must notify the department within three days of launching new high-cost specialty drugs, providing details on their development status and acquisition costs. The state will compile this information into an annual report for legislative review while keeping specific company data confidential to protect proprietary interests, with fines of up to $100,000 per month for non-compliance.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Michigan · House May 13, 2026

HB 5948: Health occupations: massage therapists; massage therapist licensure compact; enact. Amends sec. 17951 of 1978 PA 368 (MCL 333.17951) & adds secs. 16187e & 17953a.

This bill enacts the Interstate Massage Compact in Michigan, allowing licensed massage therapists to practice across multiple states with a single multistate license. The legislation creates an Interstate Commission to manage the compact and establishes a shared data system for tracking licenses, disciplinary actions, and background checks among member states. While the compact aims to increase mobility for therapists and improve public access to services, it maintains that each state retains the authority to enforce its own laws and regulations regarding massage therapy practice.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Michigan · House May 13, 2026

HB 5956: Natural resources: wildlife; requirement to register and report deer pelts; eliminate. Amends secs. 42504 & 42505 of 1994 PA 451 (MCL 324.42504 & 324.42505).

This bill removes the legal requirement for hunters and dealers in Michigan to report the number of deer pelts they possess or trade. While the law currently mandates that individuals holding licenses must submit notarized reports on all other fur-bearing animals and game birds, this legislation specifically exempts deer pelts from those reporting obligations. The change affects both hunters who keep pelts after the season and businesses that buy or sell them, allowing them to exclude deer pelts from their monthly and seasonal filings to the state department.

Topics ✗ Environment

Timmy Beson (R) · 25 co-sponsors

in committee · Michigan · Senate May 13, 2026

SB 953: Civil rights: other; standards for public bodies collecting and reporting data related to race and ethnicity; establish. Creates new act.

SB 953 establishes the Michigan Data Collection Act, which requires state and local public bodies to use specific criteria when gathering race and ethnicity data in official documents. The law mandates that these forms include a single combined question for race and ethnicity, listing seven broad categories with six specific subcategories for each, along with an option for individuals to add their own details. Public agencies must also publish an action plan outlining their data collection compliance and potential risks on their websites within 18 months of the bill's effective date. Additionally, the data collected under this act is exempt from public disclosure under the state's Freedom of Information Act, and the list of subcategories must be updated every ten years based on federal census results.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · Michigan · Senate May 13, 2026

SB 954: State agencies (existing): generally; classifications used in state agency writings requesting racial or ethnic identification; repeal. Repeals sec. 206a of 1984 PA 431 (MCL 18.1206a).

This bill repeals a specific section of Michigan's Management and Budget Act that previously required state agencies to use particular racial and ethnic classifications in their documents. By removing this requirement, the legislation allows state agencies to decide how they identify racial and ethnic data without being bound by the old statutory categories. The bill is currently in its early stages and will not become law unless a separate companion bill is also passed by the legislature.

in committee · Michigan · Senate May 13, 2026

SB 957: Transportation: funds; population threshold for certain grants; increase. Amends secs. 10e & 13c of 1951 PA 51 (MCL 247.660e & 247.663c).

SB 957 amends Michigan state law to increase the population threshold for certain public transportation grants from 100,000 to 200,000 residents. This change directly affects transit agencies operating in urbanized areas that currently fall between these two population figures, allowing them to become eligible for funding previously reserved for larger cities. Under the new provisions, agencies in these mid-sized urban areas will receive grants covering up to 50% of their eligible operating expenses, matching the rate given to larger cities, while smaller rural and urban agencies retain their higher 60% funding rate. The bill also maintains existing requirements for preferential fares for seniors and people with disabilities and ensures that no agency receives less funding than it did in the 1997 fiscal year.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Transportation

Bill results