HB 4396 amends Michigan's Juvenile Diversion Act to permit researchers to access certain juvenile justice records for research purposes under strict safeguards. It requires researchers to submit requests to the state court administrative office, obtain approval, and sign a data use agreement that protects personally identifiable information from public disclosure. The agreement must prevent misuse and exempt the data from public disclosure under Michigan's Freedom of Information Act. This change directly affects researchers studying juvenile justice outcomes, not the minors involved in cases.
HB 4517 amends Michigan's Child Abduction Broadcast Act to update its title and expand how radio and TV stations can share missing child information. It specifically allows stations to broadcast alerts via social media (beyond traditional radio/TV) when sharing details from the Michigan Department of State Police under the Amber Alert system. The bill also maintains legal immunity for stations that accurately broadcast this information. This directly affects broadcasters, law enforcement, and the public by broadening the channels for urgent child safety alerts.
HB 4746 requires Michigan's food assistance program to issue chip-enabled bridge cards instead of magnetic stripe cards to recipients. This directly affects individuals receiving food assistance benefits through the state's bridge card system. The key provision amends existing law to mandate the use of more secure chip technology for all new and replacement cards. This policy change replaces outdated magnetic stripe card technology with enhanced security features for the food assistance program. The bill passed the Michigan House with strong support on September 3, 2025.
This bill prohibits retailers in Michigan from using surveillance pricing, which involves raising the price of a consumer item based on an individual's personal data such as their IP address, search history, or device type. It requires businesses to clearly display the total price of items at the point of sale, with specific exceptions for things like food sold by weight, motor vehicles, and small items under 30 cents. The legislation also allows consumers to sue retailers for violations, potentially recovering actual damages or a minimum of $250 for each day the law is broken. Finally, the bill includes a tie-breaker provision that prevents it from taking effect unless a companion bill, HB 6098, is also passed into law.
This bill amends the Michigan Consumer Protection Act to explicitly prohibit merchants from using "surveillance pricing," a practice where prices are dynamically adjusted based on data gathered from monitoring individual customers. The legislation directly affects businesses selling goods and services by adding a new provision that makes it unlawful to charge higher prices to consumers who are being tracked or monitored. By incorporating this specific prohibition into the state's existing list of unfair trade practices, the bill aims to prevent deceptive pricing tactics that exploit consumer data.
HB 5544, the "Money Transmission Modernization Act," creates a new regulatory framework for money transmitters (such as digital payment apps and services) operating in Michigan. It replaces Michigan’s outdated 2006 money transmission laws, requiring these businesses to obtain state licenses, standardizing which activities need licensing, and establishing safety rules to protect customer funds. The bill also mandates that transmitters calculate their average daily money transmission liability and adhere to modernized requirements for financial crime prevention and regulatory coordination. This affects all money transmitters serving Michigan residents and the Department of Insurance and Financial Services, which will enforce the new rules.
This bill updates Michigan's high school graduation requirements by amending existing sections and adding new provisions to the state's school code. It directly affects all public school districts and academies by establishing specific credit mandates for mathematics, social science, health, arts, and foreign languages. Key changes include clarifying math pathways that allow career and technical education courses to count toward algebra II, mandating online learning experiences for every student, and requiring two credits in a language other than English.
HB 5504 proposes creating a State Digital Service Office within Michigan's Department of Technology, Management, and Budget. The office would review software projects costing $1 million or more, advise state agencies on modern development practices (like user-centered design and agile methods), and require annual reports on progress and cost savings. It directly affects state departments and agencies developing digital services, mandating collaboration with the new office for projects over $500,000 and requiring transparency through public reporting on outcomes like time saved and error reduction. The bill aims to improve digital service efficiency and user experience across state government.
This bill modifies Michigan's sales tax rules for online marketplace facilitators, requiring them to collect and remit sales tax on all taxable sales made through their platforms regardless of whether the individual sellers have a physical presence in the state. It establishes that marketplace facilitators are responsible for auditing only their own facilitated sales unless sellers fail to provide necessary information, while also protecting facilitators from liability when sellers provide incorrect data or pay the tax directly. The legislation creates a special provision for delivery network companies, allowing them to deduct or exclude from their tax liability the sales tax they paid to marketplace sellers for qualified delivery services, such as those performed by couriers using personal vehicles or walking for distances under 75 miles.
HB 4720 prohibits Michigan jurisdictions from using electronic voting systems containing parts or equipment from foreign entities listed by the FCC under federal law, effective January 1, 2026. This directly affects election officials and voting equipment vendors who must ensure their systems comply with this ban. The bill amends existing requirements to maintain paper ballots, accessibility standards, audit trails, and other voting system safeguards under Michigan's election law (MCL 168.795). It does not change current voting procedures but adds a new security-related restriction on equipment sourcing.
