Budget & Taxes

HB 4578 provides the budget for the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential for fiscal year 2025-2026. It allocates specific funding amounts to support the department's programs and operations during the upcoming year. The bill directly affects the department by determining its available resources for delivering services related to education and workforce development. This is a routine budget measure that establishes funding levels without introducing new policies or altering existing programs.

HB 4157 creates a pilot program for a state-administered assessment system in Michigan public schools, replacing the current M-STEP testing. It requires item analysis for all tests (showing which questions students answered correctly and common mistakes) and mandates that districts use only student enrollment data from the time of testing when calculating school performance scores. The bill allocates $500,000 for an online tool to provide secure, immediate access to student-level assessment data for educators and parents. This bill directly affects public school districts receiving state aid and their students in grades 11-12, as it modifies assessment requirements under the State School Aid Act.

HB 4186 increases Michigan's business income tax rate from 4.95% to 30% for all business activity occurring on or after January 1, 2025. This rate change directly affects businesses operating within Michigan that are subject to the state's business tax, including those previously filing under the corporate income tax act. The bill amends sections 201 and 500 of the Michigan Business Tax Act (2007 PA 36) to implement this rate increase and adjust the tax base calculations for businesses. The change represents a significant policy shift in how Michigan taxes business income, effective in 2025.

HB 4170 permanently sets Michigan's individual income tax rate at 4.05% for all taxpayers, replacing a temporary 4.25% rate scheduled to take effect in 2024. It creates a mechanism where the rate could decrease further if state revenue growth exceeds inflation, requiring annual revenue reviews. The bill directly affects all Michigan residents who pay individual income tax. The change takes effect immediately for tax years beginning January 1, 2025, with the 4.05% rate now permanent unless triggered by the revenue growth condition.

HB 4162 allocates $17.77 billion in state and federal funds for Michigan's K-12 public schools for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, primarily from the state school aid fund and other designated trust funds. It sets a new target per-student funding level of $10,025 and establishes a formula to calculate each school district's foundation allowance based on the previous year's funding, inflation (using the Consumer Price Index), and the target amount. School districts with funding below the target receive adjusted increases, while those above the target see smaller raises tied to inflation. The bill directly affects all public school districts by determining their state funding allocation through this updated formula.